Leyte town keeps Holy Week tradition of preparing meatless ‘molabola

This town, known as the center of Roman Catholic faith in Eastern Visayas, is keeping its Holy Week tradition of preparing "molabola," a local delicacy that became a symbol of faith.

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Even with the presence of fast food in this town, family members get involved in creating this dish classified as slow food, prepared using traditional methods and high-quality, usually local ingredients.

Lenten delicacy

Molabola is a rice-based dish traditionally prepared on Good Friday during Holy Week as a meatless meal and features soft, chewy rice balls cooked in coconut milk, sugar, and ginger.

The preparation, on its own, is a form of penitence and offering from the backbreaking shaping of the glutinous rice into hundreds of bite-sized rice balls to the sweat-pouring continuous stirring of boiling coconut milk in a large cauldron.

On April 15, the local government held the Molabola Festival that brought together culinary talents from across Palo town. Participants showcased their skills in preparing the traditional delicacy.