Attention, mga inaanak: Ninong Ry releases his first cookbook

Attention, mga inaanak: Ninong Ry releases his first cookbook

DURING THE long lockdowns of the pandemic, Ryan Reyes — a culinary arts graduate, former head chef at a restaurant, and proud Malabon native — punched the record button on a mobile phone mounted behind a makeup ring light.

Fast forward four years later, and Ninong Ry has become a culinary sensation on social media, with millions of fans tuning in to every new recipe video broadcast on his YouTube page.

Now, 40 of his most popular recipes, along with 11 exclusive dishes, have been collected into Hindi Ito Cookbook ni Ninong Ry (P625, Lazada, Shopee, all major bookstores), the chef and content creator’s first book.

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“Actually, noong bata ako, pinangarap ko nang maging writer/author,” says Ninong Ry. “The glory of the byline, ika nga nila. Malaking-malaking milestone sa akin ‘to kasi katuparan ‘to ng isa sa mga marami kong pangarap nung bata pa ako.”

(Disclosure: The book is published by Summit Books, part of the Summit Media network that also operates SPIN.ph)

What’s inside Ninong Ry’s first cookbook?

The title “Hindi Ito Cookbook” takes a cue from Ninong’s most popular recipe videos, where he introduces his version of kitchen standards by calling them, for example, Hindi Ito Caldereta, Hindi Ito Litson Baka, Hindi Ito Dinakdakan, or Hindi Ito Bistek. Longtime fans will be heartened to know that, in this 168-page cookbook, Ninong gives his official, kitchen-tested measurements and cooking times for each ingredient. With this book in hand, you’ll never go wrong in cooking the Ninong Ry way.

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“We checked the recipes that had the most views online, but we also thought about what his fans would likely want to make at home,” says Trixie Zabal-Mendoza, editor-in-chief of Ninong Ry’s book.

“That led to recipe categories like everyday ulam and party food, but of course we had to include street food and pulutan dishes, too.”

Other recipes feature unique twists on Filipino staples. Get ready to whip up Ube Gnocchi, a cheesy pasta dish made with ube; Homemade Spam, a DIY version of a perennial favorite; Embotido Malabon, a tribute to his hometown; Non-standard Adobo, with its rich sauce of mirin and Worcestershire; and Pinknigang, the national dish turned a shocking pink.

“Yung Pinknigang kasi, aksidente lang na nadiskubre yun,” says Ninong of the recipe. “Aksidente kong nadiskubre na pag nilagyan mo pala ng acid ang ube, nagiging pink.”

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The star of the book, however, is the dish featured on the cover: the Sizzling Crispy Kare-Kare.

“Iyan ang dish na nagsimula ng Ninong Ry. Actually, wala pang Ninong Ry, nagawa ko na yang dish na yan. Medyo nag-viral siya,” he remembers with a laugh.

After seeing this dish make waves on the internet, his childhood friends — who would later become his loyal video crew — egged him on to create a regular vlog. It was this dish that arguably launched Ninong Ry into the stratosphere.

“Ayun, nandito na tayo ngayon,” says Ninong Ry.

Hindi Ito Cookbook ni Ninong Ry retails for P625, and is available in the Summit Books shop on Lazada and Shopee. It is also available at all leading bookstores nationwide. The book launch will be held on May 5, at the Robinsons Galleria Atrium. Registration starts at 3:00 p.m.