Beef Tapa

Ingredients:
1 kilo beef sirloin, thinly sliced, cut into long strips
1 1/2 Tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon salt
7 Tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
3 1/2 tablespoon vinegar

1. Mix all ingredients into mixing bowl.
2. Cover and Let stand overnight or two nights in the refrigerator.
3. Depending on the size of your family, apportion the beef slices into plastic bags. In our case, we are a family of four. A pack of 3 plastic bags is enough.
4. Store in freezer for 24 hours before cooking.

Korean Beef Stew

Ingredients:
1k beef ribs (half kilo is lean and half kilo are beef shanks or short ribs)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice wine
3/4 cup soy sauce
1 head crushed garlic
1 onion head
1 Tbsp Ginger, crushed

1 cup green onions, sliced
salt
pepper
5 pieces red sili finely chopped

A. Preparation
Combine the first 8 ingredients
Marinate beef overnight

B. Cooking

4tbsp oil
water

1. Heat oil and sear marinated beef
2. pour marinade
3. add enough water just to submerge beef
4. simmer over low heat (2 hours) until tender or pressure cook for 45 minutes.
5. season to taste with sugar, salt, pepper and red sili
6. garnish with green onions, 1 tsp sesame oil, sesame seed.

Paella

Ingredients
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1 cup malagkit (glutinous) rice
1 cup ordinary rice
2 minced onions
1/2 k chicken , cut in serving pieces
4 chorizo Filipino, sliced 1/2 inch thick diagonally
1/2 kilo big shrimps
3 alimasag
1/4 kilo squid, sliced into rings
1 cup clams
1/2 cup tahong
1 hard boiled egg, sliced

Sauce
Prepare sauce before cooking procedure

1 can tomato paste
1 small can tomato juice
4 tablespoon sugar
1 tablesoon fine salt
1 tsp pepper
2 big red bell pepper , sliced 1/4 strips

Procedure

1. Cook 1 cup rice and 1 cup malagkit rice. Set aside.
2. Saute garlic in oil . Add 2 minced onions and cook until very soft.
3. Add chicken, chorizon Filipino and cook until brown.
4. Add shrimps (unpeeled), 3 small alimasag (whole); squid, halaan or tahong.
5. Continue stirring 5 minutes
6. Add prepared sauce and simmer for a while.
7. Carefully remove chicken, etcetera fro sauce (Use Slotted spoon) and transfer to a platter. You can leave a few seafoods with the sauce.
8. To the sauce, add the rice. Mix well.
If too wet, cook over low fire a few minutes more.
9. Top with chicken , shrimps, etc that you set aside in step 7.
10. Decorate with hard-boiled eggs, green peas just before serving (after baking it)
11. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Leche Flan

Ingredients:
5 eggyolks
2 eggs
1 can condensed milk
1 can water (use the condensed milk’s can for measuring)
1 tbsp. vanilla to add to the mixture
1/4 cup to 1/3 cup sugar for caramelization

# Get a pyrex loaf dish (or equivalent oval, square, or round dish).
# Caramelize 1/3 cup sugar in it. Use your oven. When the sugar is starting to melt, make sure that you watch carefully. You don’t want the caramel to be too dark or it will taste burnt. Manipulate the dish until you are sure that the caramel is evenly placed on the bottom of the pan. Let the pan rest on the stove top.
# Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

These are the cooking times:

For the first 45 minutes: 325 degrees Fahrenheit
For the next 20 to 25 minutes, until the toothpick test shows that the flan is done: 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Procedure:

1. Separate 5 eggyolks when the eggs are cold. It’s easier to get the whites and the yolks separated. Set the whites aside to use for Flan de Huevos Blancos or Angel Cake.

2. In a mixing bowl, mix the eggyolks, eggs, condensed milk, water, and vanilla until well-blended. Set aside for a few minutes so that the mixture reaches room temperature. Do not beat up the mixture to form bubbles. Just try to make sure that the eggwhites are blended in.

3. While waiting for the mixture to reach room temperature, prepare your baine marie (bano maria).

Get a rectangular roasting pan that is slightly taller than the baking pan that you are using for your flan. Put this roasting pan inside your pre-heated oven. Add water to the pan, about mid-way. Be careful that you don’t splash water around as you heat this pan of water.

4. Get a small rounded double-meshed metal strainer, as finely-meshed as you can find them (similar to the strainer that comes with a wok). This is the secret of the recipe.

5. Get a bowl and put the strainer over it. Spoon (with a 1/4 cup measuring cup) the mixture over the metal strainer. With a rubber scraper, smoothen any eggwhites through the strainer. Using a wooden spoon (or other mixing spoon), blend the smooth mixture.

6. When you have finishing straining the mixture, blend the muixture with your wooden spoon one last time. Try not to produce any bubbles while doing this.

7. Pour the mixture on your prepared caramelized pan. It should have a thick, liquid “feel” to it.

8. Open your oven and pull out the rack with the roasting pan (that has hot water on it).

Position the Leche Flan’s pan into the center of the roasting pan.

9. Bend a little and check the height of the water around the Leche Flan’s pan. You might need to add more water (using your measuring cup) so that the water outside the pan reaches the height of the leche flan. This is the secret to having very little syneresis (or “weeping”).

10. Remember:

For the first 45 minutes: 325 degrees Fahrenheit
For the next 20 to 25 minutes, until the toothpick test shows that the flan is done: 350 degrees Fahrenheit

11. When you take out the cooked Leche Flan from the baine marie, be careful not to splash water around. Set the pan on top of the stove or counter to cool down.

12. Taking the Leche Flan out of its pan:

Many Leche Flan is destroyed by the baker not knowing how to take it out of its pan.

Refrigerate the cooled-down leche flan until you’re ready to unmold it.

Unmolding the Leche Flan: Run a straight-edged (non-serrated) knife on the sides of the Leche Flan. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the Leche Flan and press down ever-so-gently on the surface of the flan. Let the caramel from the bottom of the pan run through the sides of the pan. Get a pan of hot water and let the leche flan’s pan rest gently on this water bath for a few minutes. The rest of the mixture is cold and only the bottom is hot. This is done so that the unmolding is faster — and smoother. Take out the plastic wrap. Take your serving platter and place over the Leche Flan. Invert the mixture in one quick move.

Buko Pandan Salad

Ingredients

8 leaves of Pandan – cleaned well
5 Buko (Coconut)not too hard, not too soft- Grated to strips
Water from 5 Buko (approx. 10 cups)
3 small cans of Nestle Cream
1 medium can of Condensed Milk
2 bars of Green Gulaman
1 3/4 Cups Sugar (more if you want it sweeter)
1 cup Kaong (optional)

Preparation

1. Boil buko water from 5 coconuts together with 8 pandan leaves that are individually twisted to break the fibers and expose the juice. Simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Before adding 2 bars of gulaman, make sure you remove the pandan leaves and check if the remaining coconut water is equal to 8 cups – 1 bar of gulaman is good for 4 cups of liquid. If it is not 8 cups, less will mean hard gulaman and more than 8 cups will result in mushy soft gulaman. Ensuring gulaman is well-dissolved stir well. Add sugar while mixing. Do this for 5 minutes.
3. Pour through a strainer into cooling trays. Wait till it cools and hardens, then put in fridge.
4. Meanwhile, mix the grated buko with the 3 cans of cream and 1 can of condensed milk.
5. Add kaong if you prefer.
6. Get gulaman from ref and cut into 1 cm cubes. Mix with buko mixture.
7. Put 2 cups of the buko pandan salad.

Pochero (Spanish spelling , Puchero)

Ingredients

1 kilo cubed beef (with some portions of fat)
1/2 kilo leftover ham bones
1/4 kilo scrap ham
8 to 10 cups water or enough to cover meat
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half
4 Saba bananas, peeled, sliced in half
3 pieces chorizo de bilbao sliced diagonally into 2 inch pieces
1 cup chick peas
1 head of cabbage quartered
1 Baguio pechay leaves separated

Procedure

1. Put beef, ham bones, and scrap ham in large casserole.
2. Pour enough water to cover.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer until beef is almost tender, about 40 minutes
4. Add potatoes and bananas. Simmer until bananas and potatoes are almost tender, about 20 minutes
5. Stir in chorizo de bilbao and chick peas and continue simmering for another 10 minutes.
6. Add cabbage and pechay and let simmer until vegetables are cooked but still firm

Chicken Curry

Ingredients :

· 2-3 tbsp. oil
· 3 potatoes, peeled, quartered and fried
· 1 lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces
· 3 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 large onion, quartered
· 1 tbsp. patis (fish sauce)
· 3 tbsp. curry powder
· salt and pepper
· 1 cup water
· 1 red bell pepper, cut into big squares
· 1 green bell pepper, cut into big squares
· 3 celery stalks, cut into 1-1/2” long
· 1 cup coconut milk or evaporated milk

Cooking Procedures :

1. Pan fry potatoes. Set aside.

2. In the same pan, fry chicken pieces and brown a little.

3. Add garlic and onion. Sauté for a few minutes until soft.

4. Pour in patis and season with curry powder, salt and pepper. Stir for 2 minutes.

5. Add water. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat; add celery, bell peppers and fried potatoes. Simmer for 3 minutes or until half done.

6. Add milk and stir occasionally. Cook for another 7 minutes (or lesser when using evaporated milk because the liquids will curled).

7. Remove from heat. Serve hot.

Lamb and Artichoke Stew

Lamb shoulder and baby artichokes braised together in an herb-rich, tomato-wine sauce create an elegant and easy way to celebrate a special occasion or holiday. This lamb and artichoke stew is perfect for spring, but is wonderful any time you can find baby artichokes at the market. Serve this savory ragout with smashed potatoes and roasted asparagus for a complete seasonal menu.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 4-pound lamb shoulder, with bones
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large yellow onions, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 pounds baby artichokes
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation:

Trim most of the fat off the meat and cut it into small pieces, about 2- to 3-inches each. Season the meat with the salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over high heat and brown the lamb in batches. Transfer the meat to a plate. Sauté the onions and carrots in the pan drippings for 5 to 7 minutes, until they begin to turn tender. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.

Add the white wine to the pan and bring it to a simmer, stirring to incorporate the flour. Add the beef stock, garlic, tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, and lamb to the pan. Cover it with a lid and simmer the stew for 1 hour.

While the stew is simmering, prepare the baby artichokes by trimming off the tough tips and outer leaves. Quarter the artichokes lengthwise and scoop out the fuzzy, inedible choke from the center. Place the prepared artichokes in a bowl of water with the lemon juice to inhibit discoloration.

Once the stew has been cooked for an hour and the lamb is just beginning to turn tender, drain the artichokes and add them to the stew. Continue simmering the stew for 30 to 40 minutes, until both the lamb and the artichokes are very tender when tested with a fork.

Serve the stew hot, garnished with the fresh, chopped parsley.

This lamb and artichoke stew recipe makes 6 to 8 servings.

Roasted Asparagus

This healthy vegetable side dish, pepped up with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, is the perfect accompaniment to roasted meat or poultry. Using virtually no preparation time or hard-to-find ingredients, this roasted asparagus recipe goes from the refrigerator to the table in less than twenty minutes.

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat an oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and arrange the asparagus in a single layer on the tray. Drizzle the olive oil over the asparagus, toss it gently, and then roast it in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until it turns tender and lightly browned.

Toss the roasted asparagus with the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper; serve immediately.

This roasted asparagus recipe makes 4 to 6 servings.

Garlic Turkey Sausage

Homemade sausage has an incomparable advantage over the store-bought variety: you can add the precise flavors you want and adjust the fat content by choosing meat that suits your dietary needs. For a fabulous alternative, this particular sausage tastes wonderful made with pork.

Cook’s note: This recipe can also be formed into patties or left as bulk sausage to add into a lovely rustic casserole.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 ¾ lb ground turkey meat

Preparation:

Mix all the ingredients together and chill for at least 3 hours before stuffing into casings.

Makes 28 ounces of sausage.

Pork Barbeque

Estimated preparation: 20 minutes

Marinating: 30 minutes to 3 hours

Barbecue: 10 to 15 minutes each

Pork Barbeque Ingredients

• 1 kg. pork

• 20 bamboo skewers

• 1 cup soy sauce

• 1 head garlic, minced

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup of calamansi juice or lemon juice

• 1/2 cup of 7up, sprite or beer (optional)

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoons of brown or white sugar

• 1/2 cup of banana or tomato catsup

Barbeque Cooking Instructions:

• Cut pork meat into thin and long slices - 1/4 inches thick and less than 2 inches wide.

• In a mixing bowl, marinate the cut pork with the soy sauce, minced garlic, chopped onions, calamansi juice, ground pepper, sugar, banana catsup and the soda or beer (this tenderizes and adds flavour to the pork barbeque)

• Mix well and keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (turning occasionally).

• Prepare the bamboo skewers by removing splinters and soaking in water to reduce burning during barbeque.

• String the pork on the skewers.

• Over live charcoals, barbeque the pork on skewers until each barbeque is cooked - turning every few minutes on each side and basting the leftover marinate on the barbeque.

Sinigang na baboy

Estimated cooking and preparation time: 1 hour

Pork Sinigang Ingredients:

• 3/4 kilo Pork, cut into chunks

• 3 tomatoes, sliced

• 2 onions, diced

• 5 cloves of garlic, minced

• 100 grams Kangkong (river spinach)

• 100 grams String beans

• 2 pieces horse radishes, sliced

• 3 pieces gabi (taro), pealed

• 2 pieces sili pag sigang (green finger pepper)

• 200 grams sampalok (tamarind)

• 3 tablespoons of patis (fish sauce)

• 1 liter of rice wash or water

Sinigang Cooking Instructions:

• Boil sampalok in water until the shell shows cracks. Let cool then peal off the shells and with a strainer, pour samplalok (including water) into a bowl. Gently massage the sampalok meat off the seeds, strain again.
• In a pot, sauté garlic and onion then add the tomatoes. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add pork and fish sauce then add the rice wash. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes then add the gabi. Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or until the pork is tender.
• Add the horse radish and simmer for 10 minutes then add the string beans, kangkong and sili (for spice-optional). Let boil for 2 minutes.
• Serve piping hot.

Sinigang Cooking Tip:

• Instead of sampalok fruit (tamarind), you can substitute it with any commercial souring seasoning like Knorr sampalok seasoning or tamarind bouillon cubes for this pork sinigang recipe.

Beef Mechado

Estimated cooking time: 1 hour

Beef 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

Beef 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.

Fried Chicken

Estimated cooking time: 45 minutes

Fried Chicken Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 kilo chicken, cut into pieces

• 1/4 cup of white vinegar

• 5 cloves of garlic, crushed

• 1 cup of water

• 2 cups cooking oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Fried Chicken Instructions:

• In a pot, simmer chicken in vinegar, garlic, water, salt and pepper.

• Remove just before the chicken is fully cooked.

• Strain off liquid.

• In a frying pan or wok, heat oil and deep fry the chicken until golden brown

• Place on paper towel to remove excess oil

• Serve hot with rice and sliced cucumber or atchara on the side.

Rellenong Manok

Estimated cooking time: 2 hours

Rellenong Manok Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, deboned with shape kept

• 2 tablespoons calamansi juice

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  

  Stuffing
  

• 1/2 kilo ground pork

• 1/2 cup bacon, diced

• 1 cup ham, diced

• 1 can Vienna sausage, drained and sliced

• 1/4 cup sweet green peas

• 1/4 cup carrots, minced

• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

• 1/4 cup pickle relish

• 1/4 cup raisins

• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

• 5 whole eggs, beaten

• 1/2 cup butter

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• Salt and pepper to taste

Rellenong Manok Cooking Instructions:

• Marinate chicken in calamansi juice, soy sauce and sugar.

• In a bowl, mix all stuffing ingredients well.

• Stuff the chicken in all parts.

• Sew the cavity opening and truss the chicken.

• Wrap chicken in aluminium foil.

• Heat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake breast-up for an hour or until chicken is cooked.

• Open the foil an rub chicken with butter and put back in oven until golden brown.

Ginataang Kalabasa

Estimated cooking & preparation time: 1 hour

Ginataang Kalabasa Ingredients:

• 1 kilo squash, cut into cubes (1"x1")

• 1/4 kilo shrimp, shelled and deveined

• 3 pieces tomatoes, diced

• 2 onions, chopped

• 1 head garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons of ginger root, crushed and minced

• 4 tablespoons of cooking or olive oil

• 2 pieces long chilli peppers

• 2 tablespoons of shrimp paste (bagoong)

• 2 cups coconut milk

• 1 cups coconut cream (katang gata)

• 2 cups chicken stock

• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce (patis)

Ginataang Kalabasa Cooking Instruction:

• On a big pan, heal oil. Sauté garlic, onions until light brown then add ginger, cook until onions become translucent.

• Add the tomatoes, squash, chicken stock, shrimp paste and the coconut milk. Let boil then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and the squash becomes tender.

• Add the coconut cream, long chilli peppers and the shrimps. Bring again to a boil and simmer for a few more minutes.

• Serve hot with plain rice.

Ginataang Kalabasa Cooking Tip:

• This ginataan recipe can be used on any vegetable, combination of vegetables, fish or meat.

Kare Kare

Estimated cooking time: 2 hours

Kare Kare Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo beef (round or sirloin cut) cut into cubes (for a more traditional kare kare, use cleaned beef tripe instead of beef)

• 1/2 kilo oxtail, cut 2 inch long

• 3 cups of peanut butter

• 1/4 cup grounded toasted rice

• 1/2 cup cooked bagoong alamang (anchovies)

• 2 pieces onions, diced

• 2 heads of garlic, minced

• 4 tablespoons atsuete oil

• 4 pieces eggplant, sliced 1 inch thick

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

• 1 bundle of sitaw (string beans) cut to 2" long

• 1 banana bud, cut similar to eggplant slices, blanch in boiling water

• 1/2 cup oil

• 8 cups of water

• Salt to taste

Kare Kare Cooking Instructions:

• In a stock pot, boil beef and oxtails in water for an hour or until cooked. Strain and keep the stock.

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

• Sauté garlic, onions until golden brown, then add the stock, toasted rice, beef, oxtail and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Salt to taste.

• Add the eggplant, string beans, pechay and banana bud. Cook the vegetables for a few minutes - Do not overcook the vegetables.

• Serve with bagoong on the side and hot plain rice.

Roasted Chicken

Estimated cooking time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 kilo dressed chicken (broiler)

• 2 cups of lemon grass (tanlad)

• 3 tablespoons of cooking oil

• 2 tablespoons of salt

Cooking Instructions:

• Make sure the chicken is clean with no remaining small feathers and no insides.

• Wash thoroughly and pat dry with a paper towel

• Rub the whole chicken with cooking oil as well as the inside cavity.

• Next apply salt all over, again, including the insides.

• Fill the cavity with lemon grass

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

• Place the chicken on an oven rotisserie.

• If you don't have a rotisserie put the chicken on an elevated rack on a baking pan - breast side up (so the bottom of the chicken does not touch the baking pan).

• Bake for 1 hour or until the chicken is golden brown. When you prick between the chicken thigh and body and the juice runs clear (not bloody) the chicken is done.

• Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or corn on the side.

Cooking Note:

• If baking at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours in the oven.

Adobong Kangkong

Estimated cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 big bowl of kangkong (river spinach)

• 1/4 kilo of pork, cut into small pieces

• 1/4 cup of vinegar

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 5 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 laurel leaves (bay leaves)

• 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate (MSG)

• 1 cup pork stock (broth) or bouillon pork cube dissolved in water

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Sauté garlic and onions in a big pan then add the pork. Allow the pork to brown and oil for a few minutes.

• Add a cup of pork stock (or bouillon cube dissolved in water or plain water), laurel leaves, soy sauce, some salt and bring to a boil.

• Let simmer then add the vinegar. Do not stir for 5 minutes.

• Add the kangkong stalks first and cook for 1 minute then add the kangkong leaves. Continue cooking until the vegetable is done.

• Serve hot with rice.

Cooking Note:

Instead of kangkong, this recipe can be used to cook other vegetables like eggplant, spinach, cabbage, string beans or any other vegetable.

Pinakbet

Estimated cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kilo pork with fat, cut into small pieces

• 2 Amapalya (bitter melons) sliced to bite size pieces

• 2 eggplants, sliced to bite size pieces

• 5 pieces of okra, cut in two

• 1 head garlic, minced

• 2 onions, diced

• 5 tomatoes, sliced

• 1 tablespoon of ginger, crushed and sliced

• 4 tablespoons bagoong isda or bagoong alamang

• 3 tablespoons of oil

• 1 1/2 cup water

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• In a cooking pan, heat oil and fry the pork until brown, remove the pork from the pan and set aside.

• On the same pan, saute garlic, onion, ginger and tomatoes.

• In a casserole, boil water and add bagoong.

• Add the pork in the casserole and mix in the sautéed garlic, onion, ginger and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

• Add in all the vegetables and cook until the vegetables are done, careful not to overcook.

• Salt and pepper to taste.

• Serve hot with plain rice.

Rellenong Bangus

Estimated cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 big bangus (milkfish)

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 onion chopped

• 2 tomatoes, diced

• 1 egg

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 1 small carrot, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 4 tablespoons of cooking oil

• ham, finely chopped

• raisins

• cooked peas

• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Scale and remove the intestines of the bangus.

• With a very sharp knife, slowly remove the meat of the fish from the skin through the opening cavity below the head. Remove the spine by snapping off the bone at the base of the tail and head. Use a long spoon to scrape all the meat from the skin.

• Marinate the head and skin in lemon juice, soy sauce and pepper.

• Boil in 1/2 cup of water the bangus meat with some salt for 5 minutes.

• Sauté the garlic and onions until slightly brown then add the tomatoes and carrots until tender.

• Add the chopped ham, cooked peas, raisins and the bangus meat to the mixture. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

• Add a beaten egg to the sauté and mix well.

• Stuff the mixture inside the bangus skin and head. Sew the cavity if needed.

• Fry in oil until golden brown.

• slice slightly diagonal (1 1/2 inch thick) and serve.

Laing

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Estimated cooking time: 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 25 pieces gabi (taro) leaves, dried and shredded
• 1/2 kilo pork, diced
• 1/4 cup shrimp bagoong
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
• 5 jalapeno pepper, sliced
• 1 cup coconut cream (katang gata)
• 2 cups coconut milk (gata)
• 1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

• In a casserole, sauté garlic, ginger and onions then add the pork.

• mix in the gabi leaves.

• Pour in the coconut milk (gata) and bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes.

• Add jalapeno, bagoong, salt and MSG and simmer for another 5 minutes.

• Add the coconut cream and continue to simmer until oil comes out of the cream.

• Serve hot with plain white rice.

Pork / Chiken Adobo

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo pork cut in cubes + 1/2 kilo chicken, cut into pieces or

• choice of either 1 kilo of pork or 1 kilo of chicken

• 1 head garlic, minced

• 1/2 yellow onion, diced

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 1 cup vinegar

• 2 cups of water

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 5 laurel leaves (bay leaves)

• 4 tablespoons of cooking oil or olive oil

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 3 tablespoons water

Instructions:

• In a big sauce pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil then sauté the minced garlic and onions.

• Add the pork and chicken to the pan. Add 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, vinegar, paprika and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or when meat is tender.

• Remove the pork and chicken from the sauce pan and on another pan, heat cooking oil and brown the pork and chicken for a few minutes.

• Mix the browned pork and chicken back to the sauce and add cornstarch dissolved in water to thicken.

• Add salt and/or pepper if desired

• Bring to a boil then simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

• Serve hot with the adobo gravy and plain rice.

Cooking Tips:

• You have the option to add crushed ginger to the onions and garlic when sautéing. Ginger adds a unique flavor to your pork/chicken adobo.

Nilagang Baka

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

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.

Tips:

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

Bicol Express

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kilo pork, thinly sliced

• 1 cup Baguio beans

• 3 cups long chili or jalapeno peppers

• 1 onion, minced

• 1 head of garlic, minced

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1 cup coconut cream

• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil

• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• In a bowl of water with salt, soak chili peppers for 30 minutes then rinse and strain.

• In a cooking pan, heat cooking oil and brown sliced pork for a few minutes.

• In another pan, sauté minced garlic and onion.

• Add to the sauté the browned pork.

• Then add the coconut milk, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

• Add the chili peppers, Baguio beans and cook until dish gets a little dry.

• Add the coconut cream and simmer until the sauce thickens.

• Salt to taste.

Chopsuey

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kilo pork, sliced into small pieces

• 1/4 kilo shrimps, shelled, deveined and halved

• 1/4 kilo chicken liver and gizzard, sliced to small pieces

• 1/4 kilo cauliflower, broken to bite size

• 1/4 kilo string beans

• 1/4 kilo snow peas (sitsaro)

• 1/4 kilo cabbage, cut into squares

• 2 stalks of leeks, cut into 2" long pieces

• 3 stalks celery, cut into 2" long pieces

• 5 cloves garlic, diced

• 2 onions, diced

• 1 carrot, sliced thinly

• 1 piece red bell pepper, cut in strips

• 1 piece green bell pepper. cut in strips

• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup of water

• 2 cups chicken stock (broth)

• 3 tablespoons of sesame oil

• 3 tablespoons of patis (fish sauce)

• 4 tablespoons of corn oil or vegetable oil

• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• In a big pan or wok, sauté garlic, onions then add in the pork. chicken liver and gizzard. Add 1 cup of stock, pinch of salt and simmer for 15 minutes or until pork and chicken giblets are cooked.

• Mix in the shrimp then all the vegetables. Add the remaining 1 cup of stock, patis and the dissolved cornstarch. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are done. Add the sesame oil.

• Salt and pepper to taste.

• Serve hot with rice.

Pansit Palabok

Ingredients:

Palabok Noodles / Sauce

• 1/2 kilo miki noodles

• 1/2 kilo small crabs

• 5 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons of atchuete seeds or oil

• 2 tablespoons of patis (fish sauce)

• 4 tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in water

• 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate (MSG)

• 1 1/2 cups of water

Palabok Toppings

• Tinapa flakes (smoked fish)

• Cooked shrimps, shelled

• Squid adobo, sliced into rings

• Pork chicharon, grounded

• Spring onions, chopped

• Hard boiled eggs, shelled, sliced

• Fried garlic, minced

• Fresh calamansi (lemon), sliced

Instructions:

• Extract fat and meat from clean crabs, set aside.

• Pound crab and extract juice on 1 1/2 cups of water

• On a pan, sauté garlic and onions until golden brown then add crab fat, crab meat, 1 1/2 cups of crab wash, patis and MSG. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

• Add corn starch and continue to simmer while constantly stirring until thick.

• Put miki noodles in a strainer and dip in boiling water for 5 minutes or until cooked.

• Lay drained noodles on a platter and pour the palabok sauce. Garnish with toppings and serve.

Pansit Canton

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces pansit canton noodles

• 1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

• 4 cups chicken broth (from boiled breast)

• 1/2 pound pork, sliced in small pieces

• 1/2 pound shrimps, shelled and deveined

• 4 tablespoons cooking oil

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup Chinese sausages, sliced

• cauliflower, cut to bit size

• 2 cups snow peas (sitsaro)

• 2 cups cabbage, sliced into strips

• 1 cup celery, sliced

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1/4 cup scallions, diced

• 4 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• In a big pan or wok, sauté in oil the garlic and onions. Then add sliced pork until cooked.

• Add 2 cups of chicken broth and add the shredded chicken, sliced Chinese sausages, shrimps, snow peas, cabbage, celery and diced carrot. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until cooked.

• Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth and the pansit canton noodles. Let simmer until noodles are soft.

• Add the scallions, sesame oil then salt and pepper to taste.

• Serve hot