Buko Pandan

A very tempting dessert no one won't dare to resist. The distinctive aroma of Pandan (screwpine leaves) plus the healthy coconut strips. Combined into one delightful treat for everyone. Make one today. Its easy!

Ingredients:

2 c coconut strips

1 small can condensed milk (168 ml)

1 pack all-purpose cream (250 ml)

5 c water

1 small sachet gelatin powder

6 drops buko pandan flavoring

Procedure:

1. Heat the sauce pan with water and pour the gelatin powder, stir well while bringing to a boil.

2. Add the Buko Pandan flavoring and continue stirring.

3. Remove from heat, transfer to a rectangular mold. Let it cool before transfering to fridge.

5. In a mixing bowl, combine the condensed milk and all-purpose cream then add the coconut strips. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.

6. Bring out the cooled gelatin and slice it into cubes and pour into all the mixed ingredients. Mix evenly.

7. Transfer to individual bowls or cups. 

8. Serve it cold with vanilla ice cream on top if desired. Enjoy your dessert! 

Ginataang halo halo

I compare this dish to a halo halo dessert because of the similarity of the ingredients. but this one is usually served hot during mid afternoon snacks. The Ginataang halo halo or Ginataang Bilo bilo is a native snack among filipinos. Its packed with nutritious ingredients and to top it all, it is mixed with bilo bilo or the sticky glutinous flour balls, one of the main ingredients for this recipe. (See below how to make one). A good way to fill your stomach with the right nutritious snack. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c sweet potato, diced
1 c cardava bananas, sliced
1/2 c jackfruit, sliced
1/2 cup taro roots, diced
2 c small sized tapioca pearls, cooked
4 c coconut milk
15 pcs bilo bilo or glutinous flour balls
1 c water
1 c white sugar

Procedure:

1. In a large pan, boil the water.
2. Pour in 1 1/2 c of the coconut milk, wait for it to boil.
3. Then add the sweet potato and Taro roots. Then simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add the remaining coconut milk, sugar and the bilo bilo and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the cardava bananas and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Add the jackfruit and simmer for another 2 minutes.
7. Lastly add the cooked tapioca pearls slowly and stir well for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
8. Serve hot. Enjoy.

How to make Bilo bilo:

Ingredients:

1 c glutinous rice flour
1/2 c water

Procedure:

1. In a bowl combine the glutinous rice flour and water.
2. Mix well with a spatula until soft and sticky texture is formed.
3. Scoop about 2 teaspoon of the mixture and form it into balls.

Here's a tip! Try to wet your hands when forming the bilo bilo to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.

Have fun and enjoy this recipe!

Nilagang Baka

A perfect way to treat your self during the rainy season. Try the rich flavor of filipino version of beef stew. The nilagang baka! Here's our cooking tip! Slowly boiling your beef chunks over low heat locks in all the flavors in it and makes your beef tender. However if you don't have enough time, there's always the reliable pressure cooker to use.

Ingredients:

1 kl beef, cut in chunks
1 head cabbage, cut in quarters
1/4 kl chinese cabbage
2 corn cobs, cut into 4 slices
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp peppercorn
2 tbsp fish sauce
salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. In a stock pot, boil your beef with onion and peppercorn. Let stand for atleast 1 hour or until the beef is done. Add more water if the beef is tough.
2. Season with fish sauce and cover for 5 minutes.
3. Add the sliced corn cobs. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper. Cover for 10 minutes.
4. Add the cabbages and cook until done.
5. Serve hot with fish sauce for dippings if prefered.

Ampalaya with egg

Most of us aren't fond of eating Ampalaya or Bittergourd because of its awful taste. But wait, this dish might change your appetite from bitter to a delightful experience. The secret to remove the bitterness of the ampalaya is to scrape off the white pith and the seeds in the middle and wash it well with running water before cooking it. And to add more flavors in it, we mixed it with some eggs and small shrimps. So, don't be bitter to try this very healthy recipe.

Ingredients:

3 pcs ampalaya
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pc onion, diced
1/4 kl small shrimps, deveined
2 pcs eggs, beaten
2 pcs tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped
1 tbsp cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Wash the ampalayas and slice it length wise. Scrape off the white pith in the middle and all the seeds. Wash it again on running water and place it in a bowl. Set aside.
2. In a skillet with medium heat, saute the garlic, onions and tomatoes until the tomatoes are soft. Add the shrimps, mix well until the shrimps turns red.
3. Add the ampalaya and toss it well. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Pour the beaten eggs and stir it well to distribute to all other ingredients. Continue mixing until the eggs are done. Remove from heat.
5. Transfer to a bowl and serve it with lots of rice! Enjoy your healthy meal.

Pancit Miki Guisado

Want to have a long life? Well, this dish may somewhat help you to live longer. The Pancit Miki Guisado or Stir fried Miki egg noodles. Pancit in the Philippines is often associated with longevity because of its long thick noodles just like the 'Miki', a local filipino noodles. This dish is often served on birthdays and on special occasions along with lots of rice or paired with bread. So eat pancit for a long life. 

Ingredients:

1 lb pancit miki
1/2 lb lean pork, cut into strips
5 pcs squid balls, cut in half
1 c carrot, cut into strips
1 c cabbage, shredded
1 c baguio beans, cut diagonally
2 stalks celery, chopped into small pieces
1 onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
5 tbsp soy sauce
Salt
pepper
cooking oil

Procedure:

1. Wash the pancit miki with warm water to remove the oil and salt of the noodles.
2. In a pan heat the oil and sautè the onion and garlic. Then add the chopped celery. Add the pork strips. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the squid balls, soy sauce and pour some small amount of water. Cover and Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add the vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes or until they are tender.
5. Lastly, add the noodles, mix thoroughly. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes stirring occasionaly.
6. Transfer into your serving plate. Serve hot and enjoy!

Pritong Pusit

This recipe is a perfect combination with a sinangag (fried rice)

and a choice of your vinegar dipping sauce. A one perfect breakfast for everyone!

Ingredients:

Dried pusits (squid)

Cooking oil

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a pan. (The oil should be very hot).

2. Fry the dried pusits for a minute or until crispy.

3. Remove from pan and drain the excess oil in an absorbent paper towel.

4. Serve with sinangag or plain rice and dip it with vinegar. Enjoy your meal!

Leche Flan

One of the all time Filipino favorite dessert - the Leche Flan!

It's also called Caramel Custard or Crème Custard in some parts of the world. Generally, Leche Flan is made up of egg yolks with a soft caramel on top. Truly heavenly and yummy! Try it now.

Ingredients:

10 fresh eggs

1 can condensed milk

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Procedure:

1. Separate all the egg yolks from the white. (Only the egg yolks will be use for this recipe.) Put it in a medium bowl.

2. Beat the egg yolks with a fork or an electric beater.

3. Pour in Condensed milk into the egg yolks and mix well.

4. Then add up the evaporated milk and the vanilla. Mix thorougly. Set aside.

5. Place the llanera mold on top of a low heat stove.

6. Pour in the granulated sugar, mix thoroughly until the sugar turns into liquid (the caramel).

7. Spread the caramel evenly into the flat surface of the llanera. Set aside. Wait for 5 minutes to cool down.

8. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the llanera and cover it with an aluminum foil.

9. Steam for around 30 to 35 minutes.

10. After steaming, wait for it to cool down and refrigerate.

11. Lastly, after cooling it, turn the llanera upside down so the caramel will be on top. Place it into your desired plate. Enjoy your dessert!

Marang

The Marang fruit or also called Johey Oak is native to some parts of Southeast Asia such as in Mindanao, Philippines. 

It's similar to Jack fruit and Durian based on its appearance but not as intense when it comes to the smell. The ripened marang turns into brownish in color and will fall off into the ground.

The fruit has a sweet creamy taste and the seeds itself is also consumable when boiled or roasted. During the Kadayawan festival in Davao, one of the abundant fruits that floods the streets is the Marang. I call it "The seeds of sweets."

Pork Belly Inihaw Wrapped in Lemon Grass

I've made this dish and joined it on a photo contest and won 1st prize! The Worcestershire Sauce makes the taste distinct and the lemon grass gives aroma to the pork belly. Hope you like this dish too!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
1 kilo pork belly
lemon grass stalk
1/2 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tbsp. banana catsup
3 pcs. garlic, minced
lemon grass (white part), minced

Procedure:

1. Cut pork belly about 9 inches long. 
2. Steam pork belly together with garlic and minced lemon grass until pork is tender.
3. When pork is tender, set aside.
4. Combine all ingredients for the basting sauce, Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, white sugar, salt, ground black pepper, banana catsup. Mix well.
5. Cut pork belly 3 inches each of the 9 inch cuts. Put in griller.
6. When pork belly turns brown, cut 1 inch on each 3 inches pork belly half way through starting from the meat to the skin. (the cut is where we will wrap the lemon grass stalk.)
7. Wrap lemon grass on each cut of pork belly to make it aromatic.
8. Bast the pork on both sides regularly with your basting sauce and flip the pork to avoid from burning.
9. When pork belly is cooked, take out from grill and finalize it by basting it with your sauce.
10. Serve with favorite dipping sauce.

Caldereta

Caldereta is known to be one of the favorite dishes during fiestas. It was originally adapted from the Spanish during their 300 years occupation of the Philippines. Caldereta is mainly composed of goat meat with tomato sauce served with potatoes and other spices. But other variations of this dish include pork, beef and chicken.

Ingredients:

1 lb. goat meat, cut into cubes
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 onion, minced
3 tomatoes, diced
1 cup tomato sauce
6 tbsp. liver spread
2 cups water
2 potatoes, quartered
1 large carrot, sliced
3/4 cup red bell pepper, sliced
salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure:

1. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, salt and black pepper. Marinate the goat meat for at least an hour. Remove goat meat from marinade, reserving the liquid.
2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry potatoes and carrots until lightly brown. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pot, stir-fry the marinated goat meat; cook until lightly brown. Remove and set aside.
4. Add remaining 1/4 cup oil to pot. Sauté the garlic and onion until fragrant and translucent. Add tomatoes stir-fry until wilted. Return goat meat and accumulated juices to pot. Pour the tomato sauce and liver spread; stir and simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Add water and bring to boil then simmer for an hour or until the meat is tender. (Add a bit of water when it starts to dry up) Stir occasionally.
6. Add potatoes and carrots. Cook and simmer until tender, about 6 minutes. Season salt and pepper to taste. Add bell peppers, cook for another 2 minutes.
7. Serve hot and enjoy.

Veggie Tenderloin

Flavors from this beef tenderloin is irresistible. The veggies gives a balanced taste to this dish. We enjoyed tenderloin so much that we ate a lot of rice with this! You should try cooking this for your family too! They would surely enjoy it!

Ingredients:

1 kilo beef tenderloin
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 pc. laurel
carrots, sliced 1/2 inch long
Baguio beans, sliced 1/2 inch long
corn kernels
chayote, sliced 1/2 inch long
salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Cut beef tenderloin about 2 inches long.
2. In a mixing bowl combine soy sauce, sugar, pepper, laurel and salt.
3. Put beef tenderloin together with the mixture. Marinate overnight.
4. Blanche carrots, Baguio beans, chayote and corn kernels. Set aside.
5. Deep fry beef tenderloin.
6. In a pot, combine beef tenderloin and blanched veggies. Saute for 2 mins.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Pork Binagoongan

This dish was made by my partner. The pork melts in your mouth as she boiled it until tender and the flavors are intact with the meat! I would love to eat this dish again some day!

Ingredients:

1 kilo pork liempo, cut in serving pieces
1/2 cup shrimp bagoong
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, sliced
5 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sugar

Procedure:

1.Boil pork until tender and cut into cubes. Set aside.
2. Sauté garlic, onion, and tomato.
3. Add pork and shrimp bagoong.
4. Stir fry for few minutes until pork starts to render fat and edges turn to brown.
5. Add vinegar and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Season with sugar.
7. Continue cooking in low fire until done. Serve hot!

Chicken Macaroni Soup

Chicken macaroni soup. A one perfect way to pamper yourself on a rainy evening while sipping the creamy taste of  chicken macaroni soup. This is one of our favorite comfort food as it satisfies our taste buds with all the rich flavors mixed with it.

Ingredients:

1 cup macaroni
1/4 kilo chicken ( slice into small pieces)
3 cups water ( add if needed)
1 cup evaporated milk
1 small carrot (strips)
1/4 kilo broccoli
3 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 small size onion
salt  to taste

Procedure:

1. Saute garlic and onion then add the meat, salt and pepper,  simmer for few minutes.
2. Add the macaroni and saute for a minute, then add water and bring to a boil.
3. Stir occasionally  so that the macaroni will not stick at the bottom of the pot, when macaroni is tender,  add the carrot and broccoli then simmer for a minute.
4. Add the milk let it boil once and turn off the heat.
5. Serve it hot and enjoy.

Tinapa

Tinapa or smoked fish is cured by smoking. It is one of the oldest process of food preservation. Smoking of fish generally brings a unique taste and flavor into it. We used two varieties of fish for our tinapa, matambaka and galunggong which are the main choices of Filipinos because of its affordability in the market.


For the Brine:

In a large bowl or small bucket add warm water and dissolve the salt. Clean the fish and add the brine onto the fish. Let it brine for 1 hour while stirring the brine every ten minutes.

The Smoker:

Depending on your smoker, the best way to do this is to keep the fish away from the heat source as much as possible. Place your fish on the rack and add your wood chunks to the heat source. Cover the smoker and let it smoke for 1 ½ hour. You will need to add wood chunks every 20 minutes to keep the smoke going. Enjoy your freshly made Tinapa. Serve with fresh tomatoes and onions and don’t forget the garlic flavored vinegar dipping sauce.

Crispy Pata

We've tried out this dish because my mom brought some pork pata. It turned out very good and the skin is very crunchy! I love it dipping in soy sauce with vinegar and some sliced chilis! Your family would surely enjoy this!

Ingredients:

3 kilo Pork Pata
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 liter oil
water
salt

Procedure:

1. Boil pork pata in water and put 1 tbsp salt and crushed garlic until pork is tender.
2. Remove tender pata from boiling water and using a fork, punch holes on the skin of pata. (punching holes will make the skin pop and make it crispier)
3. Rub salt all over the pork pata.
4. On a deep fryer, heat oil.
5. Put pata in oil over low heat. Cook for 10 minutes.
6. Take out pata and heat the same oil again over high heat.
7. When oil is hot enough, put pata and deep fry again for 3 minutes. (this part makes the skin very crispy)
8. Serve and enjoy!