Pasko Na!

God's love, peace and joy be with you always!

parol photo courtesy of profile.myspace.com

Buto Buto Nilaga

Nilaga means boiled. Buto buto means ribs. Combine both and you got a tasty and easy to make dish for cold nights.

Place pork spare ribs in a big pot and cover with enough
water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer
until pork is tender. Remove all the resulting scum that will
rise to the top of the pot. Add some ginger about 2 inch knob
and sliced onions. Seasoned with salt and pepper.
Add potatoes and continue to boil until potatoes are tender.
Add your choice of leafy vegetables like pechay, cabbage
and baguio beans. Serve hot.

Minanok na Manok

We saw a recipe of Minanok na Talong from the maiden issue of Foodie magazine and my sister thought it would sound better if the title is Minanok na Manok. Instead of using Talong (eggplant) we used Manok (chicken).

Dad's version is basically the same with the Chicken Adobo sa Gata
that I posted before. The only difference is the use of "burnt" coconut cream.

To get that "burnt" taste, pan-grill grated coconut till lightly browned. Squeezed out the coconut cream. Noticed that the sauce of this version is darker than the previous dish. And the taste has a smoky flavor.

Its A Wonderful Life

Finally i was able to get a copy of this movie. I have heard and read good reviews of this Christmas movie. A certified feel-good classic film!

Here's a sneak preview,

Espasol

Our neighbor Aling Emma sells native kakanin or delicacies. Espasol is one
of her best seller. I got this Espasol recipe from the Philippine Cookery and Household Hints by Herminia Villacorta-Alvarez.


Espasol
1 c malagkit, boiled
4 c rice flour, toasted until light brown
2 c sugar
anise seeds
1 c coconut milk
1-1/2 c toasted shredded coconut

* Place sugar, anise seeds and coconut milk in a saucepan;
let boil until thick.
* Add toasted shredded coconut and cook for 3 minutes.
* Add boiled malagkit, stir and cook until thick.
* Remove from fire and add 3 c toasted rice flour.
* Mix with a wooden spoon and pass through a corn-meal grinder.
* Divide into parts and roll 1" diameter using the rest of the rice flour for rolling.
* Wrap in wax paper.

Undas 2008

It was a wet All Saint's Day morning but Filipinos still troop to the cemeteries to pay respect to our dear departed. Fortunately the sun was cooperative in the late afternoon.

entrance to the Pila Public Cemetery

path leading to our family's niche


my family's dear departed


apartment-type niche

in remembrance of the victims of abortion


forgotten?

The day after.....

not so crowded anymore


garbage left behind after the celebration

clean up crew at work

Relova Memorial Park (beside the Pila Public Cemetery)
Unlike the public cemetery where it is crowded, there is enough space
here even for a picnic.

Every year we prepare candles to bring to the cemetery.

this year

last year's candles that we prepared

Birthday Fare

I had a simple birthday celebration last month.
My family and I had lunch in our garden.

Dad cooked my favorite Chicken Adobo sa Gata using native
chickens which he raised in our backyard. My sister Gay
cooked pork barbecue and Bam-i (noodles). She also surprised
me with Choco-Banana Crepe for dessert.

Here's my dad's Chicken Adobo sa Gata (chicken in coconut milk):



1 medium size chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 cup vinegar
1 head garlic, crushed
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 c coconut milk
1-1/2 c coco cream

Bring to a boil chicken with vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.
Add coconut milk and simmer until chicken is tender.
Add coco cream and cook until it turns oily.
Serve hot.


I am submitting this to Ning
of Heart and Hearth who is hosting
GYO's # 20 round up.

October Harvest

Rice

radish

kalamansi (key lime)

Durian

Papaya

Ginisang Kalabasa at Miki

I've been hearing of Presto Pasta Night from my sister Gay so I decided to try out this dish for the event. It uses squash and dried noodles (miking tuyo). This dish is common in my father's hometown Pila, Laguna.


Ginisang Kalabasa at Miki (Sauteed Squash w/ Noodles)

1/2 k kalabasa (squash),peeled and cut into 1/4" thick
100 gms miking tuyo (dried noodles)
1/4 C shrimps, chopped (you can use ground pork)
1 medium tomato, diced
1 medium onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbps soy sauce
3 Tbps cooking oil
1 C water
pepper to taste


Sauté garlic until golden brown. Add onion & tomato, sauté until wilted. Add shrimps, pepper and soy sauce. Add squash, stir-fry for a minute. Pour water and cook until squash is half-cooked. Put dried noodles. Simmer until squash and noodles are tender.

My first time to share this noodles dish with the Presto Pasta Nights community, hosted this week by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast.

Pork and Liver Bistek

Bistek is the Filipino style beefsteak. But don't expect to be served with a regular steak and mashed potatoes. This is cooked differently. Meat, Kalamansi or Lime juice, soy sauce and onions are the main ingredients. Our family favorite is the pork and liver bistek.

Pork and Liver Bistek
1/4 kilo Pork Tenderloin, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 kilo pork liver, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 pcs. kalamansi (key lime)
1/2 c. soy sauce
2 large red onions, sliced
1/2 C cooking oil for frying


Fry pork and liver until cook. Set Aside. In the same pan,
fry onions until tender. Add back the pork and liver
and cook for about 1 minute. Add soy sauce and simmer
for another minute. Add the juice of kalamansi
before turning off heat. Serve with rice. Enjoy.

Ginisang Pechay (Pak Choi) w/ Fried Tilapia

Dad picked some Pechay this morning and of course he wants to cook his favorite dish,

Ginisang Pechay with Fried Tilapia

1 medium size Tilapia, cleaned
1/2 k Pechay
1 medium size onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
oil for frying and sauteing
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c water, enough to cook the Pechay

Fry Tilapia and set aside. Saute e garlic and onion. Add water. When boiling, add pechay. Sprinkle salt and cover until Pechay is cooked. Serve on top of Fried Tilapia.

I am submitting this to my sister, Gay of A Scientist in the Kitchen for the Grow Your Own event which she is hosting from Oct 1-15. Check out the round-up on her blog after the 15th for a collection of homegrown tasty dishes.

September Harvest

rambutan, Nephelium lappaceum

Lansones, Lansium domesticdum

Paminta, Piper nigrum, pepper

Patola, Luffa acutangula, angled luffa, vegetable sponge

GawGaw (clothes starch)

I grew up having my clothes starched. I like the feel of crisp, clean clothes. I love to lie in my bed and smell the newly starched beddings.

Sometimes I help Mom use Gawgaw on some of our clothes and linen.

Mix 3 packs of Boston Gawgaw with a cup of water in a basin. Pour boiling water on the mixture, about 1-2 liters, until it changes from milky white to a transparent color and keep stirring it to avoid any lumps. Let cool.

Add water (2 liters for heavy solution, 4 liters for medium and 6 liters for a light solution). Dip clothes in the starch solution and dry under the sun.

Before ironing, sprinkle water on the clothes and roll up. Cover with a large piece of cloth for 30 minutes until evenly moistened.

Enjoy your starched clothes!

Mamang Taho

Everyday the Taho vendor would pass by our house around 8am. He has been selling Taho in our place for more than 5 years now. But I still don't know his name. I just call him Mamang Taho. He would always joke that I am already late for work when he sees me. I leave at 8am to get to Los Baños, Laguna where I work.

Yesterday, my sister and I bought some Taho. I like it with lots of Pearl Sago but not to sweet.

Paksiw na Isda (Fish in Vinegar Sauce)

Almost every week, we have Paksiw na Isda at home.

Dad and I like to have it for breakfast paired with Singangag (Fried Rice).
Dad cooks the Paksiw and I do the Sinangag.

Though Paksiw is easy to cook, It is not really my forte.

Oming's Paksiw na Isda

1/2 k white fish, we used Bisugo (red mullet)
1 medium size Onion
about 1/2 inch Ginger, sliced
4-5 T Vinegar
2-3 pcs Finger Chillies or Siling Haba
1/2 C Water
1 T oil
Salt and Peper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a pan, except the oil. Simmer until
fish is done. Add oil before turning off heat. Serve hot
with Sinangag.

Breakfast: Tortang Talong

One of my comfort food is Tortang Talong (Eggplant Omelette) with Dried Fish. I like having it for breakfast on a rainy day with Garlic Fried Rice and a cup of hot chocolate. Hmmmmm.
It's also easy to make.

Roast 3 medium size eggplants and peel.
Remove the stem. (Normally, the stem is not remove for easy handling).
Season with salt.
Beat 2 eggs in a separate bowl and add the eggplant.
Fry until done.

ChichaJo of 80 Breakfast likes Tortang Talong with some cold catsup.

Saba/ Plantain Banana : Ginang-gang

Was browsing MarketMan's site when i came across Grilled Saba Banana. Reminds me of my childhood. But we do it in a different way.
We call it Ginang-gang.

We first peel the saba and thread them on BBQ sticks.
Grill until done (light brown, not too charred).
Brush with lots of margarine (I used Star Margarine) and sprinkle with sugar.
Hay, sarap!

I tried using Anchor butter but margarine tastes better.