Thursday, December 27, 2007

MACARONI SALAD


Filipino Chicken Macaroni Salad Recipe

Estimated preparation and cooking time: 1 hour

Chicken Macaroni Salad Ingredients:

  • 1/5 kilo macaroni noodles

  • 2 to 3 pieces, medium sized carrots

  • 1 big chicken breast

  • 500 ml of mayonnaise

  • 1 can (836 g) pineapple chunks or tidbits

  • 1 big white onion, finely chopped

  • 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

  • 3 hardboiled eggs, diced

  • 1 cup diced cheddar cheese

  • 1/2 cup raisins

  • salt and pepper to taste

Macaroni Salad Cooking Instructions:

  • Cook macaroni noodles according to package cooking instructions.

  • In a pot, boil carrots in water for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked.

  • Drain carrots and let cool. Peal skin then dice.

  • Boil chicken breast in water with salt. Drain chicken breast, then shred in 1 inch lengths

  • Drain pineapple chunks or tidbits.

  • Combine all ingredients while adding salt and pepper, to taste.

  • Refrigerate, then serve.

HALAYANG UBE


Halayang Ube (Purple Yam Jam) Recipe

Estimated preparation and cooking time: 2 hours

Halayang Ube Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo ube yam root

  • 1 can (14 ounces) evaporated milk

  • 2 cans (12 ounces) condensed milk

  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine

  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla (optional)

Halayang Ube Cooking Instructions:

  • On a pot, boil the unpeeled ube yam in water and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and let cool.

  • Peel and finely grate the ube yam.

  • Heat a big wok in medium heat.

  • Melt butter or margarine, add the condensed milk and vanilla flavoring. Mix well.

  • Add the 1 kilo grated ube yam,

  • Adjust the heat to low

  • Keep on mixing the ingredients for about 30 minutes or until sticky and a bit dry (but still moist).

  • Add the evaporated milk and continue to mix for another 15 minutes.

  • Let cool and place on a large platter.

  • Refrigerate before serving the halayang ube.

Cooking Tips:

  • You may spread additional butter or margarine on top of the jam before serving.

  • For the sweet toothed, sprinkle a little sugar on top of the jam after placing on the large platter.

  • Instead of manually grating the ube, you may cut it in cubes and use a blender to powderize the ube.

LECHE FLAN


Filipino Leche Flan Recipe

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Estimated cooking time: 1 hour

Leche Flan Ingredients:

  • 1 can (390g) evaporated milk

  • 1 can (390g) condensed milk

  • 10 egg yolks

  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or lemon essence

For the caramel:

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 3/4 cup water

Leche Flan Cooking Instructions:

  • In a saucepan, mix the sugar & water. Bring to a boil for a few minutes until the sugar caramelize.

  • Pour the caramelized sugar into aluminum moulds - you can use any shape: oval, round or square. Spread the caramel on the bottom of the moulds.

  • Mix well the evaporated milk, condensed milk, egg yolks and vanilla by hand or blender.

  • Gently pour the mixture on top of the caramel on the aluminum moulds. Fill the moulds to about 1 to 1 1/4 inch thick.

  • Cover moulds individually with aluminum foil.

  • Steam for about 20 minutes OR

  • Bake for about 45 minutes. Before baking the Leche Flan, place the moulds on a larger baking pan half filled with very hot water. Pre-heat oven to about 370 degrees before baking.

  • Let cool then refrigerate.

  • To serve: run a thin knife around the edges of the mould to loosen the Leche Flan. Place a platter on top of the mould and quickly turn upside down to position the golden brown caramel on top.

Cooking Tips:

  • You can tell when the Leche Flan is cooked by inserting a knife -if it comes out clean, it is cooked.

CHICKEN BARBEQUE


Chicken Barbeque Recipe

Estimated cooking time:

Chicken Barbeque Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken

  • 1 cup soy sauce

  • 1 head garlic, minced

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 3 tablespoons of calamansi juice or lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup of sprite, 7up or beer

  • 2 cups of tanglad (lemon grass) for stuffing

  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 3 tablespoons of brown or white sugar

Chicken Barbeque Cooking Instructions:

  • Marinate the whole chicken in soy sauce, calamansi juice, minced garlic, chopped onions, soda or beer, sugar and pepper.

  • Let stand marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.

  • Stuff the chicken cavity with tanglad (lemon grass).

  • Cook chicken on grill or in oven until golden brown

Cooking Notes:

  • For chicken leg barbeque, follow the same procedure above but omit stuffing the leg with lemon grass. Thread the chicken leg on a bamboo barbeque stick and grill on live charcoal until cooked.

  • To check if the meat is cooked, slice a small piece of meat off and if there are no juice running off the meat and there no reddish (blood) areas on the inside of the meat, the chicken is cooked.

PORK BARBEQUE


Pork Barbeque Recipe

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.

FILIPINO SPAGHETTI


Filipino Style Spaghetti Recipe

Estimated & preparation & cooking time: 40 minutes.

Spaghetti Ingredients:

  • 1 kg. spaghetti noodles

  • 1/2 kg. ground beef

  • 1/2 kg. ground pork

  • 1/4 kg. hotdogs, diagonally sliced

  • 1 kg. tomato sauce

  • 3 pieces laurel leaves (bay leaves)

  • 1/4 cup brown or white sugar

  • 2 green bell peppers, diced

  • 2 onions, chopped

  • 1 head garlic, minced

  • 3 tablespoons of cooking oil

  • 1 cup of water

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • 1/2 cup grated cheese

Spaghetti Cooking Instructions:

  • Cook spaghetti noodles according to package instructions.

  • In a sauce pan or wok, sauté garlic and onions in cooking oil.

  • Add ground beef, ground pork, laurel leaves, bell pepper and a cup of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.

  • Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper to taste then let simmer for another 10 minutes

  • Add brown sugar and hotdogs. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

  • Serve with the cooked spaghetti noodles and grated cheese on top.

PANCIT CANTON


Pansit Canton Recipe

Estimated cooking & preparation time: 1 hour

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

Pansit Canton Cooking 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

PANCIT PALABOK


Pancit Palabok Recipe

Estimated preparation for toppings: 1 1/2 hours

Estimated cooking time for sauce & noodles: 40 minutes

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

Pansit Palabok Cooking 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.

BEEF GUISADO


Beef Guisado Recipe

Estimated cooking time: 30 minutes.

Beef Guisado Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo beef tenderloin, cut into strips

  • 3 tomatoes, sliced

  • 2 onions, finely chopped

  • 1 clove of minced garlic

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce

  • 4 cups of beef broth or bouillon

  • 1 teaspoon of salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

  • 4 tablespoons of cooking oil

Guisado Cooking Instructions:

  • Heat oil in a cooking pan.

  • Sauté the garlic and onions.

  • Add the sliced tomatoes

  • Then add the beef, soy sauce, beef broth, salt and pepper.

  • Bring to a boil then simmer until beef is tender.

Cooking Tips:

  • The above beef guisado recipe can be used for vegetables and other meats.

  • For vegetable dishes, replace the beef with about 200 grams of pork and add the vegetable (e.g. Baguio beans). The salt and pepper can be omitted.

  • Reduce the broth to 2 cups for vegetable dishes or use plain water instead.

RELLENONG BANGUS


Rellenong Bangus (Stuffed Milk Fish) Recipe

Estimated cooking time: 1 hour

Rellenong Bangus 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

Rellenong Bangus Cooking 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.

GINATAANG KALABASA


Ginataang Kalabasa Recipe

(Squash Cooked in Coconut Milk)

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 Instructions:

  • 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.

CHOPSUEY


Chopsuey Recipe

Estimated cooking & preparation time: 45 minutes.

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

Chopsuey Cooking 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.

CHICKEN POTATO SALAD


Filipino Chicken Potato Salad Recipe

Estimated cooking & preparation time: 1 hour

Chicken Potato Salad Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo potatoes

  • 1 big chicken breast

  • 3 pieces medium sized carrots

  • 500 ml mayonnaise

  • 1 can (836 g) pineapple tidbits or chunks

  • 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, diced (optional)

  • 3 tablespoons of chopped spring onions (optional)

  • Iodized salt to taste (pepper, optional)

Chicken Potato Salad Cooking Instructions:

  • In a big pot, boil potatoes and carrots (covered with water) for about 15 to 20 minutes or until cracks on the potato skin appears. (tip: pierce a potato with a toothpick. If you can pierce it with little resistance and the toothpick comes out clean, the potatoes & carrots are cooked).

  • Drain potatoes and carrots, let cool.

  • Once cooled, the skin can be easily be pealed by hand.

  • Dice the potatoes and carrots (about 1x1 cm)

  • Boil the chicken breast in water with some salt. Let cool, then shred the chicken meat in 1 inch lengths

  • Drain pineapple chunks or tidbits.

  • Combine all ingredients (potatoes, chicken meat, pineapple, carrots, pickle relish, mayonnaise...) in a big bowl and salt to taste. You may add pepper if you wish.

  • Refrigerate before serving.

Potato Salad Cooking Notes:

  • You may add the optional ingredients (diced cheese, chopped onions, spring onions) or a handful of raisins for added flavor.

CHICKEN AFRITADA


Chicken Afritada Recipe

Estimated cooking time: 50 minutes

Chicken Afritada Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo chicken, cut into pieces

  • 5 pieces potatoes, peeled and halved

  • 1 red onion, diced

  • 1 head garlic, minced

  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips

  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

  • 2 cups pork or chicken stock (broth)

  • 1 cup tomato sauce

  • 2 tablespoons of patis (fish sauce)

  • 3 tablespoons of cooking oil

Chicken Afritada Cooking Instructions:

  • In a cooking pot or wok, heat oil.

  • Sauté garlic and onions.

  • Add chicken and slightly brown.

  • Pour the tomato sauce and stock. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked.

  • Add potatoes and continue to cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.

  • Add the green and red bell peppers, simmer for an additional minute or two.

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • Serve hot with rice.

TINOLANG MANOK


Tinolang Manok (Chicken Ginger Stew) Recipe

Estimated cooking time: 45 minutes

Tinola Manok Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo whole chicken, cut into pieces.

  • 1 small young papaya or sayote, cut into small pieces.

  • 2 tablespoons ginger, crushed and slliced into strips

  • 1/2 cup dahon ng sili (chili leaves)

  • 1 liter of water

  • 5 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 red onion, diced

  • 4 tablespoons oil

  • 2 tablespoons patis (fish sauce)

Tinolang Manok Cooking Instructions:

  • In a stock pot, heat oil and sauté garlic, onion and ginger.

  • Add water and the chicken.

  • Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is almost done.

  • Season with patis

  • Add papaya and continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until papaya softens but not overcooked.

  • Add sili leaves then turn off the heat.

  • Serve steaming hot with plain rice.

RELLENONG MANOK


Rellenong Manok Recipe

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.

ROASTED CHICKEN


Roasted Chicken Recipe

Estimated cooking time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours

Roasted Chicken 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.

Roasted Chicken Cooking Note:

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

MECHADO


Beef Mechado Recipe

Estimated cooking time: 1 hour

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

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.

KALDERETA


Kaldereta Recipe

Estimated cooking time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours

Beef Kaldereta Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo beef, cut into chunks

  • 1 big can (350g) liver spread or ground liver

  • 5 onions, minced

  • 5 cloves garlic, minced

  • 6 tomatoes, sliced

  • 1 cup tomato sauce

  • 3 green peppers, diced

  • 3 red peppers, diced

  • 4 pieces hot chilli peppers, minced

  • 3/4 cup grated cheese

  • 2 cups beef stock or water

  • 1/4 cup cooking or olive oil

Kaldereta Cooking Instructions:

  • In a casserole, sauté: garlic and onions in oil. Then add tomatoes, red & green pepper and chilli peppers.

  • Add in the beef, tomato sauce, liver spread and water or stock. Salt to taste and let simmer for at least 1 hour or until the beef is tender.

  • Add cheese and olives (optional) and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens.

  • Serve with plain rice

Cooking Tips:

  • Instead of beef, goat's meat (kambing) can be used. If goat's meat is used, marinate the meat in vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper for at least 15 minutes.

  • For a special kaldereta, do not use water or beef stock. Use an equivalent weight of onions to the beef (1 kg of onions : 1 kg of beef). The onions will serve as water to the dish.

NILAGA


Beef Stew (Nilaga) Recipe

Estimated Cooking time: 1 to 2 hours

Beef Stew 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

Beef Stew Cooking 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.

Cooking Tips:

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

KARE KARE


Kare Kare Recipe

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.

BEEF MORCON


Beef Morcon Recipe

Estimated cooking time: 2 to 3 hours.

Morcon Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo beef, sliced 1/4 inch thick (3 pcs.)

  • 1/4 kilo ground beef liver

  • 200 grams sliced sausages or ham

  • 200 grams pork fat (cut is strips)

  • 3 hard boiled eggs, sliced

  • 100 grams cheddar cheese in strips

  • 100 grams grated cheddar cheese

  • 2 onions, chopped

  • 5 bay leaf (laurel)

  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup vinegar

  • 2 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups of water

  • 2 meters thread or string (for tying)

Beef Morcon Cooking Instructions:

  • Spread and stretch the sliced beef on your working table.

  • Arrange the filling on the sliced beef: sausage strips, cheese strips, sliced eggs, pork fat and some ground liver.

  • Roll the sliced beef with all the filling inside and secure with a thread or string.

  • Repeat the procedure for the two remaining beef slices.

  • On a pot, place the beef rolls and put the water, the remaining ground liver, grated cheese, chopped onions, bay leaves, ground black pepper and salt.

  • Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for one hour.

  • Add the vinegar and continue to simmer of another hour or until beef is tender.

  • Slice the beef morcon, arrange on a platter and top with the sauce/ gravy poured on top.

Cooking Tips:

  • A spoon or two of flour can be added to water to thicken the sauce.

  • Instead of boiling in a pot, you can use a pressure cooker for faster cooking.

  • Optional: Garnish with olives before serving.

PORK MENUDO


Pork Menudo Recipe

Estimated preparation & cooking time: 50 minutes

Menudo Ingredients:

  • 1/2 kilo pork (cut into small chunks)

  • 1/4 kilo pork liver (cut into small cubes)

  • 5 pieces chorizo Bilbao (also cut in small pieces)

  • 4 potatoes (peeled, cut in small cubes, fried)

  • 1 green and 1 red bell pepper (diced)

  • 1 cup chickpeas

  • 1/4 cup raisins

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 cup pork or chicken stock

  • 2 teaspoons of patis (fish sauce)

  • 3 tablespoons oil

  • 1 tablespoon atsuete oil (optional)

  • 3 tomatoes (diced)

  • 1 small head of garlic (minced)

  • 1 medium size onion (diced)

Menudo Cooking Instructions:

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

  • Saute garlic, onion. Then add the pork, liver, chorizo de Bilabo, tomatoes, bell pepper, paprika, patis and the stock.

  • Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the pork is tender.

  • Add the chickpeas, potatoes and raisins. Boil of another 2 minutes.

  • Salt and pepper to taste.

  • Serve hot with white rice.

CRISPY PATA


Crispy Pata Recipe

Preparation & drying: 4 hours to 1 day

Estimated cooking time: 20 minutes

Crispy Pata Ingredients:

  • 1 Pata (front or hind leg of a pig including the knuckles)

  • 1 bottle of soda (7Up or sprite)

  • 1 tablespoon of salt

  • 2 tablespoons patis (fish sauce)

  • 1/2 tablespoon baking soda

  • 1 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate (MSG)

  • 4 tablespoons of flour

  • Enough oil for deep frying

  • Enough water for boiling

Crispy Pata Cooking Instructions:

  • Clean the pork pata by removing all hairs and by scraping the skin with a knife. Wash thoroughly.

  • Make four to five inch cuts on the sides of the pata.

  • On a deep stock pot, place the pata in water with soda and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the baking soda and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.

  • Remove the pata from the pot and hang and allow to drip dry for 24 hours. An alternative to this is to thoroughly drain the pork pata and refrigerate for a few hours.

  • After the above process, rub patis on the pata and sprinkle flour liberally.

  • In a deep frying pot, heat cooking oil and deep fry the pork pata until golden brown.

Crispy Pata Dip Sauce:

Mix 3/4 cup of vinegar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 head of diced onion and 1 hot pepper. Salt and pepper to taste.