"Ginisang Upo Sa Giniling" (Bottlegourd Saute With Ground Pork)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps vegetable oil
• 3 cloves of finely minced garlic
• 1 large red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 1/3 cup (50 grams) of lean ground pork
• 1/2 tsp of cracked peppercorns
• 1-1/2 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
• 1 pc (1.15 kilo) bottlegourd (upo), slice at 1" x 1/8" cubes
• 1 sachet (8 grams) all-in-one seasoning granules
• 3/4 cup water

Procedure:

In a wok, heat over medium-high fire. Put oil and garlic. Saute until garlic is golden brown. Follow with onion. Cook until limp. Add ground pork, cracked peppercorns and fish sauce. Stir-fry until aromatic. Put the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Lid on. Cook until veggie is done but not overcook.

Serve with any fried meat or fish and steamed rice.

"Shrimpy Pinakbet"

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsps cooking oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 large (50 grams) red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 3 small (100 grams) over ripe red tomatoes, halved & sliced thinly
• 8 medium pcs (250 grams) shrimps, separate the body from the head & shelled
  
• 1/4 tsp cracked peppercorns
• 2 tbsps fish sauce
• 1 slice (350 grams) squash, peeled & sliced thinly
  
• 10 pcs okra, remove both ends & cut into two
  
• 6 long pcs long-yard beans, cut at 2" length
  
• 1 medium (150 grams) eggplant, cut into four & quartered vertically
  
• 1-1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp white sugar
• salt (optional)

Procedure:

In a wok, place over medium-high fire. Heat thoroughly but not smoking hot. Put garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onion & tomatoes. Cook and mash until very limp. Add the shrimps, cracked peppercorns and fish sauce. Stir-fry until aromatic.

Dump in all the veggies. Stir-fry in oil for about 2 minutes. Then, add water and sugar. Adjust taste. Cook until veggies are crisp-tender.

Serve with steamed rice.

"Ginisang Repolyo" (Cabbage Saute)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 3 cloves of finely pounded garlic
• 1 medium red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup of toasted pork fat
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 whole (425 grams) cabbage, shredded
• 1 sachet (8 grams) all-in-one seasoning granules
• 1/2 tsp cracked peppercorns
• 1/2 cup water

Procedure:

In a wok, place over medium-high fire. Put oil. Heat moderately. Add garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion. Saute until limp. Put the toasted pork fat, ground black pepper and fish sauce. Stir-fry. Cook until aromatic.

Dump in the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Lid on. Cook until cabbage is done but not overcook.

Best serve with steamed rice and any fried meat or fish.

"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.

"Guinataang Gulay" (Vegetables In Coconut Cream)

Ingredients:

• a slab (250 grams) pork belly , cut into an inch cubes
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• a cup of warm water
• 1 pc of grated matured coconut
• 450 grams squash
• 6 pcs of long yard beans
• 10 small pcs of okra
• 1 pc (150 grams) eggplant
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/8 cup of oil
• 3 cloves of finely pounded garlic
• 1 large (50 grams) red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 1 large (50 grams) over ripe tomato, halved & sliced thinly
• 1/4 tsp cracked peppercorns
• 1/8 cup of fish sauce (patis)
• 2 pcs finger chilis

Procedure:

In a small bowl, put the first-two ingredients. Mix well. Stand aside.

Combine the next-two ingredients in a bowl. Mash the coconut several times. Extract the coconut cream. Set aside.

Peel and cut squash into 1-1/2" cubes. Snap long yard beans at 2" length. Remove both ends of okra. Cut into two diagonally. Cut the eggplant into four, then, quarter vertically.

In a wok, put the marinated pork belly and water. Bring to boil over medium-high fire. Stirring often. Cook until liquid evaporates. Put half of the cooking oil. Lid on. Fry until lightly brown (Be careful, at this point, the oil will splatter tremendously. When stirring, remove pan from the heat.) Remove the pork. Retain oil. Set aside.

Put the rest of cooking oil. Add garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion and tomato. Cook until limp. Put fried pork, cracked peppercorns and fish sauce. Saute until aromatic.

Put the squash. Stir-fry for a minute. Pour n the coconut cream. Cover. Bring to boil. Add the long yard beans and okra. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Put the eggplant and chilis. Lower heat to medium. Cook until done but not over cook.

Serve with steamed rice.

"Pechay & Salmon Guisado"

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 3 cloves of finely minced garlic
• 1 medium (35 grams) red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 1 medium (35 grams) red ripe tomato, halved & sliced thinly
• 1 small can (7 oz/200 grams) pink salmon in water
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/4 tsp cracked peppercorns
• 325 grams Chinese white cabbage (pechay tagalog), sliced at 1/2" thick
• 1/2 tsp all-in-one seasoning
• 1/3 cup water

Procedure:

in a pan or wok, over medium-high fire. Put oil. Heat lightly. Add garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onion and tomato. Stir-fry and mash until limp. Put the pink salmon, reserve the water. Crumble lightly. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Saute for a minute.

Put the pechay tagalog, all-in-one seasoning, water and salmon water. Mix until blended. Cover. Cook for several minutes, until veggie is done but not overcook.

Serve with steamed rice and fried fish or fried meat.

"Ampalaya Con Sardinas"

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 medium (35 grams) red onion, peeled & finely minced
• 2 medium (70 Grams) red ripe tomatoes, finely minced
• 1 small can (155 grams) sardines in spicy tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp cracked peppercorns
• 1/2 piece (175 grams) bittermelon (ampalaya)
• 1/2 can water

Procedure:

In a kawali or pan, place over medium-high fire. Put oil. Heat lightly. Add garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until very soft. Put the rest of the ingredients. Crumble lightly the sardines. Mix. Lid on. Cook for several minutes or until bittermelon is done but not overcook.

Serve with steamed rice.

"Ginisang Pechay" (Chinese White Cabbage Saute)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 medium (35 grams) red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 1 large (50 grams) red ripe tomato, halved & sliced thinly
• 100 grams lean ground pork
• 1/4 tsp grpund black pepper
• 2 tbsps fish sauce
• 1/4 kilo Chinese white cabbage (pechay tagalog), sliced
• 1/2 cup of water

Procedure:

In a pan or kawali, heat oil over medium-high fire. Add garlic saute until golden brown. Follow with onion and tomato. Cook until limp. Put the ground pork, ground black pepper and fish sauce. Stir-fry until ground pork separates. Cook until aromatic or until all liquid evaporates.

Add the Chinese white cabbage and water. Mix. Cover. Cook until done, that's about a minute.

Serve with rice and fried fish.

"Ginisang Kalabasa & Sitaw Na May Baboy" (Sauteed Squash & String Beans With Pork)

Ingredients:

• 1 slab (225 grams) pork belly, diced
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tbsps vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 large red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 2 medium plump tomatoes, halved & thinly sliced
• 1/2 kilo squash, seeded, skinned & sliced thinly
• 5 long pcs string beans (sitaw), cut at 1-1/2" length
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  
• 1 sachet (8 grams) all-in-one seasoning
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 cup rice wash or water

Procedure:

In a wok, over medium-high fire, put the first-three ingredients. Stir. Cook until water has evaporated. Continue to cook until pork is lightly browned. Move to one side of pan. Add garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Cook until soft.

Put the squash, string beans, black pepper and all-in-one seasoning. Stir-fry for a minute. Then, pour the fish sauce. Cook until aromatic.

Add water. Mix. Cover. Bring to boil. Lower fire to medium-low. Cook until veggies are done.

"Ground Pork, Broccoli & Cabbage Stir-fry With Quail Eggs"

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsps corn oil or vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, bruised and minced
• 1 large red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 150 grams lean ground pork
• 1 sachet (8 grams) all-in-one-seasoning
• 1 head (225 grams) broccoli, cut into florets
• 350 grams cabbage, large chunks
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded & cut into thick strips
• 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded & cut into thick strips
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 12 pcs hard-boiled quail eggs, shelled
• 1-1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1-1/4 cup water

Procedure:

Combine in a small bowl the last three ingredients. Mix until free from lumps. Set aside.

In a wok, place over medium-high fire, heat moderately. Put oil and garlic. Saute until garlic is golden brown. Follow with onion. Cook until limp. Add ground pork and half of the all-in-one-seasoning. Stir-fry until pork is no longer pink.

Put the broccoli. Stir-fry for 15 seconds. Add the oyster sauce mixture. Stir. Dump in the rest of the vegetables and all-in-one seasoning. Also, the white pepper and quail eggs. Cook until veggies are crisp-tender. Do not overcook.

Serve hot.

"Pork, Broccoli, Cauliflower & Green Pepper Stir-fry With Quail Eggs"

Ingredients:

• 250 grams pork shoulder (kasim), slice into thin strips
• 1/4 ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 12 quail eggs
• water
• 4 tbsps sunflower oil
• 1 small head (220 grams) broccoli
• 1 small head (160 grams) cauliflower
• 1 medium green bell pepper
• 2 big cloves garlic
• 1 large red onion
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp all-in-one-seasoning

for the sauce:

• 2/3 cup water
• 3/4 tbsp flour
• 1/4 ground black pepper
• 3/4 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

Procedure:

Combine in a small bowl, the first-three ingredients. Mix well. Stand aside.

In a deep casserole, put the quail eggs. Level with water. Bring to boil over medium-high fire. Let boil for a minute. Sit in hot water until needed.

Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into florets, disregard the stem. Slice into thick strips the green pepper. Finely mince the garlic. Cut into half the onion and slice thinly.

Change the water several times inside the pan where the quail eggs are, until it cools down. Shell the quail eggs.

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Stir until free from lumps. Set aside.

Heat in medium-high fire a wok to smoking hot. Put 1/3 of oil. Stir-fry for a minute the broccoli, cauliflower and green pepper together. Remove from pan.

Add the rest of the oil. Saute garlic and onion together until garlic is fragrant not brown. Put the marinated pork. Stir-fry until it changes color. Put water and all-in-one-seasonng. Mix. Cover. Bring to boil. Then, decrease heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Increase fire to high, put the sauce, vegetables and shelled quail eggs. Stir-fry until sauce is a little thick. Do not overcook the veggies.

Serve with steamed rice.

"Ginisang Pechay At Tokwa" (Chinese White Cabbage & Bean Curd Stir-fry)

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsps vegetable oil
• 2 pcs (80 grams each) bean curd (tokwa)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, pounded finely
• 1 large (50 grams) red onion, halved & thinly sliced
• 1 large (50 grams) red ripe plump tomato, halved & thinly sliced
• 100 grams lean ground pork
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 275 grams Chinese white cabbage (petsay tagalog/ bok choy), cut at 1/2" thick
• 2 tbsps oyster sauce

Procedure:

In a wok, place over medium fire, heat thoroughly. Put oil, heat again ( never skip this step, it's a technique so that your bean curd will not stick to the pan while frying it).

Fry bean curd on both sides until golden brown. Set aside. Retain oil in the pan. Let the fried bean curd cool, then, cut into cubes.

Back to the pan, saute garlic until rich golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Saute and mash until soft. Add ground pork, pepper and fish sauce. Stir-fry until fragrant or until liquid evaporates.

Put the Chinese white cabbage, water and oyster sauce. Mix. Cover. Cook until veggie is done. Remove pan from fire. Add in the cubed bean curd. Mix.

Serve.

"Inihaw Na Liempo & Ensaladang Talong" (Grilled Pork belly & Grilled Eggplant Salad)

Ingredients:

for the meat:

• 2 slabs (500-600 grams) pork belly (liempo), each cut into three
• salt and pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, pounded & finely minced
• 2 pcs kalamansi
• liquid seasoning or light soy sauce

for the salad:

• 2 large (about 400 grams) eggplant
• 3 large (150 grams) semi-ripe red tomatoes
• a tbsp of finely minced red onion
• salt and pepper

for the dip:

• kalamansi
• soy sauce
• hot chili pepper (labuyo)

Procedure:

Grill the eggplant or broil for 20 minutes at 475 fahrenheit, like I did. Cool. Peel off the skin. Chop into cubes. Put in a container. Coarsely chop the tomatoes, place where the eggplant is. Sprinkle the onion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix. Cover. Let it sit in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, place the pork in a large bowl or tray. Sprinkle salt and pepper generously. Put the garlic evenly. Squeeze kalamansi on top, strain the seeds. Drizzle with liquid seasoning. Mix and mash thoroughly. Set aside.

Prepare the dip, squeeze kalamansi in a small bowl. Pour lightly with soy sauce. Add the hot chili pepper. Mash if you want it to be spicy.

Grill the pork until done. I grilled mine in a turbo broiler for 25-30 minutes at 350 fahrenheit. For easy eating, you can chop the pork before serving or serve it as it is.

Serve with lots of hot steaming white rice and the "ensaladang talong" that perfectly goes with it! (",)

"Amplaya Con Carne With Quail Eggs"

Ingredients:

• 24 pcs quail eggs
• 2 tsps iodized coarse salt
• water
• 250 grams lean ground pork
• 2 tbsps soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsps cooking oil
• 5 cloves garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onion, halved & thinly sliced
• 250 grams red ripe plump tomatoes, halved & thinly sliced
• 1-1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 cup rice wash or water
• 1 medium (350 grams) bittermelon (ampalaya)

Procedure:

In a deep sauce pan, put the first-two ingredients. Level with water. Place over medium-high fire, bring to boil. Let it boil for a minute. Remove from pan. Let it stand in hot water until needed.

In a bowl, Put the ground pork, soy sauce & half of ground black pepper. Mix well. Set aside.

Shell the quail eggs.

Cut the ampalaya vertically. Scoop out the seeds. Slice thinly & diagonally.

In a wok, heat over medium-high fire. Put oil, heat moderately. Saute garlic until golden brown. Follow with onion & tomatoes. Saute & mash until limp. Add the marinated ground pork and fish sauce. Stir-fry until pork separates and changes color.

Add rice wash and the rest of ground pepper. Cover. Bring to boil. Put the ampalaya and cooked quail eggs. Mix lightly. Cook until veggie is done.

Serve with rice.

"Squash and Pork Saute"

Ingredients:

• 1 slab (200-250 grams) pork belly, cubed
• 1/4 tsp + 1 tsp iodized rock salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely pounded
  
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onion, minced
  
• 1 kilo squash, cut into 1"x1/2"x1/4" cubes
• 1-1/4 cup rice wash or water
• 1 pc pork cube
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper

Procedure:

In a wok or pan, put pork, 1/4 tsp salt and water. Bring over medium-high fire. Let it boil until liquid dries up. Stirring often. Put half of cooking oil. Stir-fry pork until light brown. Move pork to one side of pan. Add the rest of cooking oil. Put garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion. Saute until limp.

Add squash. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Put rice wash, 1 tsp salt, pork cube and ground black pepper. Mix. Cover. Cook until squash is done. Stirring from time to time.

Best serve with fried fish and rice.

Meatballs & Vegetables In Oyster Sauce

The meatballs in my ingredients are the excess of the Lumpiang Shanghai (Meaty Spring Roll) mixture I was making earlier with Andeng for tomorrow's Media Noche (New Year's Eve) Celebration. Andeng is my hubby's cousin. She's staying with us until she gets her work visa and leaves for Bahrain. Here's the recipe.






Ingredients:

• cooking oil for frying
• 12 pcs meatballs
• 2 tbsps sunflower oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onion
• 2 medium (75 grams) red plump tomatoes
• 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsps oyster sauce
• 1/2 head (250 grams) cabbage
• 1 pc (100 grams) potato
• 1 small (80 grams) carrot
• 1 pc (30 grams) red bell pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

thickening agent:

• 1 tbsp tapioca starch or cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Procedure:

Fry the meatballs until golden brown. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cut the cabbage into chunks. Julienne the potato, carrot and red bell pepper. Cut into half the onion & tomatoes. Slice thinly. Finely pound the garlic. Combine the thickening agent in a small bowl. Mix well.

In a wok, place over medium-high fire. Heat moderately. Put the sunflower oil and garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Saute until soft. Pour the fish sauce. Saute and mash until aromatic.

Add water, oyster sauce, cabbage, potato, carrot, red bell pepper and black pepper. Pour the thickening agent. Mix well. Cover. Cook until veggies are done, about 4-5 minutes.

Serve with rice.

"Munggo Guisado" (Mung Bean Saute)

Ingredients:

• 350 grams mung bean (munggo)
• 5 cups of water
• 2-3 tbsps vegetable oil
• 5 cloves garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (70 grams) red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 2 large (100 grams) red plump tomatoes, halved & slice thinly
• 4 tbsps fish sauce
• 1-2/3 cup rice wash
• 50 grams pork cracklings (chicharon), this is optional
• a bunch of young moringa leaves (talbos ng malunggay)

Procedure:

In a heavy bottom casserole, put the mung bean. Wash twice. Drain well. Add the water. Cover. Place over medium-high fire. Bring to boil. Then, reduce fire to low. Cook until liquid is gone or until seeds burst. This will take probably 20 minutes or a little longer.

Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.

In a large wok, place over medium-high fire. Put oil. Heat lightly. Add garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Saute and mash until very limp. Pour in the fish sauce. Cook until it dries up or very fragrant.

By this time, The mung bean is ready. Mash it carefully.

Back to the wok, put the mashed mung bean and rice wash. Mix thoroughly. Cover. Bring to boil. Add the pork cracklings. Stir one more time. Put off the fire. Then, sprinkle the young moringa leaves on top. Cover until ready to serve.

This is usually served every Friday here in the Philippines. I dunno why, maybe because every Friday we should abstain from eating meat as the Catholic teachings say..... whatever! I'm a Catholic but a non-practicing one!

Here in our home, this is best with "Paksiw na Bangus" and tons of warm cooked rice. (though a veggie recipe, malamang... sira ang diet mo! ang sarap sa kanin, grabe! hehe!)

You can substitute bittermelon leaves (dahon ng ampalaya), if you don't have moringa leaves. Or if you are living abroad, spinach will do.

One more thing, To make your this dish really creamy and thick. The secret is cooking the mung bean like you are cooking rice, see step one. Just sharing one of my secret techniques in cooking.

Enjoy!!!

"Nilagang Manok Na May Malunggay"

Ingredients:

• 800 grams chicken, cut into small serving pcs
• 6 cups rice wash or water
• 2 tsps iodized coarse salt
• 1 pc chicken cube
• 1 whole head of garlic
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 3 small pcs (200 grams) potatoes, cut into two
• 1 slice (250 grams) squash, cut into large chunks, skin on
• 3 large pcs of ripe plantain bananas, cut into two
• a bunch of Chinese celery, cut at 1" length
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• a heaping handful of young moringa leaves (talbos ng malunggay)

Procedure:

In a casserole, put chicken and rice wash. Cover. Over medium-high heat. Bring to boil. Remove scum as it arises. Add salt, chicken cube, whole head of garlic and onion. Mix. Lid on. Bring to boil again. Then reduce fire to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add potatoes. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Increase fire to medium, put the squash, bananas, Chinese celery and peppercorns. Mix. Cover. Cook for another 6-8 minutes or until squash is done. Remove from fire. Sprinkle on top the young moringa leaves. Cover. Let it sit for a minute or two.

Serve hot.

"Pinakbet" (Low-Land Vegetables Stir-fry)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps oil
• 1 slab (200-250 grams) pork belly, cubed
• 1/2 tsp iodized coarse salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (70 grams) red onion, halved & thinly sliced
• 2 large (100 grams) red plump tomatoes, halved & thinly sliced
• 2 tbsps fish sauce
• 3 tbsps Ginataang Alamang (recipe here)
• 2 slices (750 grams) squash, cut into 2" cubed with the skin on
• 12 pcs string beans (sitaw)
• 1o small pcs okra
• 1-3/4 cup rice wash or water
• 1/2 tbsp white sugar
• 2 small pcs (180 grams) eggplant (talong), quartered & cut into 2" length

Procedure:

In a large wok, put the oil, pork, salt and pepper. Stir-fry until pork turns light brown in color. Be careful the oil will definitely splatter while you do this step. When done, remove from pan the pork. Retain the oil. Add the garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Saute until limp. Pour in the fish sauce. Cook until it dries up.

Put the ginataang alamang, squash, string beans and okra. Mix. Cover. Cook for 3 minutes.

Add rice wash. Mix well. Cover again. Cook for 5 minutes.

Lastly, sprinkle the sugar. Put the eggplant. Mix again. Lid on. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve with fried fish and freshly cooked rice.

"Kilawin na Puso ng Saging" (Sauteed Banana Heart in Vinegar, Pepper & Chilis)

Good for 6 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 tbsp annatto seeds (atchuete)
• 1/4 kg pork fat (tampalin), sliced into thick strips
• 1/2 tsp iodized coarse salt & some more for mashing
• 1/2 cup water
• 5 cloves garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (70 grams) red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 3 tbsps fish sauce
• 1 medium (400 grams) banana heart (puso ng saging), banana flowers not included
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• 1-1/4 cup rice wash
• 2 tbsps native white vinegar
• 2 pcs finger chilis

Procedure:

In a small bowl, combine the first-two ingredients. Let it sit until needed.

Half-filled with water a large bowl. Add generously with rock salt. Mix. Cut lengthwise the banana heart. Slice thinly. Plunge immediately in salt-water mixture. Add more salt. Using your two hands, mash until veggie feels soft. Drain in a colander. Wash in running water twice. Put back in the bowl. Level with water. Set aside.

In a wok, over medium-high fire, put the next-three ingredients. Stir-fry until pork fat becomes deep brown in color. Remove from pan. Also, remove the oil just retain about 2 tbsps of oil. Add garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion. Saute until limp. Pour the fish sauce. Cook until liquid evaporates or aromatic.

Add the banana heart, ground black pepper, dried pepper flakes and rice wash. Put the red food color (strain the annatto seeds). Mix. Cover. Bring to boil. Then reduce fire to low, cook for 8 minutes. Put the vinegar and chilis. Do not mix. Let it cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Toss the fried pork fat. Mix until well- blended.

Serve.