I used to wonder why the tuberous root of sweet potato is kamote while its leaves are called ganás. Now I know better. Ganás, like talbos (Tagalog), actually refers to the young leaves/tendrils of a climbing vegetable, so it is more proper to say “ganás sa kamote” — those bunches of tangkong and alugbati being ganás, too (and I anal).
Big deal, right? If you ask me, it damn well is. In this day and age, there is no longer an excuse for ignorance, what with Google (or Siri) a click away. If it even needs to go that far. How many times have I been asked, “Where was this photo taken?” on Facebook when the location is noted right there on the goddamned page? Don’t even get me started on that excuse “tl;dr” (too long, didn’t read) — if you can not be bothered to read a few blocks of text, then you have no right to know.
Is it any wonder too many people on FB profess nostalgia for the Marcos regime? What sites have they been visiting? Likely, none, because, hey — tl;dr (if anything, the atrocities and profligacy of the dictatorship are so heavily documented as to be overwhelming). I like to think some people just pounce on anything that says “like” or “click to share,” but I could be mistaken: perhaps Marcos propagandists have mastered the art of copy digestible enough for the Internet generation (or the lazy — or should I say “suggestible?” — subset of it), in which event Mar Roxas should seek them out for tactical advice seeing as his presidential bid is going nowhere fast.
But how did we get here from kamote tops, anyway? I bet you didn’t come here for a lecture. To make the salad, quickly blanch the young leaves and tendrils, then dump in ice-cold water. Drain and mix with sliced red onion, ginger, and tomatoes in a combination of vinegar and water, plus salt (and sugar, if desired). I added cubed watermelon and minced chili to mine for a sweet-spicy touch. Also, flaked fried buwad nukos (dried squid) for umami. Click to like; I promise it won’t make you look clueless.
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