Oyaol Ngirairikl in the Guam PDN writes, "From sweet potatoes and coconut candy to titiyas and kelaguen, each delicious bit offers a piece of tradition that's pased from generation to generation. And while there may be changes and additions to the ingredients, it's all still wonderfully Chamorro."

BUKAYU (COCONUT CANDY)

Ingredients:
1 medium coconut, grated
1 cup sugar
3 drops red food coloring (optional)
1/4 cup water
1 to 2 drops lemon extract

Directions:
1. Squeeze the mikl from the coconut and add the liquid to the sugar, water, coloring and flavoring in a saucepan.
2. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens.
3. Add grated coconut slowly until all the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is dry.
4. Cook over low heat for about a half hour, then remove from saucepan and press into a buttered pan.
5. Cool and cut into bite-sized pieces.

PANCIT BIHON
This is the national noodle dish of the Philippines

Ingredients:
1 8 oz pack pancit bihon noodles
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded
2 cups chicken broth or 2 chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups water
1/4 cabbage, sliced into strips
1 onion
1/3 cup scallions, cut into pieces
1 carrot, sliced into strips
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3/4 cup diced celery
3 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
5 pieces of calamansi or 1 lemon, sliced

Directions:
1. Grease with oil a large pan or wok. Saute garlic and onions.
2. Wet the pansit bihon noodles to soften.
3. Add the chicken broth, the shredded chicken breast and all the vegetables until cooked.
4. Mix in the pansit bihon noodles and add the soy sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve hot with sliced calamansi on the side.

PANCIT CANTON features the typical vegetables of cabbage, carrots and onions as well as some crunchy celery. Just add pieces of shrimp and small chunks of Chinese sausage for sweet and spicy notes.

Paula Lujan Quinene says, "I left [Guam] and nobody was going to cook for me. I was here on my own. Red rice with barbecue, empanadas---all the good stuff that I wanted to eat---no one was going to cook it for me, so I had to learn." Her cookbook called A Taste of Guam covers many of the essentials of a Chamorro plate, including red rice, barbecue and desserts such as latiya. Also included are international foods such as Filipino siopao.

Here is her recipe for Guyuria, commonly called Chamorro jawbreakers because they are so hard---without butter. With the addition of butter, it makes the best guyuria ever!

GUYURIA

Ingredients:
Dough:
5 lb bag all-purpose flour
3-4 cans coconut milk
1 stick unsalted butter, softened

Syrup:
Lots of sugar
2 cups water

Tools: large bowl, large pot, slotted ladle, colander, large cake pan, small pot

1. Pour the entire bag of flour into a large bowl.
2. Chop softened butter into the bowl of flour. Mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add enough coconut milk to form a soft, non-sticky dough. Knead slightly.
3. Pinch off pieces of dough small enough to spread over the back of a fork. Roll the dough off the back of the fork, pinching the edge of the dough with pointed ends of the fork.
4. Heat a large pot of oil on medium to medium-high heat.
5. With a large slotted ladle, place rolled dough into the oil. Load the ladle with dough over the counter top, not over the pot of oil.
6. Fry until golden brown and stir to cook evenly. Adjust heat such that guyuria cooks inside before getting burnt on the outside.
7. Remove the first batch and drain in a colander. Repeat until all are cooked.
8. To make the syrup, heat water on medium in a small pot. Add enough sugar to form a very thick syrup. Place pot in the refrigerator until cooled. Add more sugar to form a grainy syrup.
9. Pour just a little bit of syrup over the guyuria and stir. Pour only enough syrup so as not to leave a layer of syrup on the bottom of the pan.
10. Let dry for one hour. Sprinkle some dry sugar and add some syrup as well. Stir.
11. Allow to dry after each addition of syrup. The guyuria is great with a moderate amount of sugar. Store in an air-tight container or in freezer bags.

FRIED LUMPIA
Ingredients:
2 cups cabbage, minced
1 cup carrots, julienne
½ onion, julienne
½ cup diced chicken, port or ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 lumpia wrappers
Oil for frying

Procedure:
1. First, separate lumpia wrappers carefully. When separated, store under a moist towel.
2. Using a hot skillet, add a little oil, then add the meat and stir-fry for two minutes.
3.  Add the carrots, cabbage and onions and sauté two minutes more.
4. Add the salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Removed from heat and let cool slightly.
5. Work on a flat surface and have a small bowl of water or egg wash nearby. Add about 3 tablespoons of the mixture and place on the bottom. Fold the sides in and roll upward, using the water or egg wash to seal. Repeat until finished with all the filling.
6. Preheat oil to about 350 degrees, or until the oil on the top starts to shimmer. Drop lumpia in the oil carefully, making sure to drop the lumpia away from you. Fry, turning frequently, until a nice golden brown texture appears. Drain on a metal colander or brown paper bag.
7. Serve with your dipping sauce of choice.

FRESH LUMPIA
Ingredients:
2 ounces rice noodles
8 rice wrappers (ask for fresh lumpia wrappers)
8 large cooked shrimp , peeled, deveined, and cut in half
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
2 tablespoons chopped mint
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 cucumber, chopped

Dipping Sauce:
4 teaspoons fish sauce
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons ground fresh peanuts

Procedure:
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Boil rice noodles 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente. Drain.
2. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, place 2 shrimp halves, a handful of noodles, basil, mint, cilantro and cucumber, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side.
3. Fold uncovered sides inward then roll the wrapper. Do not roll too tightly or it may tear. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
4. In a small bowl, mix the dipping sauce ingredients. Serve.

Mamalynn Phung, owner of Song Huong Restaurant in Anigua makes her Vietnamese-style friend lumpia with beef, onions, mushrooms, carrots and glass noodles, wraps it up and fries it to a deep golden brown. Each lumpia is served with leaves of crips romaine lettuce, a small pile of rie noodles, bean sprouts, sprigsn of mint or sweet basicl and dipping sauce.

For Thai-style lumpia, consider adding a peanut dipping sauce (made with peanut butter and hot water) for fresh lumpia and plum sauce or sweet chili garlic dipping sauce for fried lumpia.

BOÑELOS DAGU (YAM DOUGHNUTS)
Ingredients:
2 pounds yams (dagu)
2/3 cup sugar
1 ½ cups sifted flour
Vegetable oil

Procedure:
1. Peel yam and grate it to fill about four cups.
2. Place grated yam in a medium bowl. Then add sugar and mix with your hands. Gradually add flour while mixing.
3. Heat oil to 350 degrees.
4. Take about ½ cup yam batter into one hand and squeeze into small balls, about one to two inches around. Wet hands often and before taking more batter.
5. Place into hot oil and fry for about 10 minutes, turning once or twice. If you use two inches worth of oil, the boñelos dagu will turn up by themselves.
6. Drain boñelos dagu on paper towel. Serve hot with maple syrup.

TRADITIONAL ISLAND FARE
Ingredients:
Breadfruit, or substitute with banana, taro or tapioca
Fish, gutted and cleaned, or other meat
Fresh coconut milk
Banana leaf stalk
Salt
Procedure:

1. Cut pieces of breadfruit lengthwise. Bananas, taro or tapioca can be used instead.
2.  Line the bottom of a pot with the banana leaves, then pour in about half an inch of coconut milk—only enough to steam the food, not soak it.
3. Place breadfruit pieces on the banana leaves and place fish or meat on top of fruit or tubers.
4. Cover and bring to a boil, then let steam.
5. Add salt to taste and serve.

From “Pacific Islands Cookbook,”  Guam Cooperative.

Click here for PDF of recipes:

Bukayu
Pancit Bihon
Guyuria
Fried and Fresh Lumpia
Boñelos Dagu (Yam Doughnuts)