Hancock & Sunflower Seeds

Hancock is not the typical superhero story that's action packed. It's more about the character and his life with superhuman powers. Though, it had poor to average reviews. I kinda like the story because there's a twist that is different from the superhero movies I've watched before. Maybe it will have a sequel. The effects of the movie are great. Like always, Will Smith who plays John Hancock, is a hunk and co-star Charlize Theron who is one of my favorite actresses, is a knock-out! If you want to read the plot of the movie, just click here. By the way, as we are watching... my two boys munched happily with this sunflower seeds you see in the photo above. They both love seeds and nuts, that we call "kutkutin". This is what Wikipedia says about this yummy sunflower seeds.

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.

Maman's Baked Tahong

just before going into the oven

after being baked, isn't this yummy?!

Ingredients:

• 2 pcs grated matured coconut
• 2 kilos medium-size mussels (tahong)
• 12 oz clear soda
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• 3 tbsps cooking oil
• 3 lightly crushed garlic with skin on
• a large chunk of pounded ginger
• 3 cloves finely pounded & minced garlic
• 1 large (50 grams) finely minced red onion
• 3/4-1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 3 pcs finger chilis, seeded & finely minced
• 3/4 cup grated quickmelt cheese
• finely minced fresh parsley (optional)

Procedure:

Make the vendor extract the coconut cream for you where you bought your coconuts. They have this manual jack-pump that does the job. That means less work in the kitchen (",) I also, made them extract the coconut milk, in which I will use for my "Maja Blanca", that would be for my next post.

Back to the recipe, wash and clean the mussels. Remove the beards by pulling it out.

Put the mussels in the wok. Add the next-four ingredients. Lid on. Place over medium-high fire. Bring to boil. Let it cook for another 3-4 minutes or until all shells open up. Remove cooked mussels from the broth. Reserve and strain the mussel broth for your soup later. Disregard any mussel that didn't open. Lay on a baking sheet or porcelain plate (like I did!) half of the shell that has the mussel on it. Disregard the other half of the shell.

In a small non-stick pan, place over medium-high fire. Heat moderately. Put oil and garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion. Cook until soft. Add the white pepper and fish sauce. Cook for less than a minute or until fragrant. Pour in the pure coconut cream. Mix. Bring to boil. Then, decrease fire to low. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Stirring frequently to avoid sticking at the bottom of the pan.

Add the finger chilis. Mix. Cook for another 20 seconds. Remove from fire.

Pour a teaspoon of this cooked mixture over each mussel. Top with grated cheese. Sprinkle lightly with parsley if you have.

Bake at 475 fahrenheit until cheese melts and lightly brown.

Serve with steamed rice or crusty bread and don't forget the mussel broth. Reheat in the microwave before serving.

"Double Oyster Stir-fry"

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps corn oil or vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 250 grams fresh oyster mushrooms, strips
• 2 tbsps oyster sauce
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1-2 stalks spring onion, minced (green part only)
• a few drops of sesame oil

Procedure:

In a wok, heat moderately over medium fire. Put oil and garlic. Saute until aromatic only. Dump in the oyster mushrooms, oyster sauce and black pepper. Mix well. Cover. Cook for a minute or two.

Transfer in a platter. Sprinkle spring onion on top. Drizzle lightly with sesame oil. Serve hot.

"Pork Liver Stir-fry"

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely pounded
• 350 grams pork liver, slice into thin long strips
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 pcs (40 grams) Philippine lemon (kalamansi)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup cooking oil
• 2 large (100 grams) red onion
• 1 pc finger chili

Procedure:

Put the pork liver in a medium bowl, sprinkle the black pepper. Squeeze over the Philippine lemon, strain the seeds. Pour in the soy sauce. Mix well. Set aside.

Put the wok over medium-high fire. Put half of the cooking oil. Heat lightly. Gently toast the garlic until golden brown. Remove the garlic, retain the oil. Let the pan reheat until smoking hot.

Meanwhile, Seed the finger chili. Slice into julienne. Peel the onion. Cut into two, then, slice thinly.

By this time the wok should be smoking hot. Put immediately but carefully the pork liver with its marinade. Stir-fry until done, about a few minutes. Remove the pork liver.

Back to the wok, put the remaining oil. Add the onion and chili. Saute for a few seconds until half-done. Put back the pork liver. Stir-fry for a few seconds.

Place in a serving platter. Top with toasted garlic. Serve.

Cashew Nuts

While blogging on my hubby's laptop, I munch happily the roasted cashew nuts that Tin delivered us two days ago. My hubby, kiddo and I, even our doggie Luigi, we're crazy about these little thingy! You can call us cashew-addicts. It is so creamy and delicious, you can't seem to have enough of it!

Cashew nuts, like all nuts, are an excellent source of protein and fiber. They are rich in mono-unsaturated fat which may help protect the heart. Cashew nuts are also a good source of potassium, B vitamins and folate. They contain useful amounts of magnesium, phosphorous, selenium and copper. Like peanuts, cashew nuts are often salted. This added sodium content may contribute to increased blood pressure. So buy plain roasted cashew nuts like we do!!!

What Wikipedia says about the cashew nut...

The cashew is a tree in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The plant is native to northeastern Brazil, where it is called by its Portuguese name Caju, the fruit and Cajueiro , the tree. It is now widely grown in tropical climates.

It is a small evergreen tree growing to 10-12 m tall, with a short, often irregularly-shaped trunk. The leaves are spirally arranged, leathery textured, elliptic to obovate, 4 to 22 cm long and 2 to 15 cm broad, with a smooth margin. The flowers are produced in a panicle or corymb up to 26 cm long, each flower small, pale green at first then turning reddish, with five slender, acute petals 7 to 15 mm long.

What appears to be the fruit of the cashew tree is an oval or pear-shaped accessory fruit or false fruit that develops from the receptacle of the cashew flower. Called the cashew apple, better known in Central America as "marañón", it ripens into a yellow and/or red structure about 5–11 cm long.

The true fruit of the cashew tree is a kidney or boxing-glove shaped drupe that grows at the end of the pseudofruit. Actually, the drupe develops first on the tree and then the peduncle expands into the pseudofruit. Within the true fruit is a single seed, the cashew nut. Although a nut in the culinary sense, in the botanical sense the fruit of the cashew is a seed. The seed is surrounded by a double shell containing a caustic phenolic resin, cardiol, a potent skin irritant toxin also found in the related poison ivy. Some people are allergic to cashews, but cashews are a less frequent allergen than some nuts.

TJ T'que

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic, bruised & finely minced
• 2 medium (70 grams) red onion, finely minced
• 4 pcs TJ jumbo hotdog, sliced thinly
• 3 tbsps banana catsup
• 3 tbsps oyster sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 pc finger chili, seeded & minced

Procedure:

In a pan, over medium fire, add oil and garlic. Saute until light brown only. Put onion, saute for a minute. Follow with hotdog. Stir-fry for a minute or two. Decrease fire to low, put the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 3 minutes. Serve with 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.

"Maling with Oyster Sauce"

"Maling" is a famous brand of canned luncheon meat here in the Philippines.


Good for 4 servings


You'll need:

• 1 big can of Maling
• a tbsp of cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 medium (70 grams) red onion
• 1 large (50 grams) plump tomato
• 3 tbsps water
• 4 tbsps oyster sauce (I used Mama Sita's)
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp pepper flakes
• 1 pc of finger chili
• a few drops of sesame oil
• chopped spring onion (optional)

Here's how:

Slice the Maling, 1/4" thick. Pan-fry in oil. Set aside.

Meanwhile, Bruise, then, finely mince the garlic. Finely mince the onion and tomato. Remove the seeds of finger chili and finely mince.

When done frying. Slice the fried Maling into strips.

Back to the pan, use the same oil. Saute garlic until light golden color. Follow with onion and tomato. Cook until soft. Add the water, oyster sauce, pepper, fresh and dried chilis. Put back the Maling. Mix gently until sauce coats the Maling. Remove from fire. Drizzle with sesame oil lightly. If you have chopped spring onion, sprinkle some on top. I had none when I cooked this dish, as you can see in the picture.

Serve over cooked rice.

Buto ng Kalabasa (Pumpkin Seeds)

Wikipedia defines pumpkin seeds as....

The hulled or semi-hulled seeds of pumpkins can be roasted and eaten as a snack, similar to the sunflower seed. Pumpkin seeds can be prepared for eating by first separating them from the orange pumpkin flesh, then coating them in a generally salty sauce (Worcestershire sauce, for example), after which the seeds are distributed upon a baking sheet, and then cooked in an oven at a relatively low temperature for a long period of time.

Pumpkin seeds are a good source of iron, zinc, essential fatty acids, potassium, and magnesium. Pumpkin seeds may also promote prostate health since components in pumpkin seed oil appears to interrupt the triggering of prostate cell multiplication by testosterone and DHT.[1] Removing the white hull of the pumpkin seed reveals an edible, green-colored seed inside that is commonly referred to as a pepita in North and South America.

"All Natural Buko Juice","Pork Chop Bistek" & "Mojos"

"Mala-uhog" means very soft coconut meat, almost watery in consistency. That is the kind of coconut best with this recipe.

good for 3-6 servings
Ingredients:

buko juice:
2 pcs buko (*mala-uhog)
2-3 tsps white sugar

pork chop bistek:
4 tbsps soy sauce
5 pcs kalamansi
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
6 small pcs (650-700 grams) pork chops
1-2/3 cup of water
1 very large (230 grams) white onion, sliced & segregated
savor
cooking oil

mojos:
1 pc (200 grams) potato, thinly sliced with skin
fine salt & white pepper
1/2 cup or more of flour


Procedure:

In a large pitcher, place the buko juice and soft buko meat. Put sugar. Stir until blended. Freeze before serving.

Sprinkle the potato slices with salt & white pepper on both sides. Stand for a few minutes. Meanwhile, in a smal bowl, put the first-three ingredients for pork chops. Mix well. Put the pork chops in a tray. Pour the mixture. Turn several times, making sure to coat both sides of the pork. Set aside.

In a wok, place 1-1/2 tbsp of oil. Saute the onion. Drizzle lightly with savor. Cook until limp. Remove from pan.

Back to the pan, place another 2 tbsps of oil. While waiting for the oil to get hot. In a paper bag, put 1/2 cup of flour. Add the marinated potato slices. Shake. If potato slices are still wet, add a little more of flour until well-coated. Fry until golden brown. Drain in paper towels. Set aside.

Saute the garlic in the remaining oil until light brown only. Add in the pork, fry lightly on both sides. Pour the marinade and water. Cover. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low-medium fire, bubble away for 25 minutes.

Add the cooked onion. Mix well. Let it cook for another minute. Place in a platter. Decorate with fried potato on the sides.

Serve best with warm cooked rice & buko juice.

"Easy Caldereta"

Ingredients:

• 3/4 kg of pork spareribs or shoulder bones, cut up
• 6 cloves garlic, finely crushed with some skin
• 1 medium native onion, finely minced
• 1-1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
• 3 tbsps soy sauce
• 1-1/2 tbsps native or white vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 large potato, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1 small pouch (115 grams) tomato sauce
• 2 tbsps grated cheddar cheese
• 1-2 pcs red hot chili, minced (optional)
  

Procedure:

In a thick bottom casserole, place the first-six ingredients. Do not mix. Cover. Place over high-fire, bring to boil. Let it boil for a minute before removing the cover. Mix. Put back the lid on. Bubble away in low fire for 35 minutes.

Increase heat to high, put the rest of the ingredients. Mix very well. Cover. Bring to boil. Then, reduce heat. Let it simmer in low fire again for another 25-30 minutes.

Serve with warm cooked rice.

"Cheesedog with Green Onions"

Green onions are a variety of onion harvested immature before the bulb has formed. Both the green leaves and white bulbs are used raw or cooked for their mild but still pronounced onion flavor. They are also known as scallions or spring onions.


Good for 3 servings


You'll need:

• 3 tbsps of cooking oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3 pcs footlong cheesedog
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• a piece of finger chili (siling haba), seeded and minced finely
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsps oyster sauce
• 2-3 tbsps banana catsup
• a bunch (25 grams) of spring or green onion, minced

Here's how:

Slice the cheesedog at 1/2" thick at an angle, approximately 14 slices per cheesedog.

In a non-stick pan, heat over medium-high fire, put 1/2 of cooking oil. Fry lightly the slices of cheesedog. Drain in paper towels. Set aside.

Back to the pan, add the rest of the cooking oil. Saute garlic until fragrant. Put onion. Cook for a minute. Add the cheesedog, finger chili, black pepper, oyster sauce and banana catsup. Mix. Cover. Reduce fire to very low. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens a little. Remove from fire. Put in a serving platter. Sprinkle onions on top. Serve.

"Hotdog with Catsup"

I woke up late, I needed to cook something quick! It's almost lunch time. Well, I came up with this recipe again, very easy dish. You just basically dump and saute all the ingredients (",)


Good for 2-3 servings


You'll need:

• 1/4 cup of cooking oil
• a clove of garlic
• 1 pc (75 grams) white onion
• 3 pcs jumbo-size hotdog ( I used Purefoods tender juicy)
• 1/2 cup banana catsup
• 1/2 tsp rock salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Here's how:

Crush lightly the garlic, peel, then mince. Coarsely chop the onion. Cut the hotdog lengthwise, then, cut into 6 pieces at an angle (diagonal-cut).

Over medium-high fire, in a pan or skillet, moderately heat the oil. Put the hotdog. Saute for 10 seconds only. Place the hotdog on one side of the pan. Put the garlic. Saute until light brown. Add the onion. Stir. Cook the onion until transluscent. Pour the catsup. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Reduce fire to very low. Mix until well-blended. Simmer for 5-7 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Serve as rice topping or "pulutan".

"Inihaw na Bangus" (Grilled Milkfish)

My hubby requested this recipe but with the condition that he'll be the one grilling it. He agreed. This was our lunch. By the way, You can ask the fish vendor at the market to clean and cut the fish for you. Whatever cut you want, depending on how will you cook your fish.


Good for 4-6 servings


You'll need:

• 2 pcs (half a kilo each in weight) of milkfish, gutted, grill-cut or butterfly-cut
• 2 large (100 grams) red onion, minced
• 4-5 pcs (200 grams) tomatoes, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 tbsp of soy sauce
• wilted banana leaves (optional)

Here's how:

Wash the fish. Remove the blood that run along the side of its fishbone and the heart. Drain well. Sprinkle moderately with salt the flesh of the fish.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the onion and tomatoes. Add a little salt. Sprinkle with pepper. Put the soy sauce. Mix until well-blended.

Stuff the fish with the mixture. Wrap in banana leaves. Grill.

Serve with toyo-mansi dip and lots of rice (",)

"Nilagang Mani" (Boiled Peanuts)

A peanut is a common legume also known as a groundnut. It is eaten plain or roasted and sold in salted and unsalted varieties. It is used to make peanut butter and peanut oil.

You'll need:

• about 2 kilos of freshly picked peanuts
• water
• 2-3 tbsps rock salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Here's how:

Wash the peanuts several times under running water until all the dirt is gone.

In a large thick bottom casserole, put the peanuts. Add the salt and brown sugar. Level with water. Mix. Cover. Bring to boil. Then, decrease fire to low. Simmer for 35-45 minutes, depending on your desire tenderness. I like it soft but still a little crunchy (",)

"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.