Kalderetang Bangus

Kalderetang Bangus is one of the 101 ways on how to cook bangus. To make our cooking life easier I used the usual kaldereta mix. The only hard part is frying the milkfish, I have to warn everyone when frying milkfish expect a lot of oil splashes. The best method is fry the fish in a non stick frying pan with generous amount of oil and a clear glass cover, so that the fish can be viewed with out removing the cover. Once the its ready to flip the fish or done just remove the frying pan from heat let cool down a few minutes before flipping or removing the fish. Instead of the usual potato I used kamote. I also used generous amount of cheese, I know most Pinoy loves cheesy sauce. Here is the recipe of my version of Kalderetang Bangus.

Ingredients:

1 big size milkfish, about half kilo, sliced.
1 large size sweet potato, sliced
1 packet kaldereta mix
1 medium size green or red bell pepper, julienne
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 head garlic, chopped
1 small size onion chopped
1-2 pcs. bay leaf
salt and pepper
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

Dash sliced milkfish with salt and pepper, let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Heat generous amount of cooking oil in a non stick frying pan. Fry the sweet potato in batches for 2 to 3 minutes each side, keep aside. Using the same pan fry the milkfish in batches for 5 to 8 minutes each side or until color change to golden brown, keep aside. Using a separate pan sauté garlic and onion until fragrant. Add in the kaderata mix diluted in 2 to 2 1/2 cups of water, chili flakes and grated cheese, stirring continuously bring to a boil and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the fried milkfish and continue to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Correct saltiness if required. Add in the fried sweet potato and bell pepper cook for another minute. Serve with a lot of rice.


See other kaldereta recipe:
Kalderetang Batangas
Pork Caldereta, Kalderetang Baboy
Special Beef Caldereta
Kalderetang Manok, Chicken Caldereta
Kalderetang Baka
Kalderetang Kambing
Kalderetang Kambing, Traditional Kaldereta

Lechon Macau

Lechon Macau, here is my version of lechon Macau using pork rasher. Fresh pork rasher, pork belly cut into about 2” by 1” rectangle are always available here at Woolworth Supermarket. I was planning to make some lechon kawali but I run out of oil, instead I end up making this lechon Macau. Cooking is easier than lechon kawali for the reason that lechon Macau is oven roasted. Pork are first pre-boiled with star anise and bay leaf until just tender. The secret why lechon Macau is so crispy? The skin is pricked with fork before being oven roasted. Seasoning is simple just rub the pork with Chinese five spice powder, pepper and salt. Here is my version of Lechon Macau.



Ingredients:

1 kilo pork rasher, pork belly
2-3 pcs. star anise
1/2 head garlic, crushed
2-3 pcs.bay leaf
Chinese five spice powder
salt and pepper



Cooking procedure:

In a pot place the pork and add water to cover the meat up to about 1”. Add the star anise, garlic and about 1 tbsp. of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until just tender. Remove from pot drain and let cool down. Using a fork prick the pork skin all the way down to the meat layer. The skin should be pricked as close as possible. Rub the skin with salt while the meat and sides rub with mixture off Chinese five spice powder and pepper powder. Arrange the pork in a baking tray or aluminium tray, skin side up and enough space between the pork rashers. Let marinate with the salt and Chinese five spice rub for 30 to 45 minutes. Pre heat the oven at 250°F when the oven is hot place the baking tray at the center. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes. Check periodically if is the skin changes color suddenly, reduce the oven temperature to 200°F. Let it roast till the pork skin is blistered and turned to golden brown. Remove from oven and let rest the meat for at least 8 to 10 minutes. When ready to serve chop in into serving pieces with your favourite dipping sauce.



See other related recipe:
Roast Pork Tocino Style
Lechon sa Oven
Lechon Manok
Max's Style Fried Chicken
Savory Chicken, Roast Chicken
Chicken Relleno
Crispy Pata
Lechon Manok, Turbo Broiled Chicken

Menudo with Baked Beans

Menudo with Baked Beans, I heard a lot about this dish. This version of menudo uses baked beans as extender. For my version I did not add hotdog I though it is no longer necessary with all those baked beans. Cooking is basically the same with the usual menudo but instead of thickening the sauce with cornstarch, just add the baked beans at the last minute of cooking. Another unusual ingredient is the addition of green peas. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo pork, cut into small cubes
1/4 kilo pork liver, cut into small cubes
1 big can baked beans
1 medium size red bell pepper, diced
1 large size potato, cut into small cubes
1 medium size carrot, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup green beans, pre-cooked
1 medium size, chopped
1/2 head garlic, chopped
2-3 pcs. bay leaf
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup raisin
1 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

In a sauce pan sauté garlic and onion, add in pork and stir cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add pork liver and stir cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add soy sauce, tomato sauce and bay leaf stir cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 to 3 cups of water bring to a boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender, add more water as necessary. Add in potato, carrot and sugar simmer for another 5 to 8 minutes or until potato are cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add in the baked beans, raisins, green peas and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper and cook for another minute. Serve with rice.


See other menudo recipe:
Menudo
Chicken Menudo
Beef Menudo

Shrimp with Green Peas

Shrimp with Green Peas, I love the blend of colors of this dish. This is not only visually appealing it is yummy as well. It’s another quick and easy dish, I used fresh pre-cooked and shelled shrimp for this recipe. To make the dish different I added turmeric and paprika. I also add some snow peas for additional vegetables. If fresh shrimps are not available frozen shrimps is a good alternative. Here is the recipe.



Ingredients:

1/4 kilo pre-cooked and shelled shrimp
1 small size red or green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup pre-cooked green peas
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
1-2 pcs. red chili, sliced
1/4-1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4-1/2 tsp. paprika powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 head garlic chopped
1 tsp. grated ginger
salt and pepper
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

Heat wok until it start to smoke, add about 2 tbsp. cooking oil. Add in garlic and ginger, stir cook for about half a minute. Then add in the vegetables and stir cook for 2 to 3 minutes, remove from wok and keep aside. Using the same wok stir cook the shrimp for a minute, add in the turmeric and paprika stir cook for a minute then add 1/2 cup of water let boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste. Now add in the vegetables and continue to stir cook for a minute. Thicken sauce with cornstarch diluted in 1/4 cup of water cook for another minute. Serve immediately.


See other related shrimp recipe:
Garlic Shrimp, Gambas Al Ajillo Pinoy Style
Crispy Garlic Prawns
Guinataang Hipon
Guinataang Hipon Tabang
Halabos na Hipon
Shrimp Cocktail
Ukoy, Shrimp Fritter

Chicken Stirfry with Hoisin Sauce

Chicken Stirfry with Hoisin Sauce is one simple chicken dish that is quick easy and delicious. The dish is made up of chicken strips marinated with soy sauce and cornstarch stirfried with Hoisin sauce and oyster sauce. For an added kick I added some red chili on the stirfry but it can be omitted especially if there are children to feed. Because the cooking time of this dish is just quick, I suggest that a very fresh chicken meat should be used. Typical with my other stirfry recipes this similarly is as easy here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1 green or red bell pepper, julienne
1 small bundle spring onion, cut into 2” in length
1-2 pcs. red chili, sliced
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1 thumb size ginger, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp. Hoisin sauce
2 tbsp. oyster sauce
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2-3 tbsp cornstarch
salt and pepper
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

Place chicken in a big bowl, mix in soy sauce and cornstarch and let marinate for 10 to 15 minutes. Heat wok until it starts to smoke, add in generous amount of oil and stir fry garlic and ginger until aromatic. Add in bell pepper and red chili stirfry for for 2 to 3 minutes, remove from wok and keep aside. On same wok stirfry the marinated chicken in batches, add more cooking oil as necessary for 8 to 10 minutes or until it color is golden brown and seared. When done with the rest of the chicken, return all the stirfried ingredients to the wok. Add in the hoi sin sauce, oyster sauce and spring onion, stir cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.


See other related stirfry recipe:
Pork and Asparagus Stirfry
Home Cooked Pigar Pigar
Beef and Broccoli Stirfry
Beef and Ampalaya with Black Beans
Bistek Stir Fry
Beef and Broccoli With Oyster Sauce
Chicken Stirfry with Black Fungus in Black Bean Sauce
Pork and Vegetable Stirfry
Squid and Broccoli in Oyster Sauce
Asparagus with Tofu
Sitaw at Tokwa
Oyster Mushroom and Vegetables Stirfry
Fish and Tofu with Tausi

Pancit Canton and Bihon with Beef and Broccoli

Pancit Canton and Bihon with Beef and Broccoli is a tweaked version of the Pinoy pancit. For those who are looking for a variety in cooking the Pinoy pancit, here is a version using beef. Usually Pinoy pancit seldom used beef for sahog. This noodle stir fry is easy to prepare with minimal ingredients. I used baby broccoli for this recipe, they cooked quickly. For the beef I used beef tenderloin. For more variety I used a combination of pancit canton and bihon, but any Pinoy noodles will do. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1/4 kilo canton noddles
1/4 kilo bihon noddles, soaked in warm water
1/4 kilo beef sirloin, sliced thinly
1 bundle baby broccoli, split in half, stem thinly sliced,
1 small size onion sliced
1/2 head garlic, sliced thinly
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
salt and pepper
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

Place the beef in a big bowl, mix in half of the soy sauce and cornstarch and let marinate for at least 10 to 15 minutes. In a wok stir fry garlic and onion add in the broccoli and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Now add in the broccoli florets an stir fry for another 1 to 2 minutes or until just half cooked, remove from wok an keep aside. Heat the same wok and add more cooking oil, stir cook marinated beef in batches for 3 to 5 minutes or until browned, remove from wok and keep aside. Using the same wok pour 3 to 4 cups of water or beef broth, let boil and add in the remaining soy sauce and oyster sauce. Add in the canton noodles stir cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft, add in the bihon noodles and continue to stir cook for 2 to 3 minutes, add more water as necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When done add in the vegetables and beef stir cook for a minute and serve immediately.


See other related stirfry noodles recipe:
Pansit Guisado (Bihon, Canton and Mixed)
Pansit Bihon Seafood
Pinoy Style Char Kuey Teow
Seafood Hokien Noodles Stirfry
Egg Noodles with Mushroom
Pinoy Style Pad Thai
Pansit Miki Guisado
Pancit Lucban, Pansit Hab-hab
Bam-e, Pansit Bisaya
La Paz Batchoy, Pansit Batchoy Mami
Vigan Miki

Sopas

Sopas is a Pinoy pasta soup dish made up of usually macaroni elbow with sautéed chicken and pork, flavoured with milk. To most Pinoy this is a comfort food, especially during the cold rainy seasons. Sopas is serve as a breakfast and a merienda dish. It is usually available in karinderias, office and school canteens. It is now winter on this part of Australia the temperature usually drops to a single digit, even though there is no snow it is still really chilly specialty to us Pinoys who are used to tropical climate. Sopas is just the right food to enjoy during this Australian winter seasons. Here is how I made my sopas, enjoy.

Ingredients:

2 cups macaroni elbow pasta
1/2 kilo chicken thighs
1/4 kilo pork
1 cup mixed vegetables
1 small bundle, spring onion, chopped
1/2 head garlic, crushed
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1 small size onion quartered
1 medium size onion, chopped
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. peppercorns
salt and pepper
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

Put the chicken and pork in a large pot, add enough water to cover meat to at least 2” above. Add in crushed garlic, quartered onion and peppercorn. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken start to fall off from the bones. Add more water as necessary, remove scum that rises. When done separate the meat from the broth, using a sieve filter out residue and scum from the broth, keep aside. Let cool down the chicken and pork, shred the chicken and cut pork into strips, set aside. Using same pot sauté garlic and onion until fragrant, add in chicken and pork, stir cook for a minute. Add in fish sauce stir cook for 1 to 2 minutes, how add in the reserved broth add more water as necessary. Bring to a boil, add in the macaroni pasta and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until al dente and stirring occasionally, add more water if required. Add in the mixed vegetables and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste. When ready to serve add in the milk and garnish with spring onion.


See other sopas recipe:
Corned Beef Sopas
Seafood Sopas
Chicken Sopas


See related noodle soup dish:
La Paz Batchoy
Lomi Special
Pansit Lomi
Pansit Miki Soup
Pansit Molo
Patula Misua Soup
Seafood Lomi
Sotanghon Noodle Soup
Vigan Miki

Adobong Tahong

Adobong Tahong is one alternative method of cooking mussels. Frozen mussels are usually available in most part of the word but sometimes we Pinoys are hesitant on buying them for the reasons that we are used to eating them fresh from the shells. Today I will share to you my version of adobong tahong. I used frozen mussels but fresh one is fine as long as the shells are removed. The only set back is when mussels are overcooked they tend to be rubbery, so avoid cooking them to long. But for adobong tahong we have to settle for the little rubbery texture, for me I don’t mind as long as they are not that bad and its best to have a little chewiness on them. It may be a bit troublesome to find good quality of mussels in Metro Manila but sometimes you could find them at big supermarkets. Here is the recipe of my Adobong Tahong.



Ingredients:

1/2 kilo mussel meat
1/2 head garlic crushed
2-3 slivers ginger
1-2 red chili, sliced
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup cooking oil
2-3 tbsp. soy sauce
2-3 pcs. bay leaf
1 tsp. peppercorns
salt to taste



Cooking procedure:

In a sauce pan heat the cooking oil, suttee garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add in the mussels, peppercorns and bay leaf, stir cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in vinegar, soy sauce and red chili. Let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated stirring occasionally. Season with salt to taste. Serve with rice.


See other adobo recipes:
Adobong Pusit
Adobong Tangiuge
Batangas Adobong Dilaw
Batangas Adobo
Adobo sa Asin, Adobong Baboy sa Asin
Adobong Baka, Beef Adobo
Adobong Atay at Balunbalunan ng Manok sa Pinya
Adobong Ilocano, Chicken Adobo
Pork and Chicken Adobo
Adobong Puti
Adobong Manok sa Gata, Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk
Adobong Kambing
Lamb Adobo
Humba, Adobong Bisaya
Pork Adobo with Pineapple
Adobong Kabute
Adobong Bok Choy
Adobong Sitaw
Adobong Sitaw at Baboy
Adobong Kangkong

Sweet and Sour Ham with Pineapple

Sweet and Sour Ham with Pineapple is one appealing and delicious way to cook left over ham. I have a block of honey cured ham that has been sitting in the ref. for sometime. I didn’t know what to do with it until I have seen the pineapple slices in can when I was at Woolworths. I though they will make a good sweet and sour. I am sure a lot of Pinoys who likes sweet food will love this. I also have a bottle of plum sauce lying at the cupboard so that was perfect. Cooking is easy and fast, any selection of sweet and sour vegetable is fine for this recipe. Here is how I cooked my Sweet and Sour Ham with Pineapple.

Ingredients:

2 cups cube leftover ham
6 slices canned pineapple, cut to pieces, reserve syrup
1 medium size carrot, cut into cubes
2 medium size green/red bell pepper, diced
1 small bundle spring onion, cut into 1 1/2” in length
1 large size onion, diced
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tbsp. plum sauce
1 tbsp. Worchester sauce
2 tbsp. white vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
salt and pepper
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

Heat the wok until it start to smoke add in generous amount of cooking oil. Stir cook the onion for a minute, remove from wok and keep aside. Using the same wok stir fry garlic until fragrant add in the cubed ham and stir cook for 2 to 3 minute. Add in Worchester sauce and tomato sauce stir cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the reserve pineapple syrup, 1 cup of water, plum sauce vinegar and sugar, let boil and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Add in carrots and pineapple cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in bell pepper, onion and season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for a minute. Thicken sauce with cornstarch diluted in 1/4 cup of water, add in the spring onion and cook for another minute. Serve with rice.


See other sweet and sour recipes:
Sweet and Sour Shrimps
Sweet and Sour Pork and Chicken
Escabecheng Talakitok
Escabecheng Tanguige
Sweet And Sour Maya Maya
Sweet and Sour Tasmanian Salmon

Nilagang Mani, Boiled Peanuts

Nilagang Mani is cheap snack that perhaps every Pinoy loves. Boiled peanuts are popular street food in Metro Manila. It’s a common to see peanut peddlers pushing their cart with big can of peanut still being steamed by portable kerosene stove on a busy intersection. I was craving for boiled peanut then I realized that I have some unpublished photos of them. This one is over due I forgot about it. I cooked them during my last stay in Manila, I have bough two kilos of fresh raw peanuts from a wet market near our home. They were still covered with the dirt which I tough was intentionally sold that way to add more weight. Cooking boiled peanuts seams simple and easy but mind you it’s a bit tricky. Boiling seems forever and add generous amount of salt, enough to penetrate the peanut shell. Here’s how to boil peanuts.

Ingredients:

2 kilos peanuts in shells
3-4 tbsp. salt



Cooking procedure:

Wash thoroughly the peanuts until all the clinging dirt are removed. In a big pot place the peanuts. Pour enough water to cover the peanuts up to 2” with water and add the salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the peanuts are cooked and tender. Add more water as necessary, open a piece of nut to check if the peanuts are cooked in between.



See other related recipes:
Banana-que
Kamote-que, Camote-que
Nilagang Saging na Saba
Palitaw, Dila-Dila
Pichi Pichi
Puto Pao
Pirurutong na Biko with Coco Jam
Puto Bumbong
Puto Special
Siopao Asado
Suman na Pirurutong
Biko na Pirurutong
Turon Fried Banana Roll

Dinaldalem, Pork Liver in Vinegar and Soy Sauce

Dinaldalem is sometimes referred to as Igado. Dinaldalem comes from dalem the Ilocano word for liver. The dish is made up of thin slices of pork meat and liver stewed in vinegar and soy sauce. The addition of other pork innards is very common that would make the dish more of igado but still they are regarded as dinaldalem. To extend the dish shelf life dinaldalem is cooked dry and with out the addition of vegetable ingredients. That was of course the time when refrigerator is not as common especially in rural places. I like my dinaldalem with some oily sauce which goes well with rice. I also added some chick peas and green peas this will also add some flavour and of course make the this more appealing.Here is the recipe of my Dinaldalem.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo liver, slice thinly
1/2 kilo pork loin, slice thinly
1 small size onion, chopped
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1 small can chick peas
1 small can green peas
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. vinegar
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 tsp. peppercorns
2-3 pcs. bay leaf
salt to taste
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

I a big bowl place the liver and mix in the vinegar and let marinate for at least 5 to 10 minutes. In a sauce pan, sauté garlic and onions until fragrant. Add in pork and stir cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until color changes to golden brown. Add in soy sauce, bay leaf, peppercorn and sugar stir cook until for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the liver including the vinegar marinade, lower heat and cook uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally or until sauce thickens and almost dry. Season with salt. Add the chick peas and green peas, cook for another minute. Serve with a lot of rice.


See other related Ilocano recipe:
Pinapaitan Baka
Papaitan Soured with Kamias
Pinapaitan Kambing
Sinanglao
Adobong Ilocano, Chicken Adobo
Chicken with Ampalaya Tendrils and Sotanghon
Dinakdakan
Igado
Lauya nga Luppo ti Baboy
Vigan Longganisa
Vigan Bagnet
Vigan Miki

Sautéed Mung Bean Sprouts

Sautéed Mung Bean Sprouts. The mung bean sprouts I used on this recipe are not the usual fully grown bean sprouts (togue) instead the mung bean sprouts are only starting to germinate, the mung bean root are just about 1/4” in size and most of the bean skin is still intact. It is a similar the half grown togue sold in Metro Manila. They are available in most supermarket here in Australia, I think they are eaten as fresh as green salads. They come in small packages.I wanted to try to cook it the usual guinisang togue and determine if it can be used as substitute to the oversize bean sprouts that are also available here. The resultant dish as expected is comparable to the half grown togue. It needs to be cook a little bit longer though and have to make do with all those extra green skin which is good because they are vegetable fiber that is needed on for digestion.

For the information of those who are not familiar there are two kind of togue used in Pinoy cooking the usual full grown bean sprout and the half grown bean sprouts. The photo below is the half grown bean spout, compared with the beansprout available they look cleaner with out the green skin. I wonder how growers able to separate the skins from the sprouts.



Ingredients:

200 grams (2 cups) mung bean sprouts, togue
1/2 cup pork, cut into thin strips
1 cup small size shrimp
2-3 cloves, garlic, choped
1 small size onion, chopped
1/2 small size tomato, chopped
1 small size carrot, cut into 2” strips
1 small size bell pepper, cut into 2” strips
2 tbsp. fish sauce, patis
salt to taste
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

Remove head, peel off shell and tail of each shrimp set aside. Place head shell and tail of shrimp in a blender, add 1 cup of warm water and blitz. Pass thru a sieve to separate shells from the juice. Set aside shrimp juice. In a sauce pan heat cooking oil, add in pork and stir cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown remove from pan and set aside. Using same pan discard excess oil, sauté garlic, onion and tomato. Add shrimp, stir cook for a minute add in pork. fish sauce and shrimp juice let boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mung bean sprout and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes. Now add the carrots and bell pepper and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until the carrots and bell peppers are just half cooked, correct saltiness if required. Serve.



See other related ginisa recipe:
Ginisang Togue
Ginisang Togue with Tokwa
Lumpiang Gulay, Togue
Ginisang Munggo
Ginisang Munggo with Sotanghon
Ginisang Munggo with Talbos ng Sili
Ginisang Ampalaya
Ginisang Bulaklak ng Kalabasa
Ginisang Labanos
Ginisang Pechay
Ginisang Upo

Beef Pares

Beef Pares is a popular economy lunch usually served at neighborhood karenderias, office and school canteens. A reader who was looking for a perfect beef pares has ask for this recipe. I could safely say that there is no such perfect recipe for beef pares, just like the adobo there are countless ways to cook the dish. There are so many factors that are considered, like the quality of the ingredients and sometimes it really defends to economics and of course individual preference. However there is common factor beef is braised in soy sauce and sugar and garnished with chopped spring onion. Beef pares which literary means paired beef, is serve paired with garlic fried rice and soup. For my version of beef pares I made sure that the soup is as delicious as the braised beef as well. Here is the recipe of my Special Beef Pares. Enjoy.



Ingredients:

1/2 kilo beef brisket, cut into large cubes
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. sugar
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small size onion chopped
1 small bundle spring onion, chopped
1-2 pcs. star anise
1/4 cup cornstarch
salt and pepper
cooking oil
garlic fried rice for 4-6 servings

For the Soup
1 small bundle spring onion, cut into 2” length
1 medium size onion, quartered
1/2 head garlic, chopped
2-3 slivers of ginger
1 tsp peppercorns



Cooking procedure:

Place the beef in a big sauce pan, add enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil let boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the beef and discard the liquid, rinse meat off scum. Return the beef in to the sauce pan, add enough water for the soup for 4 to 6 servings. Add in all the soup ingredients, add salt to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the beef are tender. Separate the meat from the broth, keep aside meat. Using a sieve, filter out the broth off the residue, return the beef soup to the sauce pan, keep hot until ready to serve. In a separate sauce pan sauté garlic and onion until fragrant. Add in the boiled beef and stir cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the soy sauce, sugar and star anise, stir cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add in 1 1/2 cup of the broth bring to a boil and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Thicken sauce with cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup of water, cook for another minute or two. Serve with garlic fried rice and the reserved beef soup, garnish braised beef and soup with chopped spring onion.


See other related braised recipes
Pata with Coke, Pork Leg Braised with Coke
Pata Tim
Braised Pork Leg with Hoisin Sauce
Beef Mechado
Asado Bulalo, Beef Shank Asado
Braised Beef
Osso Buco, Ossobuco Bulalo

Thai Green Chicken Curry, Pinoy Style

Thai Green Chicken Curry is another popular dish from Thailand. Green curry is one of the several type of curry used in Thailand cooking. Green curry paste is available in most supermarkets or any Asian store. Green chicken curry usually cooked with small round young green eggplants but as an alternative the regular Asian eggplant can be used. Button mushrooms and bamboo shoots may also be added for texture. Another must ingredient is the leaves of kaffir lime, it is also available in Asian stores dried or frozen. If you have tried and learned to love Thailand Tom Yum dishes or Pad Thai noodle dishes, I am very sure that you will definitely love this dish. Here is how I cooked my version of Thai Green Chicken Curry.



Ingredients:

1/2 kilo skinless chicken breast, cut crosswise into serving pieces
2-3 pcs. medium size eggplant, cut into serving pieces
3-5 pcs. kaffir lime leaves
1/2 head garlic, chopped
2-3 pcs. red chili, sliced
1 medium size onion, chopped
3 tbsp Thai green curry paste
2 cups coconut milk
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1/4 cup cornstarch



Cooking procedure:

In a sauce pan sauté garlic and onion add in chicken and stir cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce and Thai green curry paste, stir cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add in 1 cup of water and 1 cup of the coconut milk, stirring occasionally bring to a boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add in the remaining coconut milk, eggplants and red chili stirring occasionally simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are half cooked. Thicken sauce with cornstarch diluted in 1/4 cup of water and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with a lot of rice.


See other Thai inspired recipe:
Tom Yum Goong, Hot and Sour Shrimp or Prawn Soup
Pinoy Style Pad Thai


See other related curry recipes:
Chicken Curry with Bamboo Shoots
Pinoy Chicken Curry
Pinoy Chicken & Pork Curry

Pork and Asparagus Stirfry

Pork and Asparagus Stirfry. This is another quick and easy to make stirfry dish. I just marinated the pork loin in soy sauce and cornstarch. Cooking method is the same with all my stirfry recipes. You can never go wrong with stirfry cooking as long as you know the basics. Meats are usually marinated with soy sauce and cornstarch. For aromatics just have some chopped garlic and thin strips of ginger. Vegetables are just stir cooked, don’t overcook then keep aside to be added after stirfrying the meats. For the sauce there are several choices oyster, hoi sin, black bean sauce etc. and they are usually available in most supermarkets. For my Pork and Asparagus Stirfry I used hoi sin sauce. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo pork loin, thinly sliced crosswise
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2” lengths
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 thump size ginger, cut into thin strips
1/4 head garlic, chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp hoi sin sauce
1/4 cup cornstarch
salt and pepper
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

In a big bowl place the pork and mix in the soy sauce and cornstarch, let marinate for at least 15 minutes. Heat wok until it starts to smoke, add in generous amount of oil and stir fry garlic and ginger until aromatic. Remove from wok and keep aside. On same wok strifry asparagus for 2 to 3 minutes, remove from wok and keep aside. On same wok stirfry the marinated pork in batches, add more cooking oil as necessary for 5 to 8 minutes or until it start to render fats. When done with the rest of the pork, return all the stirfried ingredients to the wok. Add in the hoi sin sauce and bell pepper, stir cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.


See other related stirfry recipe:
Home Cooked Pigar Pigar
Beef and Broccoli Stirfry
Beef and Ampalaya with Black Beans
Bistek Stir Fry
Beef and Broccoli With Oyster Sauce
Chicken Stirfry with Black Fungus in Black Bean Sauce
Pork and Vegetable Stirfry
Squid and Broccoli in Oyster Sauce
Asparagus with Tofu
Sitaw at Tokwa
Oyster Mushroom and Vegetables Stirfry
Fish and Tofu with Tausi

Kinilaw na Talaba, Oyster in Vinegar Chili Dip

Kinilaw na Talaba, Oyster in Vinegar Chili Dip, rock oysters already shucked in half shell are always available in major supermarkets and fish shops here in Australia. They are bit pricey but it doesn’t hurt to satisfy once craving once in a while. The oysters from this part of Australia are called Sydney Rock Oysters, they are harvested from clean waters. The Aussie eat them raw with just a drizzle of lemon. I bought a dozen for my kinilaw na talaba. Kinilaw na talaba bring back old food memories. Talaba is a favorite in my younger years up North in Vigan. They are good for pulutan with Gin or any hard drinks. Because they are very fresh and definitely come from clean waters I just have them in vinegar chili dip. Here’s how to make Kinilaw na Talaba.



Ingredients:

1 dozen oysters, shucked in half shell
or 1/2 cup, shucked out of shell
1/4 cup white vinegar
1-2 pcs. chili, sliced
1 tsp. salt

Method:

Place the shucked oysters in a bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients. Toss a few times. and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Alternately for really fresh oyster just chill the oyster shucked in half shells and serve with the chili vinegar dip.


See other seafood kinilaw recipe:
Kinilaw na Dilis
Kinilaw na Tanguige
Kinilaw na Tanguige na may Kamatis
Kinilaw na Lato
Kinilaw na Pusit (Cuttlefish)

Pork with Coffee and Oyster Sauce

Pork with Coffee and Oyster Sauce, this is a versatile recipe using instant coffee as a sauce for deep fried pork belly. The bitter sweet coffee aroma blended with the tangy sweet and salty flavour of oyster sauce makes a delicious sauce for the crispy fried pork belly. This recipe is an adaptation of the popular Malaysian pork ribs in coffee sauce. For my version of pork with coffee sauce I used the regular instant coffee and coffee creamer. I found that using fresh milk will curdle during the cooking process. I used pork rashers for this recipe, the pork are generously coated with cornstarch deep fried till really crispy then glaced with the coffee and oyster sauce. Here is the recipe of my Pork with Coffee and Oyster Sauce.

Ingredient:

1/2 kilo pork rashers or pork belly cut into rectangles
1 tbsp. instant coffee
2 tbsp. coffee creamer
2 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. oyster sauce
1/2 tsp. powdered cinnamon
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 small bundle spring oinion, chopped
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

Coat the pork with cornstarch, keep aside and reserve the remaining cornstarch. In a deep frying pan deep fry pork in batches for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until crisp, keep aside. In a sauce pan dissolve the sugar, coffee and creamer in 1 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for a minute. Add in the oyster sauce and cinnamon powder, cook for another minute while constantly stirring. Thicken the sauce with 2 tbsp. of the reserved cornstarch dissolve in 1/4 cup of water. Cut the fried pork into serving pieces and stir in to the pan of prepared sauce, stir cook for a minute until pork are uniformly coated with the sauce. Garnish with spring onion and serve with rice.


See other related pork recipes:
Braised Pork Belly, Pork Rasher
Braised Pork Leg with Hoisin Sauce
Paksiw na Pata ng Baboy
Paksiw na Tokwa at Baboy
Pork Estofado
Pork Spareribs With Tausi
Spicy Tausi Pork Spareribs

Tokwa't Baka, Beef and Tofu

Tokwa’t Baka is a popular alternative to tokwa’t baboy for those who are not taking pork. I first had this when I was still working in the Middle East. The original recipe was made up of beef tapa and fried tofu. The beef tapa and fried tokwa with vinegar and soy sauce was just perfect. In fact it was even better than the original tokwa and boiled pork concoction. For my recipe I did not used beef tapa instead I boiled the beef adobo style and deep fried it which result a crispy outer crust and still soft and succulent meat inside. The beef and tofu has to be fried in blocks before cutting into small cubes. It was indeed a far better than the original tokwa’t baboy combination and keep me wandering why it is not as popular. Here is the recipe of my Tokwa’t Baka. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo beef, cut into 3/4” rectangular blocks
2 big blocks firm tofu, tokwa, cut into 3/4” rectangular blocks
1 medium size onion, chopped
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1/2 head garlic, crushed
1-2 red and green chili, sliced crosswise
3/4 cup vinegar
1 1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
2-3 pcs.bay leaf
1-2 pcs. star anise
1/2 tsp. peppercorns
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

In sauce pan place the beef and add water until covered up to 1” above the meat. Add 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup soy sauce. Add in the peppercorns, star anise, bay leaf, sugar and crushed garlic. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until beef are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove beef from the pan and drain and let cool down, keep aside. In a bowl pour the remaining vinegar and soy sauce, mix in the onion, garlic, and chili, set aside until ready to serve. In a deep frying pan fry tokwa in batches for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until crisp, drain excess oil, keep aside until ready to serve. In same frying pan, add more cooking as necessary, fry beef in batches for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until crisp, drain excess oil, keep aside until ready to serve. To serve chop the fried beef and tokwa into cubes, place in a serving bowl and pour over the vinegar soy sauce.


See other tokwa recipe:
Tokwa at Baboy
Paksiw na Tokwa at Baboy

Avocado at Condensada, Avocado with Condensed Milk

Avocado at Condensada, Pinoys enjoy avocado as a dessert, it is simply prepared by mixing avocado cut into cubes with sweet condensed milk. The rich flavour of the avocado meat just perfectly blend with the sweet condensed milk. For my avocado at condesada version I further enhanced the fusion of flavours by adding chocolate and honey. Here is how I made my Avocado at Condensada. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocado
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. chocolate cream
1/4 cup condensed milk



Method:

Using a knife slice across the avocado until it hits the seed. Twist the halves in opposite directions, discard the seed, Using a knife cut the meat in 1/2” squares up to the skin, then using a spoon scoop out the meat into a bowl. Pour the condensed milk over the avocado and toss until thoroughly coated with the milk. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. To serve place the avocado with condensed milk in a serving saucer, pour over chocolate cream and honey.


See other sweet dessert recipe:
Buko Salad
Buko Fruit Salad
Buko Pandan Salad
Fresh Fruit Salad
Minatamis na Saging
Saba Macapuno Halo Halo

Crispy Tadyang ng Baka

Crispy Tadyang ng Baka is a popular pulutan usually served at Filipino specialty restaurants. It is made up of beef spareribs pre-boiled with adobo ingredients until tender, then deep fried and serve with vinegar chili dip. I have been planning to cook crispy tadyang for sometime now, I could not find beef spareribs on major supermarkets here in Australia. Probably because the beef ribs are usually cut as steak. Today I happened to change by a beef spareribs in already cut crosswise about 1 1/2” with generous amount of meat at a meatshop. I immediately purchased a kilo for that long overdue post of Crispy Tadyang ng Baka. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 kilo beef spareribs, saw cut crosswise to about 1 1/2”
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 head garlic, crushed
2-3 pcs. star anise
2-3 pcs. bay leaf
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. peppercorns
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

Cut the beef spareribs in sections to accommodate in a large pot. Add all the ingredients except the cooking oil in the pot, add 2 to 3 cups of water or until beef is covered with water up to an inch above. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until very tender but bones intact. Add more water as necessary and remove scum that rises, when almost tender reduce liquid until just enough left to keep from burning the beef. Remove beef from the pot and let drain in a colander, keep chilled until ready to fry. Heat enough oil in a deep fryer, fry the beef spareribs in batches for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until crisp on the outside but moist in the inside, remove from the fryer when done and drain excess oil in kitchen papers. Serve with vinegar with garlic, onion and chili dip.


See other relater crispy pulutan recipe:
Max's Style Fried Chicken
Crispy Pata
Lechon Kawali


See other pulutan recipe:
Papaitan Soured with Kamias
Chicken Inasal
Adobong Kambing
Kinilaw na Kambing
Dinakdakan
Inihaw na Baboy
Tokwa at Baboy
Sisig
Inihaw na Tuna
Kinilaw na Tanguige
Inihaw na Bangus
Kinilaw na Dilis
Inihaw na Pusit
Guinataang Kuhol

Spicy Mapo Tofu

Spicy Mapo Tofu, this is my spicy beef version of mapo tofu. Instead of ground pork I used ground beef for this recipe. The last time I made mapo tofu it was not spicy hot that was of course for some reasons. The authentic mapo tofu dish has a bright orange red color provably from the use of a lot of chili paste, but no matter how much chili paste I put I could not make it near to the nuclear red color of mapo tufo that are usually featured in most food magazine, adding more chili of course the dish will become extremely spicy hot. To make my spicy mapo tofu I have to do some tweaking to my first recipe, I used annatto powder to achieve the orange red color. Instead of the Sichuan peppers I used dried red hot chillies. For presentations I did not cube the tofu of the first serving, just boiled/blanched the whole block of tofu the served by pouring over the ground meat on the block of tofu. For this recipe use a tofu with medium firmness. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 blocks silken tofu, medium firmness, blanched, cut into 1/2” cubes
1/2 kilo ground beef
2 tbsp. tausi, fermented black beans, drained rinsed
2 tbsp. tausi, fermented black beans, drained, rinsed, mashed
5-6 pcs. dried red chillies
2 tbsp. chili paste
1 small bundle spring onion, chopped
1 small bundle, Chinese parsley, chopped
1/2 head garlic, finely chopped
1 small size onion, chopped
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. annatto powder
salt and pepper
cooking oil



Cooking procedure:

In a wok sauté garlic and onion, add in mashed fermented black beans, dried chili, chili paste and quickly stir cook. Add ground beef and stir cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until it start to render oil. Now add in, annatto powder diluted in 1/4 cup of water, soy sauce, sugar and kinchay, stir cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 to 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Carefully add in the tofu and fermented black beans, stir gently to avoid the tofu from breaking up. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes allowing the tofu to absorb the flavors of the sauce. Thicken sauce with cornstarch diluted in 1/2 cup of water cook for another minute or until the sauce has thickened. Garnished with spring onion.


See other related tofu recipe;
Tofu with Black Fungus and Bamboo Shoot
Mapo Tofu
Asparagus with Tofu
Tokwa at Baboy
Tokwa at Isda
Fish & Tofu with Tausi
Guinisang Togue with Tokwa
Sitaw at Tokwa
Pinoy Style Pad Thai

Chicken Mami

Chicken Mami is a comport food for most Pinoy from all walk of life. From the lowly chicken mami peddled in karitons at the streets to the mami served at expensive Chinese restaurants. The chicken mami was enjoyed by our grand parents from the classic chicken mami of then Ma Mon Luk restaurant to the favourite chicken mami of the younger generations serve at now popular fast-food restaurant. Chicken mami is simple to prepare the only setback is to eat it strait away while it is still steaming hot as the noodles tends to get soggy. Noodles to be used should be cooked just right, overcooking it a minute more then it’s ruined. In fact the mami noodles should be blanched only. The fresh mami noodles sold localy in Metro Manila is fine but it should be rinse vigorously since they used a lot of lye water on them. It should also be blanch a bit longer to reduce if not totally remove that lihiya (lye) taste. A delicious chicken mami will defend on the quality of broth used. If need be a whole chicken is to be boiled for at least 30 minutes then the broth is reduced for a concentrated chicken broth. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo fresh egg noodles, blanched
2 cups shredded chicken, use any of your favorite part
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
1 pc. medium size carrot, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
patis, fish sauce



For the broth

1/2 fresh chicken
1/2 head garlic, crushed
1 small size onion, quartered
1 small bundle spring onion
1 tsp. peppercorns, crushed

Garnishing

4 boiled egg, sliced
1/2 head garlic, minced, fried
1 small bundle spring onion, chopped

Cooking procedure:

For the broth boil half chicken in a big pot combine all the ingredient and water up to 2” above the chicken or estimated amount for 3 to 4 servings, let boiled and simmer for at least 30 minutes, remove scum that rises. Remove chicken an set aside to be shredded later on. Continue to boil the chicken broth until just enough for required number of servings. Keep it under heat until ready to served.

To prepare the mami, in a bowl put the blanched noodles. Add all the topping ingredients and pour the steaming hot broth over the bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with boiled egg slices, chopped spring onions and the fried garlic, serve with patis.


See other noodle soup recipe:
Seafood Lomi
Special Lomi
Pansit Lomi
Meat Balls with Patula Misua Soup
Patula Misua Soup
Batchoy Tagalog
La Paz Batchoy, Pansit Batchoy Mami
Sotanghon Noddle Soup
Pansit Miki Soup
Patula Misua Soup
Vigan Miki