It's the 25th, Christmas Day!

For my Little One, the 25th of December is the most exciting day (pagkagising diretso na agad sa mga regalo niya, hindi na nga naghilamos eh!). Today, he's allowed to open all his gifts he received during the Christmas Season.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!!

DMS Kumon Center Christmas Party & 3rd Annual Recognition Day

It was their Annual Recognition Day, my Little One got a Bronze medal in Kumon, Reading subject. These pictures were taken yesterday. It was also their Christmas Party.

"Kid-Friendly Caldereta"

I've been wanting to cook this for several days now but I haven't had the main ingredient which is the neck bones or shoulder bones of pork or commonly called "buto-buto".

As you may wonder, why is the title kid-friendly? Well, caldereta is a spicy dish. This recipe is not but still has the rich yumminess of the dish. Caldereta is usually served as the main entree or "pulutan" in gatherings or special occasions among Filipinos.


Here's the recipe... good for 4-6 servings


You'll need:

• 4 tbsps of cooking oil
• 4 small (250 grams) potatoes, quartered
• 6-8 cloves finely crushed garlic
• 2 medium-sized red onion, chopped
• a kilo of pork neck or shoulder bones, cut up
• 1/2 tbsp ground black pepper
• 1-3/4 tbsps white vinegar
• 3 tbsps of soy sauce
• 2 cups water
• 1 pouch (115 grams) tomato sauce
• 1 large (50 grams) red bell pepper, seeded & cored, cut into large strips
• 3 tbsps grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 rock salt

Here's how:

Place a non-stick casserole over medium-high fire. Put half of the cooking oil. Heat slightly. Add the potatoes. Cook for 8 minutes or until sides ar lightly brown, stirring often. Remove potatoes. Set aside.

Back to the casserole, pour the rest of cooking oil. Add the garlic and onion. Saute until fragrant. Put pork and pepper. Saute until no longer pink.

Pour the vinegar. Do not mix. Bring to boil. Keep boiling for a minute or until vinegar is very fragrant. Pour the soy sauce, cook for 2 minutes. Add water, tomato sauce, red bell pepper and cheese. Cover. Bring to boil. Reduce fire to low, simmer for 30 minutes.

Increase fire to medium, add the potatoes and salt. Mix. Cover again. Cook for another 25 minutes in low fire.

Serve with warm cooked rice.

DLA's Christmas Party

These photos were taken earlier today. It's my Little One's Christmas Party in school.

Kenny Rogers Roasters

After doing our Christmas shopping, we ate at Kenny Rogers Roasters Restaurant for our dinner. It wasn't the first-time we dined there. We had our favorite (share na kami ng binata ko!), the Solo A combo meal: a quarter of spicy chicken, corn and carrot side-dish, choco chip muffin and rice topped with lots of gravy (",)

"Egg Sandwich"

Tomorrow is the last set of perodical tests for the 3rd Grading Period, Mathematics and Reading. My kiddo and I, we're eating egg sandwich while studying. One of his food favorites though allergic to egg c",) I think a little rash won't hurt him. I'll just medicate it with a skin ointment later. Definitely, eating his fave foods while reviewing for his exams inspires him more to study, it sets him on a very good mood!


For the recipe... good for 3 servings


You'll need:

• 2 pcs hard-boiled eggs, shelled
• fine salt
• ground white pepper
• 1 pouch (80ml) mayonnaise
• 6 pcs thick sliced white bread

Here's how:

In a bowl, mash finely the eggs using a fork. Sprinkle with a little salt and white pepper. Add the mayonnaise. Mix until blended.

Use this as filling for your white bread.

"Binalot-Style Chicken Adobo"

I wanted to cook "Kalderetang Buto-buto" for dinner but unfortunately I have only chicken in my freezer. Instead, I settled for adobo. I decided to do it Binalot style, with tomatoes and salted eggs.


Good for 3 servings


You'll need:

• 2 pcs chicken thigh attached with backbones, 650 grams, cut into 12 small pcs
• 1/2 head garlic, pounded finely and minced
• 1 very small red onion, minced
• 1-1/4 tsp of ground black pepper
• 3 tbsps soy sauce
• 2-1/3 tbsps native vinegar or white vinegar
• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 2 salted duck eggs, shelled
• 3 pcs semi-ripe tomatoes, chopped

Here's how:
In a non-stick pan, place the first-six ingredients. Do not mix. Cover. Place over medium-high fire. Bring to boil. (At this stage, do not open the cover until it is boiling. To avoid a foul sour taste in your adobo.) Mix until well-blended. Cover again. Reduce fire to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir again. Continue cooking slowly for another 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a serving bowl, mash the salted eggs. Add in the chopped tomatoes. Mix. Cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Remove the sauce. Place in a bowl. Leaving the chicken in the pan. Pour oil. Increase fire to medium. Saute for 40 seconds. Put back the sauce. Bring to boil. Keep boiling for roughly 10 seconds.

Serve with rice and bowl of chopped tomatoes and salted eggs.

"Sinigang na Bangus sa Miso" (Milkfish in Miso Soup)

What exactly is in that muddy looking paste stuff besides salt?

Different Japanese locales make hundreds of different kinds of miso; in Kyushu they eat a wheat miso, in Nagoya they eat a "beans only" miso. In Tokushima and most of the rest of the world, most people eat rice miso. The basic ingredients for this are soybean (daizu), malted rice (kouji), salt and water.

Even in miso's home country of Japan, the soybeans used in miso are imported either from China or the U.S. Most miso is produced in large factories, but it can also be made in small, artisan-style batches at home. Miso production basically involves three stages; the preparation of the soybeans, the malting of the rice and finally the fermentation of the combined ingredients. Heat is essential for each of these stages.
Beans are placed into a vat with water and left to stand for 24 hours. Once this is done the excess water is removed from the beans by steaming them for a couple of hours. While the beans are soaking, the grain, usually rice, is placed into a tank at a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius. Bacteria is added and the rice is left to malt for a day, then aerated to remove any unpleasant odors produced by the bacteria. Once the soybean and grain are prepared they are combined with salt and water to create a miso precursor. The resulting mix is deposited into huge plastic or wooden containers and then placed into heated rooms and left to ferment.

In a controlled indoor environment the fermentation process takes about one month to complete, giving off heat, gas and a liquid which was the original source of tamari soy sauce. Naturally, outdoor fermented miso, called daikan takes much longer to ferment and requires closer supervision. It is now a luxury product, more expensive than miso fermented indoors, generally acknowledged as being superior in quality; having a softer texture and a deeper, richer flavor. The taste varies according to the percentage of salt in the miso; this may be from as little as 2% up to 14%, ranging from sweet to spicy in taste and fine to coarse in texture.

Types of Miso:

• Akamiso - medium strength, made with barley or rice, also called sendai miso, inaka miso, red miso, aka miso
• Genmai miso - brown rice based
• Gozen - a mildly spicy taste, muddy brown color
• Hatche miso or Mame miso - aged up to 3 years, very pungent, dark brown
• Kogane - a slightly salty taste, a golden color
• Kokyujoaka - much coarser in texture with the rice visible, a reddish brown color
• Mugi miso - made from barley, sweeter with reddish brown color
• Shinsumiso - salty but mild, definite yellow color
• Shiromiso - sweet and mild taste, less salty, a whitish or light yellow color

For the recipe of "Sinigang na Bangus sa Miso". Good for 5 persons.


You'll need:

• 1/2 kg of milkfish, gutted & scaled, cut diagonally into 5 slices
• salt
• 4 tbsps of cooking oil
• 50 grams of ginger, cut into strips
• 1/2 head garlic, pounded finely
• 2 large red onion, sliced thinly
• 4 plump red tomatoes, sliced thinly
• a slice, about 150 grams miso (I used the light-colored miso, usually sold in Philippine wet markets)
• 3 tbsps of fish sauce (patis)
• 3 cups of rice wash or water
• 1 pouch of sinigang sa kamias powder
• 2 pcs finger chilis
• 1 medium raddish, cut at 1/2" thick diagonally
• a bunch of mustard leaves, cut at 1/2" length

Here's how:
In a bowl, combine the first-two ingredients. Mix. Stand for 5 minutes. In a non-stick pan, lightly fry both sides of fish. Remove from pan.

Meanwhile, prepare and slice the other ingredients.

Back to the pan, saute garlic and ginger until garlic is rich golden brown. Add the onion and tomatoes, cook until very limp. Pour the fish sauce, saute until very fragrant. Put the miso and mash carefully. Cook for 2 minutes, keep stirring, until blended.

Add the rice wash, fish, chilis, raddish and sinigang sa kamias powder. Stir gently. Cover. Bring to boil. Simmer in low fire for 10 minutes. Put the mustard leaves, cook until done.

Serve immediately while hot.

"Tortang Giniling" (Ground Pork Omelet)

Thinking of something to pair with "Ground Pork Omelet", I thought of this, Knorr Chicken Sopas. It's one of the instant soup that my kiddo and I love. We like it thick not like the usual soup that's watery.

For the recipe of "Ground Pork Omelet"....

This recipe yields 16 patties.


You'll need:

• 3 tbsps oil & some more for frying the patties
• 4 cloves garlic, pounded finely
• 1 large red onion, minced finely
• 450 grams lean ground pork
• 1 small potato, skinned & minced finely
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsps of soy sauce
• salt
• 4 tbsps flour
• 6 pcs eggs

Here's how:
In a skillet, heat oil over medium fire. Saute garlic in 3 tbsps of oil until rich golden brown. Add onion, cook until limp. Put the potato, saute for 5-6 minutes or until done.

Add the ground pork, pepper and soy sauce. Stir-fry until ground pork is no longer pink and all the liquid has evaporated. The sign for this, is the oil is sizzling again.

Place cooked mixture in a large bowl. Let it cool for 8-10 minutes. Break the eggs. Beat lightly. Sprinkle the flour and add some salt. Mix until blended.

Back to the pan, clean or wipe it with tissue. Add some cooking oil. Reheat over medium fire. Put 2 tbsps of cooked mixture in the pan, flatten a little making it round. Cook 3 patties per batch. Brown both sides. Drain in paper towels.

You can serve this with rice, tomato ketchup and soup like I did. Or as filling (palaman) for your hamburger buns, making a great snack (baon) for school.

"Paksiw na Bangus at Talong" (Milkfish and Eggplant Poached in Vinegar and Spices)

Milkfish is an important food fish in Southeast Asia. It is the sole living species in the family Chanidae, about seven extinct species in five additional genera have been reported. Scientific name is Chanos chanos. It has a generally symmetrical and streamlined appearance with a sizable forked caudal fin. They can grow to 1.7 m but are most often about 1 meter in length. They have no teeth and generally feed on algae and invertebrates.

They occur in the Indian Ocean and across the Pacific Ocean, tending to school around coasts and islands with reefs. The youngest larvae live at sea for 2–3 weeks, then migrate to mangrove swamps, estuaries and sometimes lakes returning to sea to mature sexually and reproduce. The larvae are collected from rivers and raised in ponds where they can be fed almost anything and grow very quickly, then are sold either fresh, frozen, canned, or smoked.

Milkfish is also a national symbol of the Philippines, where it is called "Bangus". Because milkfish is notorious for being much more bony compared to other food fish in the country, deboned milkfish or "boneless bangus" has become popular and common in stores and markets. The province Pangasinan, particularly in the town of Bonuan is the main source where one can buy the most delicious species of milkfish.


Good for 3 servings


You'll need:

• a large chunk of ginger, pounded finely
• 3 cloves of garlic, bruised lightly
• 1 pc finger chili
• 3 slices, about 350 grams of milkfish
• 1 small eggplant, quartered then cut at 2" length
• 1 tsp of whole peppercorns
• 1-1/2 tsp of rock salt
• 1/3 cup native white vinegar
• 2/3 cup water

Here's how:
Place at the bottom of a porcelain or stainless casserole 2/3 of the ginger, garlic and chili. Add the milkfish, eggplant, whole peppercorns, salt and the rest of the ginger.

Pour the vinegar and water. Do not mix. Cover. Place over medium fire, bring to boil. Swirl the casserole a little to mix the ingredients.

Reduce fire to low, then, simmer for 8 minutes.

I like this dish with garlic fried rice and fish sauce (patis) with crushed chili for your dip

Skinless Longganisa & Honeydew Melon

This was our lunch today, skinless longganisa and slices of melon. And some leftover soup and veggies from yesterday's "Sinigang na Bangus".

"Sinigang na Bangus" (Milkfish in Tamarind Broth)

After my kiddo's competition, I got sick, two weeks of off and on fever! No appetite plus I'm aching all over! My doctor thought I got dengue! Fortunately, my platelets were normal. It was just the flu season plus the stress I got because of my Little One's recent skating competition. Speaking of that, I'll post his pictures soon.

For the past week, I've been better. Now, I'm ready to update my blog again! Still, I'm not able to taste the food I eat but I still eat cause I want to get better! And do the stuff I usually do!

Good for 2 servings.


You'll need:

• 3 cups rice wash
• 1 plump red tomato
• 1 small native or red onion, quartered
• 550 grams milkfish (I used the head and tail only), gutted & scaled
  
• a teaspoon of rock salt
• 1/2 pack (small pouch) of tamarind soup base powder
• 1 finger chili
• 2 cups of swamp cabbage (leaves & tender stalks only)

Here's how:
Put the first-three ingredients in a casserole. Place over medium fire. Cover. Bring to boil. Cook for 5 minutes.

Mash the tomato carefully. Add the fish, salt, tamarind powder and chili. Cover again. Bring to boil. Simmer in low fire for 8-10 minutes.

Increase fire to medium-high, put the swamp cabbage. Cook until done.

Serve immediately while hot. Best with warm cooked rice and fish sauce (patis) for your dip.

"Ginisang Kalabasa at Sitaw na may Giniling" (Sauteed Squash and String Beans with Ground Pork)

After three days of eating in Mc Donald's-MOA (that's the only place my kiddo will eat rice & fried chicken, without me nagging!). I'd like to have a decent homemade meal... a combination of fried fish, veggies and pandan-flavored rice would really be great! (",)

Fyi, that three consecutive days were in SM-Mall of Asia. My Little One joined the ice skating competition, "SKATE MANILA 2006". I'll post his pictures very soon .....


You'll need:
3 tbsps of cooking oil
2 cloves of finely crushed garlic
1 medium of finely minced red onion
1 large of finely minced over ripe native tomato
¼ cup lean ground pork
2 tbsps fish sauce (patis)
1 slice-300 grams of squash, cored, peeled & cut into ¼” thick
6 long pcs of string beans, cut at 2” length
1-¼ cup water
¼ tsp white sugar


Here’s how:
In a pan, place over medium-high heat. Put oil. Sauté garlic until golden brown. Add onion & tomato, sauté until wilted. Put ground pork. Sauté until no longer pink. Add squash, stir-fry for a minute. Pour fish sauce, cook until very fragrant or until oil sizzles.

Add water. Cover. Bring to boil. Lower fire to medium, simmer until squash is half-cooked. Put string beans & sugar. Mix. Cover again. Cook until veggies are tender.

Serve with any fried fish and pandan-flavored rice.

"Porkchops in Mushroom Gravy Sauce"

I have this can of mushroom soup sitting in my pantry for awhile now... I'm wondering what to do with it. I came up with this recipe ..... easy to prepare dish but still tasty (",)


You'll need:
6 pcs (500g) pork chops
½ tsp iodized fine salt
¼ tsp black pepper powder
½ tsp granulated garlic
3 tbsps of cooking oil
2 pcs (100g) white onion
1 clove of garlic
¼ cup water
½ pc of pork boullion cube
1 tetra pk (250ml) fresh milk
1 can (10 oz) cream of mushroom soup
A good sprinkle of MAGGI savor liquid seasoning, hot chili flavor



Here's how:
Lay pork chops in a tray, single layer. Sprinkle the next-3 ingredients on both sides of pork chops. Let it stand for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, chop onion. Set aside. Bruise, remove skin and finely mince the garlic. Set aside.

Pan-fry porkchops in two batches. Remove from pan.

Back to the pan, sauté onion until it has a nice color brown. Add garlic, sauté for 20 seconds. Pour water. Add pork boullion, milk & cream of mushroom. Blend well. Return pork chops to the pan. Sprinkle savor. Mix well. Cover. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer for 25-30 minutes or until porkchops are tender.

Serve with "Buttered Corn & Carrot" and warm pandan-flavored rice.

Chopstick Bar and Restaurant

A Filipino-Chinese Bar-Restaurant, hang-out place for boys! or should I say men! (mga babaeng bading talaga kami....hanggang sa "por d boys" eh sumasama kami! eh kasi sinasama naman kami!) hehe (",)
Continue reading...

"Chicken Liver and Gizzard Stir-fry"

Chicken gizzard is found in the lower stomach of birds, this muscular pouch grinds the food, often with the aid of stones or grit swallowed for this purpose. The portion that actually does the work is in the center of the pouch and is usually removed before the gizzard reaches the market. Gizzards can be very tough unless cooked slowly with moist heat, such as braising or boiling. Or by my experience, you should sliced it thinly then use the chinese way of cooking, using high-heat (stir-fry).


You'll need:

• 300 grams of chicken liver & gizzard
• 1 tsp of granulated garlic
• ½ tsp of black pepper powder
• 1-½ tbsp of soy sauce
• 1 tsp of barbeque marinade or worcestershire sauce
• 3 tbsps of cooking oil
• 2 pcs of finely minced shallots
• 1 bundle (12 long pcs) string beans, cut at 2” length
• rock salt for mashing

Here's how::

Separate chicken liver from gizzard. Using the blade of a knife, scrape the yellow and slimy stuff from the gizzard. Wash. Mash with rock salt. Wash again. Drain well. Back to the liver, wash with running water. Drain well.

Cut the chicken gizzard into long thin strips. Cut into four the chicken liver.

In a plastic container, place the chicken liver and gizzard. Put the next-four ingredients. Mix well. Cover. Place inside the chiller for at least 4 hours or overnight.

In a non-stick skillet, place over medium-high heat (heat thoroughly but not smoking hot). Put shallots, sauté for 10 seconds. Add string beans. Stir. Cover. Reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 3 minutes or until half-tender.

Increase the heat to medium-high, place the marinated chicken liver and gizzard. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Cover. Put off heat. Let it sit on top of the electric stove for 2-3 minutes.

Serve with warm white cooked rice.

Tres Marias

An unforgettable evening (kasi inabutan kami ng ulan going to sir rene's bar ... as usual, wala kaming dalang payong! tapos hindi namin alam wala na pala yung bar dun! Nag-road trip din kami ... hehe!) with my friends, Tin and Riza, last November 4, 2006. Dinner at Maty's Tapsihan. Afterwards, coffee at starbucks.

more pictures....

Bebet's 10th Birthday

For Bebet's 10th Birthday, he wanted a hawaiian-flavored pizza... that's what i gave him for his special day. His mom cooked the ever-favorite pancit bihon. Lola bought lots of Coke. We celebrated a little. These photos were taken last November 4, 2006.

Tropang McDo

My first time to try the "Mc Rice Burger". I prefer the beef over chicken. It's much more tastier and cheaper too. A friendly reminder: it's messy to eat and the rice sticks to your teeth after eating (",)

continue reading ....

"Easy Green Salad"

For a quick breakfast, I made this ... until now I'm still craving for vegetables .... I mean, luscious green veggies (",).... very yummy!

You'll need:

• 1 small head iceberg lettuce
• a bunch of romaine lettuce
• 1 large plump tomato
• 1 can (432 grams) whole kernel corn, drain well (reserve corn stock for future use or chill, then drink)
• 1/4 cup cheese
• 1 medium carrot
• 3 pcs hard-boiled eggs, cubed
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup catsup

Here's how:

1. Wash all the veggies. Peel the carrot. Remove the top of tomato, then slice thinly.
2. Plunge in ice-cold water the iceberg and romaine lettuce. Let it sit for a minute. Drain very well using a colander. Set aside
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the last-two ingredients. Mix well. Cover. Refrigerate.
4. Back to the green veggies, make sure to wipe off excess water. Tear it into bite-size pieces.
5. In a large bowl place, put the green veggies, tomato, hard-boiled eggs and corn kernels. Grate on top the carrot and cheese. Mix well. Cover with cling wrap. Chill for a little while.
6. Top with dressing... toss lightly. Then, munch on it happily c",)

Good for 4-6 servings

"Nilagang Liempo at Manok"

Earlier today, this dish was our lunch. My kiddo and I liked our "Nilaga" this way ..... sweet and tangy! Because of the sweet potato (kamote) and chinese celery (kinchay).... great combination in soup! (",)

You’ll need:

• 350 grams pork belly cut into 2” cubes
• 4 pcs (350 g) chicken wings
• 6 cups rice wash or water
• 1 tsp rock salt
• 1 pc chicken cube
• 1 large native onion
• 3 pcs (300 g) sweet potato, whole
• 2 small (200 g) potato, cut into two
• 6 pcs ripe plantain bananas, cut into two
• A bunch (25 g) of chinese celery, seperate the stalks from the leaves
• 80 grams chinese cabbage, cut at 2’ length
• 80 grams green cabbage, cut into large wedges

Here’s how:

1. In a thick bottom casserole, over high heat, put the pork, chicken and rice wash. Cover. Bring to boil (remove scum as it arises). Put the next-five ingredients. Cover again and let it boil. Then, reduce fire to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.


2. Increase fire to medium, mash one piece of sweet potato, making sure it dissolves in the soup. Put the bananas and chinese celery stalks. Cover. Cook for another 8-10 minutes.


3. Put the chinese celery leaves, chinese cabbage and green cabbage. Cook until veggies are soft-crunchy.


4. Serve immediately. Best with warm rice and fish sauce with hot chili pepper.

Summer Skate Manila 2006

For all the GT Mommies who wanted to see the pictures of my kiddo... hehe (",) These photos were taken last summer, May 23-25 2006 at SM-Mall of Asia, Int'l Ice Skating Rink.

continue reading ....

Pao Express

I wasn't able to update my blog for over a week now. Too busy with my kiddo's skating lessons, make up tests in school, part-time chocolate business and doctor's appointments! whew! (",)

Yesterday, after school, we went to SM-Southmall for my Little One's ice skating lessons. It took only an hour but for my son it was grueling!!! The competition is getting near ... he needed the extra push! Before going home, we bought pasalubong for Lola. I decided to try "Pao Express" and their assorted mini-siopao (bola-bola, asado, monggo and ube). For me and my mother, the taste... hmmm......was okay nothing to rave about! Still, nothing beats Ma Mun Luk's special siopao!!! But my kiddo loved it! He preferred the asado flavor.

"Cheez Pimiento Crepe"

A different crepe but very easy to make .... yumyum!

Good for 3 servings.

You'll need:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pancake flour
• 1 tetra pack (250ml) fresh milk
• ¼ cup margarine or salted butter
• 3-5 tbsps of cheese pimiento spread

Here's how:

1. Place in an ovenproof bowl the butter. Put inside the oven toaster. Turn knob to 5. Bake until butter melts.


2. Heat a non-stick skillet at medium heat.


3. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add pancake flour and fresh milk. Blend. Add the melted butter. Whisk well until batter is smooth.


4. Pour ¼ cup of batter to skillet pan. When it bubbles, flip. Cook the other side for 30 seconds or until it browns. Remove from pan. Fold into to two while still hot. Do the same to the rest. It yields 9 crepes.


5. Place 3 crepes in a side plate (should be ovenproof). Top with a tablespoon or more of cheese pimiento spread. Do the same to the rest of the crepes. Warm crepes inside the oven until cheese melts.


6. Serve immediately.

"Fiesta Ham & Crab Stick Fried Rice"

A crab stick is an item of food made from surimi (processed fish). It is a tight roll of white fish meat formed into a rectangular shape about the dimensions of a finger. It is flavoured similar to crab with the outer part dyed in bright red color.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp of cooking oil
• 3 pcs eggs, beaten
• 1 tbsp extra light olive oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 5 cloves of finely minced garlic
• 2-3 pcs of finely minced shallots
• ¼ pc (10g) of finely minced chinese sausage
• 2 cups (250g) PUREFOODS fiesta ham, thin strips
• 8 pcs (125g) crabstick, cut at ½” thick
• ½ cup (100g) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed & drained
• 8 cups packed white cooked rice, mashed to separate grains
• 1 pack (23g) KIM’S fried rice seasoning mix
• 1 heaping tbsp of MAMA SITA’S oyster sauce
• ¾ tbsp MAGGI SAVOR liquid seasoning, hot chili flavor
• 1/3 cup (25g) spring onion, minced

Here’s how:

1. In a large non-stick wok, place over medium-high heat. Put cooking oil. Heat slightly. Pour beaten eggs. Continue stirring until half-cooked only. Remove from pan. Place over cooked rice.


2. Back to the wok, put extra light olive, sesame oil & garlic. Sauté until light brown only. Add shallots & chinese sausage, cook for 20 seconds.


3. Put ham, crabstick, frozen mixed veggies, cooked rice and eggs. Mix well.


4. Add seasoning mix, oyster sauce and liquid seasoning. Mix well. Cook until rice is fluffy, stirring very often. Remove from fire. Sprinkle with spring onions.


5. Serve hot.

“Adobong Baboy” (Pork in Savory Sauce)

This dish was Tito Jonathan’s baon last week. He was sailing back to Davao.

You’ll need:

• ½ kg pork belly, cut into ¾” cube
• 2-½ tbsps soy sauce
• 1-½ tbsp white vinegar
• ½ tsp of rock salt
• ½ tsp white sugar
• 6 cloves garlic, finely crushed with some skin
• 1 small native onion, finely minced
• 1 bay leaf (optional)
• 1 tsp freshly cracked peppercorns
• ½ tsp whole peppercorns
• 2-3 tbsps of cooking oil

Here’s how:

1. In a thick bottom casserole (use non –stick, if possible), put all ingredients except for the cooking oil. Cover. Over medium-high fire, bring to boil (Do not open cover until it is boiling or vinegar is fragrant). Then, reduce fire to low. Simmer for 30 minutes. Mix every 10 minutes.


2. Increase fire to medium, put oil. Stir-fry for about a minute.


3. Serve with hard-boiled eggs, chopped tomatoes & cooked white rice. This dish is also good for lunch baon.

“Laing” (Dried Taro Leaves in Coconut Cream)

For 2 weeks now, I still have cravings for vegetables. This time, I want it with coconut cream. I have a pack of dried taro leaves in my pantry for quite awhile now. A pasalubong from Bicol by my friend, Tin-tin. What’s so good about it, it’s an authentic dried taro leaves! No other extender and stalks. It’s aromatic and has a sweet-tangy taste along with the sauce-like coconut cream…. Yummy!

Good for 6 persons.

You’ll need:

• 450 grams pork belly, cut into 2”x ¼” cubes
• 1 tbsp of rock salt
• 3 tbsps cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• A thumb sized ginger
• 2 tbsps fish paste (bagoong isda)
• ½ pack -45 grams of dried authentic taro leaves
• 6 pcs finger chilis, cut diagonally
• 2 pcs chili pepper, minced
• Coconut cream (kakang-gata):
• 2 pcs (800 g) coconut, grated
• 1 cup warm water
• Coconut milk (pangalawang gata):
• Coconut used in extracting coconut cream
• 3-2/3 cups warm water

Here’s how:

1. Foremost, extract the coconut cream. Then, follow the coconut milk. Set aside separately.


2. In a bowl, combine the first-two ingredients. Mix well. Set aside. Meanwhile, pound together the garlic and ginger with a mortar and pestle until finely crushed.


3. In a pan, over high fire, put the cooking oil. Add marinated pork. Lightly fry both sides of pork. Remove from pan.


4. Back to the pan, reduce fire to medium-high, sauté the garlic and ginger until golden brown. Pour the fish paste. Saute until oil sizzles. Add the coconut milk and dried taro leaves. Stir lightly. Let it cook over low fire until all liquid evaporates or taro leaves are soft.


5. Put the coconut cream, chillies and fried pork. Mix lightly. Simmer in low fire until desired thickness of coconut cream.


6. Best serve with cooked rice.

Paniki (Bats)

Yesterday my mother's been talking about bats (paniki or kabog) in our backyard. She saw them flying around our Sugar-apple tree (puno ng atis). Out of curiosity, I waited for it and took pictures. It was around six in the evening (habang nag-aagaw ang dilim at liwanag!). I got a little scared not because of myths and stories about them but the fact that they may actually bite me! I've read somewhere that they do bite. I was in the dark in the middle of our backyard while I took pictures of them. They were only a few meters away and circling almost at the top of my head (",)