Daing na Bangus

Typhoon Ondoy (international name KETSANA) flooded Metro Manila
and towns along the Laguna Lake last Sept. 26, 2009. In a matter of
8 hours, its has rained non stop, equivalent to a month's supply
of rain. Until now, places along the lake are submerged in water
which experts say will go down only after 3 months.

See video on Typhoon Ondoy's damage


Bangus (milkfish, the national fish of the Philippines) is plentiful after
a strong typhoon due to the wrecked fishpens in Laguna lake. Sold for
only Php40 a kilo, in ordinary days it can reach up to Php 120 a kilo.


When bangus is cheap, we usually make Daing na Bangus at home.
Daing na Bangus is milkfish marinated in vinegar, lots of garlic, salt
and pepper. The longer it is marinated, the tastier it gets. Fry the
fish until crispy and served with achara or salted eggs and tomatoes.

Crispy Tofu

I must admit, I am not fond of Tokwa or Tofu. But I like this crispy
tofu recipe we got from Del Monte Kitchenomics.


Crispy Tofu

3/4 k tofu
4 egg whites
2 C japanese bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt

Dip
1/4 C white sugar
1/4 c mirin
6 TBSP Del Monte red cane vinegar
1/2 c light soy sauce
2/3 c water
2 stalks green onions chopped

Slice tofu into 1/4" thick rectangles. The recipe calls for 1/2"
thickness but I prefer it to be crispier so I sliced it thinner.
Beat egg whites with salt until soft peak stage. Dip tofu.
Dredge in bread crumbs and deep fry. Drain in paper towels.
Set aside

For the dip, simmer together the first 5 ingredients for 5 minutes.
Cool. Add green onions before serving the crispy tofu. I didn't have
green onions so I got some dill from our garden for presentation.

You can also use broiled eggplants instead of tofu.

ETAG Paksiw

I bought a kilo of ETAG (cured meat) during my trip in Sagada
last christmas. Half of it my sister Gay cooked with beans and
the other half we cooked as paksiw.

Etag costs Php180/kilo

ETAG PAKSIW

1/2 k ETAG, sliced into serving pieces
1/2 cup vinegar
1 medium onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp peppercorn, crushed
2 cups water
2 Tbsp white sugar
potatoes slices (optional)

Boil etag for about 30 minutes. Discard broth. Check etag if saltiness
is to your liking. If still too salty for you, boil again for 10 minutes
and discard broth.

In a saucepan, place etag, and the rest of the ingredients. Cook over
slow fire and let simmer until meat is tender and sauce is thick.

If paksiw is too salty for your taste, add slices of potato and simmer
until potato is cooked.

Serve hot with rice.

Boston Tsokolate Champorado

Champorado is a Filipino sweet chocolate porridge.
It is usually served in a bowl with swirls of evaporated milk on top
and a side dish of fried "tuyo" or dried fish.

My grandfather, Lolo Elias, prefers to use Boston brand cocoa powder
whenever he makes champorado for us. And I've developed a likeness to it.
For my instant hot choco, I use 2 sachets of cocoa powder and a
tablespoon of creamer and sugar.


To make champorado, wash 1/2 cup malagkit or glutinous rice and
drain. Cook malagkit with 3 cups water over low heat. Stir constantly
to avoid scorching. Simmer until malagkit is cooked (transparent).
Add 4 sachets of Boston cocoa powder and 1/2 cup sugar. Adjust taste
to your liking. Stir and cook for 3 more minutes.


I prefer my champorado serving with blotches of milk and a sprinkle of sugar on top.

Adobong Pusit

Pusit or squid is one of my favorite seafoods. It would be my choice
if I were to choose between shrimps or crabs. Cooked as adobo,
I usually mix the inky sauce with my rice to make "black rice".
As a kid, I like watching my teeth in the mirror, counting those
black stained teeth.

You will need:
1/2 k medium size squid
1 head garlic, peeled crushed
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste

Clean squid, removing the clear membrane inside. Remove also the
filmsy skin. In a pan, combine vinegar, water, half of garlic
and squid. Simmer until squid changes color and “shrinks”,
about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain, reserving the juice.

In the same pan, saute remaining garlic in cooking oil. Stir in squid.
Season with salt and pepper. Stir fry for about 4 to 5 minutes.
Pour in reserved juice. Simmer until juice is reduced.
Serve with steamed rice.

You can also saute this dish with tomatoes and onions like my mom would do.

February Harvest

papaya (carica papaya)

puso ng saging (banana heart/bud)


sayote (chayote)

gabi (taro)

coconut

Cooking with Tinapa

Tinapa(smoked fish)

Tinapa (smoked fish) is served with tomatoes in a Filipino home.
We usually have it at breakfast with fried rice. It is also cooked
with vegetables. One dish I love with tinapa is Ginataang Puso ng
Saging (Banana Heart/Bud in Coconut Milk).

Ginataang Puso ng Saging

1 big puso ng saging (banana heart/bud)
3-4 pcs tinapa
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/2 cup thin coconut milk
1/3 cup vinegar
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper

Remove all the red layers from puso ng saging until a yellowish core
is left. Sliced thinly and soaked in salted water (this is to prevent
darkening of the bud). Squeezed out water from the bud and place
in a saucepan. Add tinapa, thin coconut milk, vinegar, crushed garlic
and onions. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Add coconut
cream and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Serve hot.

Check out also my sister's Banana Heart Burger.

Travel Food

Got this great idea from my cousin during our Sagada trip. We decided to packed dinner for the 12hour bus ride. We had rice and pork adobo.

Cooked Adobo was mixed with rice and wrapped in foil

No need for spoon and fork

Unfold as you eat. No mess.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ning's Thai Noodle House

Last month, I had cravings for Thai food. I still do.
Come lunch time, I go to Ning's Thai Noodle House in Los Baños.

Pa-siu, chicken with nuts, pork krapao, poppia.
These are some of their specialties.
Tita Cora and her Ate Mila will cook them personally for you.
You can even watch them cook. Just don't forget to tell them how hot you want
your food: no chili, mild, hot or crying hot!

All time favorite, Pa-siu
(noodles sauteed in garlic and pork w/ peanuts and kangkong)

my favorite, chicken w/ nuts
chicken sauteed in garlic, onions, bell pepper and peanuts

Ning's Thai is located along Lopez Avenue, in front of the old Agrix building.
They are open from 11:00am to 9:00pm (Mondays - Saturdays) and
5:00pm to 10:00pm on Sundays. You can contact Tita Cora +63 919 3599263

Ampalaya

Dad recently planted ampalaya (bitter gourd) and we were witnessed to its growth.

He likes to cook ampalaya sauteed in black beans and beef