halbos
hálbos with stress marks
half-cooked; blanched
Usage Note
Halbos describes food that has been briefly exposed to heat — blanched or parboiled — so that it is partially cooked but not fully done. In Filipino cooking this technique is used to prepare vegetables and some meats before a second, longer cooking step; it is related to halabos but emphasizes the partial-cooking aspect rather than the salted-water method.
Examples
" Halbos lang ang gulay. "
Natural Translation
The vegetables are just blanched.
Literal Translation
Blanched only the vegetables.
" Halbos muna ang kangkong bago ilagay sa sabaw. "
Natural Translation
Blanch the water spinach first before adding it to the broth.
Literal Translation
Blanch first the water-spinach before put in-the broth.
" Para manatiling malutong at sariwa ang kulay, halbos lamang ang mga gulay sa kumukulong tubig bago ihalo sa natitirang sangkap. "
Natural Translation
So that they stay crisp and keep their fresh color, only blanch the vegetables in boiling water before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients.
Literal Translation
So stay crisp and fresh the color, blanch only the vegetables in boiling water before mix in remaining ingredient.
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