Cooking with Chef RV Manabat: ‘Walang problem ’yan’

Manabat knows whereof he speaks. A graduate of De La Salle’s St. Benilde College with a major in hospitality management and culinary arts, he has a master’s degree in food studies from Boston University in Massachusetts, took the Master Chocolatier Program in Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Belgium, as well as cake-decorating classes at the Institute of Culinary Arts, New York and the French Culinary Institute in Chicago. He also has a Thai cooking certificate from the Blue Elephant culinary school in Bangkok and has studied mastering Malaysian cuisine in Lazat, Kuala Lumpur.

All these were just a natural progression of his early childhood interest. “Our family loves food,” he says. “My late Tatay was a meat vendor who would always bring home the freshest meats and produce. And my Bicolana Nanay would turn those beautiful ingredients into sumptuous, home-cooked meals that we grew up eating.

“At the age of seven, I was already immersed in the wet market, and my Nanay’s kitchen became my favorite place in the house,” he adds.

Yet in his realm, not everything is about food. As he demonstrates how to make spring rolls or bake chiffon cake, he dishes out little bits of advice, with a touch of humor and a dose of charm.

“We don’t want a complicated life—just simple but delicious,” he says while showing viewers how to cook burger steak with mushroom gravy.

“Maging masaya tayo kung ano ang nasa harap natin,o kung sino ang nasa harap mo, maging masaya ka,” he says as he stirs some gabi leaves in a vat of coconut milk.

“Walang problem ’yan,” is also a favorite phrase. He says it often in answer to questions from viewers who want to substitute one ingredient for another.

“We grew up in a quite comfortable household, but my Nanay and Tatay taught us how to be flexible and economical. Hence, I tell my viewers to feel free to tweak the recipes based on their preferences and the availability and cost of ingredients. Kung saan masaya ang budget mo, kung saan ka masaya, ’yon ang gamitin mo.”

In sum, Manabat says, “Cooking is a practice of happiness. My viewers must feel free, happy and empowered in the kitchen.”

Empowered enough to make a living. After he shared his favorite moist chocolate cake recipe, many of his viewers were able to start their own food business selling the cake.

No wonder Manabat has endeared himself to numerous fans. Already he has a reported 3.5 million following on social media. Sometimes during his travels, his fans recognize him, whereupon they’re thrilled to the core to have their photos taken with him.

Also adding to his appeal is his closeness to his family. His mother, Rose, whom he thinks is still the best cook, often appears in his videos, as does his sister Dianne, who has a diploma de cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney. They often join Manabat in his numerous travels overseas.

Although he once said that he initially didn’t know anything about vlogging, Manabat’s videos are well polished. The sets are brightly lit, the cameras sharply focused and there’s no superfluous footage. All of which make viewing his YouTube channel informative, inspiring and a joy to watch.

In one of his videos, Manabat demonstrated how to prepare seafood boil. It is, he told me, a family favorite, based on a Boiling Crab dish in a US restaurant. Like most of his recipes, it looked doable and delicious. That weekend I bought all the ingredients and cooked seafood boil at home. It was fabulous.

Seafood Boil

(Based on the recipe of chef RV Manabat)

Add-ons:

• 1 whole sausage (Hungarian or Kielbasa)
• 3 – 4 corn on the cob, each cut into 4 -5 pieces
• 2 – 3 potatoes, quartered

For the sauce:

• 2 cups good quality butter, cut into large pieces for easier melting
• 2 whole heads garlic, finely chopped (1 cup)
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 2 – 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 - 4 Tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon paprika
• 1 – 2 lemons or lime

For the seafood:

• 5 - 6 cups water
• 2 Tablespoons salt
• 1 kilo crabs, halved or quartered
• 1/2 - 1 kilo prawns
• 1 kilo clams, cleaned and soaked in water for several hours to get rid of the sand
• 1/2 kilo squid, cleaned, ink sacs removed, sliced into serving pieces

To garnish:

Chopped parsley (optional)

Prepare the add-ons:

Slice the sausage diagonally into serving pieces and set aside. Boil the corn and the potatoes in enough water to cover until tender. Drain and set aside.

Prepare the sauce:

Heat the butter in a large pan or wok until melted. Add the garlic. Do not let the garlic brown. Just use low heat to infuse the butter with the garlic. Add the onions and sauté. Stir in the sugar, salt, Old Bay Seasoning and paprika. Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice into the mixture. If desired you can toss the lemon or lime into the mixture (remove the seeds first). Let simmer, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat.

Prepare the seafood:

In a large stockpot, pour in the water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. Add the crabs and simmer until the crabs are almost cooked, about five minutes. Add the prawns and simmer until the prawns turn a bright orange color. By this time the crabs should be cooked also. Remove the crabs and prawns from the pot and set aside. (Make sure not to overcook them.)

Add the clams to the same water and let boil until the clams open completely. (Discard any clam that remains closed). Remove the clams from the water and set aside.

Simmer the squid in the same water, just for a few seconds (squid cooks quickly). Remove from the pot and set aside.

Cook the seafood in the sauce:

Reheat the butter mixture and put in all the seafood. Toss in the sausages and the boiled potatoes and corn. Stir to coat all with the butter sauce. Simmer for one to two minutes. If desired sprinkle with parsley on top just before serving.