Bibingka (Filipino Rice Cake)

Indeed, Christmas is in the air. Less than an hour here in UAE and it's officially the Christmas month. Whew, I really miss everything about Christmas in the Philippines. The food, decorations, shopping, and the spirit of the season, when everyone seems to be smiling and greeting each other. Speaking of food, I could say that it's no Filipino Christmas without bibingka, especially during the simbang gabi.

There are different kinds of bibingka in Philippines but the most available bibingka and is common during Christmas is made of galapong or a glutinous rice soaked in water, usually overnight, then finely ground with water in a blender or natively using stone blender to form a batter. It is baked on a clay pot lined with banana leaf, with live coal on top and underneath. I personally love it with butter, cheese and salted eggs on top, served with hot salabat (ginger tea) for beverage.

OK, confirmed, I uberly missin' Christmas at home! =( Thanks to my honey for somehow relieving my Chiristmas tantrum with this mini bibingka from Filipino bakery here in Abu Dhabi.

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Sweet and Sour Meatballs

From lumpia, to siomai, to tortang giniling and ended-up to sweet and sour meatballs. I don't know if it's an advantage or disadvantage to have a ground beef stock in my fridge. My husband can't decide what recipe he would like for dinner. Yes, I am in-charge of the cooking and it is a bit difficult to set my mind on a specific recipe to cook if the one in-charge of deciding is quite pickle-minded.

Any how, my husband decided to have sweet and sour meatballs earlier today, but when we came home from work, he still asked me, "What's for dinner?".... =( Well I really don't know of he really hadn't decided for what am I going to cook to he just had a slight memory gap =D

So, to finalized I just stick to sweet and sour meatballs since I've already bought ingredients for it.... Yeah, no more suggestions, here we go....

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Kg Ground Beef
• 1/2 cup minced onion + 1 medium onion chopped
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 + 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 + 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup carrots sliced diagonally
• 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
• 1 medium green bell pepper - sliced into strips
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 tablespoon vinegar
• 4 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoon corn flour - diluted in warm water
• 1 cup water
• oil

Procedure:

1. Mix ground beef, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, minced onion and minced garlic.
2. Make balls of about 1 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter.
3. Heat oil in a low medium fire and fry meatballs for 7-10 minutes or until cook. Set aside.
4. Saute remaining garlic and onion.
5. Add carrots, pour water and vinegar.
6. Put sugar and season with salt and pepper.
7. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Put the tomato paste and pineapple chunks with syrup.
9. Put the meatballs and let it simmer for 7 minutes.
10. Add the bell pepper and the diluted flour. Mix well and let it simmer 'til the sauce thickens.
11. You can adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
12. Serve and enjoy!

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Birinhing Mais

Birinhing Mais or Ginisang Mais (Sauteed Corn) is one of my personal favorite, easy-to-cook recipe. I've tried to Google the recipe of this Birinhing Mais but I couldn't find anything in the web. So, like the usual, maybe this recipe was just originated in our kitchen during my childhood days.

I remember my grandmother cooking this dish, sometimes together with a similar dish of Ginulay na Mais (Filipino Native Corn Soup with Bitter melon leaves or Chilli leaves). So, we have two dishes of the same ingredients, one was dried version and the other was soup version. =D

Any how, since my husband and I were in a no rice diet for the past few days, I guess this dish is just great as an alternative for our dinner.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of Whole Corn Kernel
• 1/2 Kg pork - cut into half inch
• 2 tablespoon garlic - chopped
• 1 medium onion - chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

Procedure:

1. Boil pork until tender. Let the water evaporate until completely dry. Lower the heat and let the pork release its natural oil. Fry pork with its own fats.
2. Set aside the pork in the wok.
3. Saute garlic and onion.
4. Mix the sauteed garlic, onion and pork.
5. Season with fish sauce.
6. Put the corn. Let it cooked for 7-10 minutes.
7. Serve and enjoy.

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Simple Bulanglang / Dinengdeng

The easiest way for me to lose weight is thru vegetable soup diet. I've tried cabbage soup but I guess it is not for me. Especially with the kind of hectic lifestyle I have, cabbage soup can't keep my stamina going for the whole day. So, I've tried Pinoy's native style of cooking vegetable.

Some called it dinengdeng (Ilocano term) while some from Tagalog region called it bulanglang. Well, I don't see much difference with it since in general they are both boiled vegetables. It contains different kinds of vegetables, like squash, ampalaya (bitter melon), string beans, okra, tomatoes, eggplant, etc. Yes, you can include many different kinds of vegetables. It is always up to you =D

For this particular recipe I've cooked, I only made use of the vegetables that my husband and I usually eat. That is why I called it simple bulanglang/dinengdeng, because I only used few known vegies. So here's how it is =D

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Squash Cubes
• 1 Cup String Beans - cut for about 2 inches
• 2 tablespoon onion - chopped
• 1 big tomato - chopped
• 1 tablespoon bagoong (guisado)
• salt
• pepper
• 2 1/2 cups water

Procedure:

1. Heat water to boil.
2. Put onion, tomato and squash. Let it boil until squash is almost cooked.
3. Put string beans, bagoong and season with salt and pepper.
4. Let it boil until the string beans are cooked.
5. Serve and enjoy!

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Bulacan Sweet-Style Longganisa

Longganisa, longanisa, longganiza, longaniza??? Some even pronounced it langgonisa. He he he, including me =D. Well, however it should be spelled it will always meant to be Pinoy’s native sausage =D

There are many longganisa versions in the Philippines. One of the most famous was Longganisang Lucban. I haven’t tasted it yet but I guess it won’t be famous if it is not too good. I’ve tasted Pangasinan’s version of tasty, garlic flavoured longganisa which was unique because of the toothpicks in between each segment. 

Since I grew up in Bulacan, the most famous longganisa for me would be the ones sold in our public market in Bustos or Baliuag. It might not be famous within the country but it is surely the best for me.

I personally love the sweet-style longganisa. My Mom usually bought from her suking tindera (trusted seller) since bocha (double dead pigs) was very rampant in the market. I remember the oily, tasty and red meat and fats of our fried longganisa. A perfect breakfast to start my day….. Red meat and fats??? Yes, my Mom said it is red because of the salitre (meat preservatives).

Just recently, my Ninong came here in Abu Dhabi and as usual I have something from my parents. They send me my favourite sweet-style Longganisa from Bulacan. Out of curiosity, I immediately called my parents to ask, “Bakit hindi pula yung longganisa?”, my Dad laughed and answered, “Bawal na ang salitre, masama daw yun sabi ng Mommy mo.”

Well, my Mom really has a point there since salitre is known to be carcinogenic. But I can’t imagine my tocino not to be red. =(    I know it is possible though, but I don’t know, maybe I am just not used to it.

Any how, just sharin’ with you a photo of my Sweet-style Bulacan Longganisa without salitre =D

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Paksiw na Pata

I really missed eating lechon especially during special occasions in the Philippines. I remember when I was a kid; I used to eat holding my plate while standing in front of the table covered with banana leaves where the lechon was being chopped. It was like a whole lechon buffet table just for me. I was even collecting the juice of lechon dripping-off from the banana leaves and poured it over to my rice while enjoying the crispy pork skin, tasty meat and savoury sauce especially made by my Mom. A very BAD habit! A killer should I say. Ha ha ha.

Anyhow, the story of my lechon does not end there. It was even extended for two or three days more. How??? That is through the power of Paksiw recipe. Yes, it extended the life of roasted pork =D. What I personally love about lechon paksiw is that it creates flavourful new dish just by recycling left-over. Plus using the lechon sauce in the paksiw recipe can really burst-out a different and sumptuous dish that will surely be loved by anyone.

For this specific dish, I’ve boiled and oven roasted the sliced pork leg earlier so that it will have the lechon effect on my paksiw recipe. Plus I’ve added lechon sauce so it will somehow become the original paksiw recipe I’ve missed.

  

It doesn't look like the one I imagined since I don't have enough lechon sauce but it indeed tasted very good =D

Ingredients:
• 1.5 Kg Pork leg - sliced - boiled and oven roasted earlier
• 2 tablespoon garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoon onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 tbsp vinegar
• 3 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 cup Mang Tomas Lechon Sauce (optional)
• 1 tablespoon whole pepper corn
• 1 pack dried banana blossoms - soaked in water
• 3 pieces dried bay leaves
• 2 pcs star anise (optional)
• Salt
• 3 cups water

Procedure:

1.       Put the oven-roasted pork leg in a casserole.

2.       Pour water.

3.       Add the onion, garlic, whole pepper corn, anise and dried bay leaves.

4.       Put-in the soy sauce and vinegar.

5.       Season with salt.

6.       Cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes

7.       Remove the cover and continue boiling it for another 15-20 minutes.

8.       Add the brown sugar

9.       Put in the banana blossoms and simmer for 5 minutes

10.   Put the Mang Tomas Lechon Sauce. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

11.   Serve hot. Share and Enjoy!

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Tinolang Manok (New Version)

I have previously posted my version of tinola with atsuete which is actually optional for this specific recipe. Some of my readers actually found it weird. Well, I am not surprise because when I searched for tinola recipe online, I didn't found any recipe with atsuete at all. Atsuete isn't much for its flavoring, it works well for coloring the recipe which I personally find it look more tempting.

This new post is almost the same as my previous post, only that this version is a lot more simple and with my own video. Yes, I am trying to add more ways to easily teach you some of my recipes. I may not be able to video all my recipes but I will try my best to capture my cooking in action whenever I have enough time.

Ingredients:

•  ½ kg Chicken – cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoon garlic – chopped
• 2 tablespoon onion – chopped
• 2 tablespoon ginger – chopped
• 1 pc chilli
• 2 tablespoon fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• ½ teaspoon fine ground pepper
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups papaya cut into cubes
• Oil

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a wok.
2. Sauté ginger, garlic and onion.
3. Put the chilli cut into 3.
4. Put the chicken cuts.
5. Add fish sauce. Cover and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
6. Pour in the dissolved atsuete.
7. Add water.
8. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Put the papaya cubes. Cover and let the papaya be cooked.
10. Serve and enjoy!

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Spaghetti Meatballs

I guess my recipe list is really useful during long holidays. The fact that we are stuck here at home, we really made used of that list and it helped us to budget our grocery finances.

Our yesterday’s classic recipe was so easy and surely be loved by everyone. Spaghetti Meatballs may not a be a genuine Filipino style of cooking spaghetti in our kitchen, yet doing the sauce will surely justify that it is a real Filipino style sauce.

I always have ready stock of ingredients for this recipe. Since having such ingredients in the fridge can inspire me to do so many other easy recipes. So, let’s get busy!

Ingredients:

• ¼ kg ground beef
• 3 tablespoon garlic – minced
• 3 tablespoon onion – minced
• 1 + 1 + ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 + 1 teaspoon fine ground pepper
• 3 cups Filipino Style Del Monte tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 250 grams Spaghetti Pasta
• Oil
• water

Procedure:

1. Boil water with 1 teaspoon salt.
2. Put the pasta and let it cook until tender. Drain and set aside.
3. Mix ground beef, garlic, onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground pepper.
4. Make round balls from the beef mixture. About 1 ½ in diameter.
5. Heat oil and fry meat balls on a pan with medium high fire for about 5-7 minutes or until its golden brown. Once cook, pat dry on a paper towel. Set aside.
6. On a new sauce pan, heat the tomato sauce and season with sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground pepper. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Put in the meatballs  and simmer for another 3 minutes.
8. Put the meatball sauce on top of the pasta and serve.
9. Enjoy!

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Strawberry Jam-Filled Muffins

In preparation of our long week-end, I’ve listed some recipes that I might be in the mood to challenge myself. One of the first I’ve tried was an easy yet something new for me.
Muffins are simply like cupcakes when you look at it, but as per my few online researches from bloggers posts, some wrote that a muffin becomes a cupcake when there is frosting on it. Some wrote that cupcakes are smaller than muffins. Well, maybe. But it still doesn’t strongly clarify its difference to me. =(


Some of the best answers I’ve read were:  Cupcakes have finer-crumbs, delicate and sweet treat, while muffins are more dense and likely to have savory flavors or "healthy" stuff added; Another was, cupcake is small cake, the size of an individual portion, baked in a cup-shaped mold, while muffins are a small, cup-shaped quick bread, often sweetened. (cakespy.com)


Well, I am not really into its difference since I love them both. Any how I am after on how will I enjoy it. I am just sharing a bit of confusion I had while studying this recipe.


I’ve watch several tutorial videos in making muffins and I was so surprised how simple it is, that’s why I had a comparison of it and a cupcake. For this specific recipe, I’ve made used of a strawberry jam since it’s available in my fridge. Although you can always use any jam you want. =D

Ingredients:

• 1 and 3/4 cups Flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup butter- melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam

 Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (400F)
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. In another bowl, lightly beat eggs, milk, butter and vanilla.
4. Pour into the dry ingredients and the stir until moistened.
5. Spoon half batter to the muffin pan (with muffin paper cups) and make a well in  the middle of it using a spoon.
6. Add jam and spoon again batter on top.
7. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is slightly golden.
8. Best serve with tea or coffee =D
9. Enjoy!

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Sweet Potato Fritters

Sweet Potato Fritters is an inexpensive fairly healthy dish suitable for an appetizer or snack. I really didn't planned to cook this recipe but since I had an excess of 1 big sweet potato from my main recipe, I decided to be a little creative by doing fried potato with a twist.

This simple and very easy recipe will surely be loved by kids and kids-at-heart. Well, I don't know if my husband really enjoyed it or if he was just really hungry already waiting for our dinner. =D

Ingredients:

• 1 cup grated sweet potato
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 cup oil

Procedure:

1. In a bowl mix together sweet potato, sugar and flour.
2. In a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high fire, heat oil.
3. Put a tablespoon of sweet potato mixture into skillet. Make sure not to over-crowd it.
4. Flatten it with spoon.
5. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
6. Pat dry in a paper towel to remove excess oil.
7. Serve and enjoy!

  

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Braised Chicken Breast and Sauteed Bean Sprouts

It was a lazy yet healthy dinner we had last night. Since I've been pushing my husband for few days diet before EID (yes, very long holidays for us here in Middle East), he suggested to have sauteed bean sprouts for our last night's dinner. It is really a great recipe - easy to cook, healthy and affordable. However, because we were on a "No Rice Diet", my husband asked for a little favor. He wanted the sauteed bean sprouts with tofu, plus, just any meat for the main course. Well, OK then. I have chicken breast in my fridge and the easiest way to cook it is to have it braised. DONE, we had a our food within 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

For Braised Chicken Breast:

• 1/2 Kg Chicken Breast (2 pcs)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sweet soy sauce
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoon oil

For fried tofu:

• 2 cups of tofu cut into cubes
• 1 cup oil

For Sauteed Bean Sprout:

• 2 tablespoon garlic
• 3 tablespoon onion
• 3 tablespoon oil
• 3 cups bean sprouts - wash and drained
• 2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoon sweet soy sauce

  
Procedure: 

1. Marinate chicken breasts with lemon juice, salt, pepper, soy sauce and sweet soy sauce.
2. Heat oil in heavy, large saucepan over medium-high heat.
3. Add chicken breast pieces to hot oil. Set aside the marinating mixture.
4. Cook 3-5 minutes per side or until chicken is browned. 
5. Add the marinating mixture to saucepan. Bring to a boil until it thickens. Once cooked, set it aside.
6. In a new sauce pan, heat oil over high heat.
7. Deep fry the tofu until golden brown. Set aside.
8. In a new sauce pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Saute garlic and onion.
9. Add the bean sprouts.
10. Add fish sauce and pepper. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
11. Put in the fried tofu and 2 tablespoon sweet soy sauce.
12. Serve plate with chicken breast side-dished with sauteed bean sprout.
13. Enjoy =D

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Sauteed Sardines (Ginisang Sardinas)

Yes, it has been a long time since I've blogged about my recipes and food trippings. I have just been swamped with work. October was a busy month indeed. Any how, being off from my blog for few weeks didn’t hamper me from collecting recipes to post. I still took photos and note down my ingredients and procedures. I just couldn’t find enough time to post it here. Plus, the internet connection problem we had for several days now was really a disaster.

Excited on what will be my come-back post after my long blogging break? Well, so am I….

I have several recipes in queue but I’ve decided to start with a humble yet nutritious, delectable and budget-friendly recipe.

It is common for some Filipinos to connote that families serving sardines on dinning tables are poor. Well, I would say, maybe or maybe not. I don’t think it is logical to judge that way. Canned sardines were not made to distinguish our economic status, thus to give us a better option of food. Though, I was not raised from a rich or poor family, I’ve enjoyed eating canned sardines even if it’s freshly served from its can or sautéed.

More so, sardines are calcium-rich fish, high in protein and have no carb. So much about the intro, now let’s get busy! =D

Ingredients:

• 2 Cans of small or 1 large can of Sardines
• 1 Cup Bitter Melon Leaves (Dahon ng ampalaya)
• 1 Mediun onion sliced
• 5 Cloves of garlic chopped
• 2 Tbs. Fish sauce
• ½ Tsp. Ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs. oil
• 1 Cup of water

Procedure:

1.      Saute garlic and onion in a large pan with oil.

2.      Add the sardines, fish sauce pepper and water.

3.      Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.

4.      Mix in the bitter melon leaves and let it simmer for a minute.

5.      Serve with hot white rice.

6.      Enjoy!

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