Chop Suey ala Jekris

We call it by our own version because of our choice of vegetables and how we cook it. We meant to half cooked the veggies except for the potatoes to retain its vitamins and minerals. The Chop Suey is popularized by Chinese American Immigrants and today it is now being a part of every cuisine around the world with different versions and techniques of cooking it. And now we are sharing our own style of Chop suey. Here it is.

Ingredients:

1 pc pork chop, cut into strips
5 pcs fish balls, cut into half
1/2 c Broccoli, cut into florets
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch thick
4 small potatoes, peeled and sliced quarterly
5 pcs young corn, sliced lengthwise
1/4 c corn kernels
1 small cabbage, cut into strips
1 small red bell pepper, seeded cut into strips
1/2 c snow peas
1 small onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chopped celery stalk
1/2 c water for the slurry
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp butter
water

Procedure:

1. In a pan, cook the pork strips until brown. Add the butter for an aromatic flavor. Then saute the onion and garlic with it.
2. Pour 1 cup of water then add the fish balls and potatoes. Cover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the other vegetables, mix well and add some salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer until half cooked. Add some water if needed.
4. While waiting for it, make the slurry by adding the oyster sauce, cornstarch and sugar into the half cup of water. Stir it well until the sauce has thickened. Give it a taste. The sauce must be slightly sweet but not too salty. Add more oyster and sugar if needed.
5. Pour it into the pan and give a good stir until the sauce has well distributed into the vegetables.
6. Remove from heat. Serve it while its hot. Enjoy!

Ham

Over the past decades, the Ham is labeled as the star of every feast particularly on Christmas season. Its sweet smoky flavor gives a distinctive taste in every bite. There are wide number of hams worldwide with different specialties. Locally we call it 'hamon' in filipino. We often served it on Christmas eve during 'Noche Buena.' Ham is generally cut from the hind leg of the pig. It is preserved by way of curing, salting, smoking or a combination of wet and dry curing and smoking. The ham we usually consumed is a sweet and cooked ham. (see picture above) Its boneless and round in shape. The fat is removed from this variety, meant to be thinly sliced and used in sandwiches or sometimes used as a main ingredient in cooking. However, there is also uncooked ham available. Its often dry cured and requires more preparation and cooking time. Personally, we still prefer the cooked ham since its more convenient for us and doesn't require a lot of time preparing it.

Shrimp Tempura

I'm a fan of eating Japanese food specially with Tempura. But every piece of it will cost me a lot. Is it really that expensive to make? I bet not. When you prepare it by your own, it's much cheaper compared to those at Japanese restos. Try it today and treat yourself for an exciting crunch of Shrimp Tempura.

Ingredients:

15 pcs medium sized shrimps, shells removed, tails intact
1/2 c flour
1/2 c cornstarch
1 c ice cold water
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c Japanese bread crumbs
Oil for frying

Procedure:

1. Prepare the shrimps into butterfly cut.
2. Mix the next 6 ingredients into a bowl.
3. Dip every shrimp in the mixture and dredge it to the bread crumbs.
4. Heat the oil in a pan. Cook the shrimps over medium heat until golden brown.
5. Remove from heat. Serve it with your dipping sauce.

Lechon Kawali

Want a heavy pork meal? this dish may be just perfect for you! Lechon kawali or the Pigs Pan. Its a local pork dish that is deep fried in hot oil to achieve the crispiness of the pork skin. This is perfectly served with lots of steamed rice and with your favorite sauce. Hmm.. yummy!

Ingredients:

1/2 kl Pork Belly
2 pcs Calamansi or 1 small Lemon
4 tbsp Soy sauce
1/4 tsp black ground pepper
1 tsp salt
cooking oil for frying

Procedure:

1. In a small bowl, mix the Calamansi, soysauce, black ground pepper and the salt. Set aside.
2. Prick the belly with fork so the marinating sauce will absorb well into the pork.
3. Pour the sauce into the belly. Leave it for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Heat the oil. Deep fry the belly until cooked.
5. Slice the pork belly into serving size.
6. Serve it hot with rice and with your favorite sauce. Enjoy.

Tip:

If you have more time, the pork belly may be boiled first before marinating it and deep frying til crispy and golden brown.

Pork Ribs Nilaga

A simple way to prepare boiled pork ribs soup on a breezy cold night. Adding up some veggies into it such as potatoes and pechay makes it more tasty and healthy as well.

Ingredients:

1 kl pork ribs
1 bundle pechay
1 onion, quartered
1/4 c fish sauce (patis)
8 c water
1 thumbsized ginger, sliced
salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. In a pot over medium heat, put the pork ribs with onion, ginger and patis. Cook until the meat juice comes out and simmer until the pork has no pinkish color.
2. Pour the water and bring to a boil until the meat is tender.
3. Add the pechay, season with salt and pepper and stir well. Simmer for a minute until done.
4. Remove from heat. Serve hot with lots of rice.

Note: You can add some potatoes for this recipe. Slice it quarterly and add it after the pork is tenderly cooked.

Lechon Manok

If you get to walk around the busy streets of the main cities and town around the Philippines, you probably passed by in a Lechon Manok stand. This is because the famous filipino style roasted chicken is the best selling Chicken recipe around the country. It is often served on Birthdays, holidays or just on an ordinary days. But if you happened to be outside of the Philippines, we are going to share you on how to cook the Lechon Manok, home-made style. Here it is.

Ingredients:

1 kl dressed whole chicken
1 medium onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumbsized ginger, sliced
3 tbsp Calamansi or lemon juice
8 oz or 1 small can Lemon soda
3 tbsp white sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
Ground black pepper
2 stalks lemon grass
2 pcs bay leaves
salt
1 c butter

Procedure:

1. Marinate the Chicken with the next 8 ingredients. Let it stand for about an hour. I suggest to marinate it overnight for best result.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade mixture. Reserve it for later use.
4. Stuff the chicken cavity with tied lemon grass, bay leaves and pepper.
5. Inject the inside of the Chicken with the marinade mixture.
6. Season the Chicken's skin with salt, pepper and brush with butter.
7. Roast the Chicken for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the Chicken turns golden brown. While roasting, you can brush the Chicken with butter.
8. Serve hot and dip it with your favorite sauce. Enjoy!

Marinated Fried Daing na Bangus

Our family's breakfast favorite! My mom wants to share her way of marinating the Daing na Bangus or sun-dried milkfish. It's the simplest way of preserving the fish by splitting it to a butterfly fillet, soaking it in brine and drying it up under the heat of the sun for 2 to 3 days depending on the sizes of the milkfish.

Ingredients:

1 medium dried butterfly cut milkfish
4 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp vinegar
3 tbsp Calamansi juice
2 tsp Spanish Paprika
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp pepper corn
salt and pepper
cooking oil for frying (Canola Oil is the best oil to use)

Procedure:

1. Mix together all the next 8 ingredients and pour it into the fish. Cover and soak it overnight in the refrigerator. You may use ziplock for this.
2. In a frying pan heat the oil and put the marinated milkfish with skin-side down first. Fry it until golden brown in each side.
3. Remove from heat. Use paper towels to drain the excess oil.
4. Serve hot with sliced tomatoes on the side and your prefered dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Pork Kare-Kare

One of the most complicated dish known in filipino cuisine is Kare-Kare or Philippine stew. The dish may be hard to cook however it has an outstanding taste due to the uniqueness of the peanut flavor of the soup. The oxtail, pork hocks, pig feet or calves feet are usually the meat used in this recipe. Somehow a few pieces of pork chops may be a substitute for this dish.

Ingredients:

4 pcs pork chop, cut into halves
1 tbsp Annato powder (atsuete)
1 medium onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bundle string beans, cut into 3" length
2 pcs eggplant, cut into 12 pieces
1 bundle pechay (bokchoy)
4 c stock
6 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp rice flour
Bagoong or Shrimp paste
cooking oil for sautèing
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Boil the pork chops until soft. Reserve the broth and set aside.
2. Saute the garlic and onion and add the Annato powder. Stir well. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes. Put the pork chops and simmer again for 5 minutes.
3. Add the string beans and eggplant, simmer until half cooked.
4. Put the peanut butter and rice flour. Stir well until thickened then add the Pechay. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until done. Remove from heat.
5. Serve with Bagoong or Shrimp paste. Enjoy!

Creamy Spaghetti a la Jekris

If you want something different for your Spaghetti, well, this is the best option for you. Our very own version of Spaghetti with the creaminess of melted cheese, butter, milk and cream. Truly something to crave for this holiday season and all year round.

Ingredients:

900 g spaghetti
1/2 kl ground beef
6 pcs hotdogs, sliced diagonally
1 kl Sweet style tomato sauce
1/4 c butter
1 small can evaporated milk about 154 ml
250 ml All purpose cream
185 g Quick melt cheese, sliced into cubes
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium white onion, minced
salt and pepper to taste
cooking oil
chopped parsley (optional)

Procedure:

1. Cook Spaghetti according to package instructions then set aside.
2. Heat oil in a sauce pot over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onion then add the ground beef. Cook until brown.
3. Pour the tomato sauce and add the sliced hotdogs. Mix well. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Remove from heat.
5. Pour the sauce into the Pasta. Toss it well to distribute all the ingredients evenly. Flatten it with a wooden ladle then set aside.

To make the creamy toppings:

6. In a skillet over low heat melt the butter and pour the evaporated milk while continuously stirring.
7. Then add the quick melt cheese. Stir it well until the cheese melts into the mixture.
8. Lastly add the All purpose cream. Give a good stir until it becomes smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.
9. Pour the cream mixture into the Spaghetti. Make sure to distribute it evenly to the pasta as this will served as the toppings.
10. Garnish it with some chopped parsley for finishing touch. Enjoy!

Pepperoni with Onions

One of the most favorite toppings in a pizza is the Pepperoni or also known as Pepperoni sausage. It's generally a variety of the Salami which is made up of cured pork or beef. Aside of a pizza flavor, Pepperoni can also be cooked in different ways. Simply adding up some slices of onions will surely captivate your senses.

Ingredients:

2 pcs medium size Pepperoni sausages
4 pcs onions, cut into rings (yellow onions will do)
1/4 tsp ground pepper
Cooking oil

Procedure:

1. Slice the Pepperoni thinly. An inch in diameter.
2. In a pan, heat the oil and saute the onions then add up the sliced pepperoni.
3. Sprinkle some ground pepper and turn the heat higher so the pepperoni are well toasted.
4. Turn off the heat. Serve hot. Enjoy!

The Pepperoni sausage.