Posts made in September, 2013

Filipino Style Mango Chutney

We also have our very own style of chutney. It is served with Bringhe and other curry dishes. The difference in the Indian style chutney is the mango itself and no other spices. With the Filipino chutney, manibalang (half ripe), carabao mangoes are used and only salt and sugar are added to it. I learned how to make this from our assistant cook, Helen Manao. Helen was a very diligent cook. She learned how to read and add from us. I would see her sweating it out trying to add up the market list and then I learned that she didn’t know how to read and do maths. Over the years, with lots of effort and sweat, she finally did learn and even became a business woman on her own right. She has gone to heaven and this recipe is in memory of her. Ingredients: 4 kilos yellow-green half-ripe (manibalang) carabao mangoes – dried strips must come up to 500 grams 1 piece yellow (ripe) carabao mango – peel off skin with potato peeler and coarsely grate meat into a glass bowl or plate; set aside 2 1/2 cups (500 grams) white sugar 1 1/2 cups water 4 teaspoons sea salt coarse Procedure: Peel off the skin from manibalang yellow-green mangoes with a potato peeler. Slice the mangoes with potato peeler too. Place the sliced mangoes in a glass or stainless steel bowl. Sprinkle the salt all over the mangoes and mix well. Leave in the salt for 2 hours, mixing occasionally. Drain salt water well from the mangoes and place in a bilao (native bamboo tray) or baking tray. Spread out evenly on bilao and sun dry. It may take a few hours to two days, depending on the sun’s heat to dry. It must not be too dry nor still soggy. The mango strips must still have some moisture left. In a medium sized stainless steel or fire-proof cooking sauce pan, over medium-low heat, place the grated ripe mango, water and sugar. Bring the mixture to a slow boil. About 5 minutes. Add the semi-dried yellow-green mango strips and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Turn down the flame to low simmer and stir constantly until the candy thermometer registers 200ºF (90ºC). Turn off fire and bottle immediately. Leave off cover till cool and then cap. Serve as an accompaniment to Bringhe or any curried...

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Paella Negra (Rice Casserole with Squid Ink)

Although Paella Negra is an Italian/Spanish dish, it is very similar to our Adobong Pusit sans the vinegar. I first tasted this dish in the now defunct restaurant “Barcelona” in SM Mega Mall on EDSA. Although I am not a fan of Adobong Pusit, I swooned over the Paella Negra and couldn’t get enough of it and had to make my own version. It took me some time to discover that the secret was ‘nutmeg’. You can make two other dishes with the basic recipe of the Paella Negra. Instead of rice, cook your favorite pasta and use the sauce plus the seafoods. For another version of ‘Adobong Pusit’ sans the vinegar, you can use the basic sauce and just place the pusit (squids). Serve with Ali-Oli sauce and sliced fresh lemons on the side. Ingredients: 1 kilo small fresh squid – remove tentacles and skin; save the tiny ink sac (it looks like tiny, silver bags); clean inside of squid from any particles that are not part of the squid (tiny shrimps or fish), leave the fat of the squid intact (looks like tiny gelatin); slice into 1/2-inch rings. In a medium sized frying pan, over low heat, pour 1/4 cup of olive oil and saute the squid in batches (about a handful at a time) till the squid turns slightly white and then set aside. 1 kilo Manila clams (halaan) or mussels (tahong) – to clean the Manila clams, soak for about 2 hours in salted water (1/4 cup salt) dissolved in 3 cups water, so the clams can spit out the sand. The halaan must only be in enough water so that the top of the shell is still exposed to the atmosphere. Then rinse the halaan in running water and drain. In a sauce pan place 2 cups of water and bring to a boil and place the halaan in pot and simmer till the shells open then remove from fire. With the mussels, remove the beard before doing the same as halaan. With either shell fish, remove the meat from the shell and set aside. Strain the liquid, measure and set aside. 500 grams prawns – place prawns in sauce pan, no water, and cook over low fire till they look like pink question marks; remove from fire; cool, peel and set aside; do not over cook. 1 tablespoon squid or octopus ink – in the Philippines you can buy either one or two of the large squids and get their ink; in other countries, squid ink is available in bottles or sachets. 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic 2 cups finely chopped onions 3 3/4 cups Japanese rice or Jasmine rice – rinse only...

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Gulay na Ubod (Sautéed Heart of Coconut Palm)

The first time I tasted young ubod was in Bacolod. Ubod is the heart of the coconut palm. In Central Luzon, killing the coconut to harvest it’s heart is not done. Usually when the coconut palm has reached it’s low productive state, is when the heart of the coconut is harvested because to harvest it’s heart, one must kill the coconut. In the Visayas, coconut palms are planted just for it’s heart; it’s main intention is not the fruits for harvest. The difference in the heart is the sweetness and tenderness compared to a very mature coconut palm. Ingredients: 1 kilo ubod (heart of coconut) – sliced julienne against the grain and soak in buko juice 2 tablespoons finely crushed garlic 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 cup cooking oil 1 tablespoon tajure (salted/fermented bean curd) 250 grams small shrimps (school shrimps) – steamed, peeled and cubed 250 grams pork belly – boiled till tender and sliced into 1/4-inch by 1-inch strips 1 buko (young coconut) – the water to be used to soak the sliced ubod and the meat sliced julienne 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper 1 tablespoon sugar Procedure: Using a wok, over medium heat, saute garlic in oil till light golden tan. Add the onions and continue to saute till the onions are translucent. Put in the tahure and mash into the garlic/onion mixture. Add in the pork belly and shrimps and saute for 1 minute. Put in the ubod, drained from the buko juice, and simmer covered for about 30 minutes or till the ubod is tender; make sure you toss the mixture every 5 to 10 minutes to prevent burning the bottom. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Taste and adjust and serve. Note: You can serve this dish as it is or you can make Lumpiang Sariwa...

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Lumpiang Sariwa (Spring Rolls)

The lumpia (spring roll) is favourite, not only by Filipinos but also by other nationals that have tasted it or whose cuisines also have a version of it; like the Chinese or the Vietnamese. This version needs a lot of time in the kitchen since even the wrapper is home made; but believe me it’s worth the effort. Mom would always serve it for special occasions like her birthday or Dad’s. I remember the times that my uncle, Ernesto O. Escaler would order from me, just the wrappers, so that he could make Crepe Suzette with them. The secret of the Lumpiang Sariwa Sauce is using the drippings from the cooked vegetables. If you are pressed for time, you can also serve this without the wrapper and use the lettuce as a bed on serving dish. Lumpia Ingredients: 1/2 cup cooking oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 250 grams pork belly (liempo) – boiled in water till tender, sliced into very thin strips (1 1/2-inch long, 1/8-inch wide and 1/4-inch thick) 500 grams heart of coconut palm (ubod) – slice Julienne, against the grain and soaked in water or coconut juice 250 grams small shrimps or prawns – steam, peel, cut into cubes 500 grams blue swimmer crabs (alimasag) – steam, peel or 1 cup of canned or frozen crab meat 2 pieces of tokwa/tofu cakes (firm type) to make 1 cup – cut into 1/4-inch cubes 500 grams cabbage – sliced julienne (remove the white pith, you need just the green part) 1/2 cup cooked garbanzos (chickpeas) – remove skin 1 1/2 cups jicama (singkamas) – peel and slice julienne 100 grams snow peas (chicharo) – remove thread and slice julienne 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 iceberg lettuce – remove center and using fingers, tear into 3-inches wide and 4-inches lengths; soak in water for 20 minutes and drain 20 pieces of Balat Lumpia wrappers Lumpia Procedure: Using a large wok, over medium-low fire, pour the oil in wok and saute the garlic till a very light golden tan. Add the pork, shrimps/prawns, crab meat, tofu and ubod. Cover, turn fire to low and simmer for 15 minutes; tossing and turning every once in a while. Add cabbage, garbanzos, singkamas, snow peas, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Return cover, still over low fire, simmer for another 15 minutes; mixing every once in a while. Remove from heat. Using a large colander, drain the mixture, collecting the drippings. Set aside to cool. Lumpia Sauce Ingredients: 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 tablespoon finely crushed garlic 2 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons brown sugar or grated panocha (firmly pack) 2 tablespoons corn starch – make a paste by adding 2 tablespoons...

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Chicken Pandan

This is basically a Thai dish but the Thai version deep fries the chicken. Being conscious of too much fried food, I tweaked it by baking it instead. The Philippines is abundant with ‘pandan’ leaves, and I thought that doing it this way is another use of the ‘pandan’ and the chicken. Ingredients: 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon mirin 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger 1/8 teaspoon finely ground black pepper 2 pieces chicken thigh deboned and cut into 4 pieces each Procedure: Mix marinade. Marinate chicken for at least 2 hours. Wrap in pandan leaves. Lay chicken piece on the large bottom of the pandan leaf. Fold over the leaf, creating a triangle and continue to roll in triangle form enclosing the chicken and seal by using a toothpick to close the ends. Place on baking tray and pour excess marinade over chicken. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 F (180ºC) or till chicken is tender. You can test for tenderness by pricking it with a toothpick and piercing a toothpick to the chicken with no resistance is proof that the chicken is tender. DONT...

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Pesang Dalag (Mudfish Soup)

When I was a child, I used to look forward to my mother making this dish. My favorite part of the Dalag is the fish roe (puga); the taste and the tiny crackling sound, just sent me to seventh heaven. Many a time I would get into a fight with my siblings over it. I think this dish is as Filipino as can be. Ingredients: 1 big mudfish (1kilo plus) – to clean, thoroughly remove scales and then rub with coarse salt, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Keep doing this till the slime goes away. Rinse with water and cut the fish diagonally into 1-inch thick pieces, except towards the tail and head; leave about 4 inches towards tail end and about 1 inch from head. 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1/2 cup sliced onion 1 tablespoon sliced ginger – jullienne 2 tablespoons fish sauce (patis) 4 cups rice water washing 1 potato – peel and cut into quarters 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 bunch Bok Choy (Chinese cabbage), (petchay Baguio) – remove stem part and segregate into leaves Sauce: 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped tomato 2 tablespoons salted bean curd (tajure) – mashed 2 tablespoons cooking oil Procedure: There are two ways to treat the mudfish. One is to quickly pan fry the fish before mixing in with the soup. The other way is to let the fish cook in the soup. The choice is yours. In a medium sized cooking pot, over medium low fire, pour in the cooking oil and warm up oil. Saute the garlic, onion and ginger till the onions are wilted looking. Add the fish sauce and continue to saute for another minute. Pour in the rice washing water and bring to a slow boil. Add the potato and cook till the potato is almost tender. Add the mudfish, and salt and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook for another 2 minutes. Taste the soup and adjust to your liking, adding fish sauce or salt. Remove from fire. Serve with hot rice and sauce. Make sauce: In a small frying pan, over low fire, pour in cooking oil and saute garlic and onion till the onion is translucent. Add the tomato and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the salted bean curd and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes; stirring...

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Polvoron (Milk and Flour Cookies)

Try and whistle with Polvoron in your mouth – puffftff! Or say “Sally sells sea shells by the seashore”! Remember those childhood games when one would put a piece of Polvoron in the mouth and then try whistling? It is also a favorite ‘pasalubong’ (home coming gift) when we travel abroad to visit relatives and friends. Why, cause it’s so tedious to make. All that pressing and wrapping! but when one does it with family or friends, it’s actually a time to bond and exchange gossip. Yes, one can just buy the commercial type but there’s nothing to compare a home made Polvoron made with love and laughter. Ingredients: 900 grams (6 1/2 cups) all purpose flour 5 cups (1 kilo) sugar 400 grams powdered full cream milk 1 cup (225 grams) butter 1 cup Star margarine 1 cup margarine 2 cups finely ground cashew nuts – optional Procedure: In a heated oven at 300ºF or 160ºC or in a wok over low fire, roast flour, mixing and turning until cooked. The flour must smell roasted; it will be slightly brown. This takes about 1/2 hour more or less. Remove from oven or fire. Blend in sugar and milk; mix thoroughly. Add butter, margarines and nuts if desired. Mix thoroughly again. Using a Polvoron press, mold Polvoron by filling the press and pressing hard. Place on a cookie tray till ready to wrap. Cut different colored Papel Japon (tissue paper) into 5-inch or 6-inch squares and wrap each Polvoron individually. Place one piece at the center and fold over one side; then the other side and then twist the ends to close. Notes: Since the Polvoron is so fragile, some cooks like to bake the finished pieces in preheated oven for about 10 minutes to allow the butter to melt into the flour and be more manageable. It does come out a bit like a cookie and harder to say “Sally sells sea shells…..”. You can also bring it back to the fire, after mixing in the margarines and continue to cook over very low fire for about 10 minutes. The procedure above is the old fashioned way of baking...

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Linagang Baka aka Bulalo (Boiled Beef Soup)

Boiled beef soup can sound so ordinary but a good boiled beef soup can be fantastic. Depending on what cut of meat one uses is the secret. The other secret to a good beef soup is having some shank bones with it and searing the meat so that you don’t have all the floating blood around. One also has to slow boil the meat so that your soup is flavorful. Ingredients: 1 kilo beef shank meat (kenchi) or beef brisket – slice into 2-inches by 1-inch 2 kilos shank bone cut in half 1 to 2 whole onions – cut into quarters 8 to 10 cups rice water or water 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 piece sweet potato about 1 cup size – cut into 2-inch by 2-inch size 2 pieces potatoes about 2 cups size – cut into 2-inch by 2-inch size 1 small Baguio petchay (bok choy) or cabbage – cut from main stem and separate leaves and cut in half, crosswise 2 tablespoons shrimp sauce (patis) 1 tablespoon salt Procedure: In a large cooking pot, over medium fire, pour in cooking oil. When the pot is hot enough (180ºC), sear the meat and shank bones. This will prevent the blood from floating into the soup. Add in the onions and shrimp sauce, and saute for 3 minutes with meat. Pour in rice water and bring the pot to a boil. Turn down the heat to low. Add the peppercorns and 1/2 tablespoon salt. Simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or till the beef is almost very tender. Add the potatoes, simmer for 20 minutes. Add the sweet potato and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Add the last 1/2 tablespoon salt and taste. Adjust to your preference, starting with 1 teaspoon salt and shrimp sauce. When almost ready to serve, add the petchay. If using cabbage, simmer for 3 minutes. Serve with hot rice and dip with patis, or bagoong, soy sauce or calamansi/soy/patis. Notes: To get rice water, use the water that you rinse the rice with. This makes the soup slightly thick and flavorful. If there is too much floating oil (due to the shank bones and beef brisket), scoop out the oil before you place the petchay or cabbage. There is a Chinese broth secret that I learned; they put a small piece of dried fish into the broth. I don’t know the name but you could ask when you go to a Chinese store. The size of the dried fish put in is about 3-inches square. It does give you that flavorful taste that you can’t quite make up what it is. You can also use the...

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Ginataang Halo-Halo (Mixed Fruits in Coconut Cream)

What is more heartwarming than a bowl of Guinataang Halo-Halo for merienda! There is nothing like this warm afternoon delight. There are versions of this in Chinese or Thai cuisine, but like they say it’s chalk and cheese. Ingredients: 8 cups cold water 4 mature coconuts – grated 6 tablespoons cornstarch (corn flour) 2 cups (400 grams) sugar 2 cups diced (1/2-inch) sweet potato (kamote); yellow or purple – blanched in hot water for 10 minutes 1 cup cooked sago 6 ripe saba bananas – cooked with skin and diced 1/2-inch 1/2 cup fresh, ripe jackfruit (langka) – sliced into 1/2-inch squares 400 grams malagkit flour paste – make into 1-inch marble sized balls (to make your own paste, use 300 grams malagkit flour (sticky rice flour) and slowly add 1/2 cup water more or less. It must make a very dense paste looking like clay) Procedure: Place the grated coconut in large bowl. Pour in 2 cups of water on coconut and with hands, squeeze out the juice onto another clean bowl with strainer. Set this aside. Add another 4 cups of water and do the same but use another bowl for the second squeeze. Set aside. Add another 2 cups of water and do the same; place in the same bowl of the second squeeze. In a measuring cup, place cornstarch and add 1/2 cup of coconut milk from second-third squeeze and dissolve cornstarch. In a large porcelain or ceramic coated pot, or glass cooking pot, pour in the second-third squeeze of coconut milk and dissolved cornstarch. Place pot over medium flame and bring the mixture to a boil; stirring frequently. When boiling, add sugar and mix thoroughly; continue boiling. Add the sweet potato, rice flour balls, sago, bananas, and jackfruit. When mixture is slightly thick, about 5 to 10 minutes, add the first squeeze of coconut milk. Bring to a slow boil for 5 minutes then remove from heat. Do not overcook or the fruits will be mushy. Note: Because of the coconut milk, this dish does not keep well. It’s good until the next day, kept in the...

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Laing (Dried Taro Leaves in Coconut Milk)

The Bicol region is known for their coconut milk dishes and this is one of my favorites. I also consider it a comfort food. In Western countries, you can find the dried Taro (Gabi) leaves in the Asian supermarkets. In the Philippines, the Gabi leaves are found in the wet markets and sometimes, the stalks are still included. There are some tales about some Gabi leaves that if it’s not the right variety, it can cause an itchy throat. So better ask the vendor if it’s the right one. I also remember that the leaves must be very dry that is why it uses so much water and coconut milk to cook. I put in water and not pure coconut milk to cook it because it can be too rich if it’s pure coconut milk. Ingredients: 1/4 cup cooking oil 2 liters (8 cups) water 1 cup coconut milk 1 tablespoon crushed garlic 2 cups onion – chopped 1 tablespoon ginger – finely sliced julienne (like matchsticks) 1/2 cup bagoong alamang guisado – sautéed shrimp paste – give it a quick rinse in water and drain well 500 grams pork belly (liempo) – sliced into tiny pieces 1/4-inch by 1-inch strips 120 grams dried taro leaves (gabi leaves) 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes or 2 lady finger chili (siling mahaba) cut into little rounds 3 cups coconut cream – from the first squeeze of coconut or boxed coconut cream salt to taste – start with 1 teaspoon Procedure: In a cooking pot that can hold around 12 cups, place over low fire. Pour in the cooking oil and saute the garlic and onion till the onion is translucent; around 8 minutes. Add the ginger, bagoong, and pork slices. Stir around for 2 minutes. Pour in 8 cups of water and 1 cup coconut milk. Add the gabi leaves, chili flakes or siling mahaba and stir to just mix the gabi leaves. Cover the pot and let simmer for 1 hour over low fire; do not stir. To prevent it from sticking, with a spatula, slide around edges to bottom of pot. Pour in the 3 cups of coconut cream; again use spatula to just blend in cream. Simmer for another 30 minutes or till the mixture becomes oily and the coconut cream is slightly coagulated. Taste and season with salt, starting with just 1 teaspoon. Serve with steaming hot rice. Note: This makes a good pot of Laing for 8 to 10 persons. You can freeze this in smaller portions for serving later. Thaw and reheat. You can make it more spicy by adding more chili; that is up to you. This is a mild version. You can also...

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