Nata de Piña
Nata de Piña
Almost any kind of pineapple, (overripe fruits, culled pineapples, the trimmings in a pineapple cannery, the excess juice or even the peelings of pineapples), can be used for “NATA” making. However, no rotten or rotting pineapples should be used. The fruits are washed very well in running water. It is sometimes desirable to peel the fruits, as it is hard to grind the unpeeled ones. The peelings should be cut as thin possible, without removing the “eyes” The pineapples are then sliced and ground preferably in a meat grinder. Precautions should be taken that all utensils are very clean, that is, free from oily, fatty or salty substances. When the pineapples are not very juicy, about 1/2 to an equal volume of water is added to the ground fruits. Then add sugar amounting to about 1/20 of the whole volume of pineapple mixture. The sugared material is stirred thoroughly and placed in enameled, glass or glazed containers, or in earthware, to a tickness of 3 to 5 minutes. Cover the containers with preforated paper and tie with a string. Cheesecloth may also be used to protect the mixture fromd dust, insects, etc. Leave the mixture undisturbed in a safe place until a film of white mass appears on top of it. Let the mixture grow undisturbed to the maximum thickness or until the mass separates naturally from the mixture. At this stage “NATA” is ready to be harvested. This is usually after the 3rd or 4th weel. The harvested “NATA” is bleached by saoking in several chnages of water with calamansi juice or lemon juice. Let is stay in the sun until it is white and free from any sour odor. Then the “NATA” is boiled in several changes of water. This treatment kills all the organism lodged in the “NATA” The “NATA” is now cut into pieces and cooked in medium syrup with either pineapple flavoring, lemon rind or any other desired flavoring. After boiling in syrup for 30 minutes, soak the “NATA” in the syrup overnight and then boil again the next day for 30 minutes, and soak again overnight. Continue this process until t he “NATA” is transparent. If the syrup is not enough, make a new syrup and add to the “NATA”
I love eating nata de coco especially when you add it in making fruit salads or any kind of the desserts. But I never heard that there is a so called Nata de Peña, that is why when I surfed the www.filipinofoods.info and found these steps on how to make Nata de Peña I never had any second thought and tried to make my own homemade Nata de Peña. Try it and you will love it! It’s quite different from the usual nata de coco that we used everytime we make a dessert. it has a juice taste that really melts in your mouth once you taste it! tfdf
Comment by Sam — January 7, 2006 @ 1:27:37 am