Paksiw na Bangus

Paksiw na Bangus

Ingredients:
1 kl bangus (sliced)
1 cup water
2/3 cup vinegar
1/2 cup fresh tomatoes (diced)
1 med sized amplaya (sliced)
6 pcs okra (or more if you like)
2 pcs eggplant, sliced
5 cloves garlic (minced)
1 onion (chopped)
3 thumb-sized ginger (crushed)
3 siling haba
1/4 tsp ground pepper
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil


Note; One good thing with this dish is that, you can add your favorite veggies. Mine happens to be amplaya,okra and talong (eggplant). Or if you are not a veggie fan, you can skip on having that.

How to prepare:
> Wash and clean the fish. Drain well. Season with salt.
> Mix all the ingredients in a pan. Put the fish on top of the veggies.
> Cover the pan.Simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Adjust taste to your liking. And we are done!
> Serve with rice.

Happy cooking!

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Simbang Gabi

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"Simbang Gabi" starts today! Christmas bells are ringing :)

"Simbang Gabi" or mass at dawn (at 4am)is a Filipino Christmas tradition. It is a series of nine-day novena mass in honor of the Blessed Mother. http://www.rcam.org/library/SIMBANG_GABI.htm

After the "Simbang Gabi" mass, we always feast on the traditional foods that awaits just outside the church or in the plaza--- the bibingka, puto bumbong and salabat. These are the foods often associated with Simbang Gabi. :)

Special Bibingka w/ Cheese and Puto Bumbong

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Crispy Fried Chicken

Crispy Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

3/4 kl chicken (chopped)
oil (for deep frying)

For the marinade:
4 tbsp calamansi juice
6 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup condensed milk or fresh milk
salt to taste (or about 1/2 tsp)
1/4 tsp ground peppercorn

For the Breading:
1 egg (beaten)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup bread crumbs

Procedure:

> Wash the chicken.Drain well.
> In a bowl, marinate the chicken with all the ingredients for about 1 hour
> Heat oil in a pan. Coat each chicken piece with the flour, then dip in egg, roll into bread crumbs. Then carefully drop into the pan with the heated oil (make sure you have the right temperature). Cook until golden brown. Take out the chicken from the pan.Then drain the chicken on paper towels to remove the excess oil.
> This is good for 6-8 servings. Enjoy your crispy fried chicken.

Happy Cooking!

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Escabeche

Escabeche or Fried fish with sweet and sour sauce, is another common yet  favorite dish of Filipinos. 

Here's the simple way of doing it.

Escabeche

Escabeche
Ingredients:
1 big fish (Lapu-lapu, Maya-maya or Betilla)
3 tbsp tomato sauce
1 thumb-sized ginger (peeled and cut into strips)
1/4 cup carrots (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
pineapple slices in can (reserve the juice -about 1/2 cup)
3 tbsp vinegar
3 tsp brown sugar
1 red bell pepper (strips)
1 green pepper (strips)
1/2 cup cucumber (strips)
ground pepper to taste
salt to taste
oil
1 1/2 cup water
3 tsp cornstarch (dissolved in 1/4 cup water)

Preparation:
> Clean the fish. Wash and drain the fish well. Season the fish with salt.
> Fry the fish in a skillet until golden brown. Plate then set aside.
> In a pan, saute ginger, onion and garlic in about 2 tbsp oil. Add tomato sauce, water, vinegar, sugar and pineapple juice. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the carrots, bell peppers and celery stalks. Add ground pepper and salt to taste. Simmer for another 2 minutes, then add the dissolved cornstarch. Stir.
> Pour the sauce over the fish. Garnish with pineapple slices and celery. Serve and enjoy!

Happy cooking!

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Sweet Spicy Squid

Ingredients:

500g squids
3 tbsp calamansi juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp ground peppercorn
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp chili sauce
5 cloves garlic (minced)
1 onion (chopped)
1 bayleaf
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

How to prepare:
> Clean the squids, pull out the head and innards an transparent ribs. (leave a few ink bags intact)
> Wash and drain the squid. It should be well drained to prevent from squid producing more water when cooking. Set aside.
> In a pan, saute onions and garlic in oil. Then add the squid and calamansi juice. Add the rest of ingredients.
Simmer for 3 minutes. Stir and let cook until the sauce is reduced.
> This makes 4-5 servings. Serve with rice.enjoy!

Happy cooking!

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Tortang Dulong (Fried Fish Cake)

Tortang Dulong or Fish Cake using Dulong fish is another family favorite dish.
Dulong is a variety of  very small fish. My daughter loves to eat this, coz it's as if she's eating pancakes.

Tortang Dulong

Ingredients:

500g Fish Dulong
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs (beaten)
3 onion springs (chopped)
1 onion (finely chopped)
1/4 tsp ginger (finely shredded)
1 tsp calamansi juice
ground peppercorn
salt to taste
oil( for frying)

How to prepare:
> In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except oil.
> Heat oil in a non-stick pan (low heat), then scoop about 2 tbsp of the mixture and form a mini cake in the pan.Cook for about 2 minutes or until golden brown, then flip over to cook the other side.
> You may serve this with steamed rice and with spicy vinegar as dipping sauce.
> This can also be served with bread as sandwich. Dress with catsup.

Happy cooking!

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Bulalo and Crispy Pata

Much as we would want to avoid these fatty foods, we really can't resist it just for tonight.... :)
We had a hearty (and sinful?) dinner of Bulalo and Crispy Pata from one of Batangas best Bulalo house.
Needless to say... it was satisfyingly good. :)

Batangas Bulalo

Crispy Pata

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Bicolano Laing

Bicolano Laing - nagmamantika sa gata

"Laing"  is another favorite among Filipinos particularly the Bikolanos. It is a dish wherein taro leaves or gabi is cooked in coconut milk/cream.
I prefer the dried leaves in cooking this recipe. And of course, plenty of coconut cream and chilis.
This is as staple as rice to us bikolanos. This is how i cook it (or shall i say how my mama cooks it? lol)
Best paired with fried/grilled meats or fish or Adobo.

Ingredients:
50g dried taro leaves (shredded)
1/4 kl pork belly (cut in small cubes)
4 thumb-sized ginger (crushed)
3 cups coconut cream
2 cups coconut milk
1 onion (chopped thinly)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
3 pcs siling haba or finger chilis (chopped)
2 pcs siling labuyo or bird's eye chili(chopped)
2 tbsp bagoong or shrimp paste
salt to taste
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp oil

How to prepare:
> In a pan, put the pork, water and oil. let cook until almost brown.
> Add the coconut milk and cream, ginger, onions, garlic  and the bagoong. Bring to boil.Stir constantly.
> Add the taro leaves. add the chilis and salt to taste. Continue to simmer until oil comes out of the cream. Serve with steaming hot white rice. enjoy!

Happy cooking!

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Saucy Sweet Spaghetti (Pinoy Style)

Spaghetti is a favorite pasta for kids.And when you say Pinoy style--- it means sweet spaghetti :)
My daughter loves her spaghetti sweet,saucy and meaty!

Saucy Sweet Spaghetti

Ingredients:
600g spaghetti
1/2 kl ground beef
7 pcs hotdog (sliced)
1 kl sweet spaghetti sauce
125g button mushroom (sliced)
3/4 cup tomato catsup
1 beef bouillon
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (for the sauce)
1/2 cup grated cheese (for the toppings)
3 cups water
1/2 tsp ground peppercorn
1/4 tsp italian spice
1/4 tsp dried oregano
2 pcs big onions (finely chopped)
6 cloves garlic (minced)
3 tbsp sugar
salt (to taste)
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter

How to prepare:
> Cook pasta in about 2 liters of  boiling water.Add some drops of oil to  prevent pasta  sticking together. When pasta is cooked, drain then set aside.
> In a separate pot, put butter and olive oil then add onions and garlic, add the ground beef. Constantly stir. When beef is cooked (almost brown),add the hotdogs and mushroom.Stir. add the spaghetti sauce, catsup, and water and the rest of ingredients. Let boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes. And we are done! Plate the pasta and pour the sauce, and top with cheese. Enjoy! You may serve this with garlic bread... :)

Happy Cooking :)

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Ginataang Manok

Ginataang Manok sa Tanglad

Ingredients:
3/4 kilo chicken (cut in big chunks)
2 thumb-sized ginger (peeled and chopped)
1 small green papaya (peeled,seeded and sliced)
2 cups milk
3 bayleaf
fish sauce (to taste)
1/8 tsp ground peppercorn
3 finger chilis (siling haba)
1 cup fresh chili pepper leaves (dahon sili)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 onion (chopped)
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 stalks of tanglad (lemongrass)

Note; You may substitute sayote for green papaya.

How to prepare:

>  In a pan, saute ginger, onions and garlic in oil.
> Then add chicken. Stir.cover and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
> Add the coconut milk. Let  boil.
> Add papaya, ground pepper, fish sauce,and finger chilis.
> Pound the tanglad (the white part) to release the taste and aroma. Add it to the pan.
> Cover and let boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
> Adjust the taste to your liking.
> When done, turn off the heat, then add the chili leaves. Serve!

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Pork Dinuguan sa Gata

Dinuguan is an authentic Filipino recipe.It is a stew made from pig's blood and meat.

Those not so familiar with the recipe would find this food not so appealing because of the pig's blood, but this recipe is really delicious. And if you're a filipino, Dinuguan is always paired with Puto!

There are variations in preparing for this dish, but since i'm a bicolana, I am fond of using coconut milk in most of my dishes, and it made this "Dinuguan" recipe more delicious.

Tara kain na!

Pork Dinuguan sa Gata

Pork Dinuguan sa Gata

Ingredients:
1 kilo pork belly (chopped in small cubes)
2 cups pork blood
3 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup vinegar
5 pcs bay leaf
5 cloves garlic (minced)
1 onion (chopped)
3 pcs green finger chilis (siling haba)
1 tbsp sugar
 ground pepper,to taste
salt (to taste)
2 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp calamansi juice

How to prepare:

• Add calamanci juice and about a 1/2 tsp of salt to the meat. Mix well. 
• Use a strainer for the pig's blood to remove clots. (discard the clots). Set aside the blood in a bowl.
• In a pan, saute onions and garlic in oil over medium heat. Add pork meat, saute for about 3 minutes.
• Cover and let meat cook for about 10 minutes, or until water is almost dry.
• Then add the coconut milk, vinegar, ground pepper, bay leaf. Cover and let boil for about 5 minutes.
• Slowly stir in the pork blood. Continuously stir while you pour in the blood to avoid curdling. 
• Let boil. Season with salt and pepper.Then cover and cook for about 10 minutes more.
• This is good for about 10 persons. You may serve this with "puto" or rice cakes. 
• Enjoy!

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