Halal and Haram

Look at the canned goods in your pantry and check out the Halal seal. It's usually a circular stamp with the Arabic  word حلال (Halal) on it. Don't be surprised when you find one because nowadays, it's easy to spot items on the grocery shelves that are safe for consumption for the Muslims, and many food companies make sure  that their products meet the Halal standards. But what is Halal? 

Halal is an Arabic term that simply means legal or lawful. As Muslims, there are certain types of food that we consider lawful to eat, and as many of you already know, pork is definitely not on the list. That is considered Haram,its counterpart. Halal and Haram are two terms that not only pertain to the Muslim's food classification, but also to other facets of life that are either good or bad.

Like Pork? You can have all the pork you can eat, but I ain't having any

I was once a non-Muslim, and while I did eat pork in the past, I realized that there are other ways that I can enjoy a juicy, delectable piece of meat without being sinful to my Lord and to my own body. Because let's face it, pork eaters are more likely to suffer from poor health than non-pork eaters. So in the end, there is more to gain than to lose with eliminating pork in the diet. And isn't it odd that we call objects or people that are filthy and disgusting as "baboy?" So what does that say about the pork that you put on your mouth then? Hmmm..

What makes a food Halal?

" Forbidden to you for (food) are: dead meat, blood and the flesh of the swine and that which hath been invoked the name other than Allah. "

                           Holy Qur'an 5:4

Quoting our Holy book, Quran, we see the kinds of food that are forbidden or Haram for us to eat. They are:
- animals killed by another animal
- blood (no dinuguan or betamax)
- porky pig (pang figurine collection na lang)
- animals slaughtered without asking for Allah's blessing

Let me be more graphic here to clearly illustrate the last requirement of a Halal meat. In slaughtering the Islamic way, a sharp knife is essential to make a swift, deep incision on the animals throat, jugular vein, cartoid artery and wind pipe, while keeping the spinal cord intact. All these while its head is turned to the Qiblah,or the direction in which we face to pray. 


In my next entries, I will attempt to present some Halal food finds that are conveniently located in our own supermarkets. I'm guessing that most of these will be imported items. Also, I will try and scour the city for good Halal restaurants to those of you who'd like to experience dining the Halal way.   

Baba Rashid's Sate-han

Mercato Centrale is a weekend market that houses more than 100 various kinds of stalls selling assorted types of food, drinks, and trinkets. It has become popular among people who are looking for a unique eating experience in a reasonable fare and convenient location.

In July, we opened our very first business venture called Baba Rashid's Sate-han in Mercato Centrale. Our menu consists of different kinds of sate, namely chicken, beef, mutton and tripe, paired with our own concoction of Peanut sauce and/or Sambal Tumis (In Malay, "sambal" means spicy condiment, while "tumis" means cooked).

I know you want me

Chicken, beef and tripe sate with our signature Peanut Sauce, topped on Ketupat (puso) rice

Just recently, we added 2 new items - Beef Samosa and Nasi Goreng. Beef Samosa is an Indian-style turnover with beef filling, and Nasi Goreng is Malaysian-style fried rice. 

Nasi Goreng is perfect with sate

Chef Rashid at work

People who pass by our stall sometimes mistake us as Malaysians or Indonesians because of our offerings, but truth is, I haven't even been to Malaysia. But Rashid has stayed there for a month to learn the cuisine and bring it back to his homeland. He is very fascinated with Malaysian cuisine, because it is after all, part of our heritage as Filipinos. I like how he explained to me his love for South East Asian cuisine. He said that Filipinos are so busy looking at the West and imitating their ways when our own neighbors have something better to offer - a flavor that's so distinct and familiar, with ingredients that's available even in our own backyards. I agree with him completely and wish that many Filipinos think the same way.

So, shall I see you in Mercato Centrale one of these days?

* Baba Rashid's Sate-han is open every Friday and Saturday from 10pm to 3am.

My chicken love

Ayam Percik or the Malaysia style chicken curry was my first meal of the day at 8pm, cooked by no less than my favorite chef, Chef Rashid. It was a feast on its own. When you go about a full day with no water or food, you suddenly gain appreciation for the littlest things around you. I am thankful for Chicken curry. This is ♥. Alhamdulillah!

And so it begins

Assalamu Alaaikum to all!

Today is my 3rd day of Ramadhan. As a new Muslim, I am inclined to tell you the struggles and hardships that a Muslimah faces in a non-Muslim environment during times like these, and yet, I am inspired now more than ever to share the experiences of my Islamic journey to you. It has been an enriching and challenging journey so far, and I know that many are out there like me - new Muslims who are looking to deepen their knowledge about Islam and yet, struggling at the same time to make ends meet.

May Allah guide us all in this journey and constantly remind us that it is He who guided us to the Straight Path. I hope that by reading this blog, I may be able to enlighten even the non-Muslims with a thing or two about Islam and what Muslims are really like.

Insha Allah, you will follow the musings of this Muslimah in Manila.