As a media intern I have the opportunity to visit most of the projects around the area. Today I had the culinary experience of joining Lauren on her nutrition project in Lapay, Tanuan, Leyte.
We left the VFV office early in the morning and made our way to the local market. 
The local market has a lot to offer for those who know best when it comes to fresh and tasty products.
Luckily our volunteer Lauren is an expert in inventing innovative flavors and is a gifted chef.
Today’s special includes the following ingredients:
Butternut squash, green beans, sayote, egg plant (1.5kg)
1 kg potatoes 3 small bags of mongo beans
2 fresh chillies 1kg yellow tail fish finely sliced
Coconut milk from 1 coconut Coconut meat
3 mangoes Peanut butter 3/4 of a jar
250g of tomato sauce Curry powder
3 Garlic 4 Onions
1 Ginger Salt and pepper to taste
After the market we had the adventure of riding a motorbike with two other volunteers plus the driver to the school, after a 15min ride that felt more like an hour wereached the nutrition center, where the project supports food for 35 kids everyday.
By the time we enter the school kids were playing with volunteers from other org
anizations, which made it easier to sneak to the preparation room, for Lauren to set everything for lunch.
Preparation:
Now that we are ready to start cooking will need to bring a large sauté pan to warm the oil over medium heat.
Add the slices of fish directly to the pan, let it fry for couple of minutes till is well cooked.
Add pieces garlic and ginger until the garlic starts to lightly color, then add all vegetables wedges, mango and potatoes, after mixing all the vegies and the fish add 4 cups of water to steam the potatoes till they start to soften.
Combine and leave it to settle for 6 minutes, later you can add the tomato sauce
and mix.
Let it settle for 3 minutes and its done.
It is time to grab a plate and make a line to get some delicious food; additionally the kids get rice, which is cooked, with the help of the children’s mom.
Hygiene is also very important in our volunteering project, this is why very kids has its own toothbrush, and get a cup of water and toothpaste to brush their teeth after the meal.
Lauren is very patient and lines up the toothbrushes for the kids and gives them happy stickers as a reward for being so awesome.
Written and Photo Courtesy by:
Sergio Romo – Media Intern from Chile/Australia