Fish Cracker

I've learned to eat foodies like this from my Mom. She loves "kutkutin", that's what she calls the food that you have to eat one by one and very slowly but very addictive. It seems you can't have enough. A traditionally Filipino style junk food. I guess, it's not really junk because it is made out of fish, flour and egg. Best dip in garlic-vinegar. I haven't been able to cook this but I love buying them. They are usually sold inside the bus and small stalls in terminals. But my Mom is a suki of a vendor who sells fish cracker that she drops by our house monthly to sell this to us.

"Hearty Waffle Sandwich"

Here is the recipe.

Chamy

My merienda today. I've been craving for something which I don't really know. I've been like this for several days now. The husband wanted Pancit Malabon and Putong-puti. I called Aling Lucy's Panciteria. While I was ordering over the phone, I realized the Panciteria is also serving Chamy. It's like Pancit Lomi but has much bigger noodles. It is cooked dry, like Pancit Bihon Guisado and not like the saucy Pancit Lomi we all know. It is particularly salty and a little maanta in taste which is best eaten with cooked rice, hehehe! Though, it is only my snack, I ate it with cooked rice.... yummy! I'm such rice person, simply can't resist it (",)

"Milky Avocado Recipe"

Avocados are in season again, this is one famous recipe here in our household using avocados. My mom used to make it when we were little kids, my brothers and I. Even H love this recipe. It's like soft ice cream with chunks in it.... yummy!!!



Good for 2-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 medium pcs avocado
• 3 tbsps white sugar
• 1 small can (158 ml) evaporated milk

Procedure:

Vertically open the avocado. Remove the seed. Scoop out the avocado meat using a spoon. Remove fibers if there's any. Mash it lightly, I like mine with some chunks of avocado. Add in the sugar and evaporated milk. Mix gently until well-incorporated.

Chill for a few hours before serving.

"Maja Blanca"

Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 cups coconut thin milk
• 2/3 cup cornstarch
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 can cream style corn
• 2 tbsps butter, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Procedure:

In a thick bottom casserole, combine the first-two ingredients. Mix until sugar dissolves. Place over medium-low fire. Stir continuously until it thickens. Remove from fire.

Add in the cream-style corn and butter. Bring back to the stove. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until very thick, should continue stirring to avoid sticking at the bottom of the pan.

Remove from heat. Drizzle with vanilla flavoring. Mix well. Pour in a molding container or several small containers. Sit at room temperature until it cools. Cover, then, put inside the refrigerator.

Serve cold.

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).

Nissin's Yakisoba Spicy Chicken & Coke Zero

Though, I'm not a softdrink-fanatic like most Filipinos are... but I 'm crazy about noodles. Definitely, these two make a great combo (",)

"Egg Drop Soup"

Ingredients:

• 4 cups rice wash or water
• 2 pcs pork cubes
• 2 tbsps cornstarch or tapioca starch, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
• 1 pc egg, beaten
• 18 pcs hard-boiled quail eggs, shelled
• 1 tbsp finely minced carrot
• 1 tbsp green peas
• 1 tbsp minced spring onion

Procedure:

In a casserole, put rice wash and pork cubes. Place over medium fire. Cover. Bring to boil. Pour gradually the cornstarch mixture, continue stirring. Cook for a minute or until desired thickness.

Remove pan from fire. Add the beaten egg into a thin stream (should continue stirring while doing this). Put the quail eggs, carrot and green peas. Bring back to stove, heat lightly, until sides bubbles. Mix.

Serve hot. Sprinkle spring onion on top.

Banana-que

that's my kiddo holding a stick of banana-que

A very well-known snack in the Philippines. A street food, made of ripe plantain bananas (saging na saba) rolled in brown sugar, deep fried in hot oil, then skewered in sticks.... yummy for a cheap price of 8 Philippine pesos per stick.

Kowloon House

jumbo pao

pork pao

sausage pao

sharksfin dimsum

"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.

"Easy Milky Eggy Macaroni Soup"

Ingredients:

• 9 cups of water
• 2 pcs chicken cubes
• 1 heaping tsp of iodized coarse salt
• chicken or pork bones (optional)
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 whole head of garlic, skin on
• 2 large (100 grams) onion, quartered
• 200 grams macaroni pasta
• 1/2 cup of finely minced carrot
• 24 pcs hard boiled quail eggs, shelled
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 2 tbsps margarine or butter

Procedure:

In a casserole, the first-seven ingredients. Cover. Place over high heat. Bring to boil. Put macaroni. Lower heat to medium, cook for 15 minutes.

Add the carrot, quail eggs and milk. Stir. Bring to a light bubble. Remove from fire. Put the margarine. Mix until margarine melts. Cover.

Serve hot.

Lola Lita's Homemade Bagoong & Indian Mangoes From Our Backyard

Our merienda. The mangoes are harvested from our own tree, in our backyard. It's brimming once again with fruits. Eating mangoes wouldn't be complete without "Bagoong" (Fermented Shrimp Paste). It is made by Lola Lita, whom I considered my second mom, specially for us. It's the only bagoong that my husband would eat beside my homemade bagoong.

Here's the recipe...

It is made from fresh tiny shrimps, wash and drained well.You should remove also the shells and tiny fishes in it. This is important, if you skip this step, your tiny shrimps would render a foul smell after sometime. Mix with a generous amount of salt. Leave it for 4-5 days in a container, should be properly covered to avoid the pesty flies diving into the mixture. Then, cooked in vinegar until all liquid has evaporated. Now, you should saute it, in tons of garlic and onion. Also with finger chilis and some brown sugar, for that extra sweet flavor and aroma.

"Chili Chorizo Fried Rice"

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsps sunflower oil
• 2 pcs eggs, beaten
  
• 3 cloves garlic, pounded & finely minced
• 1 large minced native onion
• 1 pc coarsely chopped Chinese chorizo
• 1 pc finger chili, seeded & chopped
• 1/2 pc red bell pepper
• 7 cups cold cooked rice, mash to separate cooked grains
• 1/2 tbsp iodized coarse salt
• 1 tbsp liquid seasoning
• a handful of chopped onion leeks

Procedure:

In a large wok, over medium-high fire, heat moderately. Put 1/3 of oil. Pour the beaten eggs. Fry until almost done. Remove from pan. Chop, then put on top of the mashed cooked rice.

Back to the wok, add the rest of oil and garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onion and chorizo. Saute for a minute. Add the chilis. Saute for 25 seconds.

Dump in the rice, chopped scrambled eggs, salt and liquid seasoning. Mix and toss well, using two wooden spatulas. Cover. Cook until rice is fluffy, stirring often. Remove from fire.

Sprinkle onion leeks. Toss again.

Serve immediately.

"Junkee Pasta"

Ingredients:

• 500 grams penne or any pasta you like
• 3 tbsps cubed butter + 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsps light olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely crushed & minced
• 2 large (100 grams) red onion, finely minced
• 200 grams honeycured bacon, chopped
• 2 pcs (200 grams) spicy hungarian sausage, chopped
• 2 pcs jumbo hotdog, chopped
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1 pouch (115 grams) pizza sauce, hot & spicy
• 1 pouch (250 grams) spaghetti sauce, sweet-style
• 2/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 pc (15 grams) red bell pepper, seeded & minced
• 1 can (10 oz) button mushroom, sliced thinly, reserve the mushroom liquid
• 1 pack (250 ml) all purpose cream

Procedure:

Cook pasta as directed in the package. Do not splash with tap water. Just strain. Place in a large bowl. Add 3 tbsps of cubed butter. Mix well. Set aside.

While cooking the pasta, prepare and cut the other ingredients.

In a wok, put oil. Place over medium-high fire. Heat lightly. Add 1 tbsp butter and garlic. Saute until very light brown only. Follow with onion. Saute until limp. Add bacon, hungarian sausage, hotdog, black pepper and dried oregano. Stir-fry for 6-8 minutes.

Pour in the pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce. Add the cheese, mushroom, mushroom liquid and bell pepper. Mix until well- blended. Cover. Bring to boil. Then, reduce fire to low, simmer for 5 minutes or until cheese is fully melted. Put the cream. Stir immediately. Bring to a light bubble. Dump in the buttered pasta. Toss until blended. Put in a platter.

Serve with bread.

"Molo Soup"

It yields 52 meatballs. Good for 13-18 servings.

Ingredients:

• 250 grams lean ground pork
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 medium (35 grams) red onion, finely minced
• 10-12 cups of chicken, pork or pasta broth or combination of
• salt
  
• 1 pack (40 pcs) wanton molo wrapper
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsps sunflower oil
• 1/4 cup spring onion

Procedure:

In a bowl, combine the first-three ingredients until well-blended. Form into a small ball, about 1/2" in diameter. Put at the center of the molo wrapper. Wet lightly the sides of the molo wrapper. Gather all the edges and seal, twisting carefully. Do the same to the rest. Slice into 1" strips the excess molo wrapper and segregate.

Meanwhile, bring to boil the broth. Pound the garlic. Mince the spring onion.

In a small pan, put oil. Heat lightly. Add the garlic. Saute slowly until rich golden brown. Set aside.

Back to the boiling broth, keep it in medium heat, drop 10 pcs of molo, one by one. Cover. Cook for 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked molos carefully. Set aside. Do the same to the rest, do this by batches and do not overcrowd the pan.

Adjust taste of the broth, sprinkle with salt if necessary. Put the excess molo wrapper. Mix. Cover. Cook for a minute. Put back the molos. Lid on. Reheat lightly. Remove from fire. Add the spring onion and toasted garlic with oil.

Serve hot.

"Fiesta Chorizo Fried Rice"

Good for 5-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 5 tbsps cooking oil
• 4 pcs eggs
• salt
• 5 cloves garlic, finely crushed
• 1 large red onion, finely minced
• 1 pc Chinese chorizo, finely minced
• 100 grams ground pork
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup Kuya Arcel's Ginataang Alamang
• 2 tbsps liquid seasoning or light soy sauce
• 1 pc finger chili, halved, seeded & sliced
• 1 big stalk leek, chopped
• 8 cups cooked rice
• 1/2 pc red bell pepper, seeded & minced finely
• 50 grams carrot, minced finely

Procedure:

In a bowl, break eggs. Put salt lightly. Beat until frothy.

In a large bowl, put cooked rice. Mash until grains separate. Add the last-two ingredients. Mix until well-blended. Set aside.

In a large wok, place over high fire, put 1/3 of oil. Heat thoroughly. Put half of the beaten eggs. Cook until done. Place on top of rice mixture.

Back to the wok, put the rest of the coking oil. Heat lightly. Add garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onion and chorizo. Cook for a minute. Put the ground pork, black pepper and ginataang alamang. Stir-fry until pork changes color and separates.

Dump in the rice mixture. Drizzle the liquid seasoning. Mix. Make a hole in the middle. Pour the rest of the beaten eggs. Mix immediately. Cover. Cook for several minutes or until rice is fluffly. Stirring very often.

When done, remove from fire. Sprinkle the leeks and finger chili. Toss until well-blended.

Serve hot.

Calamares... An Addictive Street Food Nowadays

It's been months now.... we're still going crazy about this food. Though, a few weeks back, it has been reported in the news that it contains formalin. But up until now it hasn't been proven true.... so, what the heck?!

We, Tin, my hubby and I, went out for a walk in our village and we had this for our merienda. Each of us had a full stomach after consuming 10 pcs of calamares and a large size plastic cup of sago't gulaman, for the price of 35 pesos per person only!!! Deliciously addictive yet very cheap.

"Tocino Decker Sandwich"

good for 2-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 pcs white bread
• egg sandwich spread (recipe here)
• 2 pcs Purefoods Pritong Pinoy tocino slices
• 2 pcs cheese slices
• prepared mustard
• catsup

Procedure:

Place a piece of bread on a plate. Generously spread with egg sandwich. Place another bread on top. Put the tocino and cheese. Squeeze mustard and catsup lightly. Cover with bread. Slice the bread criss-cross. Do the same to the rest.

Put inside a covered container. Refrigerate. Serve cold.