CULTURAL MAPPING FOR INTANGIBLE HERITAGE

TITLE: VALENCIANA
LOCATION: SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, BULACAN
CATEGORY: COOKING TRADITION
PERSON/S COOK: MERLITA OSDAÑA
SEASONS: YEAR ROUND
HISTORY:

Valenciana of San Jose Del Monte started with the late Merlita Osdaña in her attempt to
recreate a simplified version of the Aroz de Valenciana. The main viand is chicken cooked to tender in
sauce colored with atsuete (annatto) and flavored with sautéed garlic and onion, bell pepper and cheese. It
is paired with yellow fried rice, usually flavored and colored using the sauce from the chicken dish and
served with soy sauce, calamansi and chili for dipping. The Valenciana is present and being sold in most
restaurants and carenderias in the city. This Valenciana is unique as it uses simple ingredients such as plain
rice instead of the usual glutinous or sticky rice and the cooking process is very easy.

I came to live in San Jose Del Monte in 2010. After getting married, had a daughter and
purchased a property in Brgy. Sto. Cristo, my husband and I decided to move into our new house and the
new community. The very first restaurant we tried to dine in was the Gringneth Kitchenette which happens
to have Valenciana at the very top of the menu. Coming from Caloocan, we had no idea what the kind
waitress recommended us to try. She prides of its simplicity and vouched that we will be comfortable with
it. And we did. Since that day, we always order Valenciana in several restaurants in the city. My daughter
grew up in SJDM and it was one of her most ordered meal. Because of GDCE last year (2019), I tried to
get to know Valenciana and how to cook and prepare it. I tried and was successful in it. I even made little
improvisations on the seasonings by adding paprika and cumin. My daughter loved it even more. Now the
Valenciana ala San Joseno takes its place in our noble table especially my innovated version. It has become
meaningful to us. A simple meal of rice and chicken brought this “stranger-family” to the comforts of
home .

PROCESS: STEP BY STEP PICTURE

DOCUMENTATION OF PROCESS:
Chicken
1. Sauté cull chicken with garlic and onion in Please see attached pictures
oil.
2. Once a bit browned, add stock and atsuete
mixture and let boil
3. Add the cheese and flavor with fish sauce
and pepper.
4. Boil until tender. This may take up to 2
hours.

Fried Rice
1. Sauté garlic and onion in oil.
2. Add the rice
3. Add the sauce taken from the chicken dish to
color the rice
 4. Add minced bell pepper
5. Serve with the chicken, soy sauce,
calamansi and chili

MATERIALS/INGREDIENTS: PICTURE OF MATERIALS/ INGREDIENTS:

Cull Chicken Please see attached pictures

Cheese
Bell Pepper
Garlic
Onion
Atsuete
Cooked Rice
EQUIPMENT:

Pot
Pan
COSTUME: PICTURE OF COSTUME:

Not Applicable Not Applicable

SONGS: LYRICS OF SONG:

Not Applicable Not Applicable

PRAYERS/CHANTS: WORDS OF PRAYER:

Not Applicable Not Applicable

DANCE: STEPS OF DANCE:

Not Applicable Not Applicable

VOCABULARIES:
Atsuete - is an orange-red food coloring or condiment made from achiote tree seed (Bixa
orellana) which grows in the tropical regions of South and Central America. It is most
widely used as a natural food coloring because it has a bright color that ranges from yellow
to deep orange-red, similar to saffron and turmeric.

Cull Chicken – a variety of chicken which are bigger and more muscular than the usual. It has more
elastin making them tough but are more flavorful.

RELATED LITERATURE:

Giant Valenciana of SM City San Jose Del Monte feeds 500 ...
September 10, 2017
https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/sunstar-pampanga/20170910/281633895395037
DOCUMENTATION

SHERAN M. BALLESTEROS
BLOCK 10 LOT 18 TIERRA DEL SUENO HEIGHTS
CITY OF SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, BULACAN
sheran.ballesteros@deped.gov.ph

PICTURE OF MATERIALS/ INGREDIENTS:

Onion Atsuete
Garlic
Bell Pepper
Cheese

Plain Rice Cull Chicken

STEP BY STEP PICTURE DOCUMENTATION OF PROCESS:

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2 9

3 10

4 11
5 12

6 13

7 14