Fort Ilocandia's Laoag Empanada

Ilocos empanada. I remember the first time eating this around 5 years ago in Laoag at the ancestral house of one of my colleagues. I feel my blood pressure rising just thinking about it--that's how rich it is. Last November I found myself in Fort Ilocandia, and by the ice cream parlor I espied a stand  offering the lovely orange beauties, the color courtesy of annato seeds. They say eating empanada via ambulant vendors lends a more authentic experience, but since I was pressed for time this would do.

Let's just say I didn't feel shortchanged. Picture the hot orange crust that you have to bite into to pour in the dark Iloko vinegar, which blends beautifully with the runny egg and minced meat. They say the oft-repeated oil adds to the character of the dish, which leaves one warm, satisfied, without a care to the woes of the world.

The crust is made of rice flour. The basic ingredients of the filling are eggs, monggo  (mung peas) shoots, and Ilocos longganiza.