The Secret Filipino Curry (That is Never on the Menu)

Culinary practices, passed down through generations, act as vessels for history, geography, and community values. From unique ingredients to specific cooking techniques and social rituals surrounding meals, food preserves a culture's identity and fosters a sense of connection among its people. For the Tausug, food preserves their culture.

The Tausug.

The Tausug are a vibrant indigenous group native to the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The word Tausug means "People of the Current," reflecting their historical connection to the sea. Their ancestral homelands, primarily in the Sulu Archipelago and Borneo Island, predates Spanish colonization and the arrival of Islam.

Image: Muslim Tausug

Origins and Migration

Origins of the Tausug are obscure, although the majority now reside on Jolo Island, Philippines, one prominent theory proposes Borneo as their original homeland. 

Image: Jolo Island, modern day homeland of the Tausug

Ancient Tausug (pre dating 900 CE) may have began settlements in Borneo (an island shared by Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia) and migrated into the Sulu Archipelago (Philippines). This "Out of Borneo" theory draws connections between the Tausug and other native tribes in Borneo through similarities in language, culture, and migration patterns. 

Image: Rural Tausug Tribe (Sulu Archipelago, Philippines)

Image: Bidayuh Tribe (Sabah, Malaysia)

Image: The Dayak (Kalimantan, Indonesia)

As stated in my previous essays, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Philippine borders did not exist until post World War II, before lines by were drawn by the European powers islands in the region were administered by local rajahs (kings).

So, although Tausug refer to themselves as Filipino today, this is a relatively new social construct because before colonization, they were one of many Austronesian tribes loyal to their localized Indianized Malay governments.

Kolma.

Kolma is a spicy, flavorful, traditional Filipino dish native to the Tausug. Featuring slow-braised meat, curry, peanut sauce, coconut milk, and toasted coconut, it resembles the Indonesian and Malaysian dish Rendang.

Image: Kolma 

Kolma's history remains somewhat elusive, but its potential connection to the Indian dish Korma is intriguing. The shared techniques of braising meat stewing in curry flavors support this idea. 

India's ancient maritime trade routes (from 200 BCE to 1600 CE) and cultural influence throughout Southeast Asia, which includes islands inhabited by ancestral Tausug, adds to the potential connection. Indian influence brought religion, government, and the arts which, reasonably, must have included culinary techniques. 

Image: Medieval Indian trade routes in Southeast Asia (est. 200 BCE to 1600 CE)

Hindu influence from this era is resiliently preserved by the Tausug and is evident even today. You can see this influence nostalgically woven into Tausug folk wear. Traditional attire, such as the wedding Batawi, continues to display cultural adoptions from India.

Image: Tausug wedding attire Batawi or Badju Masigpit

So, even though the history of Kolma is somewhat a mystery, factoring in evidence from shared Indian cooking techniques, ancient Indian cultural exchange and influence within the region, and observable modern Indian traditions woven into Tausug culture, we may safely assume that Kolma is the Tausug adaptation of the Indian dish Korma.

Transcending and Transforming Borders.

The Tausug serve as a reminder that the present-day borders of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia are relatively recent constructs. In pre-colonial eras, a complex network of Indianized kingdoms, trade routes, and cultural exchanges shaped the region. The Tausug, along with other indigenous groups, embody this history. 

While they hold strong ties to their ancestral lands in the Sulu Archipelago and Borneo and continue to maintain their unique identity, the Tausug also embody the centuries-long cultural exchange within Southeast Asia and ancient India. Kolma, their deliciously, spicy, curry dish, is living proof of that. 

Tausug Kolma Recipe

Ingredients:

• Beef: 1-1.5 lbs stew beef, cut into bite-sized chunks
• Aromatics:
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece ginger, minced

Spices:

• 2-3 tbsp curry powder (adjust to preferred spice level)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp chili powder (or more to taste)
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Other Ingredients

• 3-4 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 cup of toasted coconut (kerisek)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 (14oz) can coconut milk
• 2 cups beef broth or water

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef: Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, adding more oil as needed. Set the browned beef aside.
2. Cook the aromatics and spices: Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining oil to the pot. Add onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Then stir in the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, cinnamon, toasted coconut (kerisek), salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute more to release the aromas.
3. Simmer: Return browned beef to the pot. Add beef broth (or water), peanut butter, and optional tomato sauce (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for about 1-1.5 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Stir occasionally.
4. Finish the curry: Stir in the coconut milk. Continue simmering uncovered for 10-15 minutes more or until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.