Dingras: The Granary of Northern Ilocos

Appears in
Memories of Philippine Kitchens
Memories of Philippine Kitchens

By Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan

Published 2006

  • About

Lestie Fronteras every so often tries to make the long ten-hour trip back home from Manila to Dingras, 20 kilometers southeast of Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Dingras is a historic town built in 1598 by the Spanish in the classic tradition, with the Catholic Church built on one end of the plaza and homes of prominent families around the square. Lestie is a Puruganan, and their ancestral home stands behind the statue of the martyred Josefa Llanes Escoda, executed by the Japanese during World War II.

I met Lestie through her brother Emil, who came to eat at Cendrillon one day. When I told him I was in search of old homes, old kitchens, and traditional home cooking, he embarked on a tireless campaign to get me to Dingras. Known as the rice granary of northern Ilocos, Dingras is also a big corn producer. The most famous local product is cornix—dried corn kernels boiled twice with lye, deep-fried, and seasoned with salt and garlic. The technique was probably brought over from Mexico, and the result is addictive.