Fine Kapampangan Cuisine

Welcome to my open place of the Internet. I have been trying to inscribe this post but many disruptions have stopped me from rearrangement and it took a while for me to come up to with this blogging thing. In conclusion, here it is, the “fine kapampangan cuisine” a set where I am able to share my recipes as well as different inspirations meant for healthy home creation. This blogging allows me to communicate with all of you so I use this as a database and inspired passage for all my recipes and pictures despite the fact that I have no formal training in captivating food photography, it is a learning course especially the very detailed and close up shots. I realized my desired style of taking pictures lent itself fit to the food blogging world. I am looking forward to give out the treasures to be discovered from culture, beautiful places to hardly possible food. At a phase in my life I found my passion and launched documenting my cooking adventures in my blog.

I find out it would be great to keep a food blog generally and reorganized as I put down concerning my daily explorations in life. Sitting down with a cup of green tea and paging throughout a food magazine is also my way to relax. I actually enjoy learning about different cultures and cuisines; this has permitted me to accomplish more than enough of food preparation and technique emergent. This cooking blog is a modest challenge on giving out my enthusiasm for every material cooking also you will absolutely get a lot of Filipino aroma within this spot. Food preparation typical Filipino cooking unites me to my traditions and let me to contribute our tradition through our friends or other culture. I would say mostly Filipinos are well-known with the meaning of the term warmth or hospitality while Kapampangan’s known for setting a generous table, it is not atypical feature of assortment dishes by a table especially through special occasions that way each one would have would have something to choose and mainly enjoy.

My recipes are not bounded to Filipino cooking. I have several added methods for dishes on behalf of other states, that I get pleasure from food preparation for my family and friends, as well I will share out by you to suit your tastes.

Fine cooking has always been piece of my authentication and my passion, whether it is simple or fancy does not imply to me, as long as it savors really do well. Each step I post, our family comprise part tested. I got really hooked on cuisine when I got married, my husband begins to appreciate the value and health gains of home cooking. Being a food enthusiast who take pleasure in cooking for my family and grew up observing my mother make a few of the main easy and complicated methods and have preferred a few information down the technique. It’s very privileged to cache a few of the traditional cuisine. Both of my children get pleasure from helping me in the kitchen in any case they be able to, sometimes helping me to set the table and get everything gathered that we need and putting in ingredients from what cooking, stirring or cleaning the dishware once after mealtime. You will discover home-cooked meals I prepare for my family, a little creativeness you will see just how excitement and simple it is to create fantastic cooking and to think you can do so much with so many different ingredients and have the pleasure of enjoying something you created from scratch as well I encourage people to trust their instincts and cook with passion. I always try to invent new recipes. Baking also helps me delighted and being my passion, it is something that I always enjoy doing; this might bring me a much broader knowledge. I have sweet dreams of opening my personal patisserie in the future. As I work on making my thought a reality, this blog provides me an outlet toward contribute to my passion for creating all things sweet and some savory. I will post occasionally new recipe set up within my compilations so as to enjoy the food and recipes which is a combination of my personal and cultural traditions. Rest assured every ingredient of perfection, just for you. Take a leisurely browse through my gourmet and bake recipes.

Enjoy
Lisa

About

My husband and I with our two teens live in lower mainland BC, Canada and we're all grew up in our home province, Pampanga the culinary heart of the Philippines. For me cooking is about hanging out in the kitchen with people I love and obtaining the rewards when you sit down to a fabulous meal. Please join us as we explore yummy world of Filipino food (kapampangan cuisine). Generally when I want to cook something new I just look at the listing of ingredients and begin to calculate what to adjust based upon to my taste buds.

So please adjust recipes to suit your taste. You may possibly be strange by some of the dishes I grew up, however once you tried it you will absolutely surprise by how easy and delicious Filipino food can be. My personal aspiration is just to document this for my part, the dishes and the culinary techniques that are quickly vanishing and sort food unfamiliar to Filipinos but if someone happens all along to stopover and browse, feel free to look around – I hope you’ll enjoy!

Crab Potato Croquette

Ingredients:
5 medium 1/2 lb russet potatoes –boiled
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp garlic minced

1 medium onion finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red peppers
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow peppers
1/4 cup fresh chopped green onion/parsley

1/2 tsp chopped fresh tyme
3 canned crab meats, drain

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2-3 egg yolk

salt and pepper to taste
For breading:
1. Japanese bread crumbs (Panko), as needed
2. All purpose flour mixed with salt and white pepper to taste
3. Whisked 3 eggs
Procedures:
1. Boil the potatoes with their skins.
Peel the skins off just out of the water when very hot. This way, the potatoes will not be too wet. Mash the potatoes roughly.

2. Fry the garlic and onions with butter and olive oil then add the chopped bell peppers, crab meat, parsley and tyme. Season with a little salt, pepper and parmesan cheese then add the egg yolk, mix thoroughly. Let cool completely and transfer to a storage dish. Cover and leave overnight in the refrigerator to make the croquettes easier to shape.

3. In 3 small bowls prepare breading. One with the beat egg, one with the bread crumbs, one with the flour and salt to taste combined.
4. Take 1 1/2 Tbsp or 2 sized balls of croquette mixture (I use two tablespoons to make into balls so that I don't have to mess up my hands).

5. Gently form a ball and lightly dredge and roll the ball first in the flour/seasoning mix, then dip it in the egg and then the bread crumbs.
6. Place ball on a well grease baking sheet.
7. Continue and finish with the rest of the croquette mixture.

8. Then re-mold the croquette into the ball shape again and freeze the balls for 15 mins to prevent too much crumbs from dropping off during baking or frying.
9. Bake croquettes at 450F degrees for 10 minutes or until browned.

10. These croquettes can also be fry, preheat a deep fryer to hot (190 degrees Celsius) and gently drop the balls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once with a spatula about 4 minutes on each side (can fry 3-4 pieces at a time, depending on size of pan).

11. Drain and serve with tartar sauce.

Makes about 30-35 croquettes

Corn Dogs

Ingredients:

1 1/8 cup milk

2 medium eggs

1/4 cup oil

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/3 cups corn meal

2/3 cup flour

12 pieces hot dogs

Flour for dusting (about 1/2 cup)

Oil for Deep Frying

Popsicle sticks/BBQ Sticks

Procedures:

v In a large bowl combine the milk, eggs, oil, sugar and salt. Combine it very well. Sprinkle in the baking powder, corn meal and flour. Stir it all up to make a slightly thick batter.

v Take your hot dogs and dry them off on paper towels. Dust the hot dogs with flour, coating them completely ( The cornmeal batter won’t stick to the hot dogs unless they are coated in flour). Push Popsicle sticks into the flour coated hot dogs. Set the hot dogs aside.

v Meanwhile heat the oil until the temperature reached about 375°F. Allow the oil to preheat so it is almost smoking by the time you are ready to add the corn dogs.

v Now, to coat the floured hot dogs with batter you have two choices. You can swirl the hot dogs in the bowl of batter until they are coated, the batter just slides right off of the Hot dogs naturally slick outsides. and then drop them into the hot oil. If this is a little difficult process, you can do of a simple way. Transfer some of your corn meal batter into a narrow long cup which is almost same as tall as your hot dogs. Fill the jar or cup about 3/4 of the way full. Dip your hot dog into the batter while you hold onto the stick. Swirl the hot dog to coat it evenly. Be careful or the batter will overflow. Raise the wiener above the cup and let any excess batter drip off. Quickly place the battered dog into the hot oil. The oil will bubble up and cook the outside of the batter.

v Only fry a few corn dogs at a time. If the corn dogs crowd each other they don’t fry very well. Ty to load 2 or 3 at a time. Turn the corn dogs when the bottom side is well browned. Use tongs to remove the cooked corn dogs from the oil. Allow them to drain on paper towels. Repeat the process, coating and frying a few at a time, until all of the corn dogs are cooked. Refill the narrow jar or cup with batter from your bowl as necessary. Continue until all the hot dogs are coated.

v Serve with ketchup and mustard for dipping.

Batsui

Batsui is a ginger-flavoured soup consisting mainly of pork meat, blood, kidney and misua or fine noodles thrown in.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sliced pig's lapay (pancreas) or spleen
1/2 cup sliced pig's kidney, (white outer membrane removed and diced)
1/2 cup sliced pork tenderloin, (diced)

1/2 cup block pork blood, sliced and diced

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1tbsp vegetable oil

1tbsp fish sauce (patis)

1/2 liter of water or broth

1 medium onion, chopped

4 thumbs of ginger, cut into fine strips
Add the fried mixture then
1 tablespoon patis

Salt and pepper to taste

2 oz of thin noodles (misua)

Garnishing:

Chicharon, crushed

Chopped garlic, fried

Chopped spring onion

Procedures:

v In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the garlic, onions and ginger until the onions are transparent, about 2-3 minutes.

v Add the pork meat, spleen, and kidney and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until brown.

v Add the broth or water, fish sauce, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add the slices pork blood and lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes or until meat become tender.

v Add 2 oz of thin noodles (misua) to the soup in the last minute of cooking.

v Garnish with chopped green onions, fried garlic and crushed chicharon.

v Serve hot with or without rice.

Mung Bean Soup (Sabo Balatong)

This dish is one of the Filipino comfort food. Each one of us I think has our own way of cooking ginisang munggo; other people pressed through a strainer to separate the pulp after softening it by boiling and food processor or blender is a good way if you prefer a very smooth soup otherwise if you don’t have it press your cooked munggo in a strainer while some keep the entire munggo without straining.

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2 cup dry mung beans

1 cup lean ground pork
5 to 8 pcs medium sized shrimp (optional)

1 pkg crispy pork rind (chicharon) roughly crushed
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp vegetable oil

7 cups water or less (according to the consistency of soup you want)
salt and pepper to taste

Fish sauce (patis) to taste, Optional

Bagoong alamang (sautéed salted tiny shrimps) to taste, Optional

Added Vegetables that is vary according to what is customary, in season, or available like:

Malunggay leaves

Spinach

Chili leaves

Bitter gourd tendrils (talbos ampalaya)

Sliced celery

1/4 of an inch thick diagonally sliced ampalaya fruit (Bitter gourd)

Procedure:

v To save and shorten the cooking time, Put the mung beans in a container and add enough water to cover it. Soak for overnight or several hours.

v Drain mung beans and put in a saucepan. Add about 7 cups water and bring to boil. Bring down heat to low and simmer until mung beans are soft and separating from its skin (Check from time to time to ensure it does not get dry add more water as needed, allowing around 7 cups of water in the pot at all times).

v In another deep sauce pot, heat vegetable oil. Sauté bagoong alamang, onions and minced garlic until tender and aromatic.

v Add the ground pork and sauté until lightly browned then add the shrimp stir until turned pink in color.

v Pour in softened, cooked mung beans with its broth. Bring to a boil. Add in chicharon or pork rind. Lower heat to simmer until crispy pork rinds soften and some of their natural oils have seeped into the broth.

v Season with fish sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

v During the last minutes of cooking add the ampalaya leaves or spinach, turn off heat, allowing steam from hot broth to cook spinach or until vegetables slightly wilted but still green.

v Serve hot paired with rice and fried fish.

Clam Soup (Suam parus-parus)

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs Manila clams (Tulya)

3 thumbs ginger-root, sliced

2 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1/2 onion, sliced

5 cups water

Malunggay leaves/spinach/chili leaves

1 cup unripe papaya, cut into 2-inch pieces (optional)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Salt or patis (fish sauce)

Procedures:

v Clams must be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed under a running tap of cold water several times before cooking.

v After rinsed let them sit in a bowl of water for 10-20 minutes as they always contain a lot of sand and mud.

v In a deep pan, sauté the ginger, garlic and onion in the oil until fragrant but not brown.

v Add all the clams, stirring constantly then add water, cover stockpot; reduce heat to medium. Steam 5 to 7 minutes or until clams start to open. Remove from stockpot with tongs. Discard any clams that remain unopened.

v Season with salt or patis and pepper to taste.

v Turn off heat and add spinach, malunggay or chili leaves.

v Spoon into bowls and serve drizzled with extra olive oil and a toast on the side or with steamed rice.

Fermented Mustard Leaves (Burong Mustasa)

Ingredients:

1 kilo mustasa leaves
2 1/2 Liters water
1 cup coarse salt (for squeezing)

1/2 cup table salt (for drenching)

4 knob gingers, thin Julienne cut
Procedures:

1. Wash mustasa leaves very well in running water.
2. Remove all old leaves and cut off the roots, cut crosswise (about 2 inches long)
3. Put mustard greens into a dry, clean bowl and sprinkle the salt to clean leaves and press out salt from the leaves with the hands with repeated squeezing motion.
4. Squeeze out the liquid and place liquid less mustasa put in a clean jar.
5. Add water (there should be enough water to cover the vegetable and totally immersed) followed by adding salt and ginger.
6. Cover the jar and store at room temperature. This is ready for use in about 2-3 days. (I like better slightly fermented, the mustard was still like fresh and crisp, even a vibrant green in parts, nice spicy, however absolutely delicious side dish.

7. You can put them in the fridge where they'll last longer.

Adobong Kangkong (Sisig Kankong)

Ingredients:

1 big bowl of kangkong with leaves and stalks (river spinach) cut the stalks round form thinly

1/4 kilo of pork, cut into small pieces or ground lean pork

1/4 cup of vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tsp brown sugar (optional)

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

2 laurel leaves (bay leaves)

1 cup pork or chicken stock (broth)

1 pkg crispy pork rind (chicharon) roughly crushed (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Procedures:

v Sauté garlic and onions in a big pan then add the pork. Allow the pork to brown and oil for a few minutes.

v Add a cup of pork stock (or plain water), laurel leaves, sugar, soy sauce, and some salt and bring to a boil.

v Let simmer then add the vinegar. Do not stir for 5 minutes.

v Add the kangkong stalks first and cook for 1 minute then add the kangkong leaves. Continue cooking until the vegetable is done. Top it with roughly crushed chicharon.

v Serve hot with rice.

Sisig Puso ng Saging

Ingredients:

2 puso ng saging (banana heart), thinly sliced immerse in vinegar to avoid turning brown

1 cup vinegar

2 tbsps alamang/shrimp paste

Some pork cracklings (chicharon), crushed

1/4 lb pork liempo, diced (you can use shrimps)

1 med onion (sliced)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

3 pieces whole long green chili
salt and ground pepper to taste
3 tbsps cooking oil

1 tsp sugar (Optional)

1 cup water or as needed
Procedures:

v Remove the tough covering of the banana heart until you get to the mainly soft and white part cut off the stem part and discard together with the skin that you unwrapped.
Put vinegar in a large bowl.
Slice the banana heart into 1/2 inch thick pieces. As you slice, immediately put them in the bowl of vinegar. This is to prevent them from turning black. Set aside.

v Squeeze then rinse lightly after 20 minutes to reduce the acerbity later. Set aside.

v Heat oil in a saucepan. Sauté garlic, onion and pork then add the alamang or shrimp paste and pork cracklings.

v Add in water, bring to boil then add the banana heart and whole green chili. Cover; let it simmer about 5-10 minutes on medium heat or until vegetables is tender and broth reduced.
During the last minutes of cooking stir in the banana heart into the saucepan season with sugar, salt and pepper according to taste.

v Serve with rice and fried fish...

Sinigang is so easy to cook. The term and ingredients may be different from further region, from us the kapampangans when we say “Sinigang” you may use either unripe tamarind, young tamarind leaves, kamias, unripe santol however when it comes to a point you already used ripe guava we call it “Bulanglang”. But the accompanying vegetables, meat, seafood ingredients are unchanged you can still use pork, beef, chicken or fish however others use shrimps and added a assortment of vegetables that is vary according to what is customary, in season, or available in the backyard garden: like radish, okra, kangkong, long string beans, mustard greens, eggplant, sigarillas, puso ng saging and siling haba (green long hot pepper) The soup is lightly thick if you added taro corm (gandus) in this soup.

Because of its sour taste it is refreshing to delight in.

If you intend to use beef or pork, select a slice with bones as it makes the broth flavorful such as ribs or belly with bones.

If going to use fresh pods tamarind chooses the chubby ones; very thin ones could be too bitter and less sour. Wash the pods; remove stems. In a small pot, boil the tamarinds in about 6-8 cups of water for about 10 minutes on medium heat. Keep attended because this bubbles up and tends to overflow. They are cooked when the skin cracks open and the yellow-green pulp starts to ooze out and builds up on the pods’ surface. Turn off heat.

Keeping the hot water in its pot, drain and mash the cooked tamarinds in a sieve. Let the juice and pulp drip back into the hot water. Pour a scoop of the hot water over the mashed tamarind, and then repeat the process. Discard the pulp.

Sinigang sa Sampalok Cod Fish

Ingredients:

2 big head fish steaks (around 3 to 4 oz ea) or milkfish (bangus)
12 pcs pods tamarind or 3/4 of pkg (40grams) powdered tamarind base

4 to 5 pcs Taro (Gabi/gandus), peel

1 small thumb of ginger, peel and crushed

2 plum (roma) tomatoes, (peeled, quartered or whole)
1 radish (peeled, sliced diagonally into 1/3 inch) – optional

1 fresh Banana heart (optional)

1 medium eggplant (sliced diagonally like radish) – optional

6 okra (I cut off the base part) – optional

1/2 bundle Sitaw String beans (cut into 2" long)
2 bunches mustard leaves, ends trimmed and leaves separated or 1 bundle Kangkong (cut into 2" long)
7-8 cups water
1 medium size onion (peeled, quartered)

2 long green chili (or finger chili)

Salt and patis to taste
Procedures:

v Using scissor cut fins and tails. Remove scales, gills and cleaned, empty inside of fish and slice diagonally into serving pieces. Set aside.

v Blanch the sliced fish, carefully removed from hot water, set aside fish and discard the water or you may fry it before adding to sour broth instead of blanching it especially if you’re using milkfish. Set aside fish.

v Meanwhile wash and peel taro (gandus), you may cut each into halves.

v Put taro and ginger in a large pot, add 7-8 cups of water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 25 minutes or until taro start bit splintered. Add vegetables (except okra and mustard leaves or kangkong) and simmer for another 10 minutes season with salt/patis to taste.

v Mix in tamarind base, stirring to combine and dissolve.

v Add in sliced bangus and tamarind base cook for 3-5 minutes. Then add okra and kangkong or mustard leaves.

v Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until bangus and vegetables are cooked.

v Serve hot with rice and patis (fish sauce).

Sinigang sa Kamias Pork Liempo(belly) or Beef Shank

Ingredients:

1 kl. Pork Liempo, pork ribs or beef shank cut into serving pieces
4 cups kamias

4 to 5 pcs Taro (Gabi/gandus), peel

2 plum (roma) tomatoes, (peeled, quartered or whole)
1 radish (peeled, sliced diagonally into 1/3 inch) – optional

1 medium eggplant (sliced diagonally like radish) – optional

6 okra (I cut off the base part) – optional

1/2 bundle Sitaw String beans (cut into 2" long)
2 bunches mustard leaves, ends trimmed and leaves separated or 1 bundle Kangkong (cut into 2" long)
10 cups water or as needed
1 medium size onion (peeled, quartered)

2 long green chili (or finger chili)

Salt and patis to taste

Procedures:

v Boil pork/beef pieces and taro in a pot with water or rice wash. Simmer for 45 minutes until it becomes tender.
Add the kamias pieces, onion and tomatoes. Simmer until kamias pieces are soft. Mash Kamias pieces, so the soup absorbs its flavor then add vegetables (except okra, string beans and mustard leaves or kangkong) and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and patis to taste.
During the last minutes of cooking add the okra, string beans and kangkong or mustard leaves.

v Cook for an additional 1 minutes or until vegetables slightly wilted but still green.

v Serve Hot with steamed rice.

Sinigang sa Sampalok Hipon (Prawn)

Ingredients:

2 lbs large prawns, washed and cut off the beards with scissors
12 pcs pods tamarind or 3/4 of pkg(40grams) powdered tamarind base

4 to 5 pcs Taro (Gabi/gandus), peel

1 small thumb of ginger, peel and crushed

2 plum (roma) tomatoes, (peeled, quartered or whole)
1 radish (peeled, sliced diagonally into 1/3 inch) – optional

1 medium eggplant (sliced diagonally like radish) – optional

6 okra (I cut off the base part) – optional

1/2 bundle Sitaw String beans (cut into 2" long)-optional
2 bunches mustard leaves, ends trimmed and leaves separated or 1 bundle Kangkong (cut into 2" long)
10 cups water or as needed
1 medium size onion (peeled, quartered)

2 long green chili (or finger chili)

Salt and patis to taste

Procedures:

v Peel and wash taro (gandus), you may cut each into halves.

v Mix in tamarind base, stirring to combine and dissolve.

v Add in prawns and tamarind base cook for 3 minutes. Then add okra and kangkong or mustard leaves.

v Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until prawns and vegetables are cooked.

v Serve hot with rice and patis (fish sauce).

Dumpling Sticky Rice

Ingredients:

2 to 3 Cans Coconut milk. Reduced and done when sauce thickens.
1 1/2 kgs glutinous rice (uncooked)
30 large dumpling leaves (Bamboo/corn leaves)
Dumpling strings for binding leaves
Fillings:
1 1/2 kg pork picnic shoulder, boneless, Dice approximately 1cm.

2 lbs cooked ham, Dice approximately 1cm.

1 1/2 kg Chicken Breast, Dice approximately 1cm.

1 pack chestnuts, available at Asian store (I use shelled/skinless dried chestnuts), soak in water overnight

2 lb raw peanuts, unsalted (shelled/soak into water)

1 tsp salt to taste

10 salted duck’s egg

40 small dried shitake mushrooms, soaked (optional)
Seasonings:
1 tbsp white pepper

3.5 tbsp light soy sauce
1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce

Vegetable oil

1/2 cup white sugar
5 cloves of garlic, roughly crushed
1 medium chopped shallots

Method:
(Preparation can be done 1-2 days earlier)
Soak dumpling leaves and strings overnight. Place a heavy weight on top of the leaves to ensure all leaves are soaked.
In a pan big enough to accommodate into water the bamboo/corn leaves, boil about 20 minutes. . Drain water from the leaves and wipe it individual, using a piece of cloth to stroke each leaves downwards from the stalk to the tip. Stack, wrap plastic, set aside.

Boil chestnuts in a pot of water for about 20 minutes until tender but not mushy. Set aside.

Wash and soak the glutinous rice for 6-8 hours before use. Drain water from the rice and add 1 tbsp of salt to season.
Reduce the coconut milk and done when thickens followed by mixing it to white sugar and added drained glutinous rice in a bowl, mix well.
To cook the fillings: (See How to enclose Dumplings)
1. Heat oil in a saucepan, sauté garlic and the shallots in a wok over medium heat until golden brown. Set aside for later use.

2. Fry the diced meat. Season with salt. Cover wok and simmer over medium heat till meat is just cooked.
3. When the meat is about to dry, add the chestnuts, peanuts and seasonings to mix well before adding the shallots in the final stir. Do not overcook pork or it will be tough. Remove from heat and leave to cool completely.

4. Shell duck’s egg and keep the yolk, cut into quarter.

5. Prepare 2-3 blades bamboo leaves and fold into a cone shape. Fill in 2 tbsp glutinous rice mixture, place in a piece of sautéed meat add more rice on top compressing slightly.

6. Repeat this process by adding mushroom, chestnuts, egg yolk and peanut then cover with another 2-3 tbsp glutinous rice on top.

7. Wet strings to make them more pliable. Hold the pouch tight & close the leaves. Tie it with string & make sure the dumpling is securely wrapped. Repeat steps till ingredients used up.

8. Dumplings should be pyramid shaped with sharp edges and pointed ends. It takes some practice to make nice looking ones.

9. Fill a large deep pot with water (the water should be able to cover the dumplings by 3 inches), bring to boil.

Add a 4 tbsps salt into the water. Then put dumplings in it & keep boiling for 1 hour.

10. Drain the cooked dumplings, unwrap and serve hot.

Pork Sizzling Sisig

Sisig is considered as an appetizer. It is also a specialty food because of the laborious preparation. Most main ingredients may find the dish a bit on the wild side. Authentic Kapampangan sisig is not crunchy and it has the right blend of sourness from calamansi or lemon and spiciness that won't burn your mouth which is the aroma alone can make anyone hungry (this food is not for the person's health concious) it's so heavenly but very high in cholesterol LOL! … You have to watch your cholesterol and blood level. On the other hand with that being said, just don’t eat it on a daily basis.

Ingredients:

2 lbs pig ears with cheeks (pisngi) or if u want to use 1 1/2 kilo pork head

2 lbs pork belly (liempo)

1 big red onion, finely chopped

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 pc hot chili (red), chopped

1 lb chicken liver

1/2 of small can liver spread

Salt to taste

1/2 cup butter (or margarine)

For the marinade seasoning:
1 /2 onion sliced
1 /8 cup of pineapple juice

2 cups of water
1 head minced garlic
1 teaspoon whole black pepper, crushed

1 piece of crushed bay leaf
1 tbsp salt

Garnishing:

1/2 cup chopped scallions/green onions

1 pc hot chili (red or green), chopped

1 piece lemon (or 3 to 5 pieces calamansi)

Chicharon, coarsely pounded (pork rinds), optional

Sauce: (Optional)

1/4 cup of pineapple juice

1/4 cup of calamansi or lemon juice

2 tbsp soy sauce

1-2 tbsp brown sugar or that your taste buds desires (optional)

1 tsp grated ginger, minced (optional)

1/2 of small can liver spread or 1/2 cup salsa ni Mang tomas

4 tbsps butter (or margarine)

1 tbsp brandy (optional)

Cooking procedures:

§ Clean the pork cheek, ears, and snout thoroughly and remove any hair left.

§ Cut the pork belly into serving pieces.

§ Pour the marinade seasoning in a pan and bring to a boil.

§ Put-in the pig’s ears and pork belly then simmer for 40 minutes to 1 hour (or until skin tender). Note: (If using pressure cooker, cook for 7-10 minutes and timer start when cooker whistle.)

§ Remove the boiled meat from the pot then drain excess water, cool and dry.

§ Grill the boiled pig ears, chicken liver and pork belly, wait until the pork turns brown and crisp.(If you can't grill, alternatively, you can also deep fry pieces in batches with the skin side is down that begins to render the fat until golden brown and blisters appear on skin. Before frying pork belly you may want to sprinkle a cornstarch with it to prevent get hit by any of the fat splattering).

§ Avoid overcooking the liver; it will be tough if overcooked.

§ After grilling or frying and enough to handle it, chop the pig ears, pork cheek, belly and chicken liver into fine or small pieces.

§ Mix the chopped meat with the chopped onions, chili pepper, liver spread and ground black pepper and salt to taste.

§ Store the sisig in the fridge.

§ Meanwhile Heat the saucepan and pour in the ingredients for sauce, bring to a boil and stir then removed from heat. Set aside.

§ Take out of the fridge the amount of sisig you could just consume.
Heat a cast iron plate (sizzling plate) until very hot. Add the butter and pour the sisig, cook for a few minutes.

§ Pour small amount of sauce surround the sisig until sizzling.

§ Add the brandy, heat briefly, then set light with a match. Let the flames from brandy flare up, and then shake the pan until it goes out. (CAUTION: It WILL flare up to 2+ feet, so take precautions! Keep the flames away from the eyes and face. Do not leave unattended.) Cook for half minute longer until most of the liquid has sizzled. Removed from heat.

§ Sprinkle lemon juice on Sizzling Sisig. Top with coarsely pounded chicharon (pork rinds), chopped onion leaves and some remaining chopped green chili.
Serve hot.

§ It can be eaten by itself or with a steaming plate of rice.

Mixed Vegetables Stir-Fry

It’s mixed veggies stir-fried with left over breast chicken from BBQ and pork last night. This is a great recipe to use up left over chicken or meat and other vegetables you have in the fridge and get creative.

Ingredients:

1 pkg of deep fried Tofu (Bean curd) has four blocks all in one piece, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded

1 cup cooked pork, shredded

3 cups fresh mung bean sprouts, washed and drained

1 medium carrot cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/8-inch slices

1/2 each of red and green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips

1/2 of medium cabbage, sliced thinly

2 cups shiitake mushroom caps, sliced thick (optional)

4 scallions cut into 1/2-inch pieces for garnishing (optional)

1 cup green beans (optional), sliced thinly

1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 onion, finely sliced

Vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chicken/pork broth

1/2 tsp sesame oil, (optional)

For thickening Sauce

You will need:

1 tbsp oyster sauce or/ brown braising sauce (Lee Kum Kee)

1 tablespoons soy sauce (Kikkoman)

1 1/2 tbsp corn starch

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp sugar

In a cup, combine the mixture of corn starch, water, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar, this will be the stir fry sauce set aside.

Procedures:

§ Wash the tofu and pat dry with paper towels cut into cubes.

§ In a wide skillet or pan, heat vegetable oil until very hot. Fry tofu cubes until lightly browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.

§ Add to pan additional oil as necessary. Sauté onions and garlic until tender and translucent.

§ Over high heat, add in carrots, red and green bell pepper and cabbage, sauté until tender but crisp, around 1 to 2 minutes.

§ Add in bean sprouts cover and simmer for 30 seconds then add the reserved tofu and combine mixture sauce Continue to stir-fry for around 1 minute or until veggies are cooked to preferred tenderness (they should still have a slight crunch to them). Season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot with rice or noodles. Or (you might plate it and garnish with fried peanuts).

Suggested TIP:
To use leftovers as vegetable eggrolls, drain juice from the sautéed mixed vegetables and tofu dish. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons onto a lumpia or eggroll wrapper. Roll like a burrito log, sealing contents. Deep-fry until golden brown and serving with spicy vinegar dip.

Calamari

Ingredients:

1 pound whole squid, cleaned

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg

1 1/2 cup rice flour

1 cup plain cornmeal flour

2 teaspoons paprika

1/8 tsp dried thyme (optional)

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Canola oil, for frying

1 lemon - cut into wedges, for garnish

Directions:

§ If working with frozen rings, defrost per package instructions.

§ If prefer to clean fresh whole squids keeping the tentacles in one piece. Follow this in order:

§ Holding the body firmly, grasp the head and pull gently, twisting if necessary, to pull the head with tentacles and internal away from the body will come with it.

§ Cut the tentacles from the head just below the eyes. Set aside the tentacles to use (they're edible and tasty).

§ At the top of the body, there is a clear piece of cartilage. Pull it out and discard.

§ Under cold running water, wash the tentacles and body tube carefully, inside and out, to get rid of any sand.

§ Cut the body of the squid into 1/2-inch rings. Set aside.

§ Combine the milk, egg, a tsp of salt and pepper, pinch of thyme and paprika in a bowl; mix with a fork until lightly beaten. Put the prepared calamari in the milk mixture and place it in the refrigerator while getting everything else set up; it fries better if marinated and chilled for about 15 minutes.

§ Pour about 2 inches of oil in a fryer or large, heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F.

§ Mixing the flour, paprika, dried thyme season with a fair amount of salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Dredge the squid in flour, and shaking gently to coat does a better job than just rolling the pieces in the flour in a pie dish or plate.

§ Gently shake off excess flour.

§ Once the oil is hot, fry for 1 to 2 minutes (squid will be tough if overcooked) without crowding in the pan or until crisp and golden brown on all sides.

§ Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to paper towels over a plate to drain.

§ Repeat until all of the squid is cooked. Make sure to check the temperature of the oil before each batch to ensure it is 375 degrees F.

§ Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Sweet Spicy Chicken Wings

Seasoning Ingredients:

4 pounds chicken wings, separated at joints, tips discarded

1/2 cup chili powder

1/4 cup paprika

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp dried tyme

1 pinch garlic salt

1 pinch ground black pepper

For the Sweet Spicy Sauce:

1 1/2 cup ketchup

1/8 -1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

2 tbsps garlic powder

1 tbsp chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsps butter

1/2 lemon, zested

1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions:

§ Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

§ Rub the seasoning ingredients to chicken, until consistently coated.

§ Transfer to a lightly oil grill grate with pan underneath covered of aluminum foil.

§ Grill the chicken about 20 minutes on each side.

§ Meanwhile in a saucepan mix the ingredients for the sweet spicy sauce over medium heat simmer about 10 minutes, until blended and heated through.

§ Remove chicken from oven to spread barbecue sauce evenly over chicken.

§ Put back the chicken inside oven, bake 20 minutes, turn the chicken to browned on each side and bake another 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and until juices run clear.

Carrot Cake with Creamy Cheese Icing

Cake Ingredients:
3/4 cup Corn or Canola Oil
1/8 cup Molasses
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (white)
4 eggs
2 cups All Purpose Flour (plain)
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 cups peeled, grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Procedures:
Beat first four ingredients together in a large bowl until smoothly blended.
Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to egg mixture, beating until smooth.
Stir in carrots.
Stir in nuts.
Spread into a greased and lined 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
Bake at 325oF for approx 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in pan, then remove to rack and cool completely.
(Note: there are 2 variations of icing you can apply, try #1 or #2 icing, me I used Creamy Glaze since no available cream cheese on my pantry at that time).

# 1 Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:
1 cup Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Butter
2 cups Icing sugar/Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
Cream Cheese Icing Methods:
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add the icing sugar, beating constantly. Mix in Vanilla. Spread on cooled cake.

# 2 Creamy Glaze Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

4-6 tablespoons hot water

Creamy Glaze Methods:

Heat butter until melted.

Remove from heat.

Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.

Apple Cake

My daughter made these Apple cake and Apple muffins.

You can make muffin from the leftover mixture batter of Apple cake recipe, just simply poured and fill 3/4 of the way with batter into muffin tins/pan with paper cup liners & baked them at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pans

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans

1 3/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

1 tbsp blackstrap molasses

2 large eggs

2 Granny Smith apples (8 ounces each), peeled and coarsely grated (2 cups)

2 Granny Smith apples (8 ounces each), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon salt

Brown Sugar Butter cream (Optional)

4 large egg whites

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons

Procedures:

Preheat oven to 350. Brush three 8-inches round cake pans with butter; line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Brush paper with butter, then dust pans with flour (tapping out excess); set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together butter, sugar, and eggs until well combined; fold in apples.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt; add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Divide among prepared pans, smooth top.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of cakes comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes in pan, then invert onto cooling racks; peel off parchment. Reinvert cakes and let cool completely, top sides up.

To ice cake: Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread a quarter of the butter cream over the layer and top with another, then another quarter of the butter cream. Top with third layer and spread remaining butter cream over the top and sides of the cake. Chill at least 1 hour before slicing with a serrated knife.

Brown Sugar Butter cream:

In a heatproof bowl, set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, whisk together egg whites, sugar and salt. Cook, whisking constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch.

Transfer to the clean bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy and cooled, about 15 minutes.

Raise speed to high; beat until stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time, until fully incorporated.

(If the mixture seems to have separated after all the butter is incorporated, beat on medium-high until smooth. Reduce speed to low; beat 3 minutes more).

Custard Cake

To make the caramel sauce, put in pan:

1/2 cup white sugar to caramelize in pan.

Place the pan over medium heat until sugar is melted and bubbly. Cook just until you get a nice amber color. Don’t leave it too long or the sugar will burn. I used mittens to hold the pan over the heat and to swirl the sugar mixture around to coat the bottom of the pan. Set aside to cool down.

CUSTARD:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the following and ensure sugar is totally dissolved.

8 egg yolks

2 cans evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp lemon zest

CHIFFON CAKE: (Dry Ingredients)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the following:

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

Mix above ingredients well.

Wet ingredients Mixture:

Using a hand held mixer, slowly add the following ingredients.

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 egg yolks

Combine dry and wet ingredients well. Set aside.

MERINGUE:

Using a very clean stand up mixer, combine the following,

10 egg whites

And slowly add ½ cup sugar

Beat until egg white is stiff (hard peak) or can hold its shape.

Preheat the oven to 360 degrees F.

Gently fold meringue into the chiffon cake mixture. Do not over mix so you don’t lose the air.

Gently pour mixture into the custard mixture.

Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes @ 360 F.

Cool down and invert to show custard on top and the cake at the bottom.

Trim the sides (optional). Slice and serve.

Pansit Bihon with Upo

Ingredients:

1 pkg pancit bihon noodles (I used excellent rice noodle brand)

200 gms Instant egg noodle (cooking directions follows)

1/4 lb pork picnic shoulder, boiled and strips

1/4 lb deveined, peeled and tails removed medium shrimp

2 cups of chicken/pork broth
1 medium carrot, peeled and small julienned

1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 small upo (bottle gourd) peeled and small julienned

3 of garlic crushed and minced

1/2 onion, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbsps dark soy sauce/or Brown braising sauce (Lee Kum Kee)
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsps annatto (atchuete) oil

3-4 pieces of calamansi or 1 lemon, sliced

1/2 cup finely chopped scallion (garnishing)

Instant Noodles cooking directions:

Boil a large pot of water and cook uncover on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Take out the noodles as soon as tender but still with some resistance or al dente. Drain well and set aside.

Pansit bihon Noodles preparation:

Soak pancit bihon noodles in cold water for 20 minutes or until softened. Drain well and set aside.

Bihon Cooking instructions:

§ Heat oil in wide skillet or wok.

§ Sauté garlic and onions, add the shrimp and stir-fry just until pink then add the boiled pork

§ and a tablespoon of dark soy sauce stir about 1 minute then remove from pan set aside.

§ In the same wok combine the broth and soy sauce, bring to a boil.

§ Add upo (bottle gourd) and carrots, sauté until slightly tender but still crisps; remove from pan, set aside.

§ Submerge the noodles to the same wok, keep stirring and toss until bihon softened (adding enough broth or water as needed)

§ Add the left behind sautéed pork, shrimps, parsley, carrots and upo.

§ Continue stirring regularly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

§ Serve hot in platter and garnish with finely chopped scallion and fresh lemon/calamansi slices that is to be squeezed into pansit bihon.

Paksiw sa Kamias

My plan is to make pangat as kamias but as I added more water it turn out into paksiw sa kamias. Oh well… anyway it’s tastes good.

Ingredients:

6 pcs yellow line fish or butterfish
2 medium tomatoes (quartered)
10 pcs kamias
1-2 cup water

Salt and patis to taste

1 pc big onion (quartered)

Thumb of ginger, peeled and sliced

2-3 long green pepper

Procedures:

Arrange all the ingredients in the clay pot in this order: salt, kamias, tomatoes, onion, ginger, and fish.

Add remaining long green pepper on top of the fish

Lastly, pour enough water and season with salt, pepper and patis.

Boil and cook for 20 minutes in low fire.

Serve hot with rice.

Pork Dinuguan (Tidtad)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 kilo pork shoulder butt or picnic shoulder, diced (you can use pig head)

1/2 lb. small pork intestine, cleaned, boiled (You can add tripe or tendon)

1 1/2 cup fresh (liquid) pig blood

1 block pig blood cut into bite-sized pieces
1 head of garlic (minced)
1 onion sliced
2-3 pieces laurel/bay leaves
3 tablespoons oil
2 cup vinegar
3 tablespoons patis (fish sauce)
2 liter water
6 long green peppers
2 teaspoons sugar
salt to taste

1 tsp black peppercorn

sugar to taste
fish sauce or patis (optional)
Procedures cleaning pork intestine :
Cut pork small intestine to bite sizes, then turning it inside out by using chopstick to pushed it through.

Pour salt on intestine, rubs under cold water, rinses, repeat same procedure with baking soda.
When done put pork small intestine and halfway water in a pot, cook it for 15 minutes (increase cooking time if prefer tender).
Removed pre-cooked pork small intestine from stove, rinses several times under cold water, drain let it and cool then slice into bite-sized pieces, set aside.

Procedures cooking Dinuguan:
In a pot, simmer pork for 30 minutes with the vinegar, black peppercorn, bay leaves and water in a large bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.

In a casserole, heat oil and sauté garlic and onion for a minute. Add in the simmering pork with its stock.

Bring up to a boil without stirring. Lower heat and allow simmering and covered until meat tender.

Add in sliced blood and fresh blood (liquid), cooked pork intestine and long green peppers.

Simmer for 15 minutes more or until sauce consistency has slightly thickened, stirring occasionally to avoid Sticking in the pan but try not to tear the green pepper otherwise your sauce may end up into spicy taste .

Season with patis, salt, sugar and ground black pepper.

Serve hot with puto or white rice. Enjoy eating.

Pansit Bihon Guisado

Ingredients:

1 pkg pancit bihon noodles (I used Excellent rice noodle brand)

Half chicken breast, Boiled and strips (You can add Chinese sausage, fish balls, strip pork meat, shrimps and mushrooms if you like)

1/4 lb pork picnic shoulder, boiled and strips

2 cups of chicken/pork broth
1 large carrot, peeled and small julienned

3/4 cup small diced celery

1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cabbage, sliced into strips (You can add red bell pepper, sitsaro or sliced green beans)

3 of garlic crushed and minced

1/2 onion, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbsps dark soy sauce/or Brown braising sauce (Lee Kum Kee)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsps vegetable oil

3-4 pieces of calamansi or 1 lemon, sliced

Bihon Cooking instructions:

§ Soak pancit bihon noodles in cold water for 20 minutes or until softened. Drain well and set aside.

§ Heat oil in wide skillet or wok.

§ Sauté garlic and onions, add the pork, chicken and a tablespoon of dark soy sauce stir about 1 minute then remove from pan set aside.

§ In the same wok combine the broth and soy sauce, bring to a boil.

§ Add carrots, cabbage and celery, sauté until slightly tender but still crisps; remove from pan, set aside.

§ Submerge the noodles to the same wok, keep stirring and toss until bihon softened (adding enough broth or water as needed)

§ Add the left behind sautéed chicken, pork and vegetables.

§ Continue stirring regularly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

§ Serve hot in platter and garnish with fresh lemon/calamansi slices that is to be squeezed into pansit bihon.

Shrimp Curry with Coconut Milk

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons peanut/olive oil
1 lb deveined, peeled and tails removed medium shrimp
400 ml unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
2 crushed stalk of lemon-grass
1 tsp fish sauce
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

1/2 can canned baby corn (optional)
4 chopped scallions (white and green parts)
1/2 cup sliced canned water chestnut, drained(optional)
1/4 cup of torn fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons torn mint leaves
1 lime

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic minced
Cooking Procedures:
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Sauté garlic add the shrimp and stir-fry just until pink and curled but not cooked through, about 2 minutes.
3. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
4. In the same pan add coconut milk along with the Thai red curry paste.
5. Cook, stirring, until smooth and fragrant and a bit shiny, about 1 minute.
6. Add lemon-grass, fish sauce, brown sugar, and salt; then simmer for 3 minutes, uncovered.
7. Return the shrimp to the skillet along with the baby corn, scallions and water chestnuts.
8. Simmer until shrimp finish cooking’s or about 3 minutes more.
9. Pull the pan off the heat.
10. Stir in the basil and mint, and squeeze in the lime's juice.
11. Serve with rice and sprinkle with sliced scallions.

Pansit Palabok (Pansit Luglug)

Ingredients:

Pack Bihon (dried rice noodles) thin or thick

1 tbsp.Annato powder (achuete)

Shrimp juice (from shrimp heads)

1/2 lbs. shelled shrimps (You may want to chop it and lightly fried), set aside

1 cup diced tokwa or bean curd sold in Oriental food stores

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp Fish sauce (patis)

1/2 cup smoked fish finely flaked (Mama Sita's Palabok Mix, an alternative for

Smoked fish if not available, dissolve in small amount of water)

1 cup of cornstarch, or as needed (dissolved in small amount of cold water)

2 liters of water

Garnish:

1 1/2 lb ground pork (sauté in salt and Pepper until almost dried)

1 cup chicharon, coarsely pounded (pork rinds)

1/2 cup finely chopped scallion

3 hardboiled egg, slices (garnishing)

Calamansi or Lemon, sliced

Fried garlic (thin slices)

Procedures:

Soak noodles in boiling water for 20 minutes or until softened. Drain well and set aside.

Shrimp juice: Puree shrimp heads (get rid the eyes and hairy thing of shrimp heads prior by using scissor).

§ In a food processor add 1 1/2 cup of water to puree the shrimp heads with the annatto powder, set aside.

§ In a large skillet, heat oil and sauté garlic till brown. Add the shrimp juice and the remaining water in a sauce pan, season with salt and black pepper.

§ As soon as boiled pour the puree through a sieve/strainer to catch any remaining shells from the head of the shrimps and this will give you a smoother sauce.

§ Bring back the sieved shrimp heads juice to simmer this time add the lightly fried shelled shrimps, the smoked fish or/Mama Sita’s Palabok mix and tokwa.

§ Dissolve cornstarch in cold water then add slowly to the simmering pan.

§ Continue simmer over moderate heat with constant stirring until lightly thickened (or it depend of sauce consistency you want), season with patis. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Boiling Noodles:

§ In a big pan fill it halfway water enough to accommodate the sifter.

§ Using the Sifter with wood Handle fill with rice noodles inside at a time.

§ Dip the sifter into the boiling water and cook until tender but firm. Drain well into colander.
Transfer the noodles into a large serving platter.

§ Pour sauce over it, and then Top the sauce with the fried ground pork, crushed pork rinds, fried garlic and green onions, arrange sliced eggs on top and lemon wedges on the side of the presentation dish (to be squeeze).

§ Serve hot.

Leche Flan

Leche Flan mixture:

8 egg yolks
1 1/2 can Evaporated Milk
1 1/2 cup of Sugar
1 -2 tsp lemon zest

Procedures:

§ Pre-heat oven to about 370° F (degrees Fahrenheit) or 190° C (degrees Centigrade) and place on the baine- marie (a rectangular roasting pan that is slightly taller than the baking pan that you are using for your flan) half filled with water and position the cooling rack.
Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl, combine egg yolks, Evaporated Milk, Sugar and lemon zest, ensure that sugar is totally dissolved.

§ Do not whisk, to eliminate the bubbles in it and to make sure the outcome is smooth set custard.

§ Pour the mixture through a sieve to catch any remaining solids from the egg and this will give you a smoother flan. Set aside.

§ Prepare your cooking pans: You can use any shape: oval, round or square. I used 1 square baking pan. (If using each of the metal molds put about 1-2 Tbsp sugar in, it depend on how size they are).

To make the caramel sauce:

§ Put in square pan 1/2 cup white sugar to caramelize in pan.

§ Place the pan over medium heat until sugar is melted and bubbly and get a nice amber color.

§ Don’t leave it too long or the sugar will burn. I used mittens to hold the pan over the heat and wooden spoon to swirl the sugar mixture around to coat evenly the bottom of the pan. Take out from heat and cool completely. Caramelized sugar will harden and crack. Set aside.

§ Once the caramelized sugar ready, pour the Leche flan mixture into the pan or moulds.

§ Cover the pan/moulds with foil and place it inside oven at the center of cooling rack inside of the preheated baine marie filled with very hot water (Be careful when you do this, put down slowly make sure you’re wearing mittens and stay away from splash water around as you heat this pan of water).

§ Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes @ 350 F. Let cool then refrigerate.

To serve: Run a thin knife around the edges of the pan/mould to loosen the Leche Flan. Place a platter on top of the mould and quickly turn upside down to position the golden brown caramel on top.

Note: You can cook it faster at a higher temp, but if you let the flan mixture cook faster at higher temperature, you will end up with holes throughout your flan. The indication of a good flan is nonappearance of holes.
Cooking Variation: (Steam in medium-low heat for 1 hour. Remove from steamer and cool completely).

Cassava Pichi- Pichi

Ingredients:

1 pkg Cassava (finely grated)

3/4 cup White sugar

1 1/2 cup Pandan water

1 head mature grated coconut or/ desiccated coconut (for dredging)

Coloring (Optional)

Procedure:

§ In a microwavable dish bowl mix cassava, sugar and pandan water. (Divide and pour mixture into 3 dish bowls and add 3 drops of food color like green, pink or yellow each bowl and thoroughly mix.

§ Put into microwave each bowl and cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally until mixture becomes translucent and cook evenly.

§ Remove and cool a bit until you can handle the patties and when still warm, scoop out the cooked mixture roll it in grated coconut or desiccated coconut and shape into small balls. (Use ice cream scoop or a tablespoon the same size as the scoop as shaping).

§ Put into a small different colorful paper cups and arrange it into serving platter.

Other Method: (Mix the sugar and the pandan flavored water and mix until sugar is dissolved. Mix in the cassava and then add the 1/4 tsp. lye water mixing well as you do so. Pour into a mold or bowl that fits your bamboo steamer. Steam until the mixture becomes translucent. While still hot scoop out the cooked mixture (use ice cream scoop or a tablespoon the same size as the scoop) and roll into grated coconut.

Blueberry Mini pie

Ingredients:

Pie crust (see recipe)

1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon

A pinch of nutmeg
4 cups blueberries, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)

1 egg (whisk with 1/2 cup of water-for egg wash)

1/4 cup coarse white sugar (to sprinkle on top of the crust)

Pie Crust Recipe:

24 tablespoons (3 sticks) very cold unsalted butter

6 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening

1 cup ice water

Directions:

§ Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture.

§ Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball.

§ Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

§ Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Repeat with the top crust. (Note: Do not overwork the dough otherwise you could have a heavy and tough crust result).

Procedures:

§ Wash the berries and drain, pat dry.

§ Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375F/190C

§ Spray muffin cups vegetable oil, Line a muffin cups/pan with the bottom crust and refrigerate while preparing the filling.

§ In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, lemon zest, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the blueberries and stir well.

§ Roll out half the pie dough and drape it over a 2 1/2 inch or 3-inch muffin pie cups/pan to extend about 1.3-inch over the rim.

§ Fill the pie with the blueberry mixture and fold over the top the overlap crust to cover slightly the top.(Don't stretch the dough; if it's too small, just put it back on the board and re-roll it).

§ Brush each the entire top crust with the egg wash, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse sugar.

§ Place the muffin cups/pan on a sheet pan.

§ Reduce heat to 350F degrees and bake for 25 minutes, Bake for another 20 – 30 minutes until nicely browned and bubbly.

§ Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Place the mini pie on a rack and allow to cool at room temperature before serving, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

§ Serve warm or cold...

§ Note: (If you have some left over blueberry mixture Line a muffin cups/pan with aluminum foil. Place the blueberry mixture into the foil and place in the freezer until solid, approximately 6 to 8 hours.

§ Once the filling is frozen, remove from the aluminum foil and wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months, as well as the dough, rolled it the size you want then stack with plastic wrap between one of each ).

Pickled Papaya (Atsarang Kapaya)

Ingredients:
1 small green papaya

2 small carrots (1 pc sliced thinly, 1 pc sliced thinly into floret design)

3 big red pepper, halves, seeded and cut into strips

3 to 4 cups ginger, peeled and sliced small Julienned thinly

1 1/2 cup tiny onions, sliced round thinly

2 heads of garlic, peeled, sliced round thinly

1 1/4 cup raisins

1 medium can of tidbits pineapple

6 tbsps salt or according to taste

4 cups white or cane vinegar

4 cups sugar

Pickling Solution:
white vinegar, salt, white refined sugar and ginger.

Procedure:
To grate raw papaya, peel off skin and cut lengthwise into four pieces. Get rid of seeds by using a teaspoon to scrape off from end to end the foamy white part and discard.

Wash papaya, dry and grate using coarse holes of the box grater.

Wrap 1 cup at a time in a cloth, dry out by squeezing out and discard water, Set aside.
Combine all the ingredients of pickling solution in a stainless steel or glass/Pyrex saucepan uncovered and put over moderate heat, stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add the vegetables mixture and let totally cool at room temperature.

Pack in sterilized jars, cover jars tightly and refrigerate.
Will keep in refrigerator. Ripens after first week, but in fact for me it is ready to use in two days.

Sauteed Ampalaya Leaves

Ingredients:

1 big can Mackerel sardines

2 fistful of ampalaya leaves (bitter melon leaves), removed from stem and only pick the young and tops leaves

3 medium size sweet potato (I prefer white flesh), peel and big cubed

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 medium-size onion, sliced

1medium-size tomato, sliced

1 tablespoon cooking oil

Salt to taste

3 cups water

Procedures:

§ Sauté garlic, onion in oil until translucent follows the tomato. Remove tomato from pan and set aside.
In the same pan add the sweet potato, water and sardines, cover and simmer until sweet potato are fully tender.

§ Reduced the broth until get to almost 1 cup, this time add salt according to your taste then add the ampalaya leaves and the tomato, cover and simmer 3 minutes or until leaves are tender but not much wilted (avoid much stirring, it might outcome bitter taste, toss leaves once). Serve hot with rice.

§ Great accompaniment to any fried fish.

Apple Turnover

Ingredients:

Crust for turnover (recipe follows)

6 cups grated and squeeze apple (using coarse holes of the box grater).

2 1/2 cup squeeze apple (sliced and cut into small cubes)

3 tablespoons dried cherries

2 1/4 cup coarse sugar, added to squeeze apple

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp grated lemon zest

1/8 cup cup lemon Juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg beaten with 3 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Extra coarse white sugar -to sprinkle on top

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, added for sugar to sprinkle on top

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel, quarter, and core the apples and then shred by using coarse holes of the box grater, next squeeze.

Set aside extra apple to make 2 1/2 cup sliced, cut into small cubes apple and squeeze.

(Method: Wrap 1 cup at a time in a cloth, dry out by squeezing out and discard water, set aside the squeezed apple).

Combine the lemon zest, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and the squeezed apples in a bowl. Immediately toss the apples with the lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Add the cherries, sugar and flour. Set aside.

Turnover Crust Recipe:

24 tablespoons (3 sticks) very cold unsalted butter

6 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening

1 cup ice water

Directions:

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture.

Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a square, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board.

Lightly roll each sheet of pastry to a 12 by 12-inch square or (using a stand up roller #4 thickness). Cut each sheet into 4 smaller squares or round and keep chilled until ready to use.

Brush the edges of each square with water and neatly place about 1/3 cup of the apple mixture on half of the square. Fold the pastry diagonally over the apple mixture and seal by pressing the edges with a fork. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the top with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 7 minutes then turn the oven heat to 355 degrees F and continue to bake 20 minutes or until browned and puffed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Apple Pie

Ingredients:

Pie crust (recipe follows)

7 to 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered, and cored

1 lemon, zested

1 orange, zested

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup coarse white sugar

1 teaspoon coarse white sugar (to sprinkle on top of the crust)

1/8 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

Foil (for crust rim covering)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut each apple quarter in thirds crosswise and combine in a bowl with the zests, juice, 1/4 cup coarse white sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Roll out half the pie dough and drape it over a 9- or 10-inch pie pan to extend about 1/2-inch over the rim. Don't stretch the dough; if it's too small, just put it back on the board and re-roll it.

Fill the pie with the apple mixture. Brush the edge of the bottom pie crust with the egg wash so the top crust will adhere. Top with the second crust and trim the edges to about 1-inch over the rim. Tuck the edge of the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust and crimp the 2 together with your fingers or a fork. Brush the entire top crust with the egg wash, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar, and cut 4 or 5 slits. Cover foil to round edges.

Place the pie on a sheet pan and bake 7 minutes for 400 degrees F, then lower the heat into 355 degrees F and continue cooking 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the crust is browned and the juices almost begin to bubble out. Serve warm. (During the last 10 minutes of cooking remove the foil that covered from edges).

Pie Crust Recipe:

24 tablespoons (3 sticks) very cold unsalted butter

6 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening

1 cup ice water

Directions:

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Repeat with the top crust.

Tokwa't Baboy

Tokwa’t Baboy is a traditional appetizer in most Filipino however it can be paired with Arroscaldo (Lelut Manuk).

Ingredients:

1 lb pig’s ears

1 lb pork belly (liempo) or pork shoulder

1 pkg of Tokwa (Bean curd) 2"x2"

1 1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 tbsp sugar or (to taste)

2 tbsp salt

1 tbsp whole pepper corn

2 red and green hot pepper

1 medium size onion, diced

2 stalks green onions cut in 1/2 inch length

5 cups water

2 cups cooking oil

1/4 cup green onions, chopped (Optional) garnishing

Cooking procedure:

§ Put the pork belly (liempo) and pig’s ears into the pot and fill it with just enough water to cover it. Begin cooking on a high flame. Add salt (approx. 2 tsp, or to taste), and peppercorn (approx. 1 tsp, or to taste).

§ Cover and bring to a boil. Once it boiled let it simmer on a medium flame for 1 1/2 hours or until liempo/pork shoulder turn into medium tender, Take out the meat, set aside while continue simmering until the pig’s ears tender.

§ Pour cooking oil on a separate pan and allow to heat. When the oil is hot enough, deep-fry the tofu until color turns golden brown and outer texture is crispy.

§ Slice the boiled pig’s ears, pork belly/pork shoulder and fried tofu into bite-sized pieces, transfer into a serving bowl, set aside.

§ Heat the saucepan and pour in the vinegar, salt and soy sauce then bring to a boil

§ Add the sugar and stir then turn-off the heat

§ Allow the temperature to cool down then add the onions, green onions, and crushed red and green pepper. Pour in mixture over pork and tokwa. Garnish with chopped green onions (too bad, forgot to put mine!) Serve while hot.

Sauteed Laing Stem with Guava

Ingredients:

1/2 kl. Liempo with bone (Pork) or Beef shank

Pork cracklings (Optional)

20 pcs. Ripe bayabas (guava)

7 pcs Taro (Gabi/gandus)
1 medium size onion, sliced

2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 bundle kangkong, separate leaves and stalks or/spinach

7-10 pcs. Siling haba

1 tbsp sugar (Optional)

1 tsp alamang or shrimp paste
salt to taste
Patis (Optional), to taste

2 tbsp cooking oil

Procedures:

Clean and peel the skin of Taro stems or shoots (takway) and wash down several times.

As soon as the taro stems were cleaned up, slice it into two to three inch pieces.

Wash it well into several changes of water.

In a pan big enough to accommodate the water, taro stems, boil about 1 hour or pick one to test if already tender. Squeeze them lightly then rinse. Set aside.

Meanwhile wash and peel guava (you may cut each into halves) and taro bulb. Set aside.

Heat oil in a saucepan. Sauté garlic, onion and pork (or beef) then add the alamang or shrimp paste.

Add in the meat (Pork or Beef) taro stems, taro bulb and guava in a large pot, add 6-8 cups of water or add more water as necessary to simmer meat until tender, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until guava start to break up.

Remove some guava from pan and coarsely mash guava meat into a fine wire mess colander with cooking ladle to remove the seeds. Retain the pulp and smooth guava soup then add it boiling meat.

Simmer for another 30 minutes. Reduced the broth until get to almost about 3 cups, this time add salt, patis and sugar according to taste.

Then add kangkong leaves or spinach and siling haba. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until kangkong/spinach are cooked but there’s still crispiness.

Serve hot with rice and patis (fish sauce) with mash chili from soup.

Great accompaniment to any fried fish.

French Bread

Ingredients:
1 package dry active yeast
1/3 cup (5 tbsp) warm water, not over 100F degrees in a glass measure
3 1/2 cup all purpose flour, measured by scooping
dry measure cups into flour and sweeping off excess
2 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water @ 70F – 74F degrees

Procedures:
Stir the yeast in the 1/3 cup warm water and let liquefy completely while measuring flour into mixing bowl. When yeast has liquefied, pour it into the flour along with the salt and the rest of the water.

Stir and cut the liquids into the flour with a rubber spatula, pressing firmly to form dough and making sure that all the bits of flour and unmassed pieces are gathered in. Turn dough out onto kneading surface, scraping bowl clean. Dough will be soft and sticky. Depending and the type of All Purpose flour you use, you may need to add additional flour or water to the dough.

Turn dough out onto kneading surface, scraping bowl clean. Dough will be soft and sticky. Let the dough rest for 2 – 3 minutes while you wash and dry the bowl (and the dough hook if using a stand mixer).

The flour will have absorbed the liquid during this short rest, and the dough will have a little more consistency for the kneading that is about to begin.

Start kneading by lifting the near edge of the dough, using a pastry scraper or hard wide spatula to help you if needed, and flip the dough over onto itself. Scrape dough off the surface and slap it down; lift edge and flip it over again, repeating the movement quickly.

In 2 -3 minutes the dough should have enough body so that you can give it a fast forward push with the heel of your hand as you flip it over. The whole kneading process will take 5 – 10 minutes, depending on how expert you become.

Shortly after this point, the dough should have developed enough elasticity so it draws back into shape when pushed, indicating the gluten molecules have united and are under tension like a thin web of rubber; the dough should also begin to clean itself off the kneading surface, although it will stick to your fingers if you hold a pinch of dough for more than a second or two.

Let dough rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Knead by hand for a minute. The surface should now look smooth; the dough will be less sticky but will still remain soft. It is now ready for its first rise.

Slip the bowl into a large plastic bag or cover with plastic, and top with a folded bath towel. Set on a wooden surface. Let rise free from drafts place where the temperature is around 70 degrees. Dough should take at least 3 – 4 hours to rise. When fully raised, the dough will be bump into a slight dome showing that the yeast is still active.

The dough is now ready to be deflated, which will release the yeast produced gases as a result the dough will rise again and continue the fermentation process.

With a rubber spatula, remove dough from inside of bowl and turn out onto a lightly floured surface, scraping bowl clean. If dough seems damp sprinkle with a tablespoon of flour.

Lightly flour the palms of your hands and flatten the dough firmly but not too roughly into a circle, deflating any gas bubbles by pinching them. The mass of dough will look like a rounded cushion.

Slip the sides of your hands under the dough and return it to the bowl. Cover and let rise again, this time to not quite triple, but again until it is dome shaped and light and spongy when touched.

Loosen dough all around inside of bowl and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Because of its two long rises, the dough will have much more body. If it seems damp and sweaty, dust lightly with flour.

With a large knife or a bench scraper, divide the dough into 3 equal pieces for long loaves

Place dough at far side of kneading surface. Cover loosely with a sheet of plastic and let rest for 5 minutes before forming. This relaxes the gluten enough for shaping but not long enough for dough to begin rising again.

While the dough is resting, prepare the baking sheet, and rub corn meal thoroughly into the entire surface to prevent the dough from sticking
with the palms of your hands, you will lengthen it into a sausage shape. Start in the middle, placing your right palm on the dough, and your left palm on top of your right hand.

Roll the dough forward and backward rapidly, gradually sliding your hands towards the two ends as the dough lengthens.

Deflate any gas blisters on the surface by pinching them. Repeat the rolling movement rapidly several times until whatever length will fit on your baking sheet, making thinner sausage shapes about 1/2 inch in diameter. When they have risen, slash two long central slashes with the Batard.

Final Rise 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours at around 70 degrees. The dough is now to rise until almost triple in volume. Preheat oven to 450 degrees about 30 minutes before estimated baking time. The crust will be crisp, and the bread will make a hollow sound when thumped.

If you want the crust to shine, paint lightly with a brush dipped in cold water as soon as you slide the baking sheet out of oven.

Cool the bread on a rack or set it upright in a basket or large bowl so that air can circulate freely around each piece. Although bread is always exciting to eat fresh from the oven, it will have a much better taste when the inside is thoroughly cool and has composed itself.

Sauteed Lima Beans Soup (Sabo Bule ampon Kamatis)

Ingredients:
1 pound dried lima beans

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 onions, chopped

1/2 lb Pork Liempo/shoulder boils until medium tender (cut into bite-sized pieces)

1/2 lb beef shank, boil until medium tender (cut into bite-sized pieces)

1 tomato, discard seeds

Bochoy (Pechay) or spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

· Directions:
Rinse and place beans in a large pot with 8 cups of water. Set stove to high for 20 minutes cover or until boiled, remove from stove but leave covered with lid and let it cool about 1 hour.

· After almost 1 hour put back the beans into stove and bring them to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook beans an additional 1hour or until beans cooked and tender. Set aside and keep the stock that would be added again later.

· Sauté garlic then adds onion and continue to sauté until clear. Add tomatoes and cooked meat with its stock.
Cover and simmer approximately 30 minutes or so until beans and meat are tender and soup slightly thickens. Skim the bubbles or scum forming on top of broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Avoid much stirring; beans might end mushy, keep adding water if necessary or depending how much soup you needed).

· During the last minutes of cooking add the Bochoy or spinach, cook for an additional 1 minutes or until vegetables slightly wilted but still green.

· Serve with rice or bread.

Basil Oregano Pesto

I made also this pesto, it can be great with any kind of pasta, sauces and bread.

Basil maybe my most important garden crop. I like to make sure we have pesto to last all season - until next year’s crop is ready. My Basil Oregano Pesto recipe is here.

Ingredients

Basil - 2 cups packed

Oregano – 1/2 cup
Fresh garlic - 4 cloves
Olive oil - 1/2 cup (or to your desired consistency)
Pine nuts - 1/2 cup
Pecorino Romano cheese - 1/4 cup (optional)

Directions

Wash and dry the basil and spinach leaves.

In a blender combine the basil, oregano, garlic, cheese and pine nuts. Drizzle the olive oil in middle till you get the desired consistency. Blend or pulse in a food processor, till the nuts get ground well and the mixture gets thoroughly combined. If you need a thicker consistency, reduce the amount of oil. I like my pesto more chunky than runny.

Top the pesto on any cooked pasta and enjoy!

Basil Rosemary Beef Burger

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon, cut into bite size pieces

8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

Freshly picked rosemary and basil
2 pounds lean ground beef

1 large shallot, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 egg

4 ounces Swiss cheese, cubed

2 tablespoons grape seed oil/olive oil

4 hamburger buns (See Pandesal recipes)

Lettuce and tomato (garnishing)

Procedures:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

Place the bacon in a large sauté pan and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon and reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Set the mushrooms aside to cool in a bowl.

In a large bowl, combine the beef, shallot, garlic, basil, rosemary, black pepper, salt, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire and egg, Do not over-mix, shape into patties, about 1/2 inch thick and larger than your bun.

Part the mixture into 4 equal portions. Divide each portion into 2 separate patties.

Mix the cheese into the cooled mushrooms and bacon mixture. Get 1 patty and top with 2 ounces of the filling. Place another patty on top and pinch around the edges to make sure that the filling is totally covered. Make the rest of the patties the same way. Chill until you are ready to cook.

Over medium-high heat, heat a large skillet with grape seed oil/olive oil. As soon as hot, add the burgers and cook for 2 minutes per side. Place the pan into the oven and cook for 4 to 6 more minutes for medium burgers.

Remove from the oven and serve on a sesame seed bun.

(If you prefer to use charcoal or gas grill for cooking over high direct heat. Prepare tongs and a folded up paper towel dipped in vegetable oil, oil the grill grates. Make sure grill is hot and well oiled before laying down the patties. Place the patties on the clean, well-oiled grill grate. Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes per side. Do not press down on the burgers while cooking. If you don’t have a grill, you can use a grill pan or a cast iron frying pan for the burgers.

Serve on hamburger buns and garnish with lettuce, sliced ring tomatoes and mayonnaise.

Greek Salad

Yes I know, the recipe is not come from Filipino food but this one is another of our favorite salad.

I love to make this salad in the summer when all of the fresh vegetables come out of our garden.

Ingredients:

3 vine ripe tomatoes cut into chunks or cherry tomatoes

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 European seedless cucumber, cut into bite-size pieces

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced into bite-size pieces

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and diced into bite-size pieces

1 cup Kalamata black olives

Several sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, about 1/2 cup

2 (1/4 pound) feta cheese, cut into small pieces or crumbled
1/8 to 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed in palm of your hand

Coarse salt and black pepper

Directions:

Combine vegetables, olives, and parsley in a large bowl. Set sliced feta on the top of salad. Combine oil, vinegar, and oregano in a small plastic container with a lid. Shake vigorously to combine oil and vinegar and pour over salad and cheese. Season with salt and pepper and let the salad marinate until ready to serve.

Fresh Vegetable Lumpia

Ingredients for Filling:

2 tbsps vegetable oil

3 large cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 kilogram of fresh shrimp, shelled, deveined and finely chopped

1/4 kilo pork (small cube)

1/4 lb of ubod or 1 big Jicama (Singkamas), cut into thin small julienne cut of 1 to 1 1/2 inch long

2 big size carrots, cut into thin small julienne cut of 1 to 1 1/2 inch long

4 to 5 cups green beans, sliced round thinly

4 medium sized Potato, cut into thin small julienne cut of 1 to 1 1/2 inch long

2 cups of chicken stock or 2 cans chicken broth

4 cups water or as needed

Salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

Lumpia wrappers (recipes follows)

Lumpia Sauce (Osyo), recipe follows

Parchment paper or plastic wrapper (cut 5”x6”)

Stalks of fresh lettuce leaves, or as needed

Procedures:

1. If using ubod and potato soak in water to avoid discoloring, unlike if you’re using Jicama (singkamas) after cutting put it in a bowl and just set aside.

2. Heat oil on a deep pan or wok over medium-low heat. Sauté garlic until light brown, and onion, until softened. . Remove onion and garlic from pan and set aside. Add pork. Stir to blend well. Add shrimp. Continue sautéing for 5 minutes, cover and simmer until pork fully cooked and at this point add water and chicken stock to avoid from drying, season with salt and pepper.

3. Stir in the vegetables partially, because that might not accommodate all in your pan, (You may want to drop the ubod/or Jicama first) cover and simmer over medium-low heat. Stir at regular intervals to make sure that ubod strips are cooked evenly.

4. When each vegetable are half cooked or still crisp to bite, remove from heat. Transfer the ubod filling to a strainer, drain but keep the broth that would be use again for other uncooks vegetables and also use later for “sauce” (Osyo).

5. Repeat step#3 and #4 for cooking potatoes, green beans and carrots.

6. Drain well because excess liquid will ruin the lumpia wrapper.

Wrapping Lumpia:

To avoid a messy dish, wrap each lumpia with parchment paper or plastic wrapper (cut into 5"x6").
Lay flat wrapper with parchment paper/plastic wraps underneath; line with lettuce leaf, and put in 2-3 tablespoons of the cooked mixture. Carefully fold the three edges of wrapper over the filling, starting on each side.

Use all your fingers to make sure that the filling is securely together, the lettuce leaf overlap in open end. Wrap with parchment paper/plastic wrap.
When serving unwrap plastic/ parchment paper from and put rolled lumpia on a serving plate followed by pouring brown sauce (Osyo) on top. Serve hot or warm.

Ingredients for Brown Sauce (Osyo):

· Left over broth from pork and vegetables, approximately 6 cups (strained in fine strainer)

· 1 cups brown sugar, or to taste

· 2 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, or to taste

· Salt, to taste

· 1 cup of cornstarch, or as needed (dissolved in small amount of cold water)

· 5 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped

· 1 cup chopped peanut, (toasted)

Procedures:

In a small saucepan, mix together sugar, soy sauce, meat stock and salt.

Boil over low heat. Add dissolved cornstarch. Keep stirring until mixture bubbles, lower heat and add finely chopped garlic and chopped toasted peanuts. Simmer until lightly thickened.

Ingredients for (50 pcs) Fresh Wrapper:

16 eggs (white only plus 1 egg yolk)

4 cups all purpose flour

4 cups water

8 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/4 tsp salt

Procedures:

1. Using a stand up mixer with whisking hook, pour the egg whites and 1 yolk.

2. Beat until egg white is almost stiff but not hard peak.

3. Removed whisking hook and alter to dough hook, slowly add flour to the whisk white eggs until mixed, then add butter, salt and water one at a time.

4. Mix well until batter is smooth and creamy. Remove from mixer.

5. Put a Teflon pan over low heat. Pour 1/8 cup of egg mixture, must cover all surface of the pan.

6. Wrapper is cooked when the edges are lifting from the pan. Remove the thin sheet by using a pair of flat thongs. Spread each cooked sheet on lightly-oiled plates.

7. Repeat the same procedure from step #4 and #5for the remaining batter.

Chicken Lemon Grass Soup (Lutung Sale Manok)

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (cut into10 to 12 serving portions)

3 stalks of lemon grass
1 small ginger (Optional) peeled, sliced, crushed
1 medium white onion (sliced)
2 tbsps patis (fish sauce) according to taste
6 to 7 cups water
2 tbsps vegetable oil
salt and pepper

Procedures:

· Cut the bottom and the rest with leaves into 6 inches, and pounded lightly to release the oil or you could fold the whole lemon grass a few times and tie it leaves around the fold.

· Wash chicken pieces thoroughly. Drain in a colander or a big strainer. Set aside.

· In a deep pot, heat oil in medium heat. Sauté ginger, onions and lemon grass until aromatic and but not brown.

· Add chicken pieces. Stirring lightly about 4 minutes or until blood from chicken almost fade away, slowly add water and patis. Adjust to high heat, cover and bring to a boil. (Keep adding water if needed and skimming the bubbles or scum forming on top of broth).

· When chicken almost tender, season with pepper and salt to taste.

· Remove lemongrass, Serve hot.

Chicken in Tamarind Soup(Sinampalukan Manok)

Sinampalukan Manok (Literally “Tamarind” Chicken cooked in tamarind extract/paste/powder mix). We tried this soup when we were invited to a friend’s house for lunch. You may assume that it may not seem like the most romantic dish but my husband just so adore this recipe. I think it is the chicken version of sinigang and it is just as simple as making sinigang which commonly uses proteins such as pork, beef, fish and shrimp and the only distinction in the sinampalukang manok requires of tamarind leaves which provides a fine aroma on top of the tamarind broth. Known for its sour taste and the variety of vegetables that you can put in it like string beans, kangkong/mustard leaves, eggplants, okra, pepper, radish, and kamatis (tomato) but I prefer not to put the vegetables except the whole hot green chili. So here’s my own version sinampalukan manok recipe.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cut into serving pieces (I used drumstick)
1 medium-size Onion, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil/Olive oil
1 tablespoon ginger, julienned
2 tablespoons patis (fish sauce) or according to your taste
1 pack fresh/frozen tamarind fruit or pack sinigang sa sampaloc mix, available at Asian/ Filipino grocery stores1 1cup sampaloc (Tamarind) leaves, available at most Asian and Filipino grocery stores

5 to 6 cups water
1 cup sili (chili) leave/Spinach leaves

2-3 pcs whole hot green chili

Salt to taste
Procedures:
Sauté the onion and ginger until slightly soft and tender. Add the chicken and sauté with a tablespoon of fish sauce until the chicken turns light brown.
Add the water and the tamarind or sinigang mix bring to a boil and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the chicken, let its flavors seep into the chicken.

You can season the broth depending on your taste preference by adding more fish sauce or salt.
Add the green hot chili and tamarind leaves and let it cook for about a minute followed by chili leaves and let simmer for a minute before turning it off. Serve with freshly cooked and steaming hot rice.

Note: (Usual way of getting the tamarind extract by boiling young tamarind fruits in water until the fruit is softened, then pressing the fruits by hand and passing the extract through a strainer).

Spaghetti (Filipino Style)

Ingredients:
1 kg. Spaghetti noodles

1/2 kg. Lean ground beef
1/4 kg. Hotdogs diagonally sliced
2 bottle Tomato sauce/Marinara sauce (700 ml each)
1 cup basil Leaves, chopped
1/4 cup brown or white sugar
2 red bell peppers, grilled, peel and small diced

1 carrot, peel and small chopped

1medium size eggplant, (peeled and chopped) get rid of seeds by using a teaspoon to scrape off

2 stalks of Celery

2 onions, chopped

1 head garlic, minced
1/2 cup Olive oil

1 cup of water
Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan Cheese

Directions of cooking:

· Cook spaghetti noodles according to package instructions.
In a sauce pan or wok, sauté garlic and onions in cooking oil.
Add ground beef, Hotdogs, bell pepper, carrots, celery, basil, eggplant and a cup of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.

· Add tomato sauces, sugar, salt and pepper to taste then let simmer for another 10 minutes. (Mashed the eggplant, should be lightly mushy).

· Lower heat and continue simmering until meat is tender and sauce reduced Serve with the cooked spaghetti noodles and parmesan cheese on top.

Sauteed Silk Gourd with Egg Noodles(Ginisang Patola)

Ingredients:
handful of shrimp (Shell, remove head, deveins and cut in half if desired)

Cut in half if desired

2 cups fish/shrimps balls (boiled)

2 cups chicken broth
4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 medium sized onion, sliced
3 patola peeled and slice into thick roll pieces at an angle

1 medium carrot (small julienne cut)
400 g Instant egg noodles (Directions of cooking follows)

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

6 eggs (boiled)

2 heads garlic Toasted/Fried (for garnishing)

1 cup green onions, finely chopped (for garnishing)

2 tbsps oil

1 tsp patis (fish sauce)

4 cups of water

Directions:

Wash the noodles in cold or tap water, drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a casserole. Sauté garlic and onion for 1 minute. Add shrimps and fish balls. Stir-fry gently for about 1-2 minutes.

Add chicken broth, water and patis; let it boil then lower the heat. Add Patola, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the carrots and the boiled noodles during the last 3 minutes of cooking until carrots tender but crisp.

Garnish with roasted garlic, eggs and green onions.

Instant Noodles cooking directions:

Boil a large pot of water and cook uncover on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Take out the noodles as soon as tender but still with some resistance or al dente.

Adobong Pusit

Ingredients:

1 1/8 lb Small fresh squids (medium size)
5 Cloves garlic, minced

1 thumb-size ginger, cut into thin strips
1/4 to 1/3 cup white vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 Medium-sized onion, sliced
2 Medium-sized tomatoes, diced

1 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste
whole green chili peppers (optional)

1 tsp sugar (optional)

2 tbsp. Cooking oil

· Directions:
Wash the squids very well. Remove the transparent or clear plastic spine. Carefully separate the heads from the body so as not to break the ink sacks. Retain and keep the ink sacks intact and the tentacles from the head and discard the rest of the heads.

· Cut squids into 1/2 inch slices crosswise.
In a wok, heat oil and then sauté the garlic, onion and ginger until aromatic. Add the tomato and continue cooking until tomatoes are wilted.

· Add the squids then add the vinegar and soy sauce. Simmer but do not mix for about 1 minute.
Add about 1 cup of water depending on the amount of squid. (Once the squid begins to cook, the juices and ink will start to come out. You be able to add water if it's too dry).

· Once boil cover and continue simmer for about 10 minutes at low heat until squid almost tender depending on how much sauce you want and you can see the sauce nearly black in color (Do not do this at high heat as the squid will toughen, and it would be like eating rubber). Add the whole green chili peppers just before removing from heat.

· Season with salt, pepper and sugar.

· Make the last stir and simmer for about 5 minutes.

· Serve hot with plain rice.

The eggplants that I planted this summer thrived so well and bore me a few fruits

and I knew immediately what I wanted to do with them, well what about stuffed eggplant (Rellenong Talong/Tortang balasenas). Eggplants are naturally sweet when fresh. I typically salt and brush the slices with olive oil and immediately grill or bake them.

Eggplant, known as talong in Tagalog, Balasenas from Kapampangan’s. It has purple-skinned variety. but there are also long and round green eggplant and it claims that they were Japanese and Thai eggplant while those round tiny purple are called Indian eggplant. Talong is usually grilled over the stove before being chopped and made into a salad; added into pasta sauce, stuffed (Rellenong Talong); or sautéed in a vegetable dish like Pinakbet.

Stuffed Eggplant (Tortang Balasenas)

Ingredients:

4-5 eggplants, small size
1/4 lb. ground pork/beef
1 onion, chopped

Red bell pepper, fine diced

3 cloves garlic crushed
salt and pepper to taste
Chopped tomato, seeded (optional)
1tsp of chives/parsley chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

4 eggs beaten
cooking oil for frying

Chopped spring onion, to garnish (optional)
Sauce:

1/2 squeezed lemon

2 to 3 tbsps soy sauce

Pinch of ground black pepper

Flaked red hot chili

Procedures:

· Boil eggplant about 8 to 10 minutes, remove from water and let cool (but you may want to retain the crown and stem, it’s up to you but me I always discard them). Set aside.
Sauté garlic until brown. Add onion. Stir for 2 minutes, add ground pork, Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until it turns brown and loses its raw color.

· Add red bell pepper, chives or parsley and tomatoes just before removing from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Drain excess oil, let cool slightly. Divide into equal parts.

· Meanwhile beat the eggs in a shallow bowl, set aside.

· In a frying pan heat oil over a medium heat.
Peel, halved lengthwise, slit and flatten eggplant with the back of a fork till it lays flat. Dip the back of eggplant two at time into beaten eggs that would lay flat to a pan on a medium heat.

· Top each with one portion of the meat mixture and pouring beaten egg on each top gradually using a tablespoon to spread over, covering the entire eggplant and the filling. With a heat-proof spatula turn eggplants over to brown the other side.

· Remove from pan and drain paper towels. Garnish with spring onion and serve with soy sauce with lemon.

Cinnamon Bun

Dough: (See recipe Pandesal)
Filling:

1 1/2 (packed) golden brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup chopped pecans

Glaze:

125 g light cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tbsp lemon zest or 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions for Filling:

v Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans in medium bowl.

v Roll the dough from the center to each corner to start forming your rectangle. Roll the dough to a 1/2 inch thickness. You can use bench scraper to straighten the edge of the dough if desired.

v Spread butter sugar cinnamon mixed evenly over dough; make sure that one of the longest edges is free from the surface by leaving 1/2-inch border. Beginning with the edge closest to you, roll the dough away from you. Keep the roll tight as you go. Fold in the ends and pinch them closed by using extra warm water then seal and pinch edge and outer seam together to prevent them unroll during baking.

v With a serrated knife, gently slice the cinnamon rolls about an inch in thickness.

v Meanwhile spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes or deep baking pan with non-stick spray or parchment paper or you may want to use an individual big muffin/ or brioche cups and place on a baking sheet.

v Place each piece into a prepared pan/baking dishes/big muffin cups arranging cut side up. You’ll want to leave some space between each roll to allow some room for them to expand.

v Place in a warm, dry place and allow rising until double in size 1 hour or so.

v Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Bake rolls until tops are golden brown, about 23 to 25 minutes (cover aluminums foil the other top shelve inside the oven so the bread will not get dark brown.). Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.

v Allow to cool slightly and ice with cinnamon roll icing.

Arroscaldo (Lelut Manok)

I generally remove the skin from my chicken before I cook it for an easy way to cut calories and fat. Skinless chicken is a good source of lean protein, so losing the skin lets you lose pounds though maintaining a healthy diet.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (around 3 to 4 lbs), bone-in, cut into small pieces
1 palm size ginger, peeled and crushed or sliced (to about 1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
2 cup uncooked long grain rice (soaked into water)

1/2 cup uncooked glutinous rice (soaked into water)

14 to 16 cups water
3 tbsps cooking oil/olive oil
green onions, finely chopped (for garnishing)
Fried garlic (for garnishing)

Calamansi or lemon juice

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsps patis (fish sauce)

Procedure:

· Remove skin or trim unwanted fat from chicken parts, wash and drain well. Wash rice and soak for at least 3 to 5 minutes, Drain. Set aside.

· In a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil. Sauté ginger, garlic and onions until tender and aromatic.

· Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and have rendered juice. Pour in fish sauce. Continue to stir for around 1 to 2 minutes.

· Pour in 10 cups of the water. Allow to a boil about 10 minutes, removing scum that may float to surface. Add in rice. Cover pot and lower heat to simmer. Check and stir regularly. Add the rest of the water in 1 cup increases and as needed. Continue to cook until the rice has softened and the congee has thickened to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

· Ladle into bowls and top with chopped green onions and fried garlic bits. Squeeze in calamansi or lemon juice to taste. Serve hot.

· (In a small pan, fry over low heat the 1 head garlic crushed or thin slices until brown and toasted, set aside and this would be use for garnishing).

Sauteed Bamboo Shoot (Ginisang Labong sa Manok)

Ingredients:

1 large piece of bamboo shoots (fresh Labong), thinly sliced, discard the tougher wider end

5 pcs chicken wings remove thick part of skin and cut into 4 pieces each

4 to 5 medium chicken drumsticks cut into 3 pieces each

1 cup of water

2 pcs long hot green pepper

2 cups of saluyot leaves or chili leaves

1 large Onion, sliced

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tbsp. Ginger, small Julienne

2 tbsp Alamang

Salt to Taste

1 tbsp Patis (Optional)

Ground black pepper to taste (Optional)

2 Tbsps cooking oil

Instructions:

· Blanch the sliced bamboo shoots for 5 to 10 minutes, drain, lightly squeeze out water and set aside.

· In a frying pan, sauté the garlic, ginger, onion and alamang in the oil until fragrant, not brown.

· Add all the chicken and stirring gently until blood of chicken pieces almost fade away and natural grease from it has seeped out.

· Add water and cover, bring to a boil, after 5 minutes boiling add bamboo shoots. Adding more water as necessary to simmer chicken until tender.

· Check the chicken, when already tender and water is reduced season with patis, salt and pepper to taste then add in saluyot or chili leaves. Turned off heat.

· Serve hot with rice.

Sauteed Raddish (Ginisang Labanos)

Ingredients:

6 medium-size radishes (peeled and thinly sliced)

1 medium-size onion, sliced

1/2 cup pork cut in strips or (you can use ground pork)

1/2 medium-size tomato, sliced

1/2 cup shrimps (cut lengthwise)

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon cooking oil

Salt and pepper

Pork cracklings (chicharon) –Optional

1 to 2 whole long green chili- Optional

Some chili leaves – Optional

1 tsp brown sugar- Optional

1 tsp fish sauce

1/2 cup water

Procedures:

· Sauté garlic, onion in oil until translucent follows the tomato. Remove tomato from pan and set aside.
Add pork and cook until brown. Add shrimps to sautéed pork, cover and simmer until pork fully cooked and at this point add water to avoid from drying with the radishes, stir and add pork cracklings, whole green chili, fish sauce, salt and pepper according to your taste.

· Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

· Add the tomato and chili leaves during the last 3 minutes of cooking Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

· Great accompaniment to any fried or grilled fish.

Ampalaya with Ground Pork (Lagat Apalya)

Ingredients:

2-3 pieces medium size ampalaya (bitter melon), Blanched

1/4 lb ground lean pork (you can use 6 to 8 pieces large shrimp, peeled, deveined and coarsely chopped)
1 Small onion, cut in half and sliced

1 medium size tomato, sliced
2 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 large onion, sliced

1/2 Cup of water or chicken stock /broth

2 to 3 eggs, beat to scrambled

3 tbsp cooking oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Patis (optional)

Directions:

· Slice the ampalaya into halves; get rid of seeds by using a teaspoon to scrape off from end to end the foamy white part and discard.

· Cut the ampalaya in half lengthwise and slice it 1/4 of an inch thick diagonally.

· To partially reduce the bitterness of ampalaya I usually boil water, once it boiled drop the slices ampalaya and boil 2 to 3 minutes, drain. Set aside. (But this kind of blanching is only optional you can cook ampalaya as it is without eliminates some of its nutrients benefits).

· In a wok heat cooking oil, sauté garlic, onion and tomato. After stirring 1 minute remove the tomato, set aside. In the same wok add ground pork or shrimp and sauté it for 15 seconds.

· Next add water or chicken stock/broth, cover and let it simmer for 5 minutes on medium low heat or until the liquid reduced.

· Now add the blanched ampalaya and the tomato. Pour the beat eggs over the ampalaya then let the eggs cook partially, water almost absorbs and ampalaya are tender, yet crisp. Adjust taste by adding salt and pepper if needed.

· Serve hot with rice.

· Great accompaniment to any fried or grilled fish.

Pickled Vegetable (Atsarang Gule)

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo Sili whole long green pepper/or any kind of green hot pepper

2 to 3 medium Bitter Melon (ampalaya), Slant/cubed cut and all pieces should approximately be 2 inches long.

3 long eggplants, Slant/cubed cut and all pieces should approximately be 1 1/2 inches long
2 medium Red Onions – cut big cubes
3inch knob of ginger, peeled and cut 1 inch long, thinly sliced

Pickling Solution:

2 cup white sugar

2cup white or cane vinegar

1 cup water

3 tbsps salt or to taste

Procedures:

Rinse and drain vegetables.

Cook bitter melon (ampalaya) over boiling water until half done. Followed by immersion in cold water (filled with ice cubes) to retain the green color. Set aside.

Combine all ingredients for pickling solution in a stainless steel or Pyrex saucepan. Place over moderate heat, stir until sugar is dissolved.

Bring to a lower heat, add ginger, red onion, long green pepper and simmer for a few minutes or until vegetables half done.

Bring to a high heat, when boiling add the eggplants and let simmer until eggplants cooked but make sure they’re not broken into pieces. Remove from heat.

Combine the bitter melon to the eggplants with solution make sure the last added vegetables thoroughly coated with pickled solution. Let it cool at room temperature and it is ready to use.
Pack in sterilized jars.
Cover jars tightly and refrigerate. Will keep in refrigerator.

Great accompaniment to any fried fish or meat.

Menudo

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. Pork liver cut small cubes 1/2 inch thick

1 1/2 kl. Pork picnic shoulder
1 pc big Potato (small dice)
2 pcs carrot cubed
1 cup green peas (frozen)
1 medium size onion (fine chopped)
3 pcs. Bay leaf (laurel)

1 big lemon or (10 pieces Kalamansi, if available), Squeeze

3 tbsps tomato sauce
1/2 cup plain soy sauce (I used Kikkoman)

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp ground pepper
salt to taste

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar (Optional)

1/2 cup Olive oil

3 fresh tyme (stem with leaves) and 3 dried stem of oregano, me I usually dried tyme and oregano which came from my backyard, and I called it “sangkut-sangkot” since it was not available here.

7 cups water

Procedures:

Marinade pork and pork liver in plain soy sauce, Lemon/Kalamansi juice, bay leaves, thyme, and oregano and ground black pepper. Set aside for overnight inside refrigerator.

In a wide sauce pot, heat oil. Lightly cook potatoes and carrots until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Remove and set aside.

On the same pan, Sauté garlic and onion until translucent. Add the marinated pork and liver and stirring gently until lightly browned. Add the tomato sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar and pour water. Cover on high heat and boil 4 for minutes.

Allow to a slow boil, around 30 minutes or until the meat is already tender.

Add the set aside potatoes and carrots. Simmer until sauce has slightly thickened, adjust taste with salt...

Add green peas and simmer of another last 1 minute.

Serve hot with rice.

*You can add raisins, hotdog or bell pepper for the ingredients depending on your preference.

Biko

Ingredients:

4 cups glutinous rice (rice malagkit/lakatan)
3 cups water (for glutinous rice)
1 heap pandan leaves
1/2 head Squash (kalabasa), peel and slice 4 to 5 pieces, baked 35 to 45 mins.
4 cans coconut milk, discard thin part water(400 ml. each), for squash

1 can evap milk (370 ml), I used carnation brand

1 cup (2 stick) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cup white sugar

2 cans coconut milk (for Latik)

How to cook Biko Kalabasa

Wash and cook glutinous rice in 3cups of water with pandan leaves into rice cooker.

Half-cook malagkit, as soon as the rice cooker switches to Keep Warm unplug or remove malagkit from rice cooker to prevent it from further cooking.

Mashed the baked kalabasa, set aside.

In a deep non sticking pan boil and reduced coconut milk.

While waiting to reduce the coco milk, in a separate pan pour evaporated milk, sugar and butter. Add in squash, stirring constantly until mixture becomes sticky.

Combine squash mixtures into reduced coconut milk, followed by cooked glutinous rice, mix well until mixture becomes dry.

Keep stirring until mixture is very thick and the oil from the coconut milk will leak out into the pan, try to discard the excess oil by using a tablespoon. (If you don't feel like stirring for a long time, you may put slightly thickened mixture in baking pan and bake in 350°F oven 15 to 20 minutes).

Put in pan Tined with wilted banana leaves/parchment paper.

Flatten batter by hand using a piece of oiled banana leaf or simply use spatula...

Cool and slice prepared “biko” in diagonal shapes and put latik on top.

Serve warm or cold.

To Make Latik:

In a non sticking pan pour 2 cans coconut milk cook/boil slowly until all oil is extracted and solid particles (latik) is formed, you may stir it lightly once in a while to keep it from burning. Remove from heat and separate latik from oil when it turns golden yellow in color. Drain the oil and scrape off the “latik ". Put about 1/4 - 1/2 tsp mound of the latik on top of each of the biko squares.

Rellenong Ampalaya (Stuffed Bitter Melon)

Ingredients:

3 medium fresh ampalaya (Bitter Melon)

Filling:

1 lb ground pork/beef (you can use ground chicken breast, minced fish or chopped shrimps)
1 medium sized onion chopped

1/2 of small carrot, small cubed

1/2 of red bell pepper, fine diced

1/4 cup green peas (frozen)

1 small potato, peeled and small cubed (optional)

1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
2 tbsp of chives/parsley chopped
3 gloves garlic

4 eggs beaten

1 tbsp cooking oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:

1/2 squeezed lemon

2 to 3 tbsps soy sauce

Pinch of ground black pepper

Flaked red hot chili

Procedure:

· Wash the ampalaya well. Cut off the top and bottom parts. Cut the body into 2-inch thick rings. Get rid of seeds by using the handle tip of tablespoon to scrape off from end to end the foamy white part of ampalaya and discard.

· Blanch them for a few minutes, just boil water, once it boiled drop the cut ampalaya and boil 2 to 3 minutes or until half cooked (do not over boil or else this will make them soggy).
Place them in a bowl with cold water to retain the green color, drain to dry, set aside.

· In medium casserole, sauté garlic, onion. Add pork and cook for a few minutes then add potatoes, carrots, red bell pepper and green peas. Stir and cook about 5 to 7 minutes. Add chives or parsley just before removing from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Let it cool.

· Use a tablespoon of the meat mixture to stuff each ampalaya cavities pressing to pack in the cooked filling. Set aside.

· In a large skillet, heat cooking oil over medium high.

· Carefully coat each filled ampalaya with egg beaten started with its cavities then fry them 3 to 4 minutes or until the cooked side becomes golden brown. Flip to the other side, add a little cooking oil if necessary.
When two cavities already sealed from frying, remove it from the skillet then roll one more time the skin of ampalaya in beaten eggs and immediately fry and roll it in the same pan with medium high heat to seal lightly all over the ampalaya.

· Transfer them onto serving plate with paper towel to remove the excess oil.

· Serve with soy sauce and lemon.

Tip: Pork can be cooked ahead to save time.

Bulanglang Bangus

Bulanglang is guava-taro soup. This dish is so easy to cook but ingredients may vary from region to region. You can use either Bangus (Leftover grilled milkfish might turn into this dish, so this is the good timing to apply what I grew up learning from my parents that you should not waste things, especially food. ) or Pork for the soup and added vegetables like okra, kangkong, and siling haba (green long hot pepper). The soup is lightly thick and rich mainly because of guava and taro (gandus).

Ingredients:

1 large size bangus, about 1 k. a piece or/1 kl. Liempo (Pork)
6 to 8 pcs. Ripe bayabas (guava)

4 to 5 pcs Taro (Gabi/gandus)
1 medium size onion, quartered
1 bundle kangkong, separate leaves and stalks or/spinach
3-5 pcs. Siling haba

Patis (Optional), to taste

1 tbsp sugar (Optional)
salt to taste

Cooking procedure:

Using scissor cut fins and tails. Remove scales, gills and cleaned, empty inside of bangus and slice diagonally into serving pieces. Set aside.

Blanch the sliced milkfish, carefully removed from hot water. Set aside bangus and discard the water.

Meanwhile wash and peel guava, you may cut each into halves.

Put, taro, guava and onion in a large pot, add 6-8 cups of water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until guava start to break up.

Coarsely mash some guava meat with cooking ladle and simmer for another 2-3 minutes season with salt/patis to taste. Add more water if required.

Add in sliced banguscook for 3-5 minutes. Then add kangkong leaves and siling haba. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until bangus and vegetables are cooked.

Serve hot with rice and patis (fish sauce).

(Note: if using meat of pork, boil until tender before adding the vegetables).

Beef Bistek (Bistig Baka)

Ingredients:

2 lbs sirloin, sliced thin against the grain
2/3 cup lime or lemon juice (calamansi, if available)
2/3 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 head garlic, minced

1pc bay leave
2 onions, sliced to rings
2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil

1 tbsp brown sugar (Optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, marinate beef slices with bay leave, soy sauce, lemon juice, 1/2 head of garlic, and 3/4 of the onions, Cover and refrigerate. Marinate overnight.

At medium-high, heat oil in a wide pan or skillet. Brown beef slices on both sides about 3 minutes or until meat have rendered juice.

Juice will seep through the pan while frying beef. Spoon out, save and set aside the Juice from marinade while browning the meat and the juice would be add again once the meat obtain browned or sealed. Cover and continue simmering until meat is tender.

In a separate pan heat oil to pan. Sauté the 1/2 head of garlic, remaining onions until tender and aromatic.

Add in browned beef. Pour in juice from marinade that was spooned from pan. Add enough water, cover and boil. Lower heat and continue simmering until meat is tender and sauce reduced. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot and garnish with onion rings.

I did my last harvest of squash from the backyard garden, got it all harvested before frost descended, As you can see, some were kind of small but I wanted to grab them so they didn't rot with the plants. Since squash is known to be a good antioxidant low in calories I'll probably end making “Biko” or maybe I should try Steamed squash rice cake and to the following more days possibly sautéed squash casserole out of these, Once peeled, discard the seeds and cut it in pieces. Then it’s up to you, squash can be boiled, roasted, baked, steamed, mashed and stir-fried. It can be used in soups, gratins, lasagna, raviolis, and pasta in general, as a ratatouille, or even in sweet tarts, flans and jams.

When your ingredients are wholesome fresh veggies to begin with, you can’t go wrong. Well, I’m always happy to share the rest of it with friends!

Corn Soup (Suam Mais)

Ingredients:
1/2 lbs shrimps (shelled/deveined and diced)
1 cup pork cracklings (chicharon) crushed

5 to 6 cups water
7 pcs native white corn in cob (Sliced off from Cobs)
1/2 c pepper leaves or spinach
1 small onion (chopped)
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves of garlic (minced)

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash and get rid of the skin and hair of the corn. Slice the Kernels from top to the bottom; rotate the cob until all sides have been sliced of f the cob.

2. Transfer into deep cooking pan of 5 to 6 cups water. Boil about 15 minutes, stirring once in a while until corn look a little starchy. Cool, set aside.

3. When warm put into a blender until almost smooth in texture. Drain into a fine wire mess colander to remove the pulp. Retain the smooth corn soup that will use later.

4. Meanwhile shell, devein and dice the shrimps. Set aside.

5. in a pot, heat oil and sauté garlic and onions until the onion is translucent. Add the shrimp and sauté for another minute; now pour the corn soup with the crushed chicharon. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes or until the corn almost starchy but not too much thick. Add the chili pepper leaves, season with salt and pepper according to your taste and cook for another minute or until leaves half cooked. Served hot.

Pinakbet (Pakbet)

Ingredients:
1/2 lb white Shrimp or (you can use 1 lb pork belly, cut into 1” cube)

1 small whole squash, cut into 2" cubed (You can keep the skin on if squash is newly harvest and young)

12 pcs string beans (sitaw) or green beans

10 small pcs okra

1 1/2 cup water

1 big eggplant (quartered & cut into 2" length)

1 medium size bitter melon, sliced 1" thick

2 to 3 long green hot pepper

2 tbsps vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, finely pounded

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 large red tomato, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp iodized coarse salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsps Bagoong Alamang (Shrimp paste)

1/2 tbsp white sugar (Optional)

Procedure:

Stir-fry shrimps (or pork) until turns light brown in color; remove shrimps (or pork) from pan. Set aside.

In remaining oil sauté garlic and onion until translucent follow the tomato. Remove tomato from pan and set aside.

Add the bagoong and continue cooking for 1 minute. Return Shrimps (or pork cubes, If using Pork, add more water as necessary to simmer meat until tender). Add the squash, cover and allow to simmer about 4 minutes add eggplant bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Add bitter melon, string beans, okra, long green okra hot pepper and the tomato during last 3 minutes of cooking until vegetables are tender but crisp. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I observed Kabocha Squash is the most productive and easy Squash to sow in the garden as it is practically insect free as well as even one vine might grow up about 20 feet or more with more squash on each vine, really enjoyed watching them grow and I have no doubt that they will cover my entire garden by the season's end if I don't keep after them. Every week I tried to push them to the one side around our garden. Since there no more space to go, I let them crawl on the other side of our house and get the young leave tops and some squash blossoms.

Sauteed Squash

My Mother used to cook this wonderful and healthy squash dish a lot of time since our childhood until I also adapted and cooked it to my family. It seems like a little similarity to Dinengdeng in Ilocos specialty (I think). It is so easy to make and its main ingredients are vegetables. Mine came all from our backyard.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb pork, boiled, diced (you can use shrimps or pork cracklings, or even left over fried or broil fish).

Squash Blossom (bulaklak ng kalabasa), trimmed
squash tops (talbos ng kalabasa), trimmed
sweet potato tops (talbos ng kamote)

1 head squash, (cut in half, clean out the seeds and stringy gunk then cut in cubes)
2 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium size onion, sliced
1 medium size tomato, sliced

2 to 3 long green whole hot chili (Larang pansigang)
2 tbsp patis
salt to taste
2 tbsps cooking oil

2 cups water

Procedure:

In a wok, sauté garlic, onion and tomato. Set aside. Brown pork slices in the same cooking pan,

Add water, patis and salt. Cover and simmer until meat almost tender, add squash cubes (wait until the water reduced and squash cubes are tender but not mushy) add all the green leaves tops and the save sautéed garlic, onion, long green chili and tomatoes. During the last minutes of cooking add the squash flowers (blossom)

Cook for an additional 1 minutes or until vegetables slightly wilted but still green.

Serve Hot with fried fish with steamed rice.

Pork in shrimp Paste (Begukan)

Ingredients:
1 lb Pork shoulder or Pork Liempo (cut into big cubes)
1/2 cup bagoong alamang (pre sautéed salted shrimp paste)
1 tablespoon (minced garlic)
1/2 of onion (chopped)

3 cloves garlic(chopped)
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tbsps brown sugar (Optional)
1 long green chili (Siling pansigang), depends on how spicy you want.

2 tbsp cooking oil

1pc bay leave

1 tsp peppercorn

1/2 of water

Procedure:

Wash pork thoroughly, put into colander to drain.

Put oil into deep frying pan and fry the pork in lower fire until golden brown and pork fat oil starts to come out, and then set it aside.

In same pan, sauté garlic and onions in oil add peppercorn, sugar, bay leaves, vinegar and water. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes in medium fire then add the bagoong. Open the lid, stirring occasionally until liquid disappear but not dry.

Add the chili pepper, Serve with steamed vegetables with rice.

Paksiw Bangus

INGREDIENTS:

1 big Bangus (milkfish), cleaned, empty inside and sliced into serving pieces (leave the scales on)
3 to 4 thumb size ginger, thick sliced and crushed
2 to3 pcs. Of long hot green chili
1 small ampalaya (optional)
1 small onion
1/2 cup of Vinegar

2 cups of water
1 small onion (slice)
1 tsp sugar
Pepper and salt to taste

Eggplant or ampalaya, quartered (optional)

1 pc tomato (removed seeds)

PROCEDURE:
Blanch the sliced milkfish, carefully removed from hot water. Set aside bangus and discard the water.

In a casserole, bring water and vinegar to a boil together with the ginger. Add the bangus, tomatoes, salt, sugar, and onion, cover and simmer for 15 minutes into medium heat.

Add the eggplant or ampalaya, hot chili and simmer another 5 minutes or until the vegetables half done cooked.

Serve hot with rice and patis (fish sauce)

Tinolang Manok

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole chicken (cut into10 to 12 serving portions)
1 small ginger (peeled, sliced, crushed)
1 medium white onion ( sliced)
2 to 3 cloves garlic ( crushed)
2 tbsps patis (fish sauce) according to taste
1 small green papaya or 2 big sayote (chayote)peeled, core removed, sliced into diagonal
2 cups chili pepper/malunggay leaves or spinach( washed, separated and ends trimmed)

2 to 3 long green hot chili
6 to 7 cups water
2 tbsps vegetable oil
salt and pepper

PROCEDURES:

Wash chicken pieces thoroughly. Drain in a colander or a big strainer. Set aside.

In a deep pot, heat oil in medium heat. Sauté ginger, garlic, onions until aromatic and but not brown.

Add chicken pieces. Stirring lightly about 4 minutes or until blood from chicken almost fade away, slowly add water and salt. Adjust to high heat, cover and bring to a boil. (Keep adding water if needed and skimming the bubbles or scum forming on top of broth).

When chicken almost tender add the papaya or sayote. Continue simmer until vegetables are half cooked. Season with pepper and additional salt to taste.

Add in chili or spinach leaves. Turned off heat then cover to cook the leaves. Serve hot.

Bulalo (Nilaga)

INGREDIENTS:

4 lbs. Beef Shank, bone with tendon and marrow in (serving portion)

2 Cob Corn, cut into 4 pieces

1 Radish

½ cabbage
1 big onion, quartered
Potatoes cut into chunks
Petchay
Baguio beans

Salt and peppercorns

METHOD:

Simmer beef shank in a pot of boiling water. Skim off scum that floats. Add peppercorns and onion and continue simmering until meat is tender and soup is flavorful. At this point, it’s better to refrigerate for half a day or overnight.

Remove all of the frozen fat from top of the broth. Bring back to a boil then season with salt. Add corn, potatoes, white radish and simmer until cooked. Throw in petchay and Baguio beans, cabbage and cook until crisp.

Serve with soy sauce with kalamansi and chopped red chilli pepper.

Ox Tounge with Cream of mushroom

Ingredients:
1 piece Ox tongue (dilang Baka)
water

1 tin Cream of mushroom
1 medium onion, quartered
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 tsp black peppercorn
3 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups reserved stock
salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

Clean the ox tongue by means of rubbing sea salt all over it and then rinse under warm running water.

Place the cleaned tongue in a large pot and pour water just to cover the tongue. Turn heat to high and boil tongue for 10 minutes. Drain, discard the water and rinse the tongue again in cold running water.

Clean the pot put back the tongue and adds water to cover. Boil tongue with quartered onion, bay leaf, salt, and black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, covered and as the liquid reduces add water until the meat is tender at least 2 - 3 hours. Remove from the pot, pour into Colander to drain and reserve the stock. Set it aside to cool a bit.

Peel and discard the tongue's skin and coarse outer layer and then rinse well, transfer the tongue to a cutting board and slice the meat into1/4 or ½ inch portions and store in refrigerator.

Heat 2 tbsps butter and fry the slices tongue to seal the meat until light brown. Set aside

Melt the remaining butter and olive oil sauté garlic and chopped onion until translucent add the reserved stock, cream of mushroom and stir for a while until the sauce thick but still runny (or on how the sauce consistency you want to be).Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning by salt and white pepper.

Arrange the slices tongue into serving dish, pour in the mushroom sauce and topped with corn kernels. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Sipo Egg

Ingredients:
40 medium size fresh shrimps

12 quail eggs (Pugo) hard-boiled, shelled

1 cup green peas

1/2 cup carrot, diced

1 cup cooked ham, diced

1/2 cup whole cashew nut (Optional)

1/2 cup cream of mushroom

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup chicken broth (Optional)

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Dash of white pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Procedure:

Shell shrimps, remove head and devein but retain the tail. Set aside shrimp meat.

In a large deep pan heat oil and sauté garlic with constant stirring adds the onion, ham and shrimp meat for 2 minutes. Lower flame. Add the carrots, cashew nut, white pepper and water. Let boil until vegetables are half cooked. Add the green peas and quail eggs and thicken with cream of mushroom.

Cook for 2 minutes. Do not overcook the vegetables.

Note: You may substitute chicken meat, liver and giblets to shrimp and ham.

Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

1 kilo chicken, cut into serving pieces

2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 carrot, peeled and cubed

1 finely chopped onions

3 big onions, sliced thickly

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

½ red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into wide strips

½ green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into wide strips

1 to 2 tbsps curry powder

1 can coconut milk

¾ cup low fat plain yogurt (Optional)

2 to 3 cups water

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsps vegetable oil

Procedure:

Wash and drain chicken parts.

Heat oil in skillet. Fry and half cook the potatoes, carrots and bell peppers. Remove from pan and set aside.

Sauté garlic and onions until translucent. Add chicken and stir until lightly browned.

Pour coconut milk, yogurt and curry powder. Low to medium heat. Do not allow coconut milk to boil much or it will curdle. Simmer for around 3 to 5 minutes. Add water. Simmer until chicken is tender. Add potatoes, carrots and bell peppers.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Continue to simmer. It is done when sauce thickens slightly or depending on how much sauce you want.

Braised Pork Hock (Pork Hamonado)

Ingredients:
1 lb. pork hock, cut into serving pieces or crosswise
5 cups water
3 cloves garlic, crushed
5 tbsp red vinegar

1/4 cup crushed pineapple

1 can sprite

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup light soy sauce

4 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 bay leaves
1 tsp. peppercorns
salt to taste

1/4 cup dried banana blossoms (washed)

Spring onion, cut into small ringlets for garnishing (optional)

5 pcs dry stem Thyme & Oregano (Sangkot-sangkot), Optional

Cooking Procedures:
Wash pork hock thoroughly and drain.

Marinate the pork hock in the mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic for 30 minutes.

In a sauce pan with the marinated pork hock add the peppercorn, dry stem of thyme and oregano, bay leaf, crushed pineapple, sprite and water in a big pot and bring to a boil.

Simmer with lid closed over low fire for an hour or two. Always watch the liquid level turning the meat from time to time.

Add the banana blossoms and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and sugar and simmer another 15 minutes or you may wish to adjust the sugar according to your taste and liking. Leave little sauce to moist the meat otherwise depending on how much sauce you want and outcome rind quite tender, keep the skin sticking to the meat so that the pork hock will not be fall separately and sauce thickens

Garnish with spring onions, serve with rice and blanched vegetables.

(Pork hock with soy sauce and vinegar is fairly inimitable, oily but not greasy, lean but not bony, smooth and savory, with tender skin. The distinct flavor lies in the ingredients and sauce as well as pork hock and the sauce are in dark brown color, shimmering with oil. With fresh and inviting flavor, the meat in the mouth will not cause any greasy feeling and the taste will remain in your mouth for a long time but this dish is not intended for those who have high cholesterol and high blood pressure).

Kare- kare

INGREDIENTS:

3 packages Ox tail (2 lbs.) - 6lbs. total or /Hocks/beef
3 Purple Eggplant
1 Fistful long String beans (Sitaw)
4 Small BokChoy
1 Can Banana blossom/or 1 fresh Banana heart
1 Large Onion(sliced)

2 heads Garlic
1 1/2 cup peanut butter

1/8 cup atsuete (annatto) oil/or 3 tbsps annatto powder
salt (2 tsp. or to taste)
pepper (2 tsp. or to taste)

1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)

PROCEDURES:

Put your meat into the pot and fill it with just enough water to cover the meat pieces. Begin cooking on a high flame. Add salt (approx. 2 tsp, or to taste), and pepper (approx. 2 tsp, or to taste).

Bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes, and then continue to cook, covered, letting it simmer on a medium flame for 1.5 or 2 hours or until all meat tender and cooked. (Remove all scum that rises to the surface)

Take out the meat, set aside and keep stock for later.

Cook eggplant, bokchoy and string beans over boiling water until half done followed by immersion in cold water (filled with ice cubes) to retain the green color. Set aside.

In a casserole, heat atsuete oil and sauté garlic and onion.

Empty 3/4 cup of peanut butter into large bowl. Pour three cups of broth from the meat into the bowl and mix well.

Before you pour the peanut base into the stew, you’ll need to reduce the broth from the pot until approximately 5 cups remain. Now pour your peanut base into remaining stock.

Add oxtail or meat into the stock, season with salt and pepper.

Simmer until all flavors are incorporated, then add the vegetables.

Serve hot with bagoong.

Note: (If using pressure cooker, cook for 22 minutes and timer start when cooker whistle.)

Prepare the Vegetables:

*Chop off ends bokchoy and clean individual leaves.
*Slant cut the eggplants and all pieces should approximately be 3 inches long.
*Snap ends sitaw and cut 3.5” long.

Stew (Kaldereta)

Kaldereta is a dish popular in Pampanga, one of my favorite dishes that have been passed down from my mother. This slow-cooked dish of meats and vegetables is often prepared and cooks for a long time in a large pot, easy and delicious to make. While there are many variations of this traditional recipe. It can be applied to different meats such as pork, duck, beef or goat with tomato sauce added to it. In Pampanga it is commonly added with potatoes and carrots but in other regions, it is simply the sauce and the cuts of meat that are used. But in my own classic stew dish I added some of my own ingredient like green olive oil, which actually turned out well. This is a great stew that will be loved by the entire family. This dish is very similar to Chili Stew. Serve this hearty stew with hot rice but it also go well in corn bread, pandesal, toasty baguette or with my French bread recipe.

Ingredients

2 lbs. Loin Parts or Stewing Meat, cut into chunks

1/2 lb. Beef tendon, cooking method following (Optional)

2 tbsps Flour

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 big Onions (chopped)
3/4 Cup Water
4 C. Beef Stock

1/4 Cup Soy sauce

1 tbsp kalamansi juice or lemon

1 can tomato sauce

2 cups tomato chunk
1 big Carrots (cut big cubes)
4 Medium Potatoes (cut quartered each)

2 red bell pepper, roasted and diced

1 cup Garbanzos (chick peas)

3 bay leaves

3 tbsps oil

1 tsp peppercorn

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

3/4 cup green olives

2 tbsp brown sugar (Optional)

Method:

Place the stew meat into deep bowl along with soy sauce, Kalamansi or lemon juice and bay leaves.

Peppercorn and let sit about 15 minutes. Set aside.

When marinade meat is ready heat oil in a frying pan over medium high heat, add the meat and cook until brown on the outside, remove and set aside.

In the same pan while the meat is browning add oil and lightly fry potato, carrots and bell pepper for around 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add more oil as needed. Sauté garlic and onions until caramelize. Increase heat to high.

Pour in tomato sauce, stock, water, and tomato sauce and tomato chunk. Allow to boil, then lower heat. Adding more water as necessary to simmer meat until tender.

Return in tendon, potato, carrots, bell pepper and garbanzos to stew. Continue to simmer depending on how much sauce you want or until vegetables are tender but not too much mushy. Season with salt, pepper and sugar to taste.

Method of Cooking the Beef Tendon

Rinse beef tendon and put in pressure cooker. Add enough water to cover the beef tendon by about 2 inches.

Turn heat to high. Lock lid into place and bring to pressure, then lower heat and cook for 20 minutes.

Allow pressure to drop by the natural release method for 15 minutes or run the cold water over the lid.

When it is safe to do so, open the lid and remove the tendon.

Rinse the tendon under cold running water.

Transfer to plate to cool.

Cut the tendon into 2 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.

(The beef tendon becomes hard when cold but softens again when heated up.)

Pochero

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless beef shanks or 2 lbs beef ribs, cut to serving portions
1 cups tomato sauce

3 tbsps tomato paste
2 medium-size potato peeled and quartered
2 ripe Saba bananas peeled and cut to diagonal (4pcs each)
1 bunch pechay (or bokchoy) end trimmed
1/2 medium size cabbage, sliced to four
7 to 8 pcs french beans (Baguio beans), ends trimmed

1 medium size carrot diagonal cut (3 inches long)
1-2 chorizo de bilbao,lightly fried (or Chinese sausage)
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 bay leave
2 tbspsvegetable oil
water
salt to taste

Freshly ground white pepper

Sugar to taste (Optional)

4 cups water

Procedure:

In a sauce pot, heat a small amount of oil. Lightly coat Saba bananas into flour and brown for around 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add more oil as needed. Lightly fry chorizo Bilbao, potato and carrots for around 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add more oil as needed. Sauté garlic and onions until aromatic. Increase heat to high. Sauté in beef until lightly browned.

Pour in tomato sauce and water. Add the bay leave and allow boiling, then lower heat. Adding more water as necessary to simmer meat until tender.

Return chorizo Bilbao to stew. Add in potato, carrots, cabbage, beans and bananas. Continue to simmer until vegetables are tender but crisp. Add in pechay leaves. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until pechay is slightly wilted.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with Patis.

Note: You can change or add to the selection of vegetables, varying according to what is available in your kitchen.

Chicken Adobo (Lutong toyo)

Ingredients:

3 lbs Chicken cut into serving pieces

1/2 cup vinegar
3/4 cup soy sauce
1 large onion, sliced

1 large carrot, cubed

1 large potato, quartered

½ Red bell pepper
1 head garlic, minced
1/4 tsp peppercorn, crushed

1/4 tsp whole black peppercorn
4 cups water
3 tbsps vegetable oil
1/2 onion, sliced into rings
4 pieces bay leaf

1 red hot chili (Optional)

Procedure:

Wash, chicken into serving pieces and place in deep bowl. Add soy sauce, onions, garlic, bay leaf and pepper. Marinate for around 30 minutes. Squeeze marinade out of meat. Set aside liquid.

Lightly fry potato, carrots and bell pepper for around 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

In a heavy skillet or wok, heat oil until very hot. In a skillet sauté garlic, onion and the marinated chicken. Allow to brown, stirring constantly.

Add vinegar and allow boiling for around 1 to 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium-high. Simmer uncovered until vinegar is reduced, around 10 minutes.

Add water and reserved marinade, lower heat to low, and cover. Simmer for around 35 minutes, or until chicken is almost tender, add the carrots, potato, bell pepper, peppercorn crushed, whole peppercorn and onion rings. Simmer another 5 minutes until juice is reduced and natural grease from meat has seeped out.

Serve with hot steamed rice.

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