DURING a tour around the Ikea store’s kitchen department late last month, guests got a view of the possibilities of the Metod and Enhet kitchen systems.

The Metod kitchen straddles the line between traditional and minimalist, while the Enhet kitchen is more affordable and meant for more compact homes. Both of them are available through a series of cabinets and doors.

It sounds overwhelming, but we were also introduced to the Ikea planning system, accessible through IKEA.ph/kitchen. Here, one can book a session online via video call or in-store at the Planning Studio, where kitchen planning experts can help a shopper sort out their kitchen preferences (and help set a budget). They will ask for your kitchen measurements and preferences. After a plan is drawn up, one can pay at the check-out counters or online.

Kitchen installation services are available in the Greater Manila Area and Metro Cebu. Ikea Family members get a 10% rebate through Ikea Gift Cards for a minimum purchase of P150,000 on Metod kitchens in-store from May 1 to June 2; 0% installment payment plans up to six months are also available for a minimum purchase of P20,000 for BDO, BPI, HSBC, Unionbank, and Metrobank credit card holders. There is a 25-year guarantee on the Metod kitchens that covers defects in the material and workmanship and a 10-year guarantee for the Enhet kitchen system, while Ikea appliances have a five-year guarantee.

Finally, to complete the kitchen experience, Ikea gave us a few recipes that one can do with the food available at their stores:

Ikea Veggie Ball Salad
Veggie Balls (available frozen at Ikea)

Salad Vegetable mix

Onions

Tomatoes

1 red onion, chopped

Avocado

Feta Cheese

Salted Egg

Procedure:

Cook veggie balls in a pan, grill, or in the oven for two to four minutes until golden-brown.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, add some olive oil or any other dressing.

Kinilaw na Salmon
4 pieces fish fillet ASC Salmon, 500 gm (available frozen at Ikea)

1/4 cup vinegar for washing

1/3 cup vinegar (can be spiced)

1 red onion, chopped

2 tablespoons of ginger, sliced into fine strips or small cubes

4 tablespoons of calamansi juice (lime or lemon may be substituted)

salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Get a bowl and combine the cubed fish and 3/4 cup of vinegar. Mix them well and let them stand for two minutes.

Drain the vinegar while lightly squeezing out the fish cubes — this will help reduce the fishy smell.

Combine all the remaining ingredients, and gently toss until well-blended.

Cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (the Ikea recipe comes with a warning that too much time soaking in the fridge might “overcook” the fish in the acids, but a maximum of up to three hours is allowed).

Serve chilled. — JLG

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