A
trip to Zamboanga City is never complete without experiencing
the taste of Tausug Satti, one of the many popular
dishes in an array of Zamboanga's unique flavors.
Satti is a hit here simply because this piquant soup
has the ability to perk one up. Both Muslims and Christians
can't help but agree that Satti may have replaced
arroz caldo as a comfort food. The rich spicy taste
of the soup gives a calming and relaxing feeling and
is said to be good for colds and coughs.
A bowl if satti also has become a ritual here for
office workers and students who use the occasion to
spark good conversations, not unlike the social rituals
of coffee. It’s also perfect for testing one’s
threshold for spice, especially for first-timers.
The Energizer sauce
Satti sizzles with a zesty combination of spices including
dulaw (turmeric), sambal, curry, lemon grass, native
pepper, red cayenne pepper, garlic, cumin, coriander,
chili, onions and salt pounded together.
The fine mixture is thickened with constant stirring
and mixing of cornstarch. It may also be flavored
with fresh tomatoes, soy sauce and peanuts for added
flavor, the variations of this Zamboanga fare with
a distinctly Malay flavor can range from super hot
to sweet.
The thick soup is served with sticky rice cooked inside
a coconut leaf and paired with several sticks of grilled
beef or chicken meat. The taste of grilled beef or
chicken gives added flavor to the rest of the meal.
The beef and chicken served are halal, an assurance
that the method of slaughtering is humane and follows
strict rules that is consistent with universal health
standards.
A satti with three sticks of meat costs around P15.
Extra orders are P3 per stick. A second serving of
the soup is usually free. That's why it's a hit for
students on a tight budget and because it is affordable,
it's great food to share with friends and it’s
not bad to make palibre too.
It’s also said that satti is the perfect dish
if one feels just a little bit tired. Some have called
it the “energizer sauce” for the instant
perkiness it brings. No wonder it’s served even
in school canteens around the city.
Similar to Satay of Malaysia, but different
While it sounds like a close cousin satay or Malaysian
barbecue, satti, the Philippine version, can only
be found in the Zambasulta areas – Zamboanga,
Sulu and Tawi-tawi islands.
Mon Tan, who has been in the satti restaurant business
for 15 years, believes satti may have been reborn
into its current barbecue-and-broth version in Jolo,
Sulu. It is believed that a Tausug (a native tribe
of Sulu) who worked in Malaysia brought with him the
recipe mainly derived from satay, originally marinated
chunks of meat on coconut leaf spine skewers and grilled
over charcoal fire. The sauce was made from tomatoes
and peanuts.
But unlike the Malaysian version which uses the tomato
and peanut mixture simply as simply a dipping sauce,
the Tausug version used the steaming sauce in a more
exaggerated fashion and incorporated it into the soup.
But this is just one of the many stories of how satti
came to be.
Secret recipes
Cooks do not often share their satti recipes. And
because it takes skill to perfect the soup's smooth
sweet-and -spicy blend, people here would rather have
them in restaurants, than make their own by trial
and error.
So the next time you drop by to visit Asia's Latin
city, just pass by at Pilar Street located in the
heart of Zamboanga, where you’ll find a long
line of satti restaurants including Jimmy's Satti
and Morning Sun ready to serve old time customers
and the curious turista.
Satti is guaranteed to make your heart beat just a
little bit faster without the heartbreak!
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