Pork Menudo

Estimated preparation & cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo pork (cut into small chunks)

• 1/4 kilo pork liver (cut into small cubes)

• 5 pieces chorizo Bilbao (also cut in small pieces)

• 4 potatoes (peeled, cut in small cubes, fried)

• 1 green and 1 red bell pepper (diced)

• 1 cup chickpeas

• 1/4 cup raisins

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1 cup pork or chicken stock

• 2 teaspoons of patis (fish sauce)

• 3 tablespoons oil

• 1 tablespoon atsuete oil (optional)

• 3 tomatoes (diced)

• 1 small head of garlic (minced)

• 1 medium size onion (diced)

Menudo Cooking Instructions:

• In a pan or wok, heat cooking oil and atsuete oil.

• Saute garlic, onion. Then add the pork, liver, chorizo de Bilabo, tomatoes, bell pepper, paprika, patis and the stock.

• Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the pork is tender.

• Add the chickpeas, potatoes and raisins. Boil of another 2 minutes.

• Salt and pepper to taste.

• Serve hot with white rice.

Source: http://www.filipinofoodrecipes.net/menudo.htm

Filipino Chicken Potato Salad

Estimated cooking & preparation time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo potatoes

• 1 big chicken breast

• 3 pieces medium sized carrots

• 500 ml mayonnaise

• 1 can (836 g) pineapple tidbits or chunks

• 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

• 1 cup cheddar cheese, diced (optional)

• 3 tablespoons of chopped spring onions (optional)

• Iodized salt to taste (pepper, optional)

Chicken Potato Salad Cooking Instructions:

• In a big pot, boil potatoes and carrots (covered with water) for about 15 to 20 minutes or until cracks on the potato skin appears. (tip: pierce a potato with a toothpick. If you can pierce it with little resistance and the toothpick comes out clean, the potatoes & carrots are cooked).

• Drain potatoes and carrots, let cool.

• Once cooled, the skin can be easily be pealed by hand.

• Dice the potatoes and carrots (about 1x1 cm)

• Boil the chicken breast in water with some salt. Let cool, then shred the chicken meat in 1 inch lengths

• Drain pineapple chunks or tidbits.

• Combine all ingredients (potatoes, chicken meat, pineapple, carrots, pickle relish, mayonnaise...) in a big bowl and salt to taste. You may add pepper if you wish.

• Refrigerate before serving.

Potato Salad Cooking Notes:

• You may add the optional ingredients (diced cheese, chopped onions, spring onions) or a handful of raisins for added flavour.

Source: http://www.filipinofoodrecipes.net/potato_salad.htm

Beef Mechado

Estimated cooking time: 1 hour

Mechado Ingredients:

• 1 kilo of beef cut into chunks

• 1/8 kilo of pork fat cut into strips

• 4 onions, peeled and quartered

• 5 medium potatoes, quartered (optional: fried)

• 1 medium sized carrot, sliced in 1/2" sections

• 2 red bell pepper, sliced

• 2 cups beef stock or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in water

• 3 bay leaves (laurel leaves)

• 1/4 -cup vinegar

• 2 cups tomato sauce or 1/2 cup tomato paste

• 1 cup soy sauce

• salt & pepper to taste

Mechado Cooking Instructions:

• Cut an incision on the beef chunks and insert a pork strip in the middle (mitsa)

• In a casserole, combine the beef (with the fat), tomato sauce, soy sauce, bay leaves and beef stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until the beef is almost tender

• Add the vinegar and let boil for a minute or two

• Add the potatoes, onions, carrot, and bell pepper

• Let simmer until potatoes and carrots are cooked - occasionally stir to thicken sauce

• Serve hot with white rice

Beef Mechado Cooking Tips:

• Pressure cook the beef with the beef stock for faster cooking time.

• Fry the potatoes before adding to the casserole.

• Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and stir when the mechado dish is almost done for added flavor.

Source: http://www.filipinofoodrecipes.net/mechado.htm

Beef Stew (Nilaga)

Estimated Cooking time: 1 to 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo beef, cut into 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" cubes

• 8 potatoes cut the same size as the beef

• 1 bundle Pechay (Bok choy) cut into 2 pieces

• 1 small cabbage, quartered

• 5 onions, diced

• 1 head garlic, minced

• 4 tablespoons of patis (fish sauce)

• 3 tablespoons of cooking oil

• 10 corns of black pepper

• 1 liter of water

• Salt and pepper to taste

Beef Stew Cooking Instructions:

• In a big casserole, heat oil and sauté the garlic and onions.

• Add water, the beef, black pepper and patis. Bring to a boil then simmer for 1 hour or until the beef is tender.

• Add the potatoes. Continue to simmer until potatoes are cooked.

• Add the cabbage then the pechay. Do not over cook the vegetables.

• Salt and pepper to taste.

• Serve steaming hot in a bowl and plain white rice.

Cooking Tips:

You can substitute the beef with chicken (chicken stew) or pork (pork stew) for variety.

Beef Morcon

Estimated cooking time: 2 to 3 hours.

Morcon Ingredients:

• 1 kilo beef, sliced 1/4 inch thick (3 pcs.)

• 1/4 kilo ground beef liver

• 200 grams sliced sausages or ham

• 200 grams pork fat (cut is strips)

• 3 hard boiled eggs, sliced

• 100 grams cheddar cheese in strips

• 100 grams grated cheddar cheese

• 2 onions, chopped

• 5 bay leaf (laurel)

• 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup vinegar

• 2 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups of water

• 2 meters thread or string (for tying)

Beef Morcon Cooking Instructions:

• Spread and stretch the sliced beef on your working table.

• Arrange the filling on the sliced beef: sausage strips, cheese strips, sliced eggs, pork fat and some ground liver.

• Roll the sliced beef with all the filling inside and secure with a thread or string.

• Repeat the procedure for the two remaining beef slices.

• On a pot, place the beef rolls and put the water, the remaining ground liver, grated cheese, chopped onions, bay leaves, ground black pepper and salt.

• Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for one hour.

• Add the vinegar and continue to simmer of another hour or until beef is tender.

• Slice the beef morcon, arrange on a platter and top with the sauce/ gravy poured on top.

Cooking Tips:

• A spoon or two of flour can be added to water to thicken the sauce.

• Instead of boiling in a pot, you can use a pressure cooker for faster cooking.

• Optional: Garnish with olives before serving.

Source:http://www.filipinofoodrecipes.net/morcon.htm

Pork Steak / Beef Steak Filipino Style

Estimated time to prepare and cook: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 kilo tender pork or beef steaks, sliced

• 1 tablespoon kalamansi or lemon juice

• 5 tablespoons soy sauce

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1 small piece ginger, crushed

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup onions, sliced in rings

• 4 tablespoons cooking oil

Pork / Beef Steak Cooking Instructions:

• Marinate the pork or beef steak in kalamansi (lemon) juice, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and pepper for 30 minutes.
• In a frying, add cooking oil. Add the marinated pork or beef steak and cook slow until done.
• Increase heat for a minute or two to brown steaks.
• Add the sliced onions and continue to cook for another minute.
• Serve on a platter including the oil and sauce.
• Best served with hot plain rice.

Source: http://www.filipinofoodrecipes.net/pork_steak.htm

Sweet and Sour Pork

Estimated cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo pork loin, sliced into pieces

• 1 small can pineapple chunks

• 1 large onion, quartered

• 1 red & 1 green bell peppers, sliced into strips

• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce

• 3 tablespoons of peanut oil

• 4 tablespoons of cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons of ketchup

• 1 tablespoon of sugar

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 3 cloves of minced garlic

Sweet and Sour Pork Cooking Instructions:

• In a pot, boil pork in 2 cups of water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt until tender, then drain (keep the pork stock for later).

• Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and soy sauce then coat the pork with the cornstarch mixture.

• Fry the pork in a skillet until golden brown, set aside.

• Dissolve the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch on 1/2 cup of pork stock - set aside.

• Sauté garlic and onions on oil, then add the bell peppers, pineapple chunks (including the syrup), ketchup, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the dissolved cornstarch. Stir until sauce thickens.

• Pour over fried pork then serve with rice.

Beef Kaldereta

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo beef, cut into chunks

• 1 big can (350g) liver spread or ground liver

• 5 onions, minced

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 6 tomatoes, sliced

• 1 cup tomato sauce

• 3 green peppers, diced

• 3 red peppers, diced

• 4 pieces hot chilli peppers, minced

• 3/4 cup grated cheese

• 2 cups beef stock or water

• 1/4 cup cooking or olive oil

Kaldereta Cooking Instructions:

• In a casserole, sauté: garlic and onions in oil. Then add tomatoes, red & green pepper and chilli peppers.

• Add in the beef, tomato sauce, liver spread and water or stock. Salt to taste and let simmer for at least 1 hour or until the beef is tender.

• Add cheese and olives (optional) and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens.

• Serve with plain rice

Cooking Tips:

• Instead of beef, goat's meat (kambing) can be used. If goat's meat is used, marinate the meat in vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper for at least 15 minutes.

• For a special kaldereta, do not use water or beef stock. Use an equivalent weight of onions to the beef (1 kg of onions : 1 kg of beef). The onions will serve as water to the dish.

Estimated cooking time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours



Source: http://www.filipinofoodrecipes.net/kaldereta.htm

Tinolang Manok (Chicken Ginger Stew)

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo whole chicken, cut into pieces.

• 1 small young papaya or sayote, cut into small pieces.

• 2 tablespoons ginger, crushed and slliced into strips

• 1/2 cup dahon ng sili (chili leaves) or mallunggay leaves

• 1 liter of water

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 red onion, diced

• 4 tablespoons oil

• 2 tablespoons patis (fish sauce)

Instructions:

• In a stock pot, heat oil and sauté garlic, onion and ginger.

• Add water and the chicken.

• Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is almost done.

• Season with patis

• Add papaya and continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until papaya softens but not overcooked.

• Add sili leaves then turn off the heat.

• Serve steaming hot on a bowl with plain rice on the side.

Estimated cooking time: 45 minutes

Source: http://www.filipinofoodrecipes.net/chickenstew.htm

Fish Balls

RAW MATERIALS :

fresh fish - any of the following species: kalaso, dalagang bukid, labahita, shark, bidbid, torsillo and bisugo

Ingredients: (for ½ kg fish meat):

2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp baking powder
½ cup iced water
¼ tsp monosodium glutamate (MSG), optional


UTENSILS:

stove, turner, trays,
casserole, colander, food processor/grinder,
frying pan (carajay), measuring cup, weighing scale,
knives, measuring spoon, plastic sealer,
chopping board, mixing bowl


PROCEDURE:

1. Wash fish, split into butterfly fillet and eviscerate. Wash and drain.
2. Separate fish meat from skin and bones and chop finely.
3. Add salt to fish and mix evenly. Gradually add flour, cornstarch, baking powder and MSG (optional) and mix well.
4. Add iced water and mix well until a thick homogenous paste is obtained.
5. Form into balls and allow to set in water for 2 hours.
6. Cook in boiling water. When balls float, they are already cooked.
7. Transfer fish balls in perforated trays or colander and cool to room temperature.
8. Pack the fish balls in polyethylene bags with weights of ¼ kg to 1 kg per pack.
9. Store the product in a chiller or freezer.

Sauce:

Ingredients:
¾ cup water
½ tbsp cornstarch
½ tbsp patis
½ tbsp flour
2 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp black pepper

Procedure:
Combine all the ingredients and cook in medium heat with constant stirring (5-10 minutes).


Source: http://pinoynegosyo.blogspot.com/2006/08/making-fish-balls.html

Tocino

How to make Tocino

Ingredients and Weight

Shoulder 1.0 kg
Salt 20 g
Sugar 80 g
Prague powder 4 g
MSG 4 g
Black Pepper 4 g
Phosphate 3 g
Water 100 ml

Procedure:

1. Slice the meat across the grain.
2. Dissolve all the ingredients.
3. Mix in the sliced meat thoroughly.
4. Cure in the chiller for 24 hours.
5. Package.


Source: http://pinoynegosyo.blogspot.com/2006/09/making-tocino-longanisa-and-sausage.html

Letchon Paksiw

Ingredients:

1/4 kilo Lechong Baboy
1 cup Mang Tomas Sarsa for lechon
1 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 medium onion
salt and pepper
sugar

Procedures:
1. In 1 casserole, put all ingredients.
2. Let it boil. Do not stir.
3. After 15 minutes, taste and add seasoning such as salt, pepper and sugar until you get the right sourness, sweetness and saltiness.
4. Serve while its hot.

Source: http://lutongpinoy.info/lechon-paksiw/

Steamed Tilapia

Steamed tilapia. I was surprised the first time I learned that steamed fish from Chinese restaurants are first pouched before steaming with the required ingredients. And at some instances they never actually steam the fish. I later learned that this is done for the following reason. First is to rid off or reduce the unpleasant fishiness and to significantly reduce the cooking time of the fish especially with large fish. My steamed tilapia uses the same poached/steam method, of course there are several method by the Chinese in steaming a fish including pouring hot oil over the steamed fish but that is reserved for future post. Here is a simple method of steaming a fish.



Ingredients:

2 medium size tilapia
2 thumb size ginger, cut into strips
1 small bundle spring onion, cut into 2” length
1 small bundle kinchay, Chinese parsley copped
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
toasted sesame seeds (optional)
1 tsp. sesame oil
salt

Cooking procedure:



Remove gills, scales and innards of fish. Trim fins, rinse and drain well. Slit/cut across diagonally at both side of each fish. Dust a thin coating of salt and rub evenly over the fish, including cavity. Poached the fish in a wok of boiling water for 3-5 minutes. When done carefully slide the fish in a colander to drain excess water. In a steaming bowl arrange half of the ginger, spring onion and Chinese parsley at the bottom. Now carefully slide over and arrange side by side the poached fish, add the remaining ginger, spring onion and Chinese parsley over the fish. Mix the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and toasted sesame seed if using and pour over the fish. Bring water in the steamer to a boil. Now place the steaming bowl with the fish in the steamer and steam over medium to high heat for 8-10 minutes. Remove from steamer and serve while still hot with a dipping sauce of soy sauce and kalamansi.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/2009/08/steamed-tilapia.html

Embutido

Embutido, Changes are most likely the embutido you bought at your favorite supermarket or even your office mate taste like bread or flour at times you won’t even recognize that embutido is supposed to be the Pinoy equivalent of meat loaf therefore should be made up of meat. The reason is commercial embutido are full of extenders to compensate for the high prize of meat and to make it affordable to everyone. Now I would like to share a recipe of a real meat embutido. If you have a steamer or can set up your ordinary pot as steamer, all you need is a rack that fit inside the pot, Making embutido is fairly easy, aside from steaming there is no other especial cooking technique. Enjoy…

Ingredients:

1 k. ground pork
4-6 slices sweet ham, finely chopped
1 small size carrot, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
3 pcs. big size egg, beaten
1 small size red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small size green bell pepper, finely chopped
3 pcs. hard-cooked eggs, quartered into wedges
5 pcs. regular hotdog, sliced into halves
1/2 c. sweet pickled relish
1/4 c. raisins, chopped
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp. soy sauce
salt and pepper

Cooking procedure:



Except the hard boiled eggs and hotdogs, in a big bowl combine all the ingredients and mix until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the mixture into five portions. Divide also hard boiled eggs and hotdogs into five portions.



Prepare five square pieces of aluminium foil and place on top of each other on a flat surface. Spread and flatten one portion of the mixture onto the center of each foil, Place one portion of egg wedges and hotdog slices at the center of each mixture and hand roll until the mixture covers the eggs and hotdogs. Now roll the aluminium foil into a tightly packed log about 2" in diameter, twist and seal both ends. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.



Arrange the embutido side by side in a steamer and steam for one hour. Let it cool, discard aluminium wrapper and slice into rings. Serve with ketchup or sweet chilly sauce.

Special Embutido

Special embutido. Embutido is one of the popular dishes that are prepared specially for the holiday season. I have made a post on embutido recipe a few months back but that version was influenced by the commercial versions that uses hotdog core fillings and aluminum foil wrapper. For my holiday celebration version, I am making an embutido as close, as authentic and comparable to the versions our grandparents used to make the original method of making embutido. For the wrapper I used sinsal or pork lard leaf as wrapper instead of aluminum foil. Sinsal is the original wrapper for embutido. For the sausage core filling, I used Vienna sausage it is the original core filling before the coming of hotdogs. For the steaming water, I have added little vinegar, lots of crushed garlic and bay leaf that resulted an adobo aroma that was infused in the steaming embutido. Embutido is supposed to be serve with banana ketchup, I prefer it steamed for me this is how embutido should be served.



Ingredients:

150 gram sinsal, leaf lard
1 1/2 kilo lean ground pork
2 cans Vienna sausage, chopped
1 pc. chorizo de bilbao, chopped
1 small size carrot, finely chopped
2 medium size red bell pepper, roasted and chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 small size onion, chopped
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup pickled relish
1/2 cup raisins, chopped
1/2 head garlic, chopped
4 pcs. big size egg, beaten
1 tbsp. ground black pepper
2 tbsp. salt

For core filling:

6 pcs. hard-cooked eggs, quartered into wedges
2 cans whole Vienna sausage

For steaming:

2 tbsp. vinegar
1 head garlic, crushed
3-5 pcs. bay leaf

Cooking procedure:



Wash and drain sinsal, divide into to make seven pieces of embutido and set aside. Divide also hard-boiled eggs and whole Vienna sausages into seven portions and set aside. In a big bowl combine all the ingredients and mix until well blended. Divide into seven portions and set aside. Spread out sinsal wrapper in a big plate. Spread and flatten one portion of the mixture onto the center of sinsal wrapper. Place one portion of egg wedges and Vienna sausages at the center of each mixture and hand roll until the mixture covers the eggs and sausages. Now roll the sinsal wrapper into a tightly packed log about 2 1/2” in diameter, seal both ends. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. Pour in 6 cups of water, vinegar, garlic and bay leaf in the steamer and let boil. Arrange the embutido side by side in the steamer and steam for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let it cool and slice into rings. Serve with banana ketchup.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Embutido

Chili Crab

Chili crab. I first have my chili crab experience when I was working in Singapore. It is one of the must have dish when ever your in Singapore. I wanted to cook this dish for some time. Today I finally both a kilo of live mud crabs, the size of the crabs are just right four pieces a kilo. Killing the crabs is fairly easy, while the claws are still tied up turn crab upside down and open the flaps under the belly. Stab with the tip of the knife across the middle. Here is how I cooked my chili crab Pinoy style.

Ingredients:



1 kilo alimango (mud crab)
1 thumb size ginger, finely chopped
2 medium size onion, chopped
1/2 head garlic, finely chopped
3-5 siling labuyo, chopped
3 cup tomato sauce
1 egg
3-5 stalk wansoy, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
cooking oil
salt

Cooking procedure:

Kill crab by stabbing across the belly with the tip of a knife. Separate the shell from the body with the claws and legs intact. Clean out all the guts and gills, rinse with water and cut it into half. Break the shells of the claws but keep intact. In a large wok, sauté garlic, ginger and onion. Add chopped siling labuyo and then add white wine, stir cook for a minute. Add crab pieces and stir for 2-3 minutes or until color start to change. Add tomato sauce and 2 cups of water, season with salt. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the crab is cooked. Lightly beat one egg and stir in to thicken the sauce, add chopped wansoy and cook for another minute. Serve hot.


Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Chilli%20Crab

Kinilaw na Dilis

Kinilaw na dilis. This is my version of kinilaw na dilis, it is not the usual kinilaw na dilis that was squeezed into unrecognizable white mass and overcooked with vinegar. Most likely, it tastes so sour that the natural sweetness of the fish is already lost. Okey, for my kinilaw na dilis I use vinegar only to wash and briefly marinate the fish and subsequently discarded or drain off. The anchovy fillets are then tossed with chopped ginger, onion and chili. Now just drizzle with kalamasi juice. The sweetness and crunchiness of the fish is retained. Try it, there is no doubt you will enjoy it if you love kinilaw.

Ingredients:



1/2 kilo dilis, anchovy
1 thumb size ginger, finely chopped
1 medium size onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup kalamansi juice
1-2 pcs. siling labuyo, chopped
vinegar
salt

Method:



To prepare, wash and drain anchovies, remove and discard bones, head and innards by curving out flesh on both side of the fish into fillet. Rinse fillets in running water and drain thoroughly. To make the kinilaw, wash anchovy fillets in a bath of vinegar and drain. Repeat this step this time let it marinate for 5-8 minutes and drain thoroughly, do not squeeze just lightly press to drain off excess vinegar. Place the anchovy fillet in a bowl, add all the other ingredients and toss mix. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator before serving.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Fish

Fish Sisig

Fish Sisig, Tilapia Sisig

Fish sisig, tilapia sisig. Here is a healthy alternative to the cholesterol laden pork sisig. For this version of sisig I have used tilapia but you can also use bangus of any other fish. When stir frying the fish sisig I would suggest that it is to be stir fried as quickly as possible and careful stirring to avoid disintegration of the fish flakes. It can be serve as is or serve in a sizzling plate toped with egg. On this post I will share a technique in serving sisig sizzling style with out using hot plates. This can be done with the use of a microwave oven. Place a serving of the sisig in a microwave safe plate, break a whole egg on top then cook in microwave at medium to high heat until the egg is just cook or until the egg white turn to opaque white in color. Just watch out that you will not overcook the egg, it should be just cook that the sisig can still be stir mix when serving. Here is how I did it, enjoy!

Ingredients:



2 kilo tilapia
1 small can liver spread
3 gloves garlic, chopped
4 medium size onion, chopped
3-5 pcs. green sili, chopped
1 pc. beef bouillon cube
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 c soy sauce
2 tbsp. liquid seasoning
3 pcs. bay leaf
salt and pepper
cooking oil
egg
kalamansi

Cooking procedure:




Remove gills and innards of tilapia and wash fish thoroughly, drain. Fry fish in a large frying pan until golden brown and skin is crispy, Drain on paper towels. Flake fried fish and discard bones. I a big wok stir-fry garlic until fragrant, add in flaked fish, liver spread onion, beef bullion diluted in 1/4 cup of water, vinegar, soy sauce, liquid seasoning and green sili, stir cook for 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir cook for another minute. Now turn off the stove. When ready to serve place one serving on a platter and top one whole egg. Cook in a microwave oven at medium to high heat until egg white turn to opaque white. Serve with kalamansi.


Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Fish

Chicken Adobo in Oyster Sauce

This version of adobo was once served by a friend, way back when I was still working in Singapore. It was a birthday dinner and was prepared by a common friend who is from the Visayas. The use of lemongrass is common in Visayan dishes. In fact it was from that dish that I learned and started using lemongrass on some of my adobo recipe. This adobo version uses also oysters sauce which further enhances the tangy flavor and rich sauce to the dish. If you want a little twist to your regular adobo then here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 kilo chicken, cut into serving pieces, bones intact
1/2 kilo chicken liver, cut in half
1 tsp. peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 stalk tanglad, lemongrass, crushed
1 thumb size ginger, sliced
1/2 head garlic, crushed
1/2 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
3 bay leaf
salt

Cooking procedure:



Wash thoroughly the chicken meat and liver. Keep aside liver and put chicken meat in a saucepan, pour in 3-4 cups of water, add in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, onion, ginger, peppercorns, lemongrass and bay leaf, bring to a boil and simmer in medium heat for 15-20 minutes, add more water as necessary. Add in chicken liver, oyster sauce and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until tender and sauce has reduce to about half, season with salt as required. Serve with a lot of rice.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Adobo

Paksiw na Bisugo

Paksiw na isda is usually topped with ampalaya and eggplant. The vegetables are supposed to be steam during the cooking of the fish. The juices from the vegetables are infused to the paksiw, which enhance the flavor of the fish, specially the bitterness of the ampalaya. I like to drizzle with some cooking oil to the dish to neutralize the sourness. I know many Pinoys are not so keen about paksiw na isda. However, there are more who really love their paksiw, just the though of the dish makes them droll including myself. The dish is usually served with patis and with kalamansi and a couple of cut siling labuyo and of course served with a lot of rice.

Ingredients:

1 kilo bisugo
1 medium size ampalaya, de-seeded, cut into wedges
2 medium size eggplant, cut into wedges
1/2 head garlic, crushed
1 thumb size ginger cut into thin slices
1 medium size onion, quartered
1/4 c. vinegar or 3 tbsp. sampalok sinigang mix
1 tbsp. whole black pepper
3 whole green sili
cooking oil
salt

Cooking procedure:



Remove gills and innards of bisugo. Using scissors cut fins and tails and wash fish thoroughly drain. In a casserole put garlic, onion and ginger at the bottom. Arrange fish side by side, add 1 cup of water and vinegar or sampalok sinigang mix. Put on top vegetable, green sili and black pepper. Season with salt and drizzle with cooking oil. Cover and simmer at heat for 8–12 minutes or until fish is cooked.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Paksiw%20na%20Isda

Pinoy Chicken Curry

Pinoy chicken curry. Curry is not a regular spice use in Pinoy cooking as against our neighboring countries in Asia. The only curry dish that has gain acceptance to most Filipinos is the popular Pinoy version of chicken curry. The curry powder used is just a fraction of the curry spice in an authentic Indian curry, a little more will make the dish very spicy and will not be acceptable to most. But with the right amount of this spice this chicken dish is unforgettable, I know from experience when ever I cook chicken curry surely it was always a hit.

Ingredients:

1 k. chicken
1/2 head garlic, chopped
2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2” strips
2 thumb size ginger, cut into strips
2 small size potato, quartered
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 small size carrot, cut into wedges
2-3 stalk celery, sliced diagonally
1 c. coconut milk, kakang gata
3 c. coconut milk
3 tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. chilli powder
1/4 c. patis
1/4 c. cornstarch
salt and pepper
cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

Cut chicken into serving pieces with the bones intact. Wash chicken thoroughly, drain. In a sauce pan stir fry chicken for 3-5 minutes or until color turn to golden brown. Remove from pan, set aside. In same sauce pan sauté garlic, onion and ginger add chicken, stir cook for 2-3 minutes, Add in patis, curry powder and chilli powder stir cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in 3 c. of coconut milk, simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add in potatoes and carrots, simmer for 5-10 minutes or until chicken, potatoes and carrots are cooked and tender. Add the 1 c. of coconut milk kakang gata and celery, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, thicken sauce with cornstarch dissolve in 1/2 c. of water, add bell pepper and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Serve hot with a lot of rice.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Curry

Tinowang Isda

Tinowang isda is the Visayan way of cooking fish with soup. Actually tinowa is the tinola in tagalog it just that the Cebuanos pronounce it that way. What ever it is these dish is really good, cooking is so simple the fish is boiled with ginger, onions, tomatoes and spring onions, season with salt. And you could add leafy vegetables, like malungay or kamote tops.

You could also choose any fish you like, but on this post I have chosen pomfret fish and kamote tops for the vegetables.

Ingredients:

1 k. pampano (1/4 k. a piece)
1 thumb size ginger, sliced
1 medium size onions, quartered
1 medium size tomato, quartered
2 stalks lemongrass
1 bundle kamote tops
1 bundle spring onions
salt

Cooking procedure:

Remove gills and innards of the pampano. Wash fish and slit diagonally across the middle. In a pot bring to a boil 1 1/2 liter of water, add in tanglad, ginger, onion and tomato, simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add in fish and continue to simmer for 3-5 minutes. Season with salt to taste Add in vegetables and spring onions cook, for another 3-5 minutes or until fish and vegetables are just cooked. Serve hot.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Tinowa

Tinowang

Tinowang Buntot nang Malasugi

Tinowang buntot ng malasugi. Yesterday I made a post on grilled bluemarlin tail, now here is the other half of that tail which I cooked as tinowa, a Visayan soup of boiled fish in lemongrass. I used the same recipe on my previous post of tinowa. (Click here). The firm tasty meat with soft thick skin and tail ligament of the tail was perfect for this fish soup dish. The essence of the dish is its simplicity, the true taste of the fish is enhanced only by the aroma of the lemongrass and leeks, and seasoned only with salt.

Ingredients:

1 kilo malasugi tail, cut to pieces
1 thumb size ginger, sliced
1 medium size onion, quartered
2 medium size tomato, quartered
2 stalks lemongrass
1 bundle leeks, cut into 2” length
salt

Cooking procedure:



Wash malasugi pieces keep aside. In a pot bring to a boil 8-10 c. of water, add in tanglad, ginger, onion and tomato, simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add in fish and continue to simmer for 3-5 minutes. Season with salt to taste Add in leeks and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until fish are just cooked. Serve hot.

Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Tinowa

Arroz Caldo

Arroz caldo is a Pinoy comfort food that is similar to congee or porridge. It is usually made up of glutinous rice and regular rice with chicken sautéed in ginger and garlic. To break the monotonous white color of the rice dilaw or kagasugba florets is added to give a yellowish tint to the thick rice soup. That is why kasugba the cheaper alternative to saffron, coined as dilaw that literally means yellow. I usually give the glutinous rice to regular rice ratio of 2:1. Pinoys enjoy Arroz caldo during breakfast and merienda. Arroz caldo is also a street food serve along side the equally popular street food goto.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo chicken, cut into serving pieces,
2 cup malagkit, glutinous rice,
1 cup regular rice
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1/2 head garlic, chopped, fried
1 medium size onion, chopped
2 thumb size ginger, cut into strips
1 small bundle kutsay, chives
or spring onion, chopped
1 cup patis, fish sauce
2 tbsp. dilaw, kasugba
salt and pepper
cooking oil
kalamansi



Cooking procedure:

Wash chicken and drain, keep aside. Wash glutinous rice and regular rice, keep aside. In large casserole sauté garlic, ginger and onion add in the chicken and fish sauce, stir cook for 3-5 minutes or until color changes to golden brown. Add in rice and stir cook for another 3-5 minutes. Now add enough water, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes or until rice start to disintegrate and form a thick rice soup add more water as necessary. Add in kasugba and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Garnish with kutsay, fried garlic and drizzle with kalamansi juice.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Arroz%20Caldo

Chupsuey

Chopsuey is a vegetable stirfry usually made up the cabbage, cauliflower, beans, and bell pepper. Other similar vegetables are also used like sayote, celery, carrots and mushroom. There is no exact measure or combination as long as it is the Baguio type of vegetables, for flavoring, strips of meat and/or seafood is added. Chopsuey is so popular that it is the typical accompaniment vegetables of most meat and seafood dish at fiestas or any other celebrations. It is also as popular in most Pinoy and even Chinese restaurants. Here is a the basic chopsuey recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup. pork, boiled, sliced thinly
1 cup. medium size shrimp, shelled
1 cup chicken thigh, boiled cut into pieces
1 can cooked quail egg
12 pcs. young corn, cut diagonally
20 pcs sitsaro, stringed
1 small size cauliflower, cut to pieces
1 medium size carrot, sliced thinly
1 small size cabbage, cut into wedges
1 small red bell pepper, cut into wedges
1 small green bell pepper, cut into wedges
1 stalk celery, separate leaves, stem sliced thinly
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1 medium size onion, chopped
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper
cooking oil

Cooking procedure:



In a wok sauté garlic and onion, add pork, chicken and shrimp, quickly stir cook for 2-3 minutes or until shrimps are cooked. Add in salt to taste, pepper, sugar, 2 cups of broth or water and bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add young corn, carrots, celery stalks and stir cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in sitsaro, cabbage, bell pepper, celery leaves and quail eggs, stir cook for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are cooked but firm. Correct seasoning, thicken sauce with cornstarch diluted in 1/4 cup of water cook for another minute or until sauce thickens. Serve immediately.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Chopsuey

Bam-e, Pansit Bisaya

Bam-e, Pansit Bisaya is basically the same as to other guinisa pansit except probably to some ingredients or spices akin to or available to local Visayas. This guinisang mixed pansit canton and sotanghon for some reason it is called bam-e that I myself also can not explain. Anyway bam-e is regularly cooked by the owners of the flat I am staying here in Abu Dhabi, they are from Cebu. Bam-e is a party dish, whenever someone’s birthday, wedding or any other celebration these dish is part of the menu. In fact it was one of the dish prepared on our little New Year celebration. I have tried to replicate it and here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 k. sotanghon noodles, soaked
1/2 k. canton noodles
1/4 k. pork
1 cup pork liver
1 pc. chicken breast
1 cup shrimp, shelled and de-veined
2 pcs. bay leaves
1 tsp. peppercorns
1 medium size onion, quartered
1 pc. Chinese chorizo, sliced crosswise
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1 medium size onion, chopped
1/2 small cabbage, shredded
1 medium size carrot, cut into thin strips
100 g. green beans, sliced diagonally
1/4 cup tengang daga (black ear fungus)
2-3 stalks wansoy, chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
3-4 stalks spring onions, chopped
cooking oil
black pepper
kalamansi

Cooking Procedure:

In a sauce pan boil pork, pork liver and chicken with bay leaves, quartered onion and peppercorns until tender. Remove pork, pork liver and chicken from sauce pan drain and let cool, set aside stock. Cut pork, pork liver into strips and shred chicken breast. Soak tengang daga (black ear fungus) until re-hydrated, drain, trim hard stems and cut into small pieces, set aside. In a wok sauté garlic and onion, add in Chinese chorizo pork, pork liver, chicken, shrimp, tengang daga and soy sauce, stir cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 4-6 cups of stock let boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Add in sotanghon and canton noodles, stir cook for 10-15 minutes or until noodles are almost cooked, add more soy sauce as necessary and season with black pepper. Add green beans, cabbage, carrots, and wansoy stir cook for 3-5 minutes or vegetables are half cooked. Serve in a large platter, garnish with spring onions and drizzle with kalamansi.


Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Bam-e

Chicken Asado

Chicken asado, asadong manok is not the usual beef or pork asado. The recipe calls for the use of tomato sauce. In fact it is similar to chicken afritada. Cooking is fairly simple except for the frying of the marinated chicken and sautéing part everything is just stewing until done. As I mentioned because of the similarity with afritada it is most of the time mistaken as afritada. Chicken asado is more of a brownish red in color because of the use of more soy sauce. Chicken afritada in more of redish orange color. See the post here. This is one of the best Pinoy chicken dishes I ever had and it is highly recommended should you want an alternative from your usual chicken adobo.

Ingredients:

1 k. chicken, cut into serving pieces with the bones intact
1/4 cup kalamansi juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
2 medium size onion, chopped
1/2 head garlic, minced
4 potatoes, quartered
3 pc. bay leaf
salt and pepper
cooking oil

Cooking procedure:



In a bowl marinate chicken with kalamansi, soy sauce, salt and pepper for 10-20 minutes before cooking. In a sauce pan fry chicken for 3-5 minutes or until colour turn to golden brown in batches. Remove from pan, set aside. In same sauce pan sauté garlic and onion, add in chicken, stir fry for 2-3 minutes, Add tomato sauce and bay leaf, stir cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in 2-3 cups of water and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add in potato and simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until chicken and potato are cooked and tender and until most of the liquid has evaporated. Correct saltines if required. Serve hot.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Asado

Daing na Bangus

Daing na bangus. As mentioned in my previous post on daing na talakitok, this daing is not the usual salted and sun-dried daing or tuyo. Small to medium size bangus are cut split open and marinated with vinegar and plenty of garlic, black pepper, salt and some versions with a little sugar. Daing na bangus is one of the most popular way of cooking bangus. It is easy to prepare and convenient to cook for a nutritious Pinoy breakfast.

Ingredients:

4 small to medium sized bangus
1/2 cup vinegar1/2 head garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper
cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

Prepare the fish or ask your fish monger to prepare. Cut at the back along the bones of each bangus leaving the belly intact, open up and spread flat. Remove gills and innards, wash and drain. Place the fish in a deep container with lid. combine all the marinating ingredients except the cooking oil. Thoroughly coat the fish with the marinade and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to cook. Fry at medium heat for 3-5 minutes each side, skin side first or fry to desired doneness. Serve with achara and/or chop tomatoes, or spicy-chilli vinegar for breakfast.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Bangus

Chicken Barbecue

Chicken barbecue is another food that is loved by my kids. If given the choice between Pinoy chicken barbecue and the fried chickens of popular fast foods like the KFC chicken they will happily choose barbecue. Today I am offering a recipe different from my inihaw na manok. That previous recipe uses the commercially sold Mama Sita’s barbecue marinade, now I have to go a little bit intricate by using marinade that our mothers have been using before the birth of commercially sold marinade. To most Pinoys there are no exact quantities of ingredients for the marinade, marinade ingredients are being poured straight from the bottles or container, by heart our mothers know how much is to be used for a 2 kilo chicken or perhaps they will have to do with what ever available ingredients. For my recipe I have included quantities for the reasons that most of the readers are only starting or learning to cook, but keep in mind also that this quantities are not mandatory, you will learn later on to adjust to your preference. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 kilo chicken leg
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup kalamansi extract
1 cup Sprite or 7-UP
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 head garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. salt
large bamboo skewers
cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

Wash chicken legs and drain. Slit open chicken leg along the length to expose the bones. In a big container with lid combine marinade except oil. Now put in chicken, allow marinade to fully coat the chicken, Arrange side by side chicken cover with the lid and marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to grill skew each chicken legs in bamboo skewers, Prepare basting sauce by adding cooking oil to left over marinade. Grill at medium to high heat for 5-8 minutes on each side, baste in between. Do not overcook, it should be moist inside, just cooked and slightly burnt outside. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce.



Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Barbecue

Adobong Sitaw

Adobong sitaw. Here is an adobo dish for the vegetarian. These is a simple vegetable adobo, there is no meat required just the basic adobo ingredients of garlic, onion and pepper and of course suka at toyo. It is 100 % vegan if you use vegetable oil for sautéing. Enjoy a crisp sitaw or string beans adobo and here is how I cooked it…

Ingredients:

2 bundles sitaw, cut into 2” length
1/2 head garlic, crushed
1 small size onion, chopped
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/8 c. vinegar
1/4 tsp. pepper
cooking oil

Cooking procedure:



In a wok, stir-fry garlic until it start to turn to golden brown, add onion and continue to stir fry until translucent. Pour 1 cup of water and add in pepper, soy sauce and vinegar. Bring to boil and simmer for 5-8 minutes with out stirring. Add in sitaw and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until sitaw is cooked but firm. Serve hot.


Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/2008/01/adobong-sitaw.html

Cebu Pochero, Bulalo

Cebu pochero, bulalo. There is no better way to cook a bulalo than to slow cook it until the tendons and meats almost fall off from the bone. Cebuanos call their bulalao pochero. Beef shanks in one piece with meats still clinging to the bone and the bone marrow safely intact at the bone cavity are slow cooked for hours which results a very savory beef broth with out the addition of artificial flavorings. Flavors are further enhanced by the use of bamboo shoots and sweet corns in cobs, these are the two vegetable ingredients of Cebuano pochero that distinguished the dish from the Tagalog bulalao version. I love bulalo but the dish is loaded with cholesterol that is evident by the amount of floating fats on the broth. I have to scooped them out, the best way is to chill the broth until the fats solidify this way it is easier to scoop them out. Here is my recipe.



Ingredients:

1 to 1.5 kilo bulalo, beef shank, in one piece
2 bundles pechay, trimmed
1/2 medium size cabbage, cut into wedges
4 young sweet corn in cob, cut in halves
1/4 kilo sliced bamboo shoot, pre-boiled
1 whole garlic
1 tbsp peppercorn
2 medium size whole onion
2 medium size onion, quartered
1 bundle chives or spring onion, cut in 2” length
salt



Cooking procedure:

Place the whole beef shank in a large casserole. Cover with water. Add the whole onion, garlic and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, remove scum that rises. Lower heat, cover and simmer/slow cook for 3-4 hours or until the beef tendons are tender. Remove the now tender beef shank from the casserole and keep aside. Place the remaining broth in a big bowl, set aside. Wash the casserole of all scum, using a sieve strain the broth and replace in the same casserole, add more water as necessary. Add in the bamboo shoot and sweet corn, bring to a boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the sweet corn are cooked. Season with salt to taste. Add in cabbage and pechay, cook for another 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are just cook, garnish with chives or spring onion. Transfer in a big serving bowl and serve at once with a dipping sauce of patis, kalamansi and siling labuyo.


Source: http://overseaspinoycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Bulalo