"Chicken Pochero"

Good for 7 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pcs (1/2 kilo) chicken soup bones, each cut into two
• 1 pc (300 grams) chicken leg quarter, cut into three
• 5 cups water
• 1 large red onion, quartered
• 2 tsps iodized coarse salt
• 1 pc chicken cube
• 1 pc (200 grams) sweet potato, quartered
• 1 small (100 grams) potato, cut into two
• 3 medium pcs plantain bananas, peeled (saging na saba)
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
• 1/2 pc chorizo de bilbao, sliced
• 200 grams cabbage, large chunks
• 100 grams bok choy, cut at 2" length
• 3 stalks of onion leeks

Procedure:
In a casserole, put chicken and water. Cover. Bring to boil. Remove as foam appears on top of the broth.

Add the onion, salt and chicken cube. Lid on. Bring to boil again. Then, reduce fire to low for 10 minutes.

Adjust fire to medium-low, put the sweet potato and potato. Cover back on. Cook for another 8-10 minutes. Follow with the next-five ingredients. Mix. Lid on. Continue cooking for 6 more minutes.

Dump all the veggies. Cook until half-done.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

"Tortang Giniling & Ginisang Bitsuelas Ulit"

Ingredients:

Tortang Giniling:

• 3 tbsps cooking oil & some more for frying
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onion, finely minced
• 1 medium (150 grams) potato, minced
• 1/2 pc (50 grams) of small carrot, minced
• 250 grams lean ground pork
• 1/2 pc (25 grams) of a large red bell pepper, deseeded & finely minced
• 1 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp iodized coarse salt & to season the eggs
• 1 sachet (8 grams) all-in-one seasoning granules
• 4 pcs eggs
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

Ginisang Bitsuelas:

• 2 tbsps vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup lean ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, finely pounded
• 1 medium (35 grams) red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 1/4 tsp cracked peppercorns
• 200 grams snap beans (bitsuelas), remove both ends, thinly sliced at an angle
• 50 grams carrot, julienne
• 3/4 cup water

Procedure:

First, cook the pork mixture for the Tortang Giniling. In a wok, place over medium-high fire. Heat lightly. Add 3 tbsps of cooking oil and garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion, potato and carrot. Saute for 4 minutes. Add in the ground pork, bell pepper, pepper, salt and all-in-one seasoning granules. Stir-fry until pork changes color and separates. Place mixture in a colander. Let the oil drips. Cool the cooked mixture. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in another pan. Place over medium-high fire. Heat moderately. Put vegetable oil. Swirl to coat the sides of the pan. Add the ground pork. Fry until light brown. Put on one side of the pan. Add garlic, saute until golden brown. Follow with onion. Stir-in the ground pork. Cook until limp. Add the veggies. Stir-fry for a minute. Pour water. Cook until veggies are crisp-tender. Put in a serving bowl.

Back to the cooled pork mixture. Break the eggs over the mixture. Sprinkle with a little salt. Beat the eggs. Add the flour. Mix well.

Heat a pan over medium fire. Add some oil. Put about 1/3 cup of mixture at the center of the pan. Cook until sides are brown. Flip. Fry until the other half is done. Do the same to the rest. Drain in paper towels.

Serve with steamed pandan-flavored rice.

"Minadaling Sinampalukang Manok" (Quick & Modified Chicken In Tamarind Soup)

Native chicken is still best for this recipe but living in the city, it is quite difficult to find one. I just settle for the dressed chicken bought in wet supermarkets. For the tamarind fruits, as an alternative, I use the very convenient, economic and always in season tamarind powder. The classic "Sinampalukang Manok" only use tamarind young tops. I cannot find any, therefore, I substitute the low-land vegetables abundantly available in the market.

Good for 5 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 tbsps cooking oil
• a chunk (30 grams) of ginger root, sliced
• 5 cloves of finely pounded garlic
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onion, halved & sliced
• 3 pcs (115 grams) red ripe tomatoes, halved & sliced
• 3 pcs (750 grams) chicken quarters, cut into small serving pcs.
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsps fish sauce
• 5 cups rice wash
• 2/3- 1 small pouch of tamarind powder with taro (if you want your soup to be more sour in taste put all the contents of the pouch)
• 2 small pcs (200 grams) taro, each cut into three or large chunks
• 2 pcs (175 grams) radish, sliced at 3/4"thick
• 6 pcs okra, remove both ends
• 1 large eggplant, thinly sliced
• 2-3 pcs finger chilis
• a bunch of swamp cabbage (tender stalks and leaves only)

Procedure:

In a wok, put oil. Heat moderately. Add garlic and ginger. Saute until garlic is golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Cook until limp. Put chicken, black pepper and fish sauce. Mix. Cook until aromatic, about 6-8 minutes.

Add rice wash, tamarind powder with taro and taro. Cover. Bring to boil. Then, decrease fire to low. Simmer for 18-20 minutes.

Increase fire to medium-high, add radish and okra. Cook until half-done. Follow with eggplant and chilis. Cook for another minute. Add the kangkong. Cover. Put off fire. Let it sit for 2 minutes until kangkong is done.

Serve hot and with steamed rice, also, with fish sauce, for your dip.

"Bicol Express" (Pork & Chilis In Rich Coconut Sauce)

Ingredients:

• 2 pcs matured coconuts
• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 1/2 head garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (70 grams) red onion, peeled & minced
• 3/4 kilo pork belly, skinned & diced
• 3 tbsps fresh bagoong alamang
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 pc bird's eye chili pepper (siling labuyo), minced or 1/8 tsp dried pepper flakes
• 5 pcs finger chilis, minced with seeds

Procedure:

When you buy your coconuts in the market. Let the vendor grate and squeeze them for you, using their manual jack pump. The first squeeze which is the coconut cream (kakang-gata) and the second squeeze, the coconut milk (pangalawang gata). This type of service will only cost you an extra php2.00, not bad, right? It also means, you'll have less work in the kitchen.

In a wok, put oil. Heat moderately. Put garlic, saute until golden brown. Follow with onion, cook until limp. Add in the diced pork, fresh bagoong alamang, black pepper and pepper flakes. Stir-fry until pork is no longer pink and bagoong is aromatic.

Pour the the coconut milk. Cover. Bring to boil. Remove lid. Stir. Bubble away in medium-low fire for 30 minutes. Stirring every 10 minutes.

Increase fire to medium-high, add in the coconut cream. Do not stir until boiling. Cook for 2 minutes. Put the minced finger chilis. Mix. Cook for another minute.

Serve with steamed rice.

Wordless Wednesday #6

Wordless Wednesday

Two of the most common Filipino desserts or "native kakanin", they are "putong puti" (steamed white rice cake) and "special sapin-sapin" (three-colored layered rice-based delicacy).

"Pancit Luglug"

Ingredients:

• 500 grams rice sticks (pancit luglug)
• 2 packs oriental gravy mix (palabok mix sauce), I used Mama Sita's
• 5 cups water
• 1 tbsp anatto seeds with lye water (achuete na may lihia)
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 3 tbsps cooking oil
• 6 cloves garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onion, minced
• 250 grams lean ground pork
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp salted tiny shrimps (hibe), finely minced
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsps ground smoked fish (giniling na tinapa)
• 50 grams pounded pork cracklings (giniling na chicharon)

toppings:

• nicely toasted garlic
• pork cracklings
• chopped spring onions
• sliced hard boiled eggs
• a few pieces of boiled & headless shrimps
• Philippine lemon (kalamansi)

Procedure:

Cook rice as per package directions.

Combine in a bowl the oriental gravy mix and water. Mix. Set aside.

Place the anatto seeds in a bowl. Carefully pour the hot water. Stir. Stand aside for a few minutes until it render a intense orangy-red color (remove the anatto seeds).

In a large wok, place over medium-high fire, heat moderately. Put oil and garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onion. Saute until soft. Add the ground pork, black pepper, salted tiny shrimps, fish sauce and ground smoked fish. Stir-fry until it aromatic. Put the anatto mixture. Cook for a few seconds.

Pour the palabok mixture. Cook until it boils. Put the cooked rice sticks. Put off the fire. Mix until blended. Sprinkle the pounded pork racklings. Stir some more. Place in a large serving platter or the traditional "bilao", lined with wilted banana leaves.

Top with toasted garlic, pork cracklings, spring onions, hard boiled eggs and shrimps. Just before eating, squeeze kalamansi on top for that extra flavor and aroma.

"Igado" (Pork & Liver In Rich Soy Sauce)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo pork shoulder (kasim)
• 200 grams pork liver
  
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 pcs Philippine lemon, topped
• 2 tbsps oil
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onions
• 2 medium (75 grams) red plump tomatoes
• 1 pc (50 grams) red bell pepper
• 1 cup water
  
• 2 tbsps soy sauce
• 1 pc (100 grams) potato
• 1 can liver spread
  
• 3 tbsps green peas

thickening agent:

• 1 tbsp flour
• 1/4 cup water

Procedure:

Slice the pork and liver into long thin strips.

In a bowl, put the pork, black pepper and soy sauce. Squeeze 2 Philippine lemons, strain the seeds using your hand. Disregard. Mix well. Set aside.

Pound the garlic finely. Mince finely the onions and tomatoes. Cut the potato into short-length strips. Seed and slice the red bell pepper into thick strips.

In a pan, over medium-high fire, put oil. Heat moderately. Add garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onions and tomatoes. Saute and mash until limp.

Put the pork with its marinade and bell pepper. Stir-fry for 6-8 minutes. Add water and soy sauce. Squeeze the juice of the remaining Philippine lemon, straining the seeds. Mix. Cover. Bring to boil. Then, decrease fire to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Increase fire to medium, put the pork liver, potato and liver spread. Mix. Lid on. Bring to boil Cook for another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the thickening agent.

Add the thickening agent and green peas. Cook until it boils.

Serve with rice.

"Pancit Bihon At Sotanghon Guisado" (Rice Noodles, Vermicelli and Vegetables Stir-fry)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo chicken gizzard & liver
• 1 pc (300-350 grams) chicken leg quarter
• 400 grams pork belly
• 1 whole head garlic, pierced each clove & skin on
• 1 quartered red onion
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• 2 pcs chicken cubes
• 1 tbsp iodized coarse salt
• 8 cups water
• 1 pack (75 grams) vermicelli (sotanghon), immersed in water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 head garlic
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onion
• 1 pc Chinese chorizo
• a bunch (20 grams) Chinese celery (kinchay)
• 1/2 pc (20 grams) red bell pepper
• 1 pack squid balls, sliced thinly
• 2 tsps ground black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 5 cups hot water
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 500 grams rice noodles (bihon)
• 100 grams cabbage
• 100 grams pechay baguio
• 100 grams green beans
• 100 grams carrot
• 2 handfuls pounded pork cracklings (chicharon)

Procedure:

Put the first-nine ingredients in a thick bottom casserole. Cover. Place over high fire. Bring to boil. Then, decrease fire to low and simmer for 18 minutes.

Put in a bowl the next ingredient. Set aside.

Meanwhile, pound the garlic finely. Cut into half the onions and slice thinly. Mince the Chinese chorizo, Chinese celery and bell pepper. Pound the pork cracklings.

Get back to the boiling casserole, Remove the chicken, gizzard, liver and pork belly. Reserve the broth. Let it cool for awhile. Slice the gizzard and pork into thin strips. Cut into four each liver. Chop the chicken, remove the bones.

In a very large wok or talyasi, place over high-fire. Add oil. Heat moderately. Put garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onion, chorizo, kinchay and bell pepper. Saute until limp.

Add the squid balls, pork belly, chicken, gizzard, liver, black pepper and fish sauce. Saute until aromatic. Pour in the hot water and reserve broth (should be strained). Add soy sauce. Cover. Bring to boil.

As you wait for it to boil, drain the water from the vermicelli. Shred the cabbage and pechay baguio. Cut into julienne the carrot. Diagonally slice thinly the green beans.

Back to the wok, by this time, it should be boiling. Put the vermicelli and rice noodles. Mix. Lower heat to medium-low. Stirring and tossing while it cooks. When the two-thirds of liquid has evaporated, put all the vegetables and pounded pork cracklings. Continue cooking, tossing until there's no more liquid.

Preferably serve hot and squeeze Philippine lemon on top.

"Arroz Caldo" (Chicken Congee)

Ingredients:

• 400 grams uncooked glutinous rice (malagkit)
• 8 cups water
• 3 tbsps cooking oil
• 8 cloves garlic
• 50 grams ginger
  
• 2 large (100 grams) red onion
  
• 2 pcs (650 grams) chicken thigh & leg part
  
• 250 grams chicken liver & gizzard
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 10 cups hot water
• 2 pcs chicken cubes
• 1 tsp iodized coarse salt
• 3 leaves pandan, tied in a knot
• 1 heaping tsp of wild saffron (kasubha)
• 6-8 pcs or more shelled hard-boiled chicken eggs

Procedure:

In a medium thick bottom casserole, put the uncooked glutinous rice. Wash twice. Drain well. Put water. Cover. Place over medium high fire. Bring to boil. Then, decrease fire to very low. Cook with lid on for 15 minutes. Mix well. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat the casserole. Set aside until needed.

Meanwhile, pound finely the garlic. Slice the ginger into julienne. Cut in half the onion, then, slice thinly. Cut into very small pieces the chicken. Cut into two each chicken gizzard & liver.

In pan, place over medium-high heat. Put oil, garlic and ginger. Saute until garlic is rich golden brown. Follow with onion. Saute until translucent. Put the chicken, liver, gizzard, black pepper and fish sauce. Stir-fry until very aromatic.

Add the cooked glutinous rice, hot water, chicken cubes, salt and pandan leaves. Mix well. Cover. Bring to boil. Stirring often.

Sprinkle the wild saffron on top. Mix. Cook for another minute.

Serve hot. Drizzle with Philippine lemon juice (kalamansi) and fish sauce (patis). For more enticing taste, top with toasted garlic and minced spring onion. You can also add hard-boiled eggs.