Our Simple Outdoor Okoy Day: Cooking It The Old-Fashioned Way

Hello Asean Hive community! Magandang buhay! ☺️
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‎Have you ever tried cooking over firewood?
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‎My hubby and I decided to do it last Friday.
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‎We do the traditional cooking on stones, with bare earth ground.

It's just that the electricity went out again, without warning.
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‎ALECO had decided on another power interruption, and like many times before, we already knew what to do.
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‎Whenever there's a brownout, we return to cooking using firewood.

My hubby already arranged the stones on the ground, and the dry wood was already gathered before.

He prepared the fire, while I'm the one mixing the vegetables for okoy.
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‎Making a fire may look simple, but for me, it's honestly one of the hardest parts of cooking outdoors.
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‎The wood refuses to cooperate, and I usually end up stepping back.
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‎On the other hand, my hubby is a pro. 😎
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‎He patiently arranges the firewood, blowing gently and adjusting each piece.
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‎Even when thick smoke rises and hits straight into his eyes, he doesn't complain.
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‎He just wipes his eyes and keeps going.
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‎That's why I admire his patience. 🥰
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‎Because without him making the fire, we wouldn't be able to cook.
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‎Actually, our setup is very rustic. It gives a traditional wood-fire cooking vibe.

It's like we're back to basics.
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‎As soon as I started cooking, the smoke attacked my eyes.
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‎It looked like I was crying the entire time.
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‎But instead of blowing on the fire the usual way, I grabbed a mini fan and used it.

It worked so well, effortlessly.
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‎Still, cooking this way wasn't easy. Smoke was everywhere.
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‎Because of it, I can't properly flip the okoy.
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‎I had to squint, step back, and wait for the smoke to clear before trying again.
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‎Can you imagine the scenario?
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‎Despite the teary eyes and the struggle, the okoy is slowly getting done.

Though it's more work than cooking on a stove.
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‎There's the effort of watching the fire while trying to cook at the same time.
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‎If given a choice, I would always pick the convenience of modern appliances.
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‎But that day changed my mind.
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‎Coz when we finally tasted the food, I immediately noticed the difference.
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‎The flavor had that firewood-smoke taste that you simply can't achieve when cooking on a stove or any electric appliance.

It made me realize that firewood cooking gives food a character of its own, because of the smoke and flame.
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‎I may not love the process, but the taste makes it all worth it.
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‎In fact, that smoky goodness is enough to make me want to cook there again, and maybe even every day.
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‎Sometimes, the things we enjoy less give us the most rewarding results.
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‎Until my next simple meal...
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‎Thanks for the visit! Have a lovely day. Buh-bye. 💗🌸