Chicken Lollipop

Chicken lollipop is a fun dish.  Kids and adults alike love this chicken dish.  Kids love chicken lollipop because it's just like fried chicken and, and we all know how kids love fried chicken.  Men like chicken lollipop as it is the perfect "pulutan" or accompaniment to beer.  Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside.  Try this recipe of chicken lollipop which is a regular during reunions.

Ingredients :

1kg chicken, cut lollipop style (you can usually find this at the Magnolia Chicken Station)
cornstarch
Panko Japanese bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten, season with salt and pepper
oil for frying

Chicken Lollipop Marinade:

10 pcs calamansi (local lime)
salt and pepper

Procedure:

1.  Marinate chicken lollipops in chicken lollipop marinade for 3-4 hours.
2.  Coat the chicken lollipops in the following manner :
     -  Coat with cornstarch
     -  Dip in egg
     - Coat with bread crumbs
3.  Fry in hot oil. Make sure oil is hot so that chicken lollipops will be crispy.
4.  Serve hot with sauce.

Suggested sauces :

1.  Kikkoman soy sauce mixed with calamansi and a dash of Knorr seasoning sauce.
2.  Mayonnaise-mustard mixture.
3.  Sweet chilli sauce
4.  Good old tomato ketchup.

Pancit Bihon - The Filipino Favorite

I never fail to notice whenever I eat in Filipino restaurants with friends and family, the pancit bihon, if present on the menu, would always be ordered.  This Filipino pancit version is, I think, the most popular among Filipinos.  Although my preference would tend to lean more towards different pancit variations like the pancit malabon or pancit palabok, I am amazed at friends and acquaintances who never get tired of the pancit bihon.  Even in office and school cafeterias, the pancit bihon seems to be a regular merienda menu.  Pondering on this phenomena, I would thinkg that maybe it is because the pancit bihon rice noodle is flavorful in itself and adds a unique flavor to the pancit bihon that other Filipino noodle variations do not.  Maybe one of these days I will run a poll on which pancit Filipinos like to eat.  The pancit bihon is simple to make yet tastes very good and here is a simple home recipe.

Ingredients :

1 kg. pancit bihon
2 large carrots sliced
1 head cabbage, sliced
1/4 kg beans, sliced
1/4 kg chicken breast, sliced
1/4 kg shrimps, peeled and deveined
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 onion, sliced
soy sauce to taste (around 3-4 tablespoons)
dash of fish sauce (patis) and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1.  Soak pancit bihon noodles in water until noodles are soft.  Drain.
2.  Saute garlic, onions in hot oil.
3.  Add in chicken breast slices and continue to saute until chicken changes color.
4.  Add in shrimps and saute until shrimps turn pink.
5.  Add in fish sauce (patis), cover pan and cook over low heat until simmering.
6.  Add in carrots and cook until carrots are half done.
7.  Add in cabbage and beans and cook until vegetables are half done, stirring continuously.
8.  Add in soy sauce.
9.  Add in the pancit bihon noodles and mix continuously until noodle and other condiments are blended well.
10.  Serve hot.

Chopsuey

The Chopsuey.  Healthy yet delicious.  The chopsuey, a mix of various vegetables, usually including cabbage, carrots, and bell peppers, is always a delight to see on our dinner tables.  The combination of lively colors of the vegetables makes is a delectable sight and stirs the appetite of anyone who sees it.  We usually cook chopsuey as an accompaniment to a meat dish, usually fried chicken or pork chops.  I like to cook the vegetables in chopsuey al dente to retain the nutrients and to give the chopsuey a crunchy texture.

Ingredients :

1 head cabbage, sliced into wedges

2 medium sized carrots, sliced

1 big bell pepper, red or green sliced into strips

2 pieces chayote sliced into wedges, the size of cabbage slices

1/4 kg chicken breast, diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 onion sliced

1 Knor chicken cube

salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1.  Saute garlic and onions in oil.

2.  Add in chicken pieces and continue to saute until chicken changes in color.

3.  Add in chicken cube with 1/2 cup of water.

4.  When chicken cube is fully dissolved, add in the carrots and chayote.  Half cook.

5.  Add in cabbage and bell pepper and continue to cook until vegetables are al dente.

6.  Serve hot.

Longaniza with Sunny Side Up - The Classic Filipino Breakfast

I haven't eaten longaniza in a while as I was trying to cut down on my fat intake but this morning I just couldn't resist as this longaniza breakfast was served by our angels on our breakfast table.  Paired with sunny side up eggs, it was delicious.  I like my longaniza well-fried with the sugars of the sausage caramelizing on the outside.  With chilli laced vinegar on the side as dipping sauce it was perfect. I passed up on the garlic fried rice and just opted for plain rice to reduce my oil intake (and to minimize the guilt in this indulgence).    Another accompaniment we would sometimes have with the longaniza is fried dried fish (tuyo) which neutralizes the sweetness of the longaniza with its salty taste.   How's that for yin and yang balance.

Sweet and Juicy Pineapples

Pineapples.  One of the fruits that we really love (next to mangoes, of course).  And the Philippine pineapples are some of the best in the world.   We usually get our pineapple treat from Tagaytay, a mere hour and a half drive from Manila.  Tagaytay has the sweetest pineapples that I have tried.  But on days when we find ourselves craving for pineapples and we have no time to drive to Tagaytay, we usually get our fill with the Dole Tropical Gold pineapples available in most supermarkets in Metro Manila.  Dole has packaged their pineapples conveniently, sliced into wedges and ready to eat.  Very convenient for busy moms.  Try biting into the sweet, succulent pineapple wedges - just heaven.

Squash with Coconut Milk

Squash with coconut milk is a classic Filipino vegetable dish that I think every household has cooked at one time or another.  Usually some string beans is mixed together with the squash. My squash with coconut milk recipe has a rich and thick coconut based sauce that is achieved by mashing some of the squash while cooking.  I also add in some malunggay, both for its nutritional value and to add color to the dish.  This squash recipe is simple, nutritious and so good.

Ingredients :

1/2 squash, peeled and cubed
1 bunch stringbeans (sitao), sliced into 1 inch pieces
1/4 kg pork, cut into small cubes
1 bunch malunggay leaves
3 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 cup coconut milk, first extraction
1 cup coconut milk, second extraction
patis and pepper to taste

Procedure :

Have the coconut grated at the market or supermarket.  Extract milk by adding 1/2 cup hot water to the grated coconut . Set aside first extraction.  Add another 1/2 cup hot water to the grated coconut and get your 2nd extraction.

Heat cooking oil in pan and pan fry pork.  When pork is slightly brown, add in the garlic and the onions and saute.  Add in patis. Cover pan and let simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.  Add in squash and saute for about 2 minutes. Add in the coconut milk 2nd extraction. Cover and simmer over low heat until squash is fork tender.  Add in the coconut milk first extraction.  Take out about 1/3 of the squash and mash in a bowl.  Add in the string beans and cook and simmer until string beans are half cooked (string beans should not be overcooked to retain nutrients and the beans' fresh green color).  Add back the mashed squash and malunggay.   Simmer for a minute.  Serve hot.

Easy Recipe for Bangus Marinade

I am an avid fan of the bangus.  It's the only fish I can eat every week, sometimes twice a week without getting tired of it; specially if the bangus is the Dagupan type, full of belly fat and so delicious.  The bangus is so versatile, several fish recipes can be done with it - with sauce, as sinigang, grilled, fried.  Bangus is best when prepared simply - marinated and fried.  Here is an easy recipe for bangus marinade. My bangus marinade is a simple mixture of vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.  I use lots of garlic for this fish recipe. The simplicity of the bangus marinade brings out the natural flavor of the bangus and this fish recipe has been tried and tested with my family and always elicits the thumbs up from them.  Marinate for at least 4 hours in this fish recipe to enable the bangus to absorb the flavors of the vinegar and garlic. Serve the fried bangus hot with dipping sauce of calamansi (local lime) or vinegar with chillies.  Ummm, soo-o good.

Pork Barbecue Recipe You Will Love

No Filipino can resist the pork barbecue.  The sweet aroma of sugar caramelizing on the pork barbecue as this is being cooked on the grill wafts through your nose and makes you hungry. This pork barbecue recipe has been in my family for years and has been a staple in family gatherings and reunions.  The secret is in the pork barbecue's marinade and length of time to marinate the pork to let the flavors seep in.  Do this ahead of time, at least 1 day ahead is best.  You can have your butcher cut the meat pork barbecue style.  When grilling, take care to maintain heat at medium to allow the pork barbecue to cook inside and out.  Charcoal grilling is recommended for the pork barbecue to absorb the charcoal grill taste.   Just imagine biting into sweet, savory, marinated pork barbecue with the flavors of charcoal grilling. Ummm.  Try this.

Ingredients :

2 kg pork pork with a little fat (kasim or pigue), sliced for barbecue
barbecue sticks for skewering

Marinade:
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp Knorr seasoning sauce
1 cup white soda (Sprite or 7-up recommended)
1 cup banana ketchup
1 whole garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 kg calamansi (or 2 medium sized lime), juice extracted

Procedure :
1.  Mix the ingredients for the marinade together.  Add in pork and mix well.  Keep in refrigerator overnight.
2.  Skewer the pork pieces.  When skewering, have one piece of pork fat at the end and at the middle portion so that meat and fat are apportioned well.
3.  Grill  pork barbecue over charcoal.  Take care to maintain heat at medium to ensure that the pork is cooked inside and out.
4.  Serve pork barbecue hot and enjoy.

Filipino Food Recipe - Chicken Afritada

This easy chicken recipe is one of the favorites of Pinoys all over the world.  The dish has Spanish influences with the the tomato based sauce.  This is also one of the regulars in our dinner table.  The flavor of this chicken dish is enhanced by the addition of chorizo de bilbao (Spanish sausage), bell peppers and green peas.  It can be a one-dish meal with chicken and potatoes included in the dish. And it is so easy to make.

Ingredients :

1 chicken cut into serving pieces

1/2 cup tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed

1 onion, diced

1 tsp fish sauce (patis) or to taste

2 pcs chorizo de bilbao, sliced 

2 large potatoes cut into 8 cubes

2 carrots, cubed the same size as the potatoes

1 small can cooked green peas (guisantes), drained

2 green bell peppers sliced into squares

Procedure:

1.  Saute garlic in oil.  Add in onions and chorizo de bilbao.

2.  Add in chicken pieces. Mix and saute lightly

3.  Add in fish sauce (patis). Lower heat and cover pan until it simmers.

4.  Add in tomato paste. Cover and cook over low heat until chicken is fork tender. Add a little water at a time if liquid dries out.

5.  Add in potatoes, carrots.  Cook over low heat until potatoes and carrots are done.

6.  Add in bell peppers and green peas.  Simmer for 10 seconds and your chicken afritada is done.

Where To Buy Bangus - The Freshest and Tastiest Bangus

People who have tasted my bangus recipes have often asked me where to buy bangus.  In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned that I get my bangus (milkfish) from a "suki" (regular bangus supplier).   I get the freshest and best tasting bangus from Mang Danny, a stall holder at the Farmers' Market at the Araneta Center.  He gets his bangus from Dagupan. Dagupan bangus is well  known as being one of the best tasting bangus in the Philippines.  Mang Danny's stall is called "Mar and Neng".   You take your pick from the different sizes of bangus and have it cleaned and sliced the way you want to.  He also offers deboning service for a minimal fee.  Be sure to visit his stall early in the morning as he sells only until around 7am after which another seller takes over the stall.  (Stall holders at the Farmers' Market go on time-sharing to spread rental costs).  I am a regular here and do my bangus shopping after we take our morning jog.  Try it out.

Osmond's No Bake Chocolate Cookies - Cookies That Kids Can Make

Cookies!  Kids just love them (and adults too).  Kids can’t just resist them and imagine my surprise when one day one of my little friends, Osmond, an eleven year old boy, whipped up a no bake chocolate cookie recipe on his own.  The no bake chocolate cookies were moist and chewy, the way I like my cookies.   And they are so simple to make, and fun too.  Try these no bake chocolate cookies recipe.  They don't have to be perfectly shaped.  You can have your kids shape them into anything they like and give them a fun experience.   

Ingredients :

1 pack (200 grams) chocolate graham crackers
1 small can condensed milk

1 pack M&M’s

Sugar for dipping

Procedure:

1.  Finely crush graham crackers.  (You can also use crushed grahams available in most supermarkets).  

2.  Mix together the crushed grahams and condensed milk.   

3.  Form into balls or small patties.  

4.  Roll each cookie in sugar.  Top each cookie with 1 piece of M&Ms.  Cool in refrigerator.  Your no bake chocolate cookies are ready to enjoy.

Adobo Recipe – Adobo Flakes

This is one adobo dish that we really love.  I sometimes make this when we have leftover adobo. But most of the time I make this from scratch when the craving for adobo flakes sets in.  This adobo recipe can be done with pork or chicken but I prefer to do this with a combination of both. This is so good with either rice or as a sandwich filling.  When we eat this with rice, a fried egg would usually go with it.  As a sandwich filling, we usually add in some mayonnaise, tomatoes and lettuce.  It takes longer than usual to cook this adobo dish but the effort is worth it.  Try it and you will find out.

Ingredients :

1 whole chicken cut into adobo serving size

1 kg pork pigue or kasim, cubed

½ cup white vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

1 whole garlic, peeled and mashed

1 laurel leaf

1 tsp whole peppercorns

4 tbsp cooking oil

Procedure:

1. Combine pork, chicken, vinegar, garlic, laurel leaf and peppercorns in a pan. Boil uncovered. 
2. Add ½ cup water and simmer over low heat until pork and chicken are tender.  Add water a little at a time if the sauce dries up. The pork and chicken have to be really tender to enable flaking. 
3.  When tender remove the pork and chicken from the pan and drain. Set aside to cool.  Do not discard the pan juices. 
4.  When cool, flake the chicken and pork.  Use your hands or do it with a fork. 
5.  Return the flaked chicken and pork to the pan and cook over low heat.  This will allow the flakes to absorb all the adobo sauce and drippings from the pan.  Simmer until the sauce dries up.
6.  When dry, add cooking oil pan fry the flakes over low heat, taking care not to burn the flakes.   When flakes turn golden brown and crispy remove from pan and serve.  

Adobo Recipe – Pork Adobo with Liver Sauce

With the addition of mashed pork liver, it’s like having lechon paksiw with this dish. The mashed pork liver will give this adobo dish a thick and rich sauce.   We usually have this with green mangoes and bagoong on the side. 

Ingredients:

1 kg pork kasim or pigue, cubed

½  kg pork liver

½  cup white vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

1 whole garlic, peeled and mashed

1 laurel leaf

1 tsp whole peppercorns

Procedure:

1.  Grill the pork liver over charcoal or in the oven will do.  The liver has to be well done. 
2.  Mash pork liver either by rough pounding this with mortar and pestle.  Take care not to pound the liver too finely; the sauce of the adobo will be more delicious with small bits of liver in it.   Set aside.  
3.  In a pan, combine pork, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, laurel leaf and peppercorns.  Boil uncovered.
4.  Add in the mashed pork liver.  Turn down the heat and simmer until pork is fork tender.  The sauce will tend to dry up fast because of the mashed pork liver so be sure to check out the dish from time to time.  Add a little water if sauce dries up.  The dish should have a thick sauce when done.  Serve hot.

Adobo Recipe – Pork Binagoongan

I have included this dish in the adobo category because it’s basically cooked as adobo with the addition of bagoong (shrimp paste) at the end.  You may used grocery-bought bottled bagoong or the fresh bagoong alamang from the market.  This is another adobo dish that should be served with a lot of rice because of the bagoong. 

Ingredients :

1 kg pork pigue or kasim, cubed

½  cup white vinegar

1 whole garlic, peeled and mashed

1 laurel leaf

1 tsp whole peppercorns

2 tbsp bagoong alamang (shrimp paste)

Procedure :
1.  Combine pork, vinegar, garlic, laurel and peppercorns in a pan and boil uncovered. 
2.  Turn down the heat and cook until pork is fork tender.  You may add a little water at a time if the liquid dries up. 
3.  Once the pork is done, turn up the heat to medium.  At this point, the pork should have rendered its fat and the dish will have some oil. 
4.  Add in the bagoong and cook, stirring continuously.  If using the fresh bagoong, cook until the bagoong is done.  If using bottled bagoong  (which already pre-cooked) as soon as the bagoong is fragrant, the dish is done.  Serve hot.

Adobo Recipe – Adobong Tagalog

This adobo recipe is something I learned from my father who hails from Laguna.  It is sometimes called the white adobo because of the absence of soy sauce.    You can use either pork or chicken or a combination of both for this dish.  I prefer using a combination as the pork fat will give added flavour.  The simplicity of this adobo dish actually makes the flavour of the chicken and/or pork really come out. 

Ingredients :

1 whole chicken cut into adobo serving size

1 kg pork pigue or kasim, cubed

¾ cup white vinegar

1 whole garlic, peeled and mashed

1 laurel leaf

1 tsp whole peppercorns

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Combine chicken, pork, vinegar, garlic, laurel and peppercorns in pan.  Over high heat bring to a boil uncovered. 
2.  After it boils, cover pan and simmer over low heat until chicken and pork are fork tender.  You may add a little water at a time if sauce dries up. 
3.  When chicken and pork are tender, turn up the heat to medium.  This will allow the remaining sauce to evaporate.  Add salt to taste. Continue cooking, taking care to mix continuously so as not to burn as it dries up and to sear the chicken and pork evenly on all sides.  Serve hot.

Adobo Recipe – Batangas Pork Adobo

 This adobo dish was taught to me by a former officemate who hails from Batangas.  What makes this pork adobo dish different is the addition of achuete (annatto seeds) that colors it orange.  The achuete is quick fried in oil to extract the color instead of the usual way of soaking the seeds in water to extract the juice.  This gives it not only a nice color but added distinct flavour that makes this pork adobo recipe so delicious.

Ingredients:

1 kg pork kasim or pigue, cubed

½ cup vinegar

1 whole garlic, peeled and mashed

1 onion, diced

1 laurel leaf

1 tsp peppercorns

½ cup achuete (annatto seeds)

5 tbsp cooking oil

Procedure:

1.  Heat cooking oil in pan.  Add in the achuete seeds and quick fry for about 10 seconds or until the oil turns orange.  Remove achuete seeds. 

2. Turn down the heat to medium and sauté garlic and onions until fragrant.  Take care not to burn the garlic and onions.  

3. Add in the pork, vinegar, laurel and peppercorns and boil uncovered.  Turn down heat to low, cover the pan and simmer until pork is fork tender.  You may add in a little water at a time if sauce dries out.  

4. When pork is done turn up heat.  At this point the sauce should have been fully evaporated.  Continue to cook the adobo, mixing continuously, until the pork has rendered off its fat.  Serve hot with rice.

Adobo Recipe – Chicken Pork Adobo with Pineapple

We sometimes call this chicken pork adobo recipe the Hawaiian adobo because of the addition of pineapples.  The pineapples give a combination of sweet and sour taste to this chicken pork adobo dish.  Kids will love this.  This chicken pork adobo recipe has always been a hit with kids in my family. 

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken cut into adobo serving size

1 kg pork pigue or kasim, cubed

½ cup white vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

1 small can pineapple tidbidts

Juice of pineapple tidbits

1 tsp sugar

1 whole garlic, peeled and mashed

1 laurel leaf

1 tsp whole peppercorns

Procedure:

Combine pork, chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, juice of pineapple, sugar, garlic, laurel leaf, peppercorns in pan.  Boil uncovered.  Cover pan, reduce heat to low and simmer until pork and chicken are fork tender. You may add a little water at a time if sauce dries up.  When chicken and pork are tender, add in pineapple tidbits.     Cook for another 5 minutes covered.  This adobo dish, when done, should have a thick sauce.  You can add a little water during the last 5 minutes of cooking if it dries up.  Serve hot.

Adobo Recipe – Pork Adobo with Green Mangoes

This adobo dish I tried at one of the get-togethers we attended.  This is not your adobo served with green mangoes on the side.  But this is adobo cooked with green mangoes.  Instead of vinegar, the pork adobo is soured by green mangoes which gives it a distinct flavour.  I never thought this was done until I tried it.  The green mangoes makes this adobo dish more sour as the green mango strips become part of the dish itself, unlike when using vinegar, the vinegar evaporates during the cooking process.  It really tastes good.  It’s like eating the adobo with manggang hilaw, this time all incorporated into one dish.  

Ingredients :

1 kg pork kasim or pigue, cubed

1 medium green mango, peeled and sliced into strips

¼ cup soy sauce

½  cup water

1 whole garlic, peeled and mashed

1 tsp whole peppercorns

1 laurel leaf

Procedure:

Combine pork,green mango strips, soy sauce, water, garlic, laurel leaf and peppercorns in a pan. Boil uncovered.  Reduce heat to low and cook until pork is fork tender. You may add a little water at a time if sauce dries up.  When pork is done continue cooking until the sauce thickens.  (The green mango will thicken the sauce).   Serve hot.

Adobo Recipe - Chicken Adobo with Chicken Liver

This chicken adobo recipe is another family favourite.  We usually mash half of the chicken liver in the sauce and leave the other half whole.  The mashed chicken liver gives this adobo dish a thick sauce. 

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken cut into adobo serving size

½ kg chicken liver

½ cup white vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

1 whole garlic, peeled and mashed

1 laurel leaf

1 tsp peppercorns

Procedure:

1. Combine chicken, chicken liver, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, laurel leaf, peppercorns in a pan.  Let boil leaving the cover off.
2. Once boiled, cover and simmer until the chicken is fork tender.  You may add a little water at a time if the sauce becomes dry.
3. Take out half of the chicken liver and mash (you can also osterize this).  Put the mashed chicken liver back into the pan and simmer for  5 minutes or until the liver has been incorporated into the sauce.  Serve hot.  

Adobo Recipe – Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk

We have added a new dimension to this chicken adobo with coconut milk recipe by adding in tanglad or lemongrass.  It makes this chicken adobo dish more fragrant and flavourful and balances off the richness of the coconut milk - a perfect combination.

Ingredients :

1 whole chicken cut into adobo serving size

½ cup white vinegar

1 whole garlic, peeled and mashed

1 laurel leaf

½ tsp whole peppercorns

1 cup kakang gata (1^st  extraction of the milk from the coconut)

1 cup coconut milk 2^nd extraction

Tanglad (lemongrass)

2 chilli peppers (siling pangsigang type)

Procedure:

1. Combine chicken, vinegar, garlic, laurel leaf and peppercorns in a pan.  Boil leaving the pan uncovered.
2. After it has boiled, lower heat, cover pan and simmer until chicken is fork tender.  You may add water a little at a time if the dish becomes too dry while simmering. 
3. Add in the 2^nd extraction of the coconut milk together with the tanglad. The tanglad will add a nice flavour to the dish and will make it fragrant. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add in the 1^st extraction of the coconut milk.  Let simmer for 3 minutes.  Add the chilli peppers last and the dish is good to go.  Serve chicken adobo hot.

Adobo Recipes - Ilonggo Pork Adobo

This pork adobo recipe I learned from one of our angels at home. (We call our househelp angels because that is what they are to us- angels who watch over us and take care of us).  Mila is a native of Negros province and is really good at cooking Filipino food. This is another Pinoy adobo recipe in my series that is a hit with my family.  This pork adobo recipe is so good that I am sure you will make this a regular at your dinner table.  A good workout is in order, though, after eating this pork adobo as this will make you eat a lot.  The taste of this pork adobo is enhanced by the rendering of the pork fat in the cooking process.  You can buy a pork cut that is not too fatty to lessen the fat and oil (and cholesterol) content of this dish.   And make sure you have a lot of rice to go with this Pinoy Ilonggo adobo dish.

Ingredients :

1 kg pork pigue or kasim, cubed for adobo
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 whole garlic, peeled and mashed
1 onion diced
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp. whole peppercorns
1 laurel leaf
1 tsp oil for sauteing


Procedure:


1.  In a little oil, saute garlic and onions over low heat until fragrant. Take care not to burn.
2.  Add pork cubes. Cover the pan and cook over low heat. Do not leave the dish cooking by itself at this point.  Check on the pork from time to time.  If the oil starts to be extracted from the pork, mix and turn over the pork pieces to make sure you get an even sear on all the sides of the pork cubes. (Take care not to burn as this will leave a bitter taste; keep your flame on low setting).  Then cover again to allow the pork to sear some more.  Do this mixing and turning over repeatedly until most of the pork fat has been rendered and all sides of the pork cube have been seared.
3.  Add in the vinegar, sugar, laurel leaf and peppercorns. Cover pan and let simmer over low heat until pork is fork tender.  If the pork is not yet done and the dish becomes dry add a little water to enable the simmering process to continue.
4.  When the pork is fork tender, turn up the heat and continue to cook the pork, mixing continuously. Last add the soy sauce, mix and cook for a further 2 minutes.   Serve hot with a lot of rice.

Adobo Recipes - Chicken Pork Adobo

Chicken pork adobo is an all- Filipino braised chicken and pork recipe. This is the basic family adobo recipe for chicken or pork adobo or combined chicken pork adobo, the simple, no-frills pinoy recipe for adobo that tastes great.  The secret is here is to marinate the pork and chicken for at least 4 hours. This will allow the flavors to seep into the meat and make your adobo really tasty.  This is Filipino food at its best. 

Ingredients:

1 chicken cut into adobo serving size (you can have this cut "adobo style" in the supermarket)

1 kg pork kasim or pigue, cubed

1/2 cup white vinegar (sukang puti)

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce

1 whole garlic, peeled and mashed

1 laurel leaf

1 tsp whole peppercorns

oil for frying

Procedure:

1.  Marinate the chicken and pork in the adobo marinade mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, laurel leaf and peppercorns.  Marinate this for at least 4 hours (overnight will be perfect).  Do not throw the marinade.
2. Over medium heat, fry the pork pieces in a little oil until seared on all sides. Do not cook fully. This step is done to lock in the juices in the meat.  Do the same with the chicken.
3. After removing the pork and chicken pieces from the pan, remove excess oil, leaving only around 2 tbsp oil in the pan. (The pork and chicken will release some of their oils during the searing process and increase the volume of the oil).
4. Add the marinade into the pan. Let boil without covering the pan.
5. Add the pork and chicken pieces, laurel leaf and water. Cover the pan and over low heat, simmer the chicken pork adobo for 30 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to half.  Serve the chicken pork adobo hot with a lot of rice.

Featuring : 11 Ways to Cook Adobo

I think that of all Filipino foods, the adobo is the most versatile. With 7,100 islands, each of the Philippines' regions has its own version of the adobo.  Every Filipino kitchen has its own adobo recipe and each version is unique on its own.  It is The truly Pinoy dish. Each adobo version that I have tried tastes different, and I have not come across one that is a duplicate of another.   And I've tasted a lot.  This is one of my favorite Filipino foods, and I just cannot resist having a serving of this irresistible dish served in get-togethers or even in Filipino restaurants that we frequent.  It's just amazing how, with so simple basic ingredients as garlic and vinegar, chicken or pork can be transformed into a mouthwatering adobo dish.  Just imagining the garlicky, vinegary taste of the adobo is making me crave for the dish right now.

In honor of this great dish, today I start a mini-series on the different adobo recipes that I have tried.  Here are 11 ways to cook adobo - Chicken Pork Adobo, Ilonggo Pork Adobo, Chicken Adobo with Gata, Chicken Adobo with Chicken Liver, Pork Adobo with Green Mango, Chicken Pork Adobo with Pineapple, Batangas Pork Adobo, Adobong Tagalog, Pork Binagoongan, Pork Adobo with Liver Sauce, Adobo Flakes. Please click on any adobo recipe that you would like to see. These adobo recipes are either our own family adobo recipes or adobo recipes that I have learned from my friends' versions.

Simple But Delicious Filipino Food - Poque-poque

It was on a Filipino food discovery trip to Vigan and Laoag with my husband that we first tried this eggplant dish the locals there call poque-poque.  It's a simple all Pinoy dish basically made of just eggplants and scrambled eggs but it tastes so good.  I have tried to replicate the vegetable recipe for this wonderful Filipino food at home with success (got rave reviews from the family). And the thing is the dish is so good but is so simple to make. 

Ingredients :

4 medium eggplants

2 eggs beaten

1 clove garlic, mashed

1/2 onion, diced

2 medium sized tomatoes, diced

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 chicken broth cube

Pepper to taste

1. Grill the eggplants and peel off skin.  Slice the peeled eggplant into one-inch cubes (cubes do not have to be perfectly shaped).

2.  In a pan saute garlic, onion, tomatoes in oil.

3.  Add in chicken broth cube and 3-4 tbsp water.  Simmer until the chicken broth cube is completely dissolved.

4.  Add in the sliced eggplants and mix well together.

5.  Sprinkle with pepper.  Serve hot.

Filipino Food Recipe - Bangus with Tausi

I think bangus (milkfish) is still the best and most delicious Filipino fish.  The Pinoy loves this fish. It is delicious plain fried or combined with sauces like this Filipino fish recipe.  Make sure you get the freshest and fattest bangus.  (I have a suki (regular supplier) for bangus who is so consistent with the quality of the bangus that he sells. I will tell you all about in another post).  This is one Pinoy fish recipe that you will surely love.

Ingredients :

1 whole bangus sliced (a medium sized bangus should yield about 5 to 6 pieces)

2 cloves garlic

1 medium onion sliced  

ginger (a thumb sized ginger sliced thinly will do)

3 medium sized tomatoes, diced

1tablespoon tausi (this can be bought canned from supermarkets)

chilli fingers (siling pangsigang) optional

Oil for frying

cornstarch for coating

Procedure:

1. Thinly coat bangus slices with cornstarch.  This will make the bangus crispy when fried.

2.  Heat about 1/2 cup oil in pan or kawali

3.  Fry bangus pieces until golden brown. Set aside.

4.  In a separate pan heat 1 tbsp of oil. Saute garlic, onion, ginger until fragrant. Take care not to burn as this will leave a bitter taste to the dish.

5.  Add in tomatoes and mash and cook until these are wilted and have given off their juice.

6.  Add in the tausi. Lower the heat. Cook until juice is extracted from the tausi.  If sauce tastes too salty add in 2-3 tbsps water.  (Different black beans brands have different levels of saltiness so adjust to your taste).

7.  Add in the fried bangus and chilli peppers (optional but it will add a new dimension to this fish recipe).  Toss a few times to coat bangus with the sauce.  Serve hot.