Vegetables On Philippine Folk Song "Bahay Kubo" (Nipa Hut)

Filipino kids knows this nipa hut song. I probably first heard the song from my mom, because you
know parents always sing nursery songs and folk songs to their kids. And since we had lived our
lives in a farm in the Philippines, we had quite some time spent along with vegetables and my
mom would just sing this "bahay kubo" song either while harvesting vegetables or cooking
vegetables. Mom loves eating vegetables of all kinds. And while I am typing this hub, I remember
of all those times she had made me EAT bittermelon, saying it is good for me and has many
health benefits.
And now, I'm still hardheaded when it comes to eating bittermelon, but you know what? When
I'm feeling bad and just my asthma is about to attack (if you have asthma, you just know, or feel
when an asthma attack is about to happen,) I can force myself into eating either the bittermelon
fruit or the leaves. I'd rather deal with the bitterness of it.
Anyway, enough of my reminiscing, we're talking about the Philippine folk song "bahay kubo" or
"nipa hut" in English and all these Philippine vegetables that are being describe growing around
the nipa hut.
Below is the Tagalog nipa hut (bahay kubo) folk song video and my English translation on the
side. All the vegetables described on the "bahay kubo" song can be found after ot.

Bahay Kubo (Nipa Hut) in English

Nipa hut (Bahay kubo ), although it is small (kahit munti )
The vegetables in there (Ang halaman doon ), are of many kinds (ay sari sari )
Jicama (Singkamas ) and eggplant (at talong ,) winged bean (sigarilyas ) and peanut (at mani )
Long beans (Sitaw ), hyacinth beans (bataw ,) lima beans (patani )
Ash gourd (Kundol ,) sponge gourd (patola )
Bottle gourd (Opo ) and squash (at kalabasa )
And still there's some more (At saka meron pa )
Radish (Labanos ) and mustard (mustasa ,)
Onions (Sibuyas ,) tomatoes (kamatis ,) garlic (bawang ) and ginger (at luya )
And all around are lots of sesame plants. (repeat) (At sa paligid ligid ay maraming linga .)
Tagalog: Singkamas
Also known as Mexican yam or Mexican turnip. This root crop has to be peeled before eaten and
is good with vinegar or salt.
Eggplant
Tagalog: Talong
This perennial plant is often use in favorite Filipino recipes. I like torta eggplant , but mom usually
have eggplant with sinigang or her favorite vegetables mix together with bittermelon.
Eggplant is also known as nighshades and can grow for up to 57 inches in height.
Tagalog: Sigarilyas
Winged bean plant is a vine and grows pretty well on hot countries. This vegetable has four
angles and has frilly edges which is why it is also called or known as four-angled bean. All other
parts of the plant is also edible such as the leaves and the flowers. The young sprouts are also
used on Filipino cuisine such as on stews.

Peanut
Tagalog: Mani
A herbaceous plant that can grow for up to 1.6 in height. Something interesting about the peanut
and how the nuts go under ground after flowering is that, the stalks bend until the ovary touches
the ground, pushing it to go underground. Then, the fruit develops, the peanut. And because of
that, the peanut is also known as ground nuts or earth nuts.
Long beans
Tagalog: Sitaw
This vegetable is common in the Philippines and is available almost year round. Long beans goes
on almost any dishes along with any other vegetables. Parboiled long beans is even delicious and
goes well with vinegar, or lemon sauce. And one of my favorite, sauteed long beans!
Hyacinth bean
Tagalog: Bataw
This vegetable vine produces purple flowers which then turn into the bean. The leaves can also
be eaten. On Filipino cooking, both ends of the pod is remove. The young pods are preferred, and
as it matures, it will become leathery and hard to chew so the green seeds are taken out instead
for cooking and the pods are disposed.
Tagalog: Patani
This legume also grows as a vine and are high in fiber and is grown for the seeds. Lima bean is
also known as butter bean.
Tagalog: Kundol
Kundol (ash gourd) is a creeping or vine plant and is grown for its fruit which can grow for up to 2
meters long. Ash gourd is also known as winter melon and wax gourd. It got its name wax gourd
because as the fruit matures, it develops a waxy coating. This vegetable has a long shelf life too
after picked.
Tagalog: Patola
A vegetable vine, sponge gourds is another vegetable that can be seen on Philippine markets.
The sponge gourd is harvested before it matures, the young ones are preferred. As the vegetable
matures, it becomes spongy and would be hard to chew.
Bottle gourd
Tagalog: Upo
Another vine here. Bottle gourd is one of the vegetables I like. Bottle gourd is also preferred
before the fruit matures and the seeds hardened as it becomes leathery or rubbery when cooked
matured. This vegetable aids in digestion and acts as diuretics.
Squash
Tagalog: Kalabasa
Squash (kalabasa) is a vine or creeping plant. Some grow squash on trellis but some also prefer
to let these vegetable creep on ground. Both young and mature fruit are used on Filipino dishes.
If the young fruit is use, the skin could be cook too, but as the squash matures, the skin
hardened and needs to be peeled.
Squash is high in A vitamin, calcium and phosphorus. The young shoots or leaves and the flowers
are also use on cooking.
Radish

Tagalog: Labanos
A white, large root crop. Radish is one of my favorite vegetable. When fresh, radish is crunchy
and is used on one of Filipino favorite dish, sinigang.

Also good for 'radish salad,' by chopping the radish thinly together with chopped tomatoes and
ground pepper. Adding some teaspoon of vinegar and sugar according to taste.
Mustard greens
Tagalog: Mustasa
The leaves, stem and even along with the flowers are included on the cooking. This vegetable is
also known as Chinese mustard, Indian mustard and leaf mustard.
Onions
Tagalog: Sibuyas
Onions (sibuyas) is one of the most used and important ingredient in Filipino cuisine as onions
can be found on just about every Filipino dishes. Onions are used on soups, sautes, and some
also use onions on fried rice!
Onions are easy to grow (we are even growing onions here on San Diego and they thrive even on
Winter days.) Both the leaves are being used on dishes too.
Tomato
Tagalog: Kamatis
This perennial plant can grow up to 10 feet in height, usually bears round, red fruits. Tomato can
also be found being used on Filipino dishes and sauces, specially for fried fish sauces. Just like my
parents enjoys it, chopped tomatoes along with chopped onions, pepper, parsley and vinegar.
Tomato is a rich source of lycopene and eating tomatoes can reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Also since childhood, I've been told to eat tomatoes to get a keen eyesight. I didn't like tomato
before but I learned eating it raw since my uncle use to put halves of tomatoes on mine and
younger brother plates. He's fond of eating tomatoes since he was a kid and it is amazing he
don't use eyeglasses yet and already was on his 70's.
Garlic
Tagalog: Bawang
Just like onions, garlic can also be found on almost every dish. My mom also use garlic and
taught me to drink minced garlic too along with minced onions with honey to relieve cough and
asthma.
Ginger
Tagalog: Luya
Use as spice and to make ginger tea. Ginger is use to balance and rid of the fishy smell on fishes
such as on roasting Tilapia fish. It is also use on some other dishes as well such as the favorite
dish papaitan.
Sesame
Tagalog: Linga
Grown for its edible seeds. Sesame (linga) can grow up to 3 feet tall and flowers can either be
yellow, purple or blue.