Heart and Hearth

Fresh Clam Soup with Tofu and Mustard Greens

2009-06-19T03:18:00.000-07:00

This is a popular clear soup in Chinese restaurants and "paluto" restaurants here in Manila. It is not surprising, really, since this a flavorful, yet refreshing hot soup. It cleanses the palette in between eating dishes and viands of different flavors. It is healthy and nutritious and virtually non-fat.

This is definitely Hubby's favorite. The secret is getting fresh, live and clean clams. I try to prepare this every chance I get fresh clams from the market. I was just wondering myself why I have not blogged about this before :)

In this nutritious soup, the clams provide the flavor, the tofu provides the protein and I think the ingredient that makes this soup stand out in flavor is the mustard greens. Contrary to what you might suspect, these greens will not make the soup bitter. The leaves made the soup lighter and more refreshing.

1 Kilo fresh clams, clean very well
1 block soft tofu, sliced
100 gms mustard greens, cleaned, chopped
5 slices fresh ginger
1 onion, chopped
3 T canola oil
5 T minced garlic ( we prefer garlicky flavor, lessen if you prefer)
4 T Chinese cooking wine
5 C water
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a cooking pan or wok, saute ginger slices in oil until fragrant. Add in the onions and garlic. Saute until fragrant but not burnt.

2. Add in the clams. Cover for a minute. Then add in the Chinese cooking wine. Cover for another minute.

3. Add in the water. Cover and let boil.

4. When the shells of the clams are fully opened, then the soup is ready. Drop in the soft tofu and mustard greens. Let boil, and cook for a while, add salt and pepper according to taste. Ladle up and serve as soon as possible. The clam meat will shrink if cooked for a long time. Discard shells that did not open.

If you are cooking soup with strong flavor like clams, or beef, consider adding a few mustard greens. Mustard greens not only adds to the clear taste, but gives a lot of nutrition as well. This food is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron and Magnesium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. (source: NutritionData.com) I am surprised to learn that this is one of the few greens that contain protein because it is rich in amino acids. This means this is an ideal food for vegetarians.

Sharing this healthy and nutritious soup with the Weekend Herb Blogging community, headed by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At Least Once. This edition is hosted by Astrid at Paulchen's Foodblog.

Red Cooked Pork (Adobo) and Mushrooms with Beer

2009-06-16T06:31:00.000-07:00

Here in Asia, we simply call this dish Adobo. Anything stewed in soy sauce is Adobo. But I have heard that in the West, this is called red cooked pork. :) Of course my kids insist that the color of adobo is brown, not red. I explain that red-cooked pork sounds nicer than brown-cooked pork :)

By whatever name this dish is called, this dish is still the ultimate comfort dish for many Filipinos. Have you heard of the saying that if you do not know what dish to cook, simply prepare adobo?

This is a simple Pork Stew, easy to prepare and yet, the taste is made sublime by the addition of beer. The fragrance is more complicated as well. :) By the way, this dish is certified kid-friendly because by the time the pork is cooked, the alcoholic content of beer had already been evaporated. You cannot detect the taste of beer in the finished dish.

I confess I did the same cooking style as I did with our regular Adobo, except that instead of adding water, I added beer.

1 kilo pork belly, cut into serving sized cubes

4 T cooking oil

8 T garlic, minced (or more, if preferred)

4 T sugar

4 T cracked peppercorn

1 and 1/2 C soy sauce

2 cans Beer

1 C water, optional (my kids prefer lots of sauce)

200 gms golden mushrooms

200 gms straw mushrooms, sliced

4 pcs large dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water, then chopped

Salt and sugar to taste

cilantro for garnish, optional

1. Heat the oil in a wok or a cooking pan. Add in the sugar, cook at low heat. Wait for the sugar to caramelize.

2. Add in the meat cubes and stir the meat, so that the cubes will be evenly coated and browned with the caramelized sugar. Add in the soy sauce, peppercorns, garlic. Stir to mix evenly.

3. When the mixture boils, add in the 2 cans of beer. Do not stir until the mixture boils again. Accordingly, if you stir, the sauce will have a bitter aftertaste. But I have always followed this instruction so I cannot confirm if this is true or not. :)

4. When the mixture boils, add in shiitake mushrooms and the cup of water. Let boil again and simmer for an hour and a half to two hours. Check in once in a while to see if the sauce is drying up. My kids like their adobo saucy, so I add in lots of water. (Alternately, start in the morning and just drop the contents of this pot in the slow cooker and you will have a wonderful smelling dish come dinner time).

5. Add in the straw mushrooms and golden mushroms before serving, and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust taste with saklt and sugar, depending o your preference. Isn't this dish versatile?

6. Garnish with spring onions or cilantro before serving. Serve hot with rice.

Make that lots of rice. You will not be able to resist the aroma and the taste.

Spiked Minty Green Tea

2009-06-11T01:58:00.000-07:00

During parties in my high school days, the naughty boys would spike our fruit juices with rum or brandy. These delicious, lightly intoxicating, fruit punches made us feel all grown-up indeed... :) Of course, we smart girls, would never touch any of the boys' concoction. At least, I remember being happy (and safe) with a can of soda instead. I would never risk being found out by my parents, nor risk being grounded, or worse, never to be allowed to attend parties anymore!

Of course, now that we are adults, we are allowed to add alcohol to our party drinks! Only, if we drink in moderation... :) This lightly spiked drink is reminiscent of our younger days. Try this! It healthy - it does not contain sugars from fruit juices. It is refreshing; cool for the palette and warm for the tummy. :) Of course, if you prefer a drink with no alcohol, feel free to omit the sake (rice wine). This drink will still taste good and refreshing!

3 pcs green tea bags
a handful of fresh mint, washed, dried
3 C hot, boiling water
1/2 C sake (Japanese rice wine)

1. In a large, heat-proof pitcher, steep the green tea bags and mint leaves in hot boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool before chilling in the refrigerator.

2. When ready to serve, mix in the sake. Pour into individual cocktail glasses. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.

Sending this simple, refreshing drink with Ria's birthday celebration over at Ria's Collection. Check out her blog after June 21 for the delicious treats of cookies, cakes and cocktails.

Japanese-Style Potato Noodle Soup with Crabsticks and Nori

2009-06-08T02:10:00.000-07:00

Don't be deceived by the long title of this dish. (I just do not know what to call this noodle dish I came up with.) This is actually a very easy dish to prepare. This is more like putting all the ingredients together.

Let's start with the noodles. This is another kind of potato noodle I bought. It is flat and took a few minutes longer in cooking. We first discovered potato noodle here. It was deliciously chewy and better tasting than ramen. So, I would always be on the look-out for potato noodles in the market. Simply boil the noodles in water according to package directions and set aside.

I normally would have homemade broth - either pork or chicken - on hand. Homemade broth are so versatile. And especially useful for those busy weeknights when you only have a little time to prepare for dinner. But this time, I had none! And I so wanted to make a quick noodle dinner!

This is what I made:

1 sachet (15 gms) bonito flakes (Japanese dried fish flakes)
1 C dashi
1/2 C Japanese soy sauce
1/2 C mirin
2 C water
salt and pepper to taste

12 pieces kani or Japanese crabsticks
1 sheet nori (Japanese seaweed), cut up
sesame oil with chili, optional

3 packs (350 gms) potato noodle, cooked according to package direction

1. Boil water, dashi, bonito flakes, soy sauce, mirin together to form your broth. When the soup boils, add in the kani or crabsticks. Turn off heat.

2. In individual serving bowls, portion off each serving of noodles. Top with nori. Pour in the soup with the crabsticks. Drizzle with sesame oil with chili, if preferred. You can also add chopped green onions. But I didn't have any on hand :)

A very easy, fast noodle dish to prepare, if you have the Japanese ingredients available in your pantry. We are fans of Japanese dishes because they are simple to prepare, very tasty and very healthy. So, these ingredients are regular items of my pantry. I would recommend you to start having these Japanese staple in your pantry as well.

Sharing this simple Japanese noodle soup with the Presto Pasta Nights community, headed by Ruth of Once Upon A Feast. This edition is hosted by Daphne of More Than Words.

Basil and Cheddar Bread

2009-06-04T02:55:00.000-07:00

I think I have discovered the best bread ever. At least for my little family's taste :) To veer away from our regular whole wheat bread, I added chopped fresh basil leaves and grated cheddar to our bread and the result was delicious!

This adventure all started when our German missionary friend, A, gave me a bottle of homemade salsa. (see the picture above?) She said this salsa would be delicious as dips or spread over tortillas or bread. I got her recipe, by the way, for the delicious spicy salsa, but have yet to make it :)

Anyway, I thought bread with basil would go well with the tomato salsa. And it does! I just thought of adding cheese because I have some left-over from the fridge. :)

Here's what I did:

2 and 1/2 C whole wheat flour
2 C all-purpose flour
1/3 C grated cheddar cheese
2 T chopped fresh basil leaves
1 and 1/2 t salt
1 and 1/2 t instant dried yeast
3 T olive oil
1 T honey
1 and 1/4 C warm water
grated parmesan cheese, for dusting

1. Put all the flours in a large bowl. Add in the cheese, basil, salt and yeast. Add the oil and honey. Gradually mix in enough water to make a smooth, soft, dough.

2. Knead well on a floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. For some techniques on kneading bread, please click here.

3. Put the dough back into the bowl. Cover with oiled clingfilm or a clean towel and leave in a warm place to rise for one to one and a half hour, until doubled in size.

4. Tip the dough out onto a floured surface, knead well then cut into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a 12 inch length and transfer to a large greased baking sheet (I used olive oil in greasing the baking sheet.) Leave some space in between the dough rolls, to allow them to rise.

5. Make diagonal cuts along the top of each loaf, at intervals. Cover again with the oiled clingfilm and allow to rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

6. Sprinkle the loaves with parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 400 F. Bake for 15 minutes until golden and the bread sounds hollow when tapped with fingertips. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

These are the loaves fresh out of the oven. They smell really heavenly. I could not resist a bite. :)

This is a whole loaf, ready to be wrapped in foil. Sent this to A, whose delicious salsa was the inspiration for this bread. Guess what? She said their family liked this bread so much. (Maybe you think she is just being polite. No, ma'am. Our friendship is quite close enough to tell each other whether we like our food or not; and we do criticize each other's cooking and baking.) Even her little girl, who is a picky eater, loved it. And she asked me for the recipe. Here's the recipe, A. Enjoy! :)

Sharing this deliciously fragrant bread with the BYOB Bake Your Own Bread community, headed by Sandy at the Baker's Bench.

Siniguelas or Spanish Plums

2009-06-01T03:17:00.000-07:00

Say hello to Sir Lancelot - our pet lion cub! Hey! He's an authentic lion imported from South Africa! Even if he was looking intently at the siniguelas, he will not bite :) All he does is sit around the sofa the whole day!

Ok, back to Siniguelas or Spanish plums :) This is a fruit which I don't think South Africans lions are familiar with. Since it is summer here, lots of summer fruits come out and Siniguelas is one of them. It is purplish green when unripe (like the photos shown here). It tastes a bit tart and sweetish at this state, the skin is taut and crunchy when you bite into it. This is sooo yummy eaten with a few grains of salt! It makes my mouth water just writing about this. I have heard before that this is the favorite fruit of singer Gary Valenciano.

The fruit turns either yellow or deep red when ripe. Then, it becomes sweet. Still yummy and oozing with juice with every bite. Beware the large seeds however. :)

The siniguelas is a small fruit, approximately one inch to one a half inches in length. It looks like this:

Why write about this fruit? Because this fruit is a part of my childhood summer memories of playing in the streets with the neighbors. Remember jackstone, hopscotch, and Chinese garter? And of course, munching on these Siniguelas (aren't they the perfect size for small kiddie hands?) dipped in salt...

Korean Beef Stew (Yukkae Jang Kuk)

2009-05-29T23:13:00.000-07:00

Here in Manila, we do not usually stew beef in soy sauce (adobo). Pork adobo, yes. Chicken adobo, yes. Beef adobo? Very rarely. We always cook our beef as steaks, or in soups, or smothered with tomato sauce or peanut sauce (as in Kare-kare). But then, my knowledge of Filipino food is limited to the Tagalog and the National Capital region :)

The Koreans have this mildly spicy and sweet soy sauce braised/stew beef dish. The sauce is so delicious and flavorful with rice. The kids love it. The good news is, this is so easy to prepare at home. Just dump all the ingredients in a pot and simmer away. :) Or you can add all the ingredients in a slow cooker in the morning before you go to work, (or when you do your errands) and when you come back, you will have melt-in-the mouth beef stew that goes very well with fragrant jasmine rice. :)

1 and 1/2 kilo beef ribs or beef shank, chopped (I used beef shank)
1 C soy sauce
1/2 C sugar (or more - up to 1 cup, if you prefer sweeter sauce)
1 whole garlic, peeled, chopped coarsely
1 onion, chopped
1 large knob of ginger (about 2 inches), sliced
3 -4 pcs green peppers (siling haba) or jalapeno peppers (more or less according to taste)

2 pcs radish, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
2 stalks spring onions, chopped
2 T sesame seeds
dash of sesame oil, optional

1. In a deep pot, add in the beef, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, onion, ginger, and green peppers. Add enough water (around 1 to 2 cups) to cover the beef pieces. Bring to boil and simmer for 1 to 1 and a half hours until beef is soft. Alternatively, you can use slow cooker and simmer for 4 hours or longer.

2. Add in the radish and cook radish in beef for 15 minutes more. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Ladle up in a serving dish. Add in a dash or two of sesame oil. Sprinkle sesame seeds and spring onions. Serve hot with rice.

Other Korean dishes I have made:

Korean Bulgogi
Korean Chap Chae (Noodles with Beef)
Kimchi Fried Rice

Sharing this melt-in-the mouth beef stew with Regional Recipes, a food event created by Darlene of Blazing Hot Wok. This edition's host is Wandering Chopsticks. Please check out her blog after June 15 for the round-up of delicious Korean recipes.

Food Trip Singapore Part 3

2009-05-26T23:20:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do when I visit a country is to bring back the food and the food products unique to that country or those products that are not available here in Manila. Here are some of my food "loots" during this trip to Singapore several months back. (Click here to see Part 1 and Part 2 of our Singapore Food Trip :)

A pack of ginseng root. I use this for our tonic Chicken Ginseng Soup or our delicious Snow Fungus with Red Ginseng dessert. This pack costs around 16 Singapore dollars. That's roughly 500 Philippine pesos. But since I use this pack for several servings, each serving would be less than 100 pesos (less than US $ 2).

Flower teas. I tried the dried rose petals. Well, it smells like roses. But I still prefer the good ol' green tea :)

Finally, I got fennel seeds! The other pack (below) is coriander seeds, but we have that available here. I have been searching for fennel seeds for a long time here in Manila and could not find some. Now, I know what it looks like, what it smells like... I sound like a kid :) Anyway, I have baked bread with fennel seeds, this one waiting for its turn to be posted.

I have tasted this crab sauce and it is oh-so-flavorful, so I bought a bottle. I do not have to slather this on crabs. I think this would be perfect for stir-fry noodles! :)

Is this the Bak Kut Teh spice pack recommended by Noobcook? I think it is. This pack is more expensive than the other Bak Kut Teh spice packs but I think it is worth it because it contains real dried Chinese herbs. I have made soup with this and sure enough, it tasted better than the other brands of spice packs we've tried. Unfortunately, I did not take a photo of my soup! But not to worry, I have several more packs and I promise to take a photo and blog about this! :)

I do feel good when I can recreate here at home some of the foods I've enjoyed in other countries, don't you?

Whole Wheat Pizza with Shrimps, Olives and Tomato Pesto

2009-05-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

It is pizza for dinner again! :)

After making my very first pizza, I found out that home-made pizza is not only delicious - it is better tasting than store-bought pizza. Plus, it is quite easy to do. Of course it will take some time for the dough to rise, so you have to plan and allot some time for that. But other than that, there should be no problem at all. And you will be able to save some money because store-bought ones are not exactly cheap!

Another big plus factor is that I got the kids to help me with the pizza making. Since pizza is something they love to eat, they are quite excited to help out in the kitchen. Daughter did the kneading this time. And being not used to exerting her muscles, :) she said that she realized it was not easy, but that it was good exercise!

I was ready and excited to experiment with different toppings and different types of flour for the dough. Here is my first experiment using whole wheat flour for the pizza dough and shrimp tomato pesto for the toppings - all the ingredients that my family loves!

For the dough:

3 and 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 t salt
1 t caster sugar
1 and 1/2 t instant dried yeast
3 T olive oil
1 C warm water

For the topping:

1 C tomato pesto
1/3 C sliced pitted black olives
1 C cooked, boiled (peeled) shrimps
5 T minced garlic
4 T chopped basil leaves
salt and pepper
4 T olive oil

1. In a big bowl, mix together the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Add the oil and gradually mix in enough warm water to make a soft dough.

2. Knead well on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover loosely with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

3. Grease the pizza pan (I also used olive oil). Tip the dough over to the pizza pan, and use hands to spread and shape the dough to cover the pan. I have read somewhere that using a rolling pin would alter the texture of the pizza crust. It should look like this:

4. Spread some tomato pesto (I used store-bought this time), then add boiled, peeled shrimps, chopped raw garlic, sliced pitted, black olives, chopped sweet basil. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. I wrote down n estimated amount that we used. But the amount of topping actually depends on how much you prefer. I also drizzled the top with additional olive oil so that it will not dry out. It looks like this:

5. Let rest for 30 minutes, to let the dough rise again. Bake in a preheated oven at 425 F for 8 to 10 minutes.

Because I used quick-melt mozzarella, I had to add in the grated mozarella cheese at the 8 minute mark, returned the pizza to the oven and baked the pizza for 2 minutes more until cheese are all bubbly and melted.

6. Slice and serve immediately.

Please note the difference in oven temperature and baking time between my first pizza and this second pizza. In the first pizza, I used 375F with a longer baking time. This time, I used 425F with a shorter baking time. With this slightly higher temperature, I was able to get a nice crust - which is crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside.

Sharing another delicious pizza with the Bake Your Own Bread community, headed by Sandy at the Baker's Bench. Check out what the BYOB gang have been baking at the Sandy's site by the end of the month.

Salad Greens with Orange Balsamic Dressing

2009-05-18T01:09:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law says that her son - my Hubby can "sleep on a bed of vegetables." (That's my translation from Chinese.) She meant this figuratively, of course. I found this to be true early in our marriage. Hubby can eat a meal without meat (you know, the usual viand or ulam of chicken or beef or pork or fish...) Hubby can eat a meal even without rice (that is, if I serve him pasta, or noodles, or bread). Hubby can eat a meal without soup. But he will complain if I serve him a meal without vegetables. He just has to see greens on his table during meals.

I am happy our kids learned to eat veggies at an early age. And we didn't have to force them to learn. I think this came naturally as we have veggies on our table everyday.

Salad greens is a common veggie we have. We eat them raw, of course, drizzled with homemade dressings. Our current favorite green is lollo rosso lettuce. But sometimes, we have romaine. Depends on what's available fresh... Sometimes we add cucumber, onions, tomatoes. Sometimes we add fruits such as apples, or oranges or mangoes or grapes. The possibilities are endless. What is important is that I create a variety of flavors at every meal.

150 gms lettuce greens
a handful of grapes
a handful of cherry tomatoes
an orange, peeled, segmented
1 white onion, sliced

Wash all of these very well, and drain all the water. Arrange on serving plates. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing.

Orange Balamic Dressing

1/8 t salt
1/4 c orange juice (I use freshly squeezed orange juice)
2 T Balsamic vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1 1/2 t olive oil
1/4 t pepper

Mix all the dressing ingredients well. Either by using a fork, or a hand mixer, or shake them in a clean bottle, etc. Drizzle over the salad greens or serve on the side.

This is a delicious, both sweet and tart dressing that is becoming our favorite. All natural and homemade with nutritious ingredients.

Sharing these healthy salad greens with FIC: Food in Color with your personal favorite color as this month's theme. Actually, this is the family's favorite food color - Green! FIC food event is launched by Sunshine Mom of Tongue Ticklers and hosted this month at Tasty Curry Leaf. Check out her blog first week of June for tasty and colorful dishes.

Also sharing these healthy salad greens with SWC - Cooking with Greens, hosted by Sowmya of Creative Saga. Check out her blog after June 6 for the round-up of healthy and delicious green dishes. As Sowmya had said, it is very important that we have our cup of greens daily. I know this dish is not exactly cooked. But greens are better served raw! Then you will be able to get the full benefits of the nutrients present in green food.

Pan-Seared Fish with Capers and Lemon Cream Sauce

2009-05-14T22:41:00.000-07:00

This is one of those dishes that sound sophisticated but is actually very easy to prepare. And I promise it tastes great, too! The recipe is also quite versatile as you can use any kind of white fish,whether filleted or not : halibut, dory, tilapia, snapper etc. And you can even substitute filleted chicken breasts or chicken tenders. This is so delicious with rice, and you can even serve this with pasta. A recipe so versatile and delicious such as this is definitely a keeper.

600 gms fish fillets, both sides sprinkled with
salt, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
flour, enough to slightly cover both sides of fillets

juice from 1 lemon (save a slice or two for garnish)
1/2 C dry white wine
1/4 C heavy cream (or sour cream or plain yogurt, whatever you have on hand)
3 T capers (drained)
3 T olive oil
3 T butter
4 T minced garlic
1/2 onion, minced

1. In a wok or skillet, heat up the olive oil and butter until butter melts. Turn up the heat and brown or sear the fish fillet on one side. Turn the fish over to sear the other side.

2. Add in the garlic and onions. The pour in the white wine and the juice of one lemon. (You can add 1/4 C water if you prefer more sauce). When the sauce boils, let simmer in low fire for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add in the capers and cream. Mix the sauce well. Let boil, lower heat until fish is cooked (This will take only a minute or two.) Serve immediately.

All these effort took less than 30 minutes of preparation and cooking. The result? A very tasty and flavorful dish we ate with fragrant jasmine rice. This is so delicious the kids had second helping of rice. :) Daughter said she thought the fish was baked because of the melt-in-the mouth texture.

Sharing this dish with the Weekend Wokking community, headed and hosted this month by Wandering Chopsticks. The featured ingredient for the month is Lemon! Check out her blog first week of June for the round-up of delicious sweet and savory lemon dishes. To see the previous round-ups of different ways to cook an ingredient, please click here.

What Do You Think About My New Header?

2009-05-11T21:52:00.000-07:00

The title should be : What do you think about my new header, again?

Last year, my daughter made a header for me. If you remember it was made from pink and green motif. Quite girly, but what do you expect from an 11-year-old? I am quite proud that she can even make something like that, so this site proudly wore that banner until today...

Today, my daughter presented me with a new header. Wow! Isn't this a great Mother's Day gift?

When I was 12, I did not know anything about computers. (But then, up to now, I do not know much about computers, either... ha ha ha!) Hey! I am not that old. It was just that, I do not think computers were common in ordinary homes at that time. I was out, playing hopscotch or Chinese garter on the streets. I was also a junior girl scout in school. We were not allowed to direct traffic and help other kids cross the street like what kids in more modern countries do. But I remember we were supposed to watch and guard over the playground - to keep kids safe, to keep them from fighting and to report any injuries. I do not remember if I did my job well or not, the memories are fuzzy as the movements on the playground... but I did receive a medal at the end of the year... so maybe I did do something good :)

Nowadays, kids are not allowed to play on the streets anymore. For safety and health reasons. And the kids' school removed their playground equipments because of the number of injuries and fighting (are kids more violent these days? or the parents more prone to complain?) There are no physical education subject up to grade 3! And so, what is a mom to do? I enrolled them in sports classes like swimming to keep their bodies fit.

But swimming does not occupy a whole lot of time, so the children became computer literate early. By the way, television viewing as well as computer time for kids is limited in this household. :) And we say no to violent computer games :)

I admit my kids are more computer literate than I am. My 12-year-old designed this new header. This site will be proudly wearing this banner until the time, when she makes a new banner again or maybe when my 8-year-old will be able to make his own design as well. I thank God for my kids. Soli Deo Gloria!!!

Tarragon Green Tea

2009-05-07T23:21:00.000-07:00

Let's take a break from our Singapore food trip (You may want to read Part 1 and Part 2 here and here) and enjoy this refreshing drink.

I discovered this delicious drink when we were dining in a restaurant with our pastor. He ordered the tarragon tea. Maybe you already know about tarragon tea, but this is our first time to encounter this concoction. I found it to be refreshing and delicious! It was slightly sweet, with a flavor not far from rootbeer. In fact, my son was asking me if the rootbeer is made from tarragon or not! Since we love rootbeer, we of course, fell in love with tarragon tea - a healthier alternative to rootbeer!

I know about tarragon, the herb and its usage in food and in cooking. I know it is a popular herb used in French cooking. I rarely use this herb in our home cooking though, because, well, for a time, it was not available here. Maybe it does not grow well in tropical weather. But lately though, this herb can be found sold fresh (not dried), in upscale supermarkets, supplied by specialty farms from Tagaytay ( a cool, mountain city south of Manila).

And so, I bought a pack of fresh tarragon leaves and made this tea. A 100 gm pack gave a lot of cups of tea! This is very simple to make. Simply steep 4 or 5 stalks of tarragon (per cup) and green tea in boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the tea leaves and the tarragon leaves. Enjoy! You can drink it hot or cold. I also prefer our tea unsweetened.

By the way, this is my own concoction. I think the restaurant simply used purely tarragon leaves and nothing else, for the tea they served was very light colored- almost like water. While my version with green tea turned amber. And by the way, I used China green tea, which turns amber when steeped. This is different from the Japanese green tea, which turns green when steeped.

Try this refreshing drink this summer. Or after eating a bowl-ful of spicy food :)

Sharing this refreshing drink with the Weekend Herb Blogging community, launched by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, now headed and managed by Haalo of Cook Almost Anything At Least Once. This edition's (#185) host is Susan from the Well-Seasoned Cook.

Food Trip Singapore Part 2

2009-05-04T03:32:00.000-07:00

Part 2 of our Singapore Food Fair brings you some of the food we were able to taste. Not much, for we have eaten with our friends before we visited the fair :) We chose the food that we have not tried before (except for the noodles), that we do not usually find here in Manila...

These grilled sausages were so tasty and juicy. They come in different flavors - if I remember right, they have three flavors, selling at S$1 each. The peppered sausages stood out for they were really full of peppers. You cannot taste the meat anymore :) Daughter loved it, nevertheless. Another one was cheese sausage, and it was super cheesy, one bite and the hot cheese spurted out. The other was plain meat sausage. These two were very tasty. We went back for seconds :)

I simply call these omelets. But they have a fancy name for these omelet (which I forgot... he he...) They also come in three flavors, but we chose the salmon omelet (the ones on the left where the seller/vendor was cracking an egg.) The base is made mostly of cabbages. These were cooked right on the spot, so they come piping hot.

This is the salmon omelet, served in the ever-convenient, but definitely not earth-friendly styrofoam... all chopped up into bite-size pieces. Actually, it was nothing fantastic. It tastes like... well... egg, fish and veggies... plus a dash of mayonnaise... It was a bit disappointing actually. I was expecting a different exotic flavor, like a special herb used or something... :(

Ahhh... the Laksa. When you come to Asia, specially Singapore and Malaysia, you really have to taste their laksa. This is a spicy noodle soup dish made with coconut milk and various spices. This stall sells the laksa with different toppings - chicken, prawns and I think one with no meat topping at all. But the noodles used are the same, and the soup base is the same. The vendor simply laddles the same soup to different bowls.

We chose the prawn laksa. For the price, he only included one piece of prawn per bowl. :) The vendor was thoughtful not to include the chilli directly into the noodle soup so that we can have the choice to put in the amount of heat that we can take. This one is soo yummy, it is making me hungry just to remember and type about it... :)

Hubby bought this "Mee Goreng" (fried noodles) from another stall that I was not able to take a good picture. (Sorry, it was really crowded. It was kind of hard to jostle for a space to take picture when many people are queing and waiting for their food...) This looks like our regular pancit canton (stir fry noodles) But it is not. It has a different flavor, and quite spicy but very yummy. I detected a little curry, a little chilli, soy sauce, of course...

Up next are the food we bought to take back home... :)

Food Trip Singapore - Part 1

2009-04-30T23:43:00.000-07:00

I had to unearth my photo archives for these pictures. I totally forgot that I wanted to share these pictures with you. These are some pictures taken from a food fair in Singapore. Isn't it just great that when we arrived in Singapore a few months back, there was a food fair! We actually did not know about this. We have to thank our friendly taxi driver for this valuable information :) (Of course this information is valuable to us food lovers... he he)

Of course no Singapore food fair is complete without the Bee Chieng Hang. This is Singapore's most popular food store! It is often featured in Singaporean movies. I love their meat floss and peppered beef jerky. Yum!

Takoyaki Balls, Singaporean style. I think this originated in Japan?? Taiwan also has their own version. These are made of eggs and various fillings. Very tasty!

Hubby, being a noodle fan, of course, cannot resist handmade noodles!

Madelines and other sweets and pies...

More pies, both sweet and savory... can you see the people waiting for their turn?

Why is it I cannot resist Sushi wherever I go?

Stay with me! More foodie pictures to come!

Chicken Ginseng Soup

2009-04-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

For the Chinese, this is the ultimate comfort Chicken Soup - the one with Ginseng (Ren Shen).

The golden brown root you see in the above photo is ginseng. Ginseng in traditional Chinese medicine revitalizes the body energy, improves circulation, increases blood supply. If you ask the elderly people what other benefits ginseng has, they will be surprised why you have to ask such a question. It is good for you. It is the ultimate - the sovereign remedy to any illness anyone could ever have. Period.

Lately, Western researchers have started to study the nutritional benefits of ginseng and initial findings show that ginseng has anti-cancer and anti-oxidant properties.

Ginseng is usually available in dried form, this should be available in Chinese or Asian stores. We usually steam ginseng sweetened with white fungus, or bird's nest. And it can also be added to chicken soup that will make this truly a comfort and energizing food for every member of the family.

This is a very easy to prepare soup. Just add all the ingredients to boiling water, simmer for an hour and you have a nourishing, energizing soup.

1 K chicken, chopped (preferably organic, or native)
4 pcs dried ginseng root
1 stalk leeks, washed, chopped
a knob of ginger, sliced
1 clove garlic
3 T Chinese wolfberry (Guo Qi Chi), optional

salt and pepper to taste

Sharing this nutritious soup featuring ginseng to the Weekend Herb Blogging community, headed by Haalo of Cook Almost Anything At Least Once. This edition is hosted by Marija of Palachinka. Check out her blog on Monday for the round-up!

Veggie Juice : Juicing for Your Health

2009-04-24T23:25:00.000-07:00

Am I hearing "Yuck! Yuck!" from you??? :D Please take time to read. I hope you might change your mind just like I did. :D

I have heard of juicing many times before. But I never paid attention to it because I could not imagine what raw veggie would taste in liquid form. I would eat them cooked, but juiced raw?? I thought that would be yucky! In Filipino, "Kadiri!"

My interest was piqued when the children's Ninong (godfather) DL was raving about the health benefits of juicing. Why? This good friend of Hubby was a certified junkfood addict (chips, processed canned meats, soda, etc) And if he liked the raw veggie juice, then it would not be all that bad!

In the same week, our good friend and co-worker at Couples@Work Fellowship, J, (the same J who gave us strawberries last December) shared with me that they have also started juicing because of its healthy benefits. She was the one who taught me the ABCs of juicing. And it is so easy!!!

This is the simplest to remember: Take a look at the picture above, top row, left to right, then bottom row left to right.

1 A -- Apple
2 B -- Bell Pepper and Bittermelon
3 C -- Cucumber, Celery, Carrot

Wash them well, chop them and throw all of them (yes, while they are still raw) into the juicer. Drink fresh, at room temperature. Preferably at breakfast.

I admit the taste is something you have to get used to. But really, it is not bad. If you do not like the taste of bittermelon, you can add one more apple to sweeten your juice. (Shhh... sometimes I do not add the bittermelon at all...)

Actually juicing is also very versatile. You can juice any vegetable you prefer. You can start with just celery and cucumber. Then you add more veggies as you go along. You can add lettuce and spinach. Later on you can even add bok choy and cabbages. The key is that you try to juice different vegetables each day so that you can maximize the different vitamins and minerals that different veggies offer. Instead of apples to sweeten the taste, you can try coconut or grapes. Experiment on different combinations and find the taste that you like.

Why juice instead of eating them cooked? Health proponents say that cooking and processing our veggies alters their nutritional benefits. It is better to eat the veggies raw in order to get the full value of nutrients the veggies offer. And if we get the full benefits, it would greatly help our immune system. Another thing is that our digestive system is already impaired because of our poor food choices over the years. And juicing would help us absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables.

Oh, and one more tip, clean your juicer immediately after juicing. I add a small plastic bag inside the tray that catches the pulp. So when I am finished juicing, I simply throw away the plastic bag (containing the pulp.) As for the blades, I use a toothbrush and run it under the tap. I also rinse the other washable parts under running water. No need for soap.

I feel good when I drink this veggie juice. I know I am doing something good for my health. I do not feel constipated. I feel more energetic. Many health sites claim that we can lose weight if we try vegetable juice regularly. Well, I am looking forward to losing some weight. :)

Easy Beer Bread

2009-04-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

I found this intriguing bread recipe from Maggie's Doghill Kitchen. She in turn got it from the Zesty Cook. Maggie gave good reviews to this bread, so I knew I just have to try this. And guess what? When I was viewing YouTube, looking for videos on the proper techniques on how to knead bread, I found this video that shows us how to make Beer Bread!

This bread is really super easy to do. No yeast needed. That means no more waiting for the dough to rise. The beer gave the bread its distinctive aroma. And the melted butter poured on top before baking gave the bread a nice crunchy texture. This bread is so delicious, I already made this several times. Once, I served this with soup. Another time, I simply slathered on some cream cheese and it made a tasty snack.

mixed dough placed in the loaf pan

1 and 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 C whole wheat flour
4 and 1/2 t baking powder
1/3 C brown sugar (I used muscovado sugar)
1/2 C butter, melted
1 can (12 oz) beer

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Add beer until dough is thoroughly mixed.

3. Place dough in a lightly greased loaf pan. Drizzle melted butter on top.

this may look so sinful and artery clogging
but when baked, it dries up into the crust
that gave the bread its crunchy texture

4. Bake until golden brown (approximately 50 to 60 minutes) Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely. Resist from temptation to taste :)

The first time I made this bread, I used dark ale. I thought I wanted the taste and flavor of strong beer. I found that though it was yummy, there was a slight bitter aftertaste. So, the next time I experimented and used light beer. The flavor of beer is less and there was still that ever-so-slight bitter aftertaste. I wonder why. However, inspite of that aftertaste, this bread really tastes good and the recipe is definitely a keeper.

Sharing this bread with the Bookmarked Recipes community, created by Ruth of Ruth's Kitchen Experiments.

Also sharing this bread with the BYOB Bake Your Own Bread community, headed by Sandy of the Baker's Bench.

Stir Fried Bok Choy (Pechay) with Pork and Tomatoes

2009-04-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

Bok Choy or Pechay is one of the first vegetables my kids learned to love. This is not surprising actually because it tastes mild and sweet and its texture is crunchy. Another factor to love about this vegetable is the price! It is one of the cheaper vegetable available around here. We all know that we have to be more budget-conscious nowadays. And bok choy simply fits the bill! Nutrition wise, it is high in calcium, potassium and even in vitamin C! There is nothing that you will not like about the ever-versatile BokChoy!

This is also a very easy vegetable to prepare. You can put it in soups, or make stir fries such as this recipe. Cooking time is short, so this is also a perfect veggie for quick-cooking meals.

300 gms Bok Choy, cleaned, cut into 1 inch pieces

100 gms ground pork, marinated in
1 T soy sauce
1 T cornstarch

4 T cooking oil, preferably canola
4 T minced garlic
2 pcs tomatoes, washed, seeded, chopped
1 T fish sauce (or substitute soy sauce)
freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Marinate pork for about 15 minutes. You can do this before washing the veggies and preparing the ingredients. By the time you're finished washing and cutting up your veggies, you are ready to cook.

2. Heat up the oil in a wok or a cooking pan. Add in the garlic, and saute until fragrant. Add in the tomatoes and allow the tomatoes to wilt a little, around 2 minutes. Then, add in the marinated ground pork. Saute until the meat changes color and add in the fish sauce. Simmer and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until meat is cooked through.

3. Add in the bok choy, starting with the stem cuts. Stir for a while so that all the bok choy will thoroughly absorb the flavors. Cook for around 1 minute, as we prefer our vegetable still crunchy. Cook longer if you prefer wilted. Add a dash of freshly ground pepper before dishing up.

Spring

2009-04-14T01:12:00.000-07:00

view from down under

I bought some sweet potatoes some weeks back, planning to bake some healthy sweet potato fries. I packed them away in the pantry and promptly forgot about them.

Today, I found that my sweet potatoes has sprouted! Normally, I would throw them away. But this time, I took a photo first, for Jugalbandi's Click April, the theme is Spring or Autumn. I am not really a good photographer, but these budding leaves who thrived inspite of being kept in a dark place with no soil, no water, no sunlight - truly gives an inspiration for life!

Then, after I post this, I am going to plant these babies in a pot. Maybe I will not grow new sweet potatoes (I am not sure if these root crops will thrive in a pot) but I will have the leaves that will add beautiful colors to my humble abode. :)

MultiGrain Loaf

2009-04-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

I have been baking all our breads now. A year ago, I would never have thought that I have the patience to do bread. But I am enjoying it! This is really a surprise since I am oftentimes an impatient person. But I have since discovered that baking bread is so easy... and bread recipes are forgiving as well. You can add a little flour here, a little water there, and your bread will still come out nicely.

Perhaps a lot of people do not want to bake bread because commercial bread is easily available and cheap. But as I have discovered, our own homemade bread is healthier. You can choose which flour to use. You control the ingredients so there are no chemical flavor enhancers nor preservatives. And most of all, homemade bread is delicious! And while you are baking, the scent of bread baking in the oven wafts around the kitchen and dining area... hmmmm...

This is how I knead our bread, which I have learned from watching YouTube! Isn't the information age great? I do not have to leave my house in order to learn how to make bread! And you can do it, too! BTW, those chubby hands are mine and the pictures taken by my daughter :)

Hold the dough with your left hand, and gently pull with your right hand.

Fold the dough back and give it a quarter turn and then hold and pull again.
Do this for around 10 minutes until dough is elastic and smooth.

Ooops, here's the recipe...

4 and 1/2 C whole grain flour (I bought mine at Santi's)
1 T caster sugar
1 t salt
2 and 1/2 t instant dried yeast
2 T canola oil
1 1nd 1/4 C warm water

1. Mix flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add the oil, and gradually mix in enough warm water to make a soft dough.

2. Knead well on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Please see my photographs above or if my instructions are not clear, click on the YouTube.

3. Put into a greased loaf tin. See picture below.

4. Cover loosely with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise for an hour or until the dough reaches just above the top of the tin. Below is the picture of my nicely risen dough.

5. Remove the clingfilm and bake in a preheated oven 200 C or 400 F, for 30 minutes or until bread is browned and sounds hollow when tapped with fingertips. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Sharing this multi-grain goodness with the BYOB - Bake Your Own Bread community, headed by Sandy over at the Baker's Bench.

Thai Tom Yum (Prawn) Soup

2009-04-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

I think this is the more authentic Tom Yum Soup I have ever made. And this soup is really, really, as in, REALLY spicy! I used the Tom Yum paste that I bought in Thailand the last time we went there. (You can read about our Thailand foodie adventure here.) And I confess my little family cannot take the intensity of the heat. But then, we are not Thais of course. We prefer the local Pinoy version of the Tom Yum I made here. :) But for those who can take the heat, the real Tom Yum paste would satisfy your tongue. :)

400 gms prawns, cleaned
1 pack (single serving size) Tom Yum paste
5 slices fresh ginger
5 T minced garlic
2 stalks of lemongrass (the white part only), cut into 2", pounded with back of the cleaver
8 C water
1/2 C straw mushrooms, sliced (can substitute with button mushrooms)
1 bunch coriander leaves (wansuy), cleaned very well
fish sauce and/or salt to taste

1. In a wok or a deep pan, saute the ginger slices in a little oil until slightly brown. Saute the garlic until fragrant but not burnt.

2. Add in the prawns and stir fry for a minute or two. Add in the tom yum paste, button mushrooms and lemon grass. Add in the water for soup. (Actually, the instructions on the tom yum package says to add only 4 C of water. But after cooking, we found it too spicy for our taste, so we kept on adding more water and more fish sauce... yes, double the amount of water needed!)

3. Let boil and simmer until the prawns are pink and cooked. Do not overcook the prawns. Add the coriander leaves before serving.

This is actually a very easy dish to prepare. You will feel like a you're in a science laboratory simply adding this and that ingredient to the pot and waiting for the concoction to boil :) Next time, I will only use half a pack to lessen the heat. :)

The lemongrass are harvested from the pots of my balcony garden. I should have coriander as well, but my coriander plant recently dried up because of the intense summer heat!!! So I have to purchase coriander leaves... something I have not done in a long, long time.

Sharing this hot soup with the Grow Your Own community, headed by Andrea of Andrea's Recipes. This month's edition is hosted by Nate and Annie over at the House of Annie. Check out the round-up at the end of the month.

Kimchi Fried Rice

2009-04-02T01:25:00.000-07:00

When you are really, really pressed for time. But you still want to have a delicious, flavorful, and healthy meal, try this Korean fried rice.

Kimchi is a traditional Korean pickled vegetable dish. I don't know how true it is, but it is said that this side dish is required in all Korean meals; and that all Korean women are required to learn how to make their own kimchi, or else no man will marry them! :) Anyone who can verify this?

Health magazine has named Kimchi as one of the top five of the world's healthiest food. It is rich in dietary fiber, and vitamins and is low in calories.

For now, I buy my kimchi in small convenient packs. (See the photo below.) I don't know how to make kimchi yet. But I promise myself that I am going to learn how to make kimchi one of these days. I cannot pass up the opportunity to learn a healthy and delicious side-dish :) It should not be too difficult :)

4 C cooked jasmine rice
1 pack (120gms) kimchi
200 gms cooked ham, cubed
4 T garlic, minced (optional)
4 eggs
spring onions, chopped

1. Chop the drained kimchi into little pieces. Reserve the liquid.

2. Saute garlic in a little oil. This is optional. If you are not using garlic, simply skip this step.

3. Add in the chopped ham (or substitute cooked cubed chicken). After a minute, add in the kimchi and the kimchi liquid. Stir for a while until hot, then add in the rice.

4. Mix everything up, so that the rice can absorb the flavor of the meat and the kimchi. Cook while stirring until the rice is hot. This should take around 2 to 3 minutes only. Test for taste. Add a little salt if too bland. But for me the kimchi is already flavorful enough.

5. Cook some sunny side-up eggs. Arrange the cooked rice on a plate. Top with the sunny-side up egg and chopped spring onions. Serve immediately.

A tasty and nutritious meal in a short time - provided you already have cooked rice, of course. :)

Sharing this dish with Wine and Dine featuring Korea dishes over at Joelen's Culinary Adventures.

Earth Hour 2009 : Make it A Regular Habit and Some Tips for Cheapskates Like ME

2009-03-30T00:19:00.000-07:00

Earth Hour 2009 was last Saturday, March 28. This global event organized by WWF or the World Wide Fund for Nature requests all people of the earth - whether households or businesses or governments - to turn off their lights and non-essential household appliances for one hour. One hour means a lot. This is your personal vote and statement that you want to actively participate in, and do something about climate change.

I am happy to report that the Philippines topped the Earth Hour participation as 647 cities and towns or over 15 million Filipinos were estimated to have joined in the hour-long lights-off at 8:30 - 9:30 PM local time. This was followed by Greece with 484 cities and towns participating, and Australia with 309. (source: Inquirer.net)

This report is not surprising. Philippines, being in a tropical country, is one of the most affected by climate change. For the past several years now, we have noticed drastic changes in our weather. Either it is too wet and our streets become flooded, or too hot and dry, that our lands become parched. These conditions are not the same conditions during my childhood. Fishing and harvests have been affected the most, of course.

The Earth Hour event will be held annually on the last Saturday of March. But I think all of us should make Earth Hour a regular habit. Make this everyday instead of just annually. Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Turn off all non-essential electricity-consuming appliances when not in use. This simple act will not only save the earth, but also your wallet.

Since this is a food blog, let me list down some things we can do in our kitchens, to help save the earth, save energy and save some money as well:

1. Eat at home, with meals that you cook yourself. It is cheaper than eating out. You save gas and money. Most of all, home-cooked meals are more hygienic, more nutritious and delicious! If you say you do not have time, there are so many dishes that can be prepared in just 15 to 30 minutes. Check out this blog and many other delicious food blogs in the net for recipes.

2. Eat real food. When you go to the market or to the grocery, Check out the fresh produce, not the canned or pre-packaged 'manufactured' foods. Recent health studies have shown that processed meats, and processed food, which are loaded with preservatives, are not exactly good for us.

3. Eat the produce of the season. They are fresher and cheaper. And while you're at it,

4. Bring your own shopping "bag." When I was young, my lola (grandmother) would always bring a bayong (bag made from buri mat) to the market. Nowadays, we use disposable plastic bags that pollute our lands! Eco-friendly shopping bags are slowly becoming fashionable now, so go out, buy one and use it!

5. Have your own backyard garden, as much as possible. I do not have space in my house for a real garden, but I have lined up our small balcony with pots of herbs and plants. Of course I have killed several plants in the process (due to my inexperience and not-so-green thumb) but I persist. Why? because I know that these plants will add the much needed fresh oxygen to my home, plus, I can use my small harvest for my cooking!

6. Choose products with minimal packaging. Don't you just hate it when you have to peel off several layers of plastic or cardboard or styrofoam just to get your product? Plus it is a waste of resources! With food, we can buy in bulk to save on packaging. It is cheaper as well. Just separate into portions before freezing and thaw when needeed.

7. Recycle, recycle and recycle. There will always be new uses for everything. For example, the plastic grocery bag can be reused as a trash bag. The empty milk can can be reused as a flower pot. You would have less trash plus you will be saving money as well. Be creative! The internet has lots of available tips if you have time to browse. And of course, eat your left-overs, or transform your left-overs into a new dish!

8. Save water. Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth. Turn off the water when you are soaping. You waste less and you will also have less water bill.

Actually, there are a lot more things you can do to save energy, save the resources of our earth. You have to do your part. This is the only planet - the only home we have.

Easy Peasy Apple Crumble

2009-03-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

Maybe you are laughing at the picture. How can I present a dish (in this case, a dessert) to you on paper plate??? Here's the story...

My daughter has just graduated from elementary school (primary school) recently. (Ahem, as a proud mother, allow me to brag a little here, she graduated top 10 of her batch, awarded with excellent star medal. To God be the glory!!!) Her honors class celebrated their milestone by having a swimming party!

And this easy-to-prepare dessert was what she requested me to bake as her contribution to their potluck. Of course I had to prepare the crumble in several big trays. (Please see pictures below.) I was not able to cut a slice for my blog picture. The picture above was taken by my daughter during their party. (Isn't it sweet of my daughter to do this even while enjoying her party?) And well, the only plates available at the party were paper plates! :)

6 large apples, cored, sliced
1/2 C water
1/3 C sugar
dash of cinnamon

2 C all-purpose flour
1 C quick cooking oats
1 C butter, softened, or at room temperature
2/3 C sugar

1. In a large microwavable bowl, mix the water, sugar and cinnamon. Add in the sliced apples. Microwave for 3 -4 minutes on high.

2. Arrange the cooked apples on the tray. Add in the sugar-cinnamon liquid. (See the photo above.)

3. Mix the flour, oats, and sugar. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

4. Top the apples with the flour-oats mixture, making sure that all the pieces are covered. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in a 375 F preheated oven or until top is lightly browned.

5. Serve warm, with ice cream, if preferred.

You can halve the recipe for a family-sized serving. But this is so yummy, a whole tray will be gone in no time. :)

Sharing this apple dessert with the Regional Recipes community, headed by Darlene of Blazing Hot Wok. This month features American food. And well, in this part of the world, anything that has got to do with apples is considered American... ha ha ha!!! This month's hosts are TS and JS of Eating Club Vancouver. Please check out their blog after the 15th of April to see delicious American dishes.

Stewed Pig's Blood with Beef and Tamarind Leaves (Dinuguan)

2009-03-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

I know, I know the picture and the title (and hence this dish) is something straight out of "Fear Factor." I also apologize to those who are observing lent. But this dish just came in from Hubby's friend and office mate M. Happy happy birthday M!!!

Here in the Philippines, perhaps, because we are a poor country, we do not waste any part of the pig's body (or beef or chicken). We cook the head and ears (yummy sizzling sisig), we cook the intestines, the heart, the brain, and yes, we even cook the blood. And we come up with creative ways of cooking these parts. Dinuguan or stewed pig's blood is always a mainstay in menus even if it does not look appetizing. Why? Because it is delicious and healthy. You have got to try it!

I also want to take this opportunity to highlight the diversity of Filipino dishes. This dish is an example of how a different region can cook the same dish. Here in Manila, we usually cook this dish by stewing the pig's blood with pork meat. Then, we add vinegar and chilli. But this dish adds tender beef and uses tamarind leaves as the souring ingredient. According to M, whose mom cooked this delicious dish, this is the only way they (from the Batangas region, south of Manila) would cook this dish.

I confess I have not cooked pig's blood yet. The reason is that being here in mega Manila, we do not know the source of pig's blood that are available in the market. M's mom would only cook this dish from freshly slaughtered pig. This is the only way to ensure that the blood is clean.

But theoretically, I think I know how to cook it. Tenderize the beef meat by boiling and simmering in water for an hour or two. Saute some garlic and onions, add the tenderized beef, and the finger chillies. Then add the blood while passing the blood through a sieve. A lola (grandmother) told me that this is to ensure that there will be no clumps of blood in your dish and the resulting sauce will be smooth and thick. Finally add the tamarind leaves and salt and pepper to taste.

This dish tastes different from the regular dinuguan (stewed pig's blood) we are used to in Manila. It is richer, tastier. Thanks, M!

Chicken and Mangoes in Coconut Cream (Ginataang Manok at Mangga)

2009-03-19T02:22:00.001-07:00

Joan of Foodalogue is taking a virtual culinary tour around the world, tasting each country's cuisine, learning a little bit of different cultures. All these to raise awareness about hunger in the world for BloggerAid. This week, our tour's destination is the Philippines!

Welcome, everyone, to this beautiful Pearl of the Orient! This is the land of warm white sands, clear blue waters. This is the land of Chocolate Hills, Rice Terraces, majestic waterfalls and rapids, the Palawan Underground River, and numerous seas where you can swim with dolphins and tortoises. This is the land of the world's smallest volcano (Taal) and the volcano with the most perfect cone (Mayon). We also have several of the best diving sites in the whole world.

This is also the land of the most resilient and patient people (we have to be, with the kind of government we have... ha ha ha!) The Filipinos are also known for their hospitality, and their kindness. Do you know that if you come and visit a Filipino home, you will surely be treated to a feast? Even if the family is not financially well-off, they will give you the best of what they have, they will make sure that you will be fed and fed, again and again... :) It is the culture. :)

I think I do not make a good travel writer :) Did I make you want to come and visit?

So, let's talk about food instead.

Philippine food is as diverse as its seven thousand and one hundred islands. Really! Each region, each locality always have their own version of a dish. And each dish is as tasty and delicious as the next one.

We have many delicious dishes to choose from. We have our famous sour tamarind soup (sinigang) , our fragrantly grilled (inihaw from charcoal) food, to roasted (whole) pigs (lechon) and chicken (inasal), to bopis (pig's lungs), dinuguan (pig's blood) and of course, our infamous balut (boiled fertilized duck eggs.) And this list barely scratched the surface yet... :)

I chose to feature a dish in mango and coconut cream (gata). As I have written in a post before, Philippine mangoes are really popular around the world. I may be biased, but a lot of people agree with me when I say (or rather write) that Philippine mangoes are the best in the world! Aside from mangoes, Philippines is also famous for its coconuts. We practically grew up drinking fresh coconut juice everyday! It is healthy and refreshing!

Coconut cream is different from coconut juice, though. The coconut juice is the water we get from young coconuts. The coconut cream is what we squeeze out/extracted from mature coconut meat. Nowadays, we have gadgets that extract the coconut cream from the meat, so we do not have to manually do the extraction at home. :)

1 kilo chicken, cleaned, chopped, skin removed
5 T canola oil
5 slices fresh ginger
4 T minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
2 T shrimp paste (bagoong)
3 pcs finger chillies (siling haba) whole or sliced, according to taste
1 can coconut cream
2 mangoes, deseeded, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat up the cooking oil in a wok or skillet. Saute ginger until fragrant. Saute the onions until soft. Saute the garlic until fragrant.

2. Add in the shrimp paste. Stir for a while, then add in the chicken. Mix for a while until chicken changes color.

3. Add in the finger chillies, coconut cream. Cover and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Do not overcook chicken as the meat will harden.

4. Add in the sliced mangoes, season to taste and serve warm.

Sharing this dish with the BloggerAid community's Culinary Tour Around the World over at Joan's Foodalogue. Please visit BloggerAid and help stamp out world hunger. And please visit Fooadalogue aroound March 25 to see the round-up of delicious Philippine dishes.

Pepperoni Pizza

2009-03-16T23:00:00.000-07:00

Hubby and kids were very much surprised (or maybe a little shocked). For the first time ever, we did not have rice for dinner. We had pizza!!! And it is not take-out or delivered. Everything, including the dough is home-made!

This is an Asian kitchen, where it is customary to eat rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. :) Why? It had always been a belief, or at least this is what the elders say, that we need to eat rice in order to feel full, and to have energy needed for the day. But since I am learning to bake bread, I have removed rice from our breakfast and changed our breakfast staple to bread - mostly made from wholewheat and whole-grains. I have discovered that this kind of home-made bread (not the airy, soft and fluffy commercial bakery ones) is filling and healthy. If I use these bread to make sandwiches with cheese and healthy proteins, this really makes a complete, and balanced breakfast meal.

So, I have learned to be more flexible with our food staples because of blogging! :D

Pizza for dinner! Daughter was thrilled, actually. She loves pizza.

The recipe I am sharing with you today is actually for the basic pizza dough. I got the recipe from the label of the pizza pan that I bought. :) Surprisingly, the pizza crust turned out to be tasty. It is even better than the thick-crust pizza of a famous pizza chain :)

newly kneaded dough, before rising

3 C all purpose flour
2 T olive oil
1 t salt
1 T granulated sugar
1 C warm water (110F or 45C)
1 (.25 oz) package active dry yeast (I substituted 1 and 1/2 t instant dry yeast)

1. Combine flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Add oil and warm water. Mix to form a dough.

2. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place kneaded dough in a greased (I used olive oil) bowl. (See the photo above). Cover loosely with an oiled clingfilm and leave to rise for an hour or until doubled (See photo below.)

3. Grease the pizza pan (I also used olive oil). Tip the dough over to the pizza pan, and use hands to spread and shape the dough to cover the pan. I have read somewhere that using a rolling pin would alter the texture of the pizza crust.

4. Top with desired flavor. Let rest for 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 375F for 20 to 25 minutes. Slice and serve.

You can choose to top your pizza with any filling. I chose to top our first pizza with tomato sauce, pepperoni, tomatoes, onions, ham and cheese because that is Daughter's favorite. I added olives (on the half portion of the pizza) because Hubby loves olives.

Depending on your cheese, you can add the cheese before baking. What I have on hand is quick-melt mozarella cheese, so I had to add the cheese during the last 5 minute of baking.

Sharing our family's first home-made pizza with the "Bake Your Own Bread" community, over at Sandy's At the Baker's Bench. Like Sandy, I encourage you to bake your own bread. It is healthy, nutritious, delicious, and it is not hard as you think. :) Check out the round-up at the end of the month! :)

Shrimp Veracruzana

2009-03-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

I have this recipe in my old recipe notebooks (pre-blogging days) but I have not tried it yet until now. I am truly sorry that I do not remember where the recipe came from. Before food blogging, I never bothered to write down the sources of my recipes, because I thought it was only for my personal use. Nowadays, I truly take care to note down the recipe source. Because I know, if I am sharing the recipe with the world, I have to acknowledge the source. And now, I am sharing a recipe with you, which is not mine and I do not know where I got it. :(

But I do know that the recipe originated from Veracruz, Mexico. Because that is the name of the dish! :D

I know we associate chillies and beans and tacos with Mexican food. So, this recipe (with a little amount of jalapeno peppers) is a delightful find. Since Veracruz is a large port city, they have lots of ocean-fresh seafood. Seafood with jalapeno is one of this region's trademark dishes.

2 T olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 onion, cut into eights
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced (more or less, depending on taste)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 kilo shrimps, peeled, tails intact
2 medium tomatoes, diced
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil in a non-stick wok or skillet. Add onion, and cooked until softened. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the bay leaf, tomatoes, jalapenos and cook for about 3 minutes until tomatoes are softenend.

2. Stir in the shrimps. Cover and cook until pink. Stir for a while, season to taste. Remove from fire, remove bay leaf and serve while warm.

Sharing this dish with the Regional Recipes community, launched by Darlene of Blazing Hot Wok. This month's recipes features Mexican dishes. Host of the month is Wandering Chopsticks. Please check out her site after the 15th for the round-up of delicious Mexican dishes.

Whole Wheat Loaf - Part 2

2009-03-10T23:34:00.000-07:00

Since baking my first bread (you can read about the whole-wheat loaf experience here), I have been baking all our breads. Believe me, it is not hard to do at all. I am so very happy I conquered my fear of yeast baking. Contrary to what you might think, it does not take a long time either, well, at least the preparation and kneading part is not that long. The time that might be considered long is only the waiting time for the dough to rise (an hour or two). But while waiting, you can do some other chores like cleaning the dishes or sweeping the floor. The last time I waited for the dough to rise, I was able to wash all the children's (one week) school uniforms! :D

I realized though, that I have not posted my progress. From the first baking experience of the bread loaf, I learned that I used the smaller recipe for my big loaf pan. So, now, I am posting the larger recipe, which I am now using for my loaf pan. This time, the dough rose up beautifully over the rim, making my bread look more like a square loaf, more like it is "professionally" done. :) And it tastes oh-so-good!

Recipe from The Bread Book by Sara Lewis

2 and 1/4 C whole wheat flour
2 and 1/4 C all-purpose flour
4 t caster sugar (or fine white sugar)
1 and 1/2 t salt
2 and 3/4 t fast action dried yeast
3 T canola oil (can substitute olive oil)
1 and 3/4 C warm water

1. Mix the flours, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add the oil and gradually mix in enough warm water to make a soft dough.

2. Knead well on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Put into a greased loaf pan. Cover loosely with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise for an hour. (Sometimes, while finishing some other chores I leave it for more than an hour, but not more than two.)

3. Remove the clingfilm and bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 30 - 35 minutes. Check for doneness. Bread is done when top is browned and sounds hollow when tapped with fingertips. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Sharing this simple homemade bread loaf with Homemade #2 featuring Breads, over at Ben of What's Cooking? Please check out his site at the end of the month for the different kinds of homemade bread we can all try to make!

Mango Yogurt Parfait : Delicious Dessert or Diet Food?

2009-03-09T00:45:00.000-07:00

We know summer is nearly here when you see lots and lots of deliciously sweet, and lusciously juicy mangoes in the market. The prices are cheaper, too. (By the way, summer here in this tropical country is from March to May.) Mangoes are my children's favorite fruit. And knowing this, my mom would always give us a couple of kilos of mangoes every week!

Do you know that the Philippines has the best tasting mangoes in the world? You have not tasted a real mango until you have tasted one produced here. I am not bragging. I am simply stating the truth. Even mangoes coming from a certain country south of America has to put "Manila Mangoes" on its label in order to sell. :) Copied but never equaled. So, you better read the fine print when you buy your mangoes.

Anyway, the real Manila mangoes are naturally sweet, and very fragrant. When choosing your mangoes, choose the ones with no blemishes or black marks. And smell the head (the one where the branch was broken off). That spot should be fragrant. If it is, the fruit will be sweet.

Because we have a lot of supply of mangoes, I have taken to eating the mangoes for breakfast. I simply add a healthy cup of yogurt, which is a good source of calcium and healthy bacteria that helps our digestive system and improve our body's immunity against disease. The delicious mango is packed with vitamins and minerals and anti-oxidants. It has very few calories, and fats, making it a very good diet food. It also replenishes salts, vitamins, minerals and energy after exercise.

This is my healthy breakfast -- diet food or delicious dessert??

The first picture of the mango parfait with my favorite rattan place mat is my entry to this month's CLICK photo event with wood as the theme. Do you agree that the rattan mat enhanced the tropical flavor of the mangoes? Please check out Jugalbandi's site for numerous drool-worthy, eye-catching, wonderful pictures and food.

Where's the Milk?

2009-03-06T07:53:00.000-08:00

I know in many countries, children often drink fresh milk. Here in Manila, farms are not accessible. Fresh milk is not always available. We often give our children powdered milk.

For several years now, I give my children this brand of powdered milk. It is very expensive. But I thought if it has complete vitamins and minerals, it would be worth it. The milk is advertised as a complete food. It can be used for intravenous feeding. Accordingly, 3 glasses of milk a day would be enough to meet all the daily requirements of protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. Sounds good, doesn't it?

Lately, the milk can had changed its packaging. This was when I paid more attention to the label. Imagine my shock and indignation when the ingredients listed as such:

hydrolyzed corn starch
sucrose
high oleic sunflower oil
sodium caseinate
soy oil
medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) oil

minerals and vitamins (long list)

I did not list down the names of the vitamins and minerals. Ok, let us assume the vitamins and minerals are complete. But for me, this part is irrelevant because these can be supplied by any brand of children's multi-vitamins.

My question is where is the milk? The main ingredients are cornstarch and sucrose!!!

Have you checked your children's milk lately?

Roast Pork with Potato Noodles Soup

2009-03-04T01:45:00.000-08:00

On busy weeknights, noodle soup is one of my favorite dishes to make. It is easy to prepare, as long as I have broth. Everything comes together easily. Just boil the broth, add the noodles and the cooked meat (or seafood), and lastly the vegetables. It makes for one satisfying dinner.

That is why I always have home-made broth on hand. Pork bones, chicken bones are cheap. I buy them weekly and make a big batch of broth once or twice a week. I freeze the soup in portions. I simply take out a portion or two when needed.

However, the soup or the roast pork is not the main star of the dish today. The soup is made from homemade pork broth. The roast pork is simply our left-over take-out from a Chinese restaurant. The star today is the potato noodle. Have you heard of potato noodle?

It looks like the Japanese ramen cooked or uncooked. The packaging of the noodles when I bought it also looks similar to the Japanese ramen, but the label says it is potato noodle. Since the other words in the packaging were in Korean, I could not confirm if it is indeed noodles made from potato flour. I have a strong suspicion that it is.

The difference is in the taste and texture. It is not salty like the ramen, and the texture is chewy, more like the chap chae (Korean glass noodles). Hubby, who loves noodles declared this the better quality noodle. It is certainly worth buying and cooking again and again.

3 packs (350gms) potato noodles (Korean)

4 C pork broth (substitute with any broth you have available)
250 gms roast pork, sliced
3 pcs shiitake mushrooms, soaked, sliced
salt and pepper
green onions, chopped

1. Boil the broth in a dutch oven or wok. When boiling, add in shiitake mushrooms
and roast pork. Let boil for 15 - 20 minutes until mushrooms and pork are softened.

2. Add in the noodles and cook for 4 minutes (according to package directions). Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into individual serving bowls and top with chopped green onions.

Sharing this potato noodle dish with the Presto Pasta Nights community, one of my favorite food events, because we do usually have pasta every week. (Though, I cannot post the same recipes all over again :). I was feeling lousy when I missed the 100th edition of the Presto Pasta Nights but I am here for the event's second birthday!!! Yippee!!! Congratulations to Ruth of Once Upon a Feast for one of the food blogging world's long-running weekly event!

Curry Carrot Soup with Wasabi Cream

2009-03-02T03:34:00.000-08:00

I got this interesting recipe from a health e-mail newsletter I receive regularly. I am sorry I do not remember which one (which is to say, I subscribe to several :)

What makes this recipe interesting for us Asians is that we usually do not add curry to our cream soups. I think adding a bit of curry to flavor soups is a common thing among western cuisine. I remember posting about a cream soup last year and a reader suggested I add a bit of curry. I also remember a lunch I had with our German missionary friends, where the soup they cooked had a tinge of curry in it. I remember it was delicious! So, I deemed it about time to add some curry into our soup!

Another interesting angle of this recipe is the addition of wasabi cream and mirin. A western soup with an Asian twist! I love this recipe already!

500 gms carrots, peeled, sliced thinly
3 T butter
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 C mirin
4 C chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth to make this truly vegetarian)
2 T grated ginger
1/2 T curry powder
1 - 3 T honey (according to taste)
salt and pepper
1/2 T wasabi powder
1/2 C sour cream
a stalk of green onions, chopped

1. Melt butter in a wok or large soup pot. Add onions and cook until soft. Add the carrots and wine and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the broth, ginger and curry. Bring to a boil.

2. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until carrots are very tender. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Working in batches, pour soup in blender (or use immersion blender) and process until smooth.

4. At this point, you can stir in the salt, pepper and honey and serve the soup as is. But we prefer our soup hot, so I returned the creamy soup into the pot to boil again. When hot, laddle into individual soup bowls. Top with a tablespoon of wasabi cream and chopped green onions.

5. To make wasabi cream, blend wasabi powder to the sour cream in a bowl. (I prepared the wasabi cream while the soup was simmering in step 2).

The whole family loved this soup! It is colorful, flavorful, and delicious and filling. The kids cannot even taste the vegetable in it. I love it because it is made from carrots, which everybody knows is a healthy vegetable.

Sharing this healthy and flavorful soup with the Souper Soup Challenge of Running with Tweezers. Check out her blog for more lovely and healthy soup recipes!

Chrysanthemum Tea

2009-02-23T00:34:00.000-08:00

These days the weather temperature had gone up quite significantly. It is indeed nearly summer! (Summer in this country starts mid-March to May). However, with the changes in the weather, many children are getting sick - cough, colds and fever or flu.

My son has terrible cough and colds. He has enough thick mucus that blocks his nasal passageway. He has trouble sleeping at night and difficulty concentrating in school. And the syrups seem not to have any effect. What to do? I turn to the age-old remedy of Chinese medicine. Actually, I forgot all about this until mother-in-law reminded me. :)

Chrysanthemum flower tea is one very common type of Chinese tea. Drunk with meals it helps to aid digestion, especially of greasy foods. It is also commonly taken to help strengthen the lungs and relieve head congestion. It has cooling effect that is very appropriately taken during hot weather. According to my mother-in-law, it can help in the early stages of feverish type of flu. It may also help relieve certain types of headaches, blurred vision and dizziness. (But the effect on those symptoms will vary dependent on the underlying cause, of course.)

This tea is very easy to prepare. Take fresh yellow chrysanthemum flowers. Clean them well, and brew with hot boiling water. Since fresh flowers are not available here, what we have on hand are dried flowers. We usually have a supply since we really stock up on this flower tea when somebody goes to China. We can also brew the dried flowers. Boil a tablespoon or two of dried flowers for every cup of water, strain and drink. (In my photo above, I deliberately did not strain eveything so that you can see what the chrysanthemum flowers look like.) The resulting tea is yellowish in color with the fragrance of chrysanthemum flowers. This tea is very mild and safe, with no side effects, this can be taken regularly.

But for my son's aggravated condition, mother-in-law recommends the salt-infused chrysanthemum tea (Kiam Kak Hue in Fookien.) We also have this on hand, anytime in the refrigerator. When a batch of dried chrysanthemum flowers arrive from China, my mother-in-law would personally make the salt-infused chrysanthemum. She would take a lot of flowers, and sprinkle a handful of coarse sea salt. (Sorry, she also do not have accurate measurements. She simply says, the more salt, the better it would be.) Then she would fill up and pack a sterilized glass jar with this salted dried chysanthemum flowers. We keep this in the refrigerator and use it when needed. Like today.

This traditional Chinese tea should be brewed fresh everyday, and we should expect a relief from the colds symptoms in a few days. I certainly hope my son gets better soon. It is exams week next week!

Sharing this Chinese herbal flower tea with the Weekend Herb Blogging community, now headed by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything at Least Once. This week, the event is hosted by Laurie of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska.

WholeWheat Loaf

2009-02-20T23:54:00.000-08:00

I am so very, very excited! Yes, I am! This is the first time I have made my own (yeast) bread! Yay! :)

I know, this might not be an exciting thing for many of the baker-bloggers in the food community. I mean, this is a very simple loaf with a very simple recipe. But I am more of a cook than a baker. I am only "trying hard" to conquer my fear of "yeast" baking, which is an "unknown" territory for me. I am so inspired by the many beautiful bread and cakes and pastries by the many great food bloggers out there, that I promised myself, I am going to do this one day. And now, I did!

I followed the exact recipe and exact instructions of "The Bread Book" by Sara Lewis. Fearing that the bread might not come out correctly. I kept watch during the rising time, feeling very relieved seeing the dough rising up bit by bit. I have my heart in my throat all throughout the baking time.

after 5 minutes, dough is still rising

1 and 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 and 1/3 C all-purpose flour
2 t caster sugar
1/2 t salt
1 and 3/4 t instant dried yeast
1 T canola oil
1 C warm water

1. Mix the flours, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add the oil and gradually mix enough warm water to make the dough soft.

2. Knead well on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth. Put in the greased loaf pan.

3. Cover the pan loosely with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes or until dough reaches just above the top of the tin.

4. Remove the clingfilm and bake in a preheated oven, 400F for 25 minutes (small loaf). Check after 15 minutes and cover with foil if overbrowning.

5. Holding the loaf pan with oven gloves, loosen bread with pallete knife. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Being a newbie baker, I do not know what a 1-lb loaf pan is, or a 1 and 1/2 lb loaf pan, or a 2-lb loaf pan. The ingredients in the book are listed according to the final product weight. My only loaf pan is 9 x 5 x 4. Since I do not know what is the corresponding weight of my loaf pan, I opted to use the ingredients for the smallest loaf. I figured that it is safer to have a small loaf inside a big pan rather than to have a big loaf overflowing a small pan. Of course, not much ingredients will be wasted if my bread came out inedible. :)

Yup, my pan is too big for the "1-lb" ingredients. That it why, my bread didn't turn out to shape like a bread loaf! :) I know now that I have to use the "2-lb" ingredients for my loaf pan. Next time, my bread is going to look a lot better! :)

But I promise you, this bread tastes a lot, lot better than the store bought bread! The texture is a bit denser than the store-bought ones, because I used part- whole wheat flour. Besides, the store bought ones incorporate a lot of air, making them softer and fluffier. But we think ours is more flavorful and healthier. Without additives and preservatives, home-made bread is definitely better.

The recipe uses instant dry yeast (not active dry yeast), that is why it does not require the initial immersing in warm water, and can be added directly to dry ingredients. However, it is still a type of dry yeast that needs warm water to be activated.

I sliced the bread with a serrated knife, slathered a side with cream cheese spread, added slices of mushroom and olive lyoner, added slices of tomatoes and lettuce. Yummy and healthy "brown bag" to-go-breakfast for Hubby and kids. This small loaf fed 4 people for 2 breakfasts. Definitely worth the effort!

Guess what? Baking bread is not as hard as I thought. :)

Sharing my first bread with BYOB - Bake Your Own Bread community, launched by Sandy at the Baker's Bench. Sandy and her blog is one of those who inspired me to stop procrastinating and start baking. :)

Greek Chicken

2009-02-17T02:04:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had the feeling that a recipe is calling out to you? In this case, this Greek recipe was shouting "try me! Try me!" I love to try out another country's dishes. I love the particular combination of these ingredients. I can imagine this dish being so deliciously tasty and tangy. And best of all, this looks easy to prepare.

I have been busy. But that does not stop me from checking out the recipes of fellow food bloggers. I saw this recipe from Pam of For the Love of Cooking, and happily, I have all the ingredients.

Some minor tweaks I made: I used whole chicken legs, skin removed. Pam used boneless chicken thigh meat. If you will notice all the chicken dishes that I cook have skins removed. Hence, they do not look good in pictures. However, removing the skin drastically reduces the amount of fat and cholesterol. So even if I do not use boneless cuts, this dish is still healthy. The bones also added to the flavor.

I also used lime instead of lemon. I think it contributed the same tangy-ness except that the scent or aroma is different.

2 T olive oil
1 to 2 shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 K chicken thighs, skin removed
salt and cracked pepper to taste
a sprinkling of garlic powder
a sprinkling of dried oregano
grape tomatoes
pitted green and black olives, sliced in half
1 lime, juiced
zest of 1 lime
2 T feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. Heat 1 T olive oil in an oven-safe skillet. Add shallots and cook stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. Add remaining olive oil in the same skillet. Season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano on all sides. Once the skillet is hot, add the seasoned chicken to the skillet. Cover for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown on one side.

4. Flip the chicken and add the tomatoes, olives, shallots, garlic, lime zest, lime juice. Then season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Place in the oven and roast for 9 to 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from oven and sprinkle with feta cheese before serving.

straight from the oven without the feta cheese

Guaranteed so deliciously good!

So, I am sharing this dish with Psychgrad of Equal Opportunity Kitchen, with my best wishes for her coming wedding. Weddings are such an exciting event! She is calling for recipes that are tasty, delicious and yet easy to prepare for her out-of-town wedding guests. So this recipe goes to Tried, Tested and True 3: Wedding Edition.

Sharing this dish with the Bookmarked Recipes community, headed by Ruth of Ruth's Kitchen's Experiments. Please check out the round-up by Monday. To see last week's delicious dishes, please check out the round-up here.

Curried Mussels

2009-02-10T11:56:00.000-08:00

Finally! I was able to buy some fresh, nicely sized mussels! I was looking for fresh mussels last week when I wanted to try out an interesting French recipe. Since I was not able to find some mussels last week, I substituted with Pacific clams and the dish turned out very good! You may want to try the recipe here. It is truly highly recommended. :)

Of course my first impulse is to cook these mussels the way I cooked the Pacific clams. It was delicious! But that was just last week. I would not want to immediately repeat the same recipe on my dinner table and on this blog. :) So, I tried to make this curried mussels dish that I was able to taste (and hopefully recreate) from a restaurant.

Mussels are known to be "poor man's oysters." I am not surprised because mussels are indeed a lot, lot cheaper than oysters, and even cheaper than clams. But their meat is very tasty. I am not sure if I am simply biased, but I prefer the ones with the orange meat rather than the cream meat. Maybe I am simply attracted by the bright orange hue, that is why I "think" they are more delicious than the cream-colored meat. Later on, I learned that the orange meat are females and the cream colored ones are males. So, maybe the orange meat are indeed more tasty. Is it not that the female crabs are tastier than the male crabs as well?

1 kilo live mussels, shells brushed
5 slices fresh ginger
5 T minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
100 gms lean ground pork
3 -4 pcs jalapeno peppers or green peppers (siling haba)
1/2 C coconut milk
3 T curry powder
1 T sugar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat up some oil in a wok or cooking pan. Add in the ginger and saute until fragrant. Add in the onions and garlic. Saute until fragrant but not burnt. Add in the tomatoes. Let simmer for a while until softened.

2. Add in the ground pork. Let cook until meat changes color and is done, stirring once in a while.

3. Add in the mussels, coconut milk, curry powder, jalapeno peppers, and curry powder. Let boil and cook until mussels open. Stirring once in a while. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Discard mussels that did not open.

Even if mussels are not expensive, they are good food. They are quite tasty and delicious and they are full of good nutrition. They are low in fat and high in protein. They are also rich in omega 3 fatty acids. It is rich in iron, manganese, phosphorous, selenium, zinc and vitamins C and B12.

Sharing this curried mussels dish with Kitchen of Love Food event hosted by Chris of Mele Cotte. This event is featuring aphrodisiacs food and dishes as a way of celebrating this most romantic time of the year. Mussels, which are high in minerals such as zinc, and phosphorus are considered aprohodisiac food. Check out her blog in a few days to see the round-up of dishes we will serve our special someone on valentine's day.

Tofu with Spicy Minced Pork and Mushrooms

2009-02-06T01:49:00.000-08:00

Are you familiar with the spicy canned minced pork with mushroom? In Hokkien (Fujian Chinese dialect), we call it "Ba Chiu." This canned product is very versatile. Though, I would usually stir fry the spicy pork in a little garlic and then top it on tofu for a quick deliciously spicy dinner.

One day, I had this one good block of tofu and I wanted to make this "Ba Chiu." However, my pantry ran out of this canned pork! What to do? I made my own home made version of Spicy Minced Pork - "Ba Chiu."

300 gms lean ground pork, marinate in
2 T soy sauce
dashes of ground pepper (as much as you like)
a few drops of sesame oil
1 T cornstarch

5 T canola oil
5 pcs dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 1 hour, drained, sliced
5 T minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
2 pcs green long peppers (siling haba) or finger chillies or bird's eye chillies, chopped
1 T soy sauce
1 T oyster sauce
dash of sesame oil, optional
salt and pepper to taste
green onions, chopped

1 block tofu

1. Heat up the oil in a wok or a cooking pan. Saute the onions until caramelized and soft. Saute the garlic until fragrant.

2. Add the marinated ground pork. Cook for a while until meat changes color. Add in the mushrooms. Stir for a while and add in the chillies (more or less, depending on your preference). Add in the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Sitr for a while. Cover and simmer until meat is cooked through.

3. Add in the chopped green onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with sesame oil.

4. In a microwavable serving dish, heat up the tofu for 30 seconds; until just warm. Top with the cooked ground pork mixture. Serve hot with jasmine rice.

No more canned spicy pork for me. This is a very healthy and delicious dish, made with all natural ingredients. The kids love this dish. It is flavorful and fragrant. Soft and easy to chew (yes, my kids are lazy;)

This is also an easy to prepare dish, made with ingredients readily available in our pantry. Well, probably except for the dried mushrooms. You can omit the dried mushrooms or substitute fresh mushrooms. The dish will still be delicious! Dried mushrooms are easily available in Asian groceries.

Sharing this healthy tofu dish with the Monthly Mingle community, a foodie event by What's Cooking and What's For Lunch Honey. This month features healthy family dinners. Please check out the What's Cooking blog for the round-up after February 9.

Seafood Winter Melon Chinese Soup

2009-02-04T03:21:00.000-08:00

This soup is often considered a superior soup in Chinese restaurants. It has the natural goodness of winter melon or white gourd (Dong Gua) and the natural sweet flavor of seafood. Yum! In restaurants, it is often served like this: in carved winter melon bowls.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Even if I did not carve my own winter melon bowl. I assure you, this soup tastes like the soup served in restaurants and maybe even better. I have more seafood than "fillers" that's why!

In restaurants, they also claim that they serve double boiled soup. That is, after cooking the soup, they ladle the soup into the winter melon bowls and then steam the whole bowl (with soup and all) for several hours. If they really do this, then it is the authentic Cantonese soup cooking. However, sometimes, I wonder if they really do that, because if they really steam the whole winter melon and the soup, how come the ingredients are not tender as expected, and the soup is not as flavorful as expected?

Anyway, what I did is not the double-boiled technique. But it tastes just as good. If you want the double-boiled technique, just ladle the soup into the winter melon bowl, or another bowl if you do not have the winter melon bowl. And then, steam the whole bowl (with the soup) again. But then, this is a busy mother's kitchen, so simmering the soup once is enough for now. :)

250 gms, shrimps, shelled, deveined, chopped
5 T dried scallops, soaked in hot water for an hour
200 gms fish fillet, chopped

3 slices of ginger, shredded
4 T minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper
2 T Chinese cooking wine
250 gms winter melon, skin removed, pitted, chopped into small cubes
6 C chicken or pork broth

5 T cornstarch dissolved in 5 T water
2 eggs, well-beaten
drops of sesame oil
green onions, chopped, for garnish

1. In a hot wok or cooking pan, saute the ginger until fragrant. Saute the onion and garlic until fragrant.

2. Add in the fish fillet, dried scallop and shrimps. Saute until they change color. Add in the winter melon pieces. Add in the Chinese cooking wine. Wait until the sauce boils and some alcohol evaporates. Add in the broth.

3. Let boil and simmer for 30 minutes or more.

4. When ready to serve, bring the soup to boil. Add the cornstarch solution while stirring continuously. Let boil and let the soup thicken. Add in the beaten eggs while stirring continuously to get the "dispersed flower" egg effect.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat. Add in drops of sesame oil and garnish with chopped green onions before serving. Serve hot.

Winter melon is actually a big melon, usually more than a foot long. A small family cannot finish one entire melon, so I do not usually buy this fruit. (yes, ma'am, it is a fruit even if it is cooked as a veggie.) It is just fortunate that I was able to spy a grocer who was selling cut-up winter melon slices. Winter melon is favored by my grandma, because, according to traditional Chinese medicine, it can help alleviate mild urinary tract problems. According to Wiki, it is high in Vitamin B and dietary fiber.

Maybe, if I have more time, I will cook this the traditional double-boiled method in that winter melon bowl. I'm sure it is going to be a wonderful experience.

Sharing this delicious, hot and flavorful soup with the Weekend Herb Blogging community, now headed by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At Least Once. This week's hosts are Dee and her crew at the Daily Tiffin. To see last week's delicious round-ups, please check out Marija of Palachinka.

Pacific Clams in Wine Sauce (Palourdes Marinieres)

2009-02-02T05:19:00.000-08:00

This dish has been waiting in queue for a long time. Simply because I could not find nice and fresh, large mussels! The recipe I have is actually for mussels (moules). But I so want to make this French dish, so I settled for clams instead. I wonder if they have this dish in France so I googled, and yes! They do have this dish. This is an authentic French recipe! Even if I made the substitution first before doing the research. :)

When I first attempted to try French recipes for the Regional Recipes event, I wanted to make this easy to prepare dish ever since I found the recipe. It sounds so delicious! It has to be, clams are flavorful enough, and then you add a cup of wine!

From my corner of the world, French dishes are always associated with intricate preparations or hard to find ingredients like foie gras, or escargot. But happily, as I try to explore the world of French cooking, I am able to find several recipes which I think are full of flavor and yet easy to prepare. This dish is one of them.

1 kilo fresh Pacific clams
1 C dry white wine
3 T butter
1 onion, chopped
1/4 t dried thyme
1/2 bay leaf
dash of ground black pepper
2 stalks green onion, chopped to 2 inches lenght

1. Clean the clams very well by brushing them under running water.

2. Heat up the cooking pan, and melt the butter. Add in the onions and cook until caramelized, around 3 - 5 minutes. Add in the wine and thyme and bay leaf. Let boil for around 3 minutes.

3. Add in the clams and boil over high heat until shells open. Add in the chopped green onions. Stir once or twice to move the clams from top to bottom.

4. When the shells open, stop the fire. Add in a dash of ground pepper. Discard any clams that have not opened.

I have some prawns on hand, so I added the prawns together with the clams. And everything tastes so good!!! So, the title of this dish should be Seafood in Wine Sauce. I just wanted to show you that it is okay to do substitution with other kinds of seafood and this dish will still taste great!

This dish is super flavorful! You can serve this with bread, or rice just like we did. But you know what? I think this (specially the flavorful sauce) is perfect with pasta. The next time I am cooking this, I will top this on pasta.

I am sharing this dish on our foodie virtual tour with Joan of Foodalogue. We're going to meet in France today. Oh dear, I hope I am not too late. I have not been to France but hoping that this dish will give me a taste of France. The Culinary Tour Around the World is an event that aims to raise awareness about world food hunger, and what you can do about it. Please visit BloggerAid for more details.

Also sharing this dish with the Bookmarked Recipes community. I got the recipe and modified it from Cuisine-France.com. Bookmarked Recipes is a weekly event launched by Ruth of Ruth's Kitchen Experiments.

Stir-fry Beef with Orange

2009-01-30T23:56:00.000-08:00

I specifically planned this dish for Wandering Chopstick's Weekend Wokking event. The secret ingredient for the month is orange! It would be easy to create a sweet dish or dessert from lovely and sweet oranges. But for a change, I was thinking of creating a savory dish instead. I checked the internet and so far, I have seen pork and chicken dishes with orange. But not with beef.

So, you can say that this dish is my original creation, inspired by the recipes I have encountered on the net, of course. But I have modified the marinating and the cooking sauces.

When Hubby tasted this, he declared it the best beef stir fry he had ever tasted!

The meat is tender and oh-so juicy (because of the marinade), there is the wonderful fragrance of sweet orange, but it did not turn out to be an overly sweet dish. It has the right amount of salty and sweet with the spicy kick.

In fact, it is so delicious, I decided to contribute this dish to the BloggerAid Cookbook. So, if you are interested in the recipe, you have to purchase the Cookbook in November. It is for a good cause, by the way. The proceeds from the sale of the Cookbook will go to the World Food Program of the United Nations. You can read about all the details in the BloggerAid site. Do you know that you can have your recipe published as well? Just submit your original recipe, (you do not have to be a member of BloggerAid,) and you will see your name in the book! And for a good cause, too!

Sharing this dish with the Weekend Wokking community, a world-wide food event, launched and headed by Wandering Chopsticks, to celebrate the many different ways we can cook one ingredient. The ingredient for this month is Orange! This month's hosts are the creative sisters of Eating Club Vancouver. To see the past round-ups of different ingredients, please click here.

Coffee Alamid - Philippine Civet Coffee

2009-01-28T01:05:00.000-08:00

My family and friends know I love, no, I am crazy about coffee. I should have gotten this habit from my dad, but instead, I got it just 8 years ago from our friend, A, who would always let me taste different kinds of coffee and brews at his house every week.

It is a good thing that latest researches show that coffee is good for our health!

Nowadays, my mornings are not complete if I do not have my cup of coffee. And no instant please, only freshly brewed. No sugar, just cream.

Hubby loves tea. But he surprisingly indulges my coffee habit. He bought me a coffee siphon (upon the recommendation of friend A). He is also the one who is more adventurous in choosing different kinds of beans. While I am already happy with my home blend of Benguet and Arabica beans - medium roast.

Here is his latest coffee adventure for me - the Philippine Civet Coffee. Locally known as the Alamid.

According to an old BBC article (April 11, 2006), Philippine Civet Coffee is “one of the world’s most expensive and coveted kinds of coffee”. Only 500 kg of it are produced in the Philippines every year. Once roasted, the coffee beans sell for more than $115/kilogram.

Are you ready to find out what makes this so very rare? To quote the BBC article:

"The Philippines has recently discovered it produces one of the world's most expensive and coveted kinds of coffee. But it comes from an unusual source - the droppings of a nocturnal, cat-like animal called the palm civet.

Civets, related to the mongoose, are usually seen as pests in the Philippines and hunted for their meat. But their droppings are worth their weight in gold.

Known locally as alamid, civets are carnivorous but they also have a taste for the sweet, red coffee cherries that contain the beans. The beans pass through the civet whole after fermenting in the stomach and that's what gives the coffee its unique taste and aroma. "

Yup, you read it right. The Philippine Civet Coffee comes from wild civet droppings. During coffee season, these are gathered very early in the morning by forest dwellers who climb the mountains and pick the civet droppings on the forest floors. The coffee beans are separated, cleaned, roasted, and packed. For many many years now, the mountain people have been gathering, cleaning, and brewing these half-digested beans. It is their best-kept secret. Now that this secret is out, we have the opportunity to taste it. (This is, by the way, already exported to many countries around the world.)

The question is, will we be brave enough to try some? :D

The bottle contains whole coffee beans which we have to grind. The instruction says to use 7 gms of beans, per cup. Using coffee siphon or french press is recommended to bring out the full flavor.

I confess I have not tried this yet. :D Reviews say it has a fruity aroma, with strong, sweet, dark chocolatey taste. I promise I will try this and post my review. I am looking forward to this rare treat.

Sharing this unique coffee with A Taste of Terroir over at Anna's Cool Finds. This event features food, food products or recipes that are unique in our own area and location. Please check out her blog on January 31 for the round-up of interesting unique food, and produce around the world.

Braised Fish Fillet in Chilli-Black Bean Sauce (Tausi)

2009-01-27T01:19:00.001-08:00

I prepared this fish fillet, took a photo of it and presented it to Hubby. He declared it the best braised fish I ever made! So, I started writing about this dish today. Only to discover that I have a previous post on braising fish in black beans. I used another kind of fish then, of course, and the I am adding more ingredients this time like the green chilli pepper (siling haba), a little chili powder and cilantro. But the main flavoring ingredients - the salty black beans and the tomatoes are basically the same.

The braising of fish in black beans and tomatoes is a comfort food for this family. This dish is very healthy. Anything made with tomatoes is healthy, right? Less oil is used. It is also very versatile. You can pair it with rice, with congee or with bread.

When braising with a whole fish like the seabass I used previously, it is not necessary to pre-cook the fish. You simply cook the fish with the sauce. But this time, I used fish fillet, so I had to brown the fish in a little oil (in a non-stick pan) so that the meat will hold together in braising.

When we talk about black beans in Asia, this refers to the fermented or salted black beans. We are not referring to the fresh or dried black beans that you add into soups, chilies and burritoes. The black beans we are talking about here are small, black soybeans that have been preserved in salt. Also known as Chinese black beans or salty or salted black beans, they have a very strong, salty flavor.

Many people say that the black beans have to be soaked for a half hour or so in fresh water before being added to a dish. But I never did this when I cook any dish using the fermented black beans. I usually add it straight from the bottle, and sometimes, during cooking, I even mash some beans to release more flavor.

2 pcs large fish fillets (I used Red Snapper - Maya Maya)

4 T cooking oil
5 slices ginger
5 T garlic, minced
1 onion, quartered
5 large tomatoes, chopped
2 T black beans
2 T soy sauce, optional
3 pcs green chillies (siling haba)
a bunch of cilantro, wshed, chopped
dash of red chilli powder
sesame oil
salt and pepper

1. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on both sides of the fish fillets. Add some flour to cover both sides as well. Heat a little oil in a non-stick skillet or wok. Pan-fry the fish fillet until just browned. So, the fillets are still half-cooked. Set aside.

2. In the same skillet or wok, in the same oil, add in and cook the ginger slices until fragrant. Add in the onion, and stir fry until softened, about 2 -3 minutes. add in the garlic. When fragrant, add in the tomatoes and black beans. Add in the green chillis. Let this mixture simmer for a while, around 3 minutes to let the flavors come out.

3. Add in the fish fillets. Cover for a few minutes. Turn the fish to the other side. Add some water if needed, or if you want more sauce. Cook the fish covered until cooked. Around 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Add in the chilli powder, as much as you prefer. Add in soy sauce if you prefer more salty.

5. Drizzle with sesame oil just before serving. Serve hot.

Sharing this healthy dish with Heart of the Matter food event, this month focusing on slimming recipes. Fish is a slimming food. It has less fat and more nutritious than red meat. This month's host is Ilva of Lucillian Dleights. For more healthy treats and heart-healthy recipes and more information about eating healthy, please check out the Heart of the Matter blog.

Abalone Steak

2009-01-26T01:13:00.000-08:00

Today is the first day of the year of the ox! Happy Chinese New Year! To begin this year, I want to share with you this luxurious delicacy - the abalone!

Abalones are medium to large edible sea snails, according to Wiki. Actually, I thought they were giant sea-shells like clams or oysters. But apparently, I was wrong. :)

Abalones are known as Bao Yu in Chinese. This seafood delicacy is quite rare and expensive; it is usually made into a dish that is a common part of the Chinese banquet. Like the shark's fin soup and the bird's nest soup, it is considered a symbol of wealth and prestige. Therefore, it is always reserved for special occassions like weddings, new year and other celebrations.

However, the availability of commercially farmed abalone has allowed more common consumption of this once rare delicacy. Here in the Philippines, with our more than seven thousand islands, abalone farming is thriving. I am fortunate to have a friend who is into this business, so we can access cheaper (though not that cheap) supply of abalones. He makes canned abalones for export. So I get my abalones in cans.

For our new year's eve dinner, we had abalone steaks. Recipe is once again courtesy of brother-in-law (Ah-pe). He recreated the recipe based on the abalone dish served at the famous sharks fin restaurant here in Manila.

1 can abalone (contains 3 pieces)
1 head of brocolli, cut, washed,

1 C chicken stock
1 T Chinese cooking wine
2 T dark soy sauce
1 T oyster sauce
a dash of ground black pepper

4 T cornstarch, dissolved in 5 T water

1. Pour the contents of the entire can, abalone meat and broth into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, until meat is warm.

2. Blanch the cut brocolli florets in boiling water for 1 minute, drain.

3. Boil all the ingredients for the sauce. When boiling, add the cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce.

4. Arrange one abalone meat on a serving plate, add some brocolli florets. Pour some sauce on top. Serve immediately.

Wonton Soup

2009-01-24T01:23:00.000-08:00

knights of the round plate :D

Happy Chinese New Year, Everyone!

This past week, the children have been busy doing a lot of Chinese arts and artworks at school. They were making red paper lanterns, cutting out red Chinese characters, coloring, cutting and pasting the 12 different animals of the Chinese astrology. I have given and received a lot of sticky rice cakes (Nian gau in Chinese Mandarin; tikoy in Filipino). It is work as usual for everybody here, of course, as Philippines do not really celebrate the Chinese new year officially. But for the small Filipino-Chinese community here, we still do celebrate the tradition, in our own way, as our parents and grandparents have done so in the past years.

The Chinese New Year (Xin Nian) or the Spring Festival (Chun Jie) is one of the more important holidays in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and probably Malaysia or Singapore. They have a week-long holiday over there. This holiday is based on the Chinese lunar calendar. The New Year's day being the first day of the first lunar month. That is why it falls on different dates of our Gregorian calendar. This year, the new year's eve falls on Sunday, Jan 25 and new years' day on Monday, Jan 26.

Goodbye year of the rat, welcome the year of the ox! Inspite of the recession and depression many people around the world are having, I think we should all feel more positive and "bullish" this year. :)

How do we celebrate the Chinese new year?

Quite simply, with food! :)

We have a family dinner, usually with fish (yu) because the Chinese word for fish - "yu" sounds like (homonym) of the word that means "left-overs". So having fish symbolizes good wishes that we will have more than enough (that is why we have left-overs) for the year. We will have noodles. Traditionally, it is the misua (thread-like flour noodles) with eggs. This is to symbolize long life. Although, these past few years, we have replaced misua with other kinds of noodles, sometimes even pasta like spaghetti. As long as these noodles qualify as long :) We usually have Dumplings (Jiao Zi) as well. In China, it is customary to make dumplings for the new year. Dumplings symbolize wealth because their shape is like a Chinese tael (ancient Chinese money).

We usually simply buy our dumplings. However, last year, I had the privilege of witnessing how real homemade Dumplings were made. This was made by the mainland Chinese members of the Mandarin Fellowship of our Church. They made the dough from flour and water, kneaded them by hand. They made the fillings. I simply watched and acted as translator between them and the other non-Mandarin speaking people. I found out that even different regions in China have their own flavor of dumpling filling! But they all taste great just the same! And do you know that they start making dumplings by dinner time, and eat as the dumplings are cooked and then they make again, (talking and bonding while cooking) and eat again...and again... up to past midnight! Wow! A great way to celebrate, don't you think?

And so this year, I set out to make Dumplings (Jiao Zi) myself for the Chinese New Year. And ended up with wontons. :) Why? Simply because I did not try to make the dough!!! I thought it was too much work - the kneading, that is. Although I can use the pasta maker. But you see, I get no break from work, so I thought using store-bought wrappers would cut my cooking preparation in half! Wrong move on my part. The fillings tastes great but the wrapper made the supposed-to-be Jiao Zi into wontons.

Dumplings are not to be confused with wontons. Dumplings have thicker, chewier skin and a flatter, oblong like shape. They are often steamed and eaten with soy-vinegar dipping sauce. Wontons have thinner, sphere-like shape and are usually served in broth.

I made the first batch (see the first picture above) and still tried to steam the dumpling-wontons, hoping for the best. But the thin wrapper could not hold the shape up. So, I had no choice but to cook them in broth. Next time, I am REALLY going to make my own wrapper!

Kisses wontons made by Daughter

For the dough (which I did not make)
for every 5 cups of flour, add 1 egg, a pinch or two of salt and just enough water to hold the dough together. Knead or pass through the pasta maker several times and roll flat into 4 inch size round discs.

For the filling

1/2 K lean ground pork
1/2 K napa cabbage, chopped very finely, water squeezed out
5 -8 pcs dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated, chopped very finely
5 T minced garlic, optional
1/4 C chopped green onions, optional
salt and pepper to taste
1 t sesame oil

Mix the filling ingredients very well. Scoop out a tablespoon into the wrapper. Dab a little water into your finger, pat on one side of the wrapper, press together to close, crimp the edges to decorate. (As you can see from the pictures, I made short-cuts again :) Steam for 15 minutes and serve with soy-vinegar dipping sauce.

But as you can see, mine did not turn out to be dumplings. So, I made another batch and boiled them in Chicken broth. Added some napa cabbage and green onions. And they still turned out to be delicious wonton soup! Hearty and filling and warm, perfect for the windy and cold nights.

Xīnnián kuàilè!

Gōngxǐ fācái!

Street Food Bangkok

2009-01-22T22:12:00.000-08:00

In a post last week, I showed a very interesting, portable ice popsicle maker. (You may want to read about it here.) I asked readers to guess where it might be found. Jescel of Spice of Life, Wiffy of Noobcook and Rita of Mochachocolatarita got it right. I'm sure Wiffy and Rita had been to Bangkok because they got the answer right down to the specific market where the ice popsicle maker can be found!!!

Chatuchak market in Bangkok, Thailand boasts to be the biggest open-air weekend market/bazaar in Asia. It is actually quite an enormous place. We were not able to finish the whole place in a day. But it is also probably because of the heat. We started out in the morning. Shopping at that time was quite enjoyable. There was a little breeze. However, by noon, it was becoming unbearably hot. Take note, this is December. It is winter there. :) I wonder how hot it will get in summer. :) We opted to stay in the shade by this time, so, we were not able to see other interesting things. After lunch, there were a lot of people. As shoppers know, if a place is crowded, it is not that enjoyable to shop anymore. :) But the atmosphere is festive. Chatuchak sells a lot of things from clothes, to antiques to pets, flowers. Thai people claim that they have whatever you need in this market.

Of course, there were lots of food!!! Here are some of them.

Barbecues, barbeques everywhere you look!

Fried shrimps, fried quail eggs
(see the little sunny-side ups on the left?),
fried this and that...
enough to send our cholesterol high up the record...

and all of these are fried right there for people to see.

These are so "un-Thai" because they are so "Japanese" -sushis!
colorful, delicious, and filling!

The noodles are cooked right on the spot.

You can choose from the different flavored hot soup to add to your noodles.

Of course, the best part is the dessert!
Homemade coconut ice cream
with peanuts and fresh coconut meat.
This item sells a lot because the weather was quite hot.

Slices of the fragrant jackfruits.
Take note of the interesting, pyramid-shaped, plastic food cover.

Warning!!!

The last picture might jolt the sensibilities of some people.
My kids were so shocked that they were selling these for food!!

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.
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.
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Yes, I'm a coward. I can eat balut
(fertilized duck egg with fetus inside)
but I can never eat these insects and larvae and worms. Eeeww!

Dou Miao (Snow Pea Sprouts) Stir Fry with Fish Fillet

2009-01-20T03:11:00.000-08:00

It is the time of the year again, when we would have our taste of Dou Miao (snow pea sprouts/shoots). These Dou Miao that I am referring to are not the regular ones that look similar to mung bean sprouts, which are full of stem, crunchy but hard to chew. I am talking about this type of Dou Miao that has more leaves and known for its delicate taste. They look like this:

photo courtesy of evergreenseeds.com

This kind of Dou Miao is only available during winter. Because of its unavailability, it is considered a delicacy here in Asia. Last year, I made a stir fry dish with dried scallops. Recipe here.

Dou Miao with Dried Scallops Stir Fry

This year, brother-in-law (Ah-pe) came over our house and cooked a special dish for us: Hong Kong style Stir fry Dou Miao with Fish Fillets. Here's his recipe.

1 pack (around 250 gms) Dou Miao, washed
2 T cooking oil
5 T minced garlic
1 stalk leeks, chopped
3 slices of ginger
1 c chicken broth

2 pcs fish fillet, sliced thinly
salt and pepper, to taste
some cornstarch
1/2 C cooking oil

1. Heat up cooking oil in a wok or a cooking pan. Saute ginger until fragrant. Add in the garlic and chopped leeks. Stir fry for a while until fragrant, around 2 minutes.

2. Add in the Dou Miao. Stir fry until partially wilted. Add in the chicken broth. Cover and let boil. Stir frequently so that the vegetables may absorb the flavor of the broth.

3. When cooked, scoop up the vegetables onto a serving platter. Discard the broth.

4. Prepare the fish fillets by sprinkling salt and pepper (amount according to taste) on all sides. Then, sprinkle some cornstarch onto all the fish pieces as well.

5. Add oil to a hot wok or non-stick cooking pan. When heated, quickly stir fry the fish fillets. When done, ladle on top of the cooked Dou miao. Serve hot with jasmine rice.

Healthy and delicious!

Sharing this nutritious dish with the Weekend Herb Blogging community, headed and supervised by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At Least Once. This week, the event is hosted by Chris of Mele Cotte. To see last week's delicious dishes, please see the lovely round-up done by Cook the Books chief Rachel at the Crispy Cook.

Carbonara Pasta with Bacon and Leeks

2009-01-15T00:21:00.000-08:00

When the going gets tough, the tough has to cook fast!!! Really! Easy to prepare dishes and those with simple recipes are needed by busy moms. Pastas are great time-savers. They can be one-dish nutritious meal for the whole family.

Here's one of those presto pasta I tweaked myself. So simple, it uses just 5 ingredients, all readily available in your pantry.

1 pack (300 gms) linguini, cooked to package directions

1 can (15 oz) cream of mushroom soup
12 pcs button mushrooms, sliced
200 gms bacon, chopped
2 stalks leeks, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the bacon in a cooking pan until browned. Set aside half for topping, leave half in the pan.

2. Saute the leeks with the bacon bits inside the pan until softened. Add in the chopped button mushrooms and the cream of mushroom soup.

3. Using the empty can, measure 1/2 to 3/4 can of water and add into the cooking mushroom soup. Let boil, mixing well until the canned cream of mushroom soup is well-dispersed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Arrange some linguini in a serving plate, top with the sauce and sprinkle the bacon bits on top.

The sauce is flavorful because we let some of the bacon meat boil with it. And the bacon bits topping gave the crunchy texture, and salty surprise to the pasta. Not bad for a dish made in a hurry. :) In fact, Daughter declared it yummy! If my diners are happy, then the busy chef is happy, too!

The parmesan cheese!!! I forgot the parmesan cheese! :)

Sharing this presto pasta dish with the Presto Pasta Nights family, headed by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast. This week's host is the untiring World Food Day event and BloggerAid chief, Ivy of Kopiaste.

If you would notice my sidebar has this BloggerAid widget for several months now. I am a proud member of BloggerAid. BloggerAid is a network of bloggers who would like to help in the alleviation of hunger worldwide. We, food bloggers always have food on the table. We blog about it. And yet, there are millions of hungry and starving people out there, not just in Africa, in famine-stricken lands, or in war-torn lands. Hunger is also present in our own neighborhood, even in the first world. BloggerAid aims to increase awareness about world hunger and do something about it. Would you like to join this worthy cause? Please drop by and visit BloggerAid.

The most concrete project we have is in making a cookbook! (Did you notice I have another new widget on my sidebar?) The proceeds and earnings of the cookbook will go to our selected beneficiaries at the World Food Program of the United Nations.

Who will the writing the cookbook? All of us, food bloggers, that's who. Each one of us can easily contribute a recipe. Together, we can make this a successful endeavor! Would you like to have your recipe published? Join us and be a part of this cookbook team while helping to feed the hungry people of the world. Just click on the widget on my sidebar or here on BloggerAid to read more about the details.

Another project BloggerAid has is holding monthly food events aiming to increase awareness on world hunger. This month, Joan of Foodalogue is taking a tour around the world (different countries) and tasting each countries' dishes. Next month, I'll be hosting the event! So, please watch out for that. If you would like to host an event, please check out BloggerAid again. :)

Here's an interesting news article I found: "World Food Program Targets Mindanao." Mindanao is in Southern Philippines, where battles between the government and insurgents take place. Here's an excerpt from the article:

Hunger and malnutrition remain the biggest health risk worldwide. They even surpass AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined, claiming one life every 5 seconds, according to World Food Program (WFP) statistics.

The Philippines is not spared from this global problem, which is particularly rampant in Mindanao. As of WFP’s latest assessment mission, 60 percent of Mindanao households have very poor access to food, while 30 percent take life-threatening risks to meet daily food needs.

It was in this light that Pizza Hut and Taco Bell teamed up with WFP and National Ambassador Against Hunger KC Concepcion in a donation drive for afflicted areas in Mindanao. Taco Bell and Pizza Hut accepted donations that would provide rice to nearly 187,000 students in 800 schools, and hot meals in 277 schools and day care centers serving 16,000 children.

You, too, can help WFP spread awareness about hunger. Check out their website to see other WFP programs that will benefit those suffering from hunger in Mindanao.

It is surprising to learn that our Philippine national ambassador against hunger is KC Concepcion. She is the very pretty and talented daughter of the mega-star (singer and actress) Sharon Cuneta. She comes from a well-to-do family. In fact, she studied in Paris. And yet, she is also doing her part in helping alleviate hunger in the world. You should, too!

Apple Tart (Tarte Aux Pommes)

2009-01-14T02:17:00.000-08:00

Here in Asia, when you say French cooking, it is either associated with wine as an ingredient in cooking, or the methodology is as complicated and as difficult as the dishes' pronunciation. :)

So, I set out to find recipes that have no wine, and very simple to prepare. As always, this blog would like to focus on easy-to-prepare recipes that are healthy; delicious and yet takes only a fraction of the time it would take to prepare complicated so-called-gourmet dishes. Another reason to find simple, fuzz-free recipe is that, admittedly, I do not have as much free time to experiment (like last year). :)

3 pcs apples, peeled, cored, sliced
3 T butter
1 T sugar

for the pastry, I halved the pate brisee recipe I used here.

1 C all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1/2 C cold butter
2 T cold water

1. Melt butter in the saucepan, add the sugar and apple slices. Simmer gently until softened.

2. For the pastry, cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or a large tinned fork until mixture resembles a coarse sand. Sprinkle water evenly over the mixture and toss gently a few times until the dough holds together.

3. Roll the pastry out flat and put in a tart pan. Crimp the edges. Prick the dough with a fork.

4. Spread the apple slices on the pastry, reserving the syrup (from cooking the apples). Bake in a hot oven (400F) for about 20 to 30 minutes, until apples and dough are slightly golden brown.

5. Pour the remaining syrup from cooking the apples on to the tart and return to the oven for 5 minutes.

6. You can serve the tart on its own or with creme chantilly (whipped cream). Or with scoops of ice cream like what I did. :)

Result? A lovely and impressive dessert that is easy to make. The kids devoured it in no time. :)

Sharing this delicious dessert with the Regional Recipes community, headed by Darlene of Blazing Hot Wok. This month, featuring French dishes, is hosted by Susan of Open Mouth, Insert Fork. To see last month's delicious Thai dishes, please check out the round-up here.

Oven Baked Zucchini Fries

2009-01-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

We stopped eating French Fries when news came out that they are full of transfat. Actually, we generally avoid anything deep-fried nowadays. Ok, ok, perhaps once in a while, but I promise, only very rarely. What to do when you crave for fries? Instead of giving in immediately, look for substitutions.

I have heard of Zucchini Fries. Zucchini is a vegetable (though technically, it is a fruit, according to Wiki). So, Zucchini must be good. It is low in calories, contains some folate, potassium and Vitamin A.

I googled for the recipe, but most have a tempura-like batter. And deep fried. I got some ideas here and there, and here is what I came out with:

1 medium-sized zucchini, julienned
salt, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper (optional)

1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C cornmeal

olive oil for spraying

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a cookie sheet or large baking pan with olive oil.

2. Season the julienned zucchinis with salt, and peppers. Let rest for 15 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and cornmeal. Add in the marinated zucchinis, coating all pieces. Lay each piece of coated zucchini on the tray. Do not overlap. Bake for 20 mintes or until golden brown.

The result? Delicious fries! Crunchy on the outside, soft in the inside. Just serve it while it is fresh from the oven. When cooled, the crunchy crust becomes soft as well...

Sharing these delicious, healthy crunchies with the Weekend Herb Blogging community, headed by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At Least Once. This week's host is Rachel of The Crispy Cook. To see last week's delectable dishes, please check out the round-up done by Pam of the Backyard Pizzeria.

Ice Popsicle Making Cart

2009-01-12T02:49:00.000-08:00

If I did not write the title, I bet you would not know what these are. Many wooden sticks (thinner than chopsticks) stuck inside bright and colorful gel-like mixture inside small tubes. The (1-inch diameter) tubes are attached to this big drum filled with ice.

The vendor makes the popsicle right on the spot. He pours liquid-y concoction inside the tubes, shakes the drum occasionally. But we did not dare to buy and taste these. We do not know where the vendor got his water or his liquid syrups. Look at the bottom picture where he keeps his water and syrups. :)

This is a street scene from the country we visited last December. From this contraption, can you guess where we went? :)

Chinese-Style Cream of Corn Soup

2009-01-09T02:13:00.000-08:00

This is a perfect soup for these windy and chilly nights. Warm, and nourishing. This is also so easy to prepare. Perfect for these busy days, which I am going through nowadays!

This is also a very easy and simple recipe. Just three ingredients. But full of flavor. Son said this is one of his favorite soups. Hubby says this soup would have been healthier if I use real corn instead of the canned creamed corn. But I am not shucking real corn when I am in the middle of a big project. :)

1 can (15 oz) creamed corn
100 gms bacon (use low fat), chopped to bits
2 eggs, well beaten

4 T minced garlic
1 and 1/2 can of water
salt and pepper to taste
4 T cornstarch dissolved in 4 T water
sesame oil, optional

1. Cook the bacon in a non-stick wok or cooking pan until cooked and browned. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.

2. Add the creamed corn. Use the empty can to measure one and a half can of water. Add water to the cooking pan. Let boil. Simmer for 2 - 3 minutes.

3. Add the cornstarch mixture. Let boil while stirring all time. The soup will thicken.

4. Add in the beaten eggs, slowly stirring the soup until the eggs are cooked. Sprinkle with sesame oil, if using. Serve hot.

Thick soups like this with beaten eggs are always known as Chinese-style soups in this country. Another trademark of Chinese soups is the use of the fragrant sesame oil. Sesame oil is known a a "hot" food, so it is very appropriate to add some to your dishes and soups during cold season.

Oh, if you have more time, you can use boiled, real corn instead of the canned ones. :)

Fruit Cake Bars

2009-01-07T04:16:00.000-08:00

To start the year right, I offer you -- fruit cake bars -- these are sweet, so that you can always look forward to a good and nice and sweet year ahead. These are full of fruits, so that your year may be "fruitful" or bountiful. The taste is mellow, so that you may have a peaceful year ahead.

This recipe is far, far different from the traditional heavy and dense fruit cake. It tastes like fruit cake, with fruits soaked in liquor, but the texture is softer and lighter, and a bit crumbly and moist, just the way we like it. Daughter was crestfallen when she learned that I was giving most of the pieces away (boxed as Christmas gifts) to friends. But of course I made several batches and there were lots of leftovers :) for her to enjoy.

I got the recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine.

1 C unsalted butter, room temperature
2 C all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1 C brandy
5 cups assorted dried fruits (I used raisins, dried mangoes, dried jackfruit, dried cranberries, dried apricots
2 C packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 t pure vanilla extract
confectioner's sugar, for dusting

1. In a saucepan, heat brandy until simmering. Remove from heat and stir in fruits. Cool to room temperature. Toss brandied fruits with 1 C flour.

2. Preheat oven to 350F. Brush a 9 x 13 baking pan with butter. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two sides.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.

4. With the mixer on low, add in the remaining 1 C flour, and salt. Mix until just combined. Fold in fruit mixture, transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth top.

5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 1 hour.

6. Using the paper overhang, lift out of the pan, transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

7. Remove paper. Dust with confectioner's sugar. Cut into squares with a serrated knife.

Dried fruits are the main feature of these cake bars. Drying the fruits preserves the fruits, even without refrigeration, thus prolonging their shelf life. However, I think many people enjoy dried fruits because of the flavor. Since they are dehydrated, the fruit flavor becomes more intense. Like fresh fruits, dried fruits still has their Vitamin B and mineral content. However, vitamin C is usually lost in the drying process.

You can actually use a variety of dried fruits, in any flavor and in any combination you prefer for your fruit cake bars. Just have a total of 5 cups of assorted fruits. At the beginning, I thought it was way too much, but it turned out just right. If you noticed, I added lots of dried mangoes and dried jackfruit. These two fruits added the tropical touch to my fruit cake bars. Philippines is of course famous for our dried mangoes. It is often brought as a pasalubong (welcome gift) to friends and families abroad.

Sharing these delightful fruit bars to the Weekend Herb Blogging community, created by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, but now headed by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything at Least Once. This week's host is Pam from the Backyard Pizzeria. To see last week's delicious herbs and dishes, please see the round-up done by Haalo here.

Happy New Year! and my 200th Post - Strawberries in December

2009-01-06T04:27:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!

This is such a happy coincidence!

My first post for the year and my 200th post! Wow! When I started this blog, I never thought I would reach this far. Thank you to all my friends, fellow food bloggers, and readers who make blogging very worthwhile! Thank you very much for your encouragements, inspirations and support. :) From the bottom of my heart.

Actually, I have come home for the New Year, but since my little family was not around during Christmas, we had to spend a lot of time with our extended families (aka grandparents) and friends. Plus, the catching-up work and things that I had to do... so I am able to return to the food blogging world only today. And I still have a lot of blog-reading to do! So, please forgive me if I have not visited your site yet. :)

Ooohh! I have lots of plans this year! More dishes and recipes to post! First up tomorrow is the Fruit Cake Bar that I made before we took our vacation. Watch out for that. :)

Then, I am also going to share some foodie experience we had on our vacation. I am not yet telling where we went. You have to stay tuned. :)

I am also looking forward to participating in the Cookbook that the BloggerAid community will be publishing. The proceeds from the sale of the cookbook will directly go to the World Food Programme of the United Nations! Now, isn't this a worthwhile cause to join in? Please do check out BloggerAid.

And now, for the strawberries... aren't these lovely?

Sorry, I did not remove the (2) dried leaves. I just wanted to show you how they looked when I received them. These lovely, fresh, and sweet strawberries were gifts from my friend and co-worker at Couples@Work Fellowship, J. Her family spent a few days in Baguio City (a city built on a plateau north of Manila, 7 hours away by car) and brought and shared these delicious treats with us.

Maybe you are wondering what's so special about these strawberries. You see, Philippines is a tropical country. We don't really have strawberries here, except in Baguio City (where everybody goes during summer). There at the mountain top, the weather is cooler, and more conducive to growing vegetables, flowers, and strawberries, of course!

Since we were kids, I remember we would only have fresh strawberries once a year, usually during summer (that's April or May), when somebody we know would go up to Baguio. But this time, we had strawberries in December! I didn't even know Baguio grows strawberries during December. (It is the coldest time of the year.) I thought strawberries are annual plants? But then, maybe modern plant productions have discovered how to grow them even when out of season.

Strawberries are good fruits. They are full of vitamin C and like all berries, contain flavonoids, which are important for their anti-oxidant properties.

Thanks J for our dose of fresh berries in December!

Submitting the first photo (topmost) to Click, a monthly food photography event by Jugalbandi. This month's theme is Red! Which for the Chinese, is a very appropriate auspicious color for the new year. This is the first time I am joining this photography event. I feel that I still have a lot to learn about food photography. The photo entry above was taken by my 12-year old daughter. I simply want to encourage her photography skills by entering her photo in the event. :)

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

2008-12-20T01:53:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas !!!

Just letting you know, I'll be taking a holiday break from blogging. Will be back in January! Meanwhile, please feel free to browse through the archives for tried and tested recipes! :)

Thai Stir Fry Chicken with Basil (Gai Pad Grapow)

2008-12-18T22:49:00.000-08:00

I met a friend at the supermarket the other day. She was recommending me to buy a cut of chicken meat called "Chicken tenders." Accordingly, the cut is already boneless and the meat is truly tender. Ideal for kids. Most mothers usually use it to cook their own chicken nuggets. Of course it is more expensive than the regular whole or cut chicken. But I figured, if it does not include any bones, and if the meat is truly tender, it can be worth the price. I bought half a kilo to try, without really planning what recipe I will use to cook the chicken. My kids are not really crazy about chicken nuggets, so that would be out of the picture.

I decided to use it in a Thai dish because the cuisine we're trying this month for Regional Recipes is Thai. We love Thai food in restaurants. But the most I did at home is the Tom Yum Soup. I was quite surprised myself. Because I know Thai food is not difficult to do, specially since I am a little familiar with the cuisine and the herbs and spices used in Thai cooking. Maybe I will start exploring more Thai cuisine next year. :)

This is an easy Thai stir fry dish you can prepare in 15 minutes or less.

1/2 K chicken tenders (or chicken breast fillet) cubed
fish sauce, pepper and cornstarch

4 slices fresh ginger
4 T garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 C fresh thai basil leaves
2 T fish sauce
3 pcs finger chillies (substitute chili padi for more spice), sliced

1. Add some dashes of fish sauce to the chicken meat. Season with ground black pepper. Add in some cornstarch. Set aside.

2. Heat some cooking oil in a wok, or cooking pan. Saute the ginger until fragrant. Add in the onions and garlic and saute until fragrant but not burnt. Add in the chicken.

3. Stir fry for a while. Add in the chillies and the fish sauce. Add in some water if it gets too dry. Cover until chicken is cooked. Stir frying and checking once in while. This should take less than 10 minutes.

4. When chicken is cooked, add in the basil leaves. Cook until basil leaves are wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

This is an easy weekday dinner dish. Fuss-free, tasty and delicious.

Sharing this Thai chicken dish with the Regional Recipes community, with this month featuring Thai recipes. Regional Recipes is launched and hosted this month by Darlene of Blazing Hot Wok. To see last month's delicious Japanese dishes, please check out the round-up done by Wandering Chopsticks.

Mushroom and Cheese Omelet

2008-12-17T05:12:00.000-08:00

The secret ingredient for this month's Weekend Wokking is a fungi! A very good fungi at that... it's the mushroom! The Asian people, specially the Chinese, love mushrooms. When I was young, I thought it was simply the flavor. But apparently, it has a lot of healthy benefits as well. Mushrooms has no cholesterol, no fat, no sodium. It is rich in Vitamin B. It is a rich source of potassium, almost equal to banana in that aspect. It is also mineral rich: selenium, copper, iron, etc. Mushrooms have started to grow in popularity among the health conscious. In fact, modern science are studying the possible cancer-fighting properties of mushrooms.

Mushrooms, in this country is considered a delicacy. It is an expensive ingredient. Especially the dried varieties which had to be imported from Hong Kong or China. However, there are some organic farms that are starting to grow frresh mushrooms, so mushrooms are slowly becoming more and more available.

I found some fresh shiitake mushrooms at the supermarket and thought of using them in a special dish. However, the following morning, I simply came up with an omelet. But take note, Hubby loves omelet. For this family, an omelet in the morning is a luxury dish, since making a real good and fluffy omelet would really take slow cooking. And I think you would agree that time is very short in the mornings. :)

I made two versions. The one pictured above is made using mushrooms, mozarella cheese and tomatoes.

Here's the ingredients:

2 eggs, well beaten
2 T fresh milk (or cream)
mozarella cheese, grated (as much as you prefer)
2 tomatoes, seeded, cubed
4 pcs shiitake mushrooms, sliced
some fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the sliced shiitake mushrooms in an oven tray. Spray or brush the slices with olive oil. Sprinkle some chopped fresh dill. Roast in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant.

2. Add the fresh milk to the eggs and beat well. In a non-stick pan, heat up just a little oil. Pour in the eggs. Let the eggs cover the pan. Lower fire. Let the eggs slowly cook.

3. While slowly cooking the eggs, arrange the sliced mushrooms on top of the (still cooking) eggs. Add the cheese and tomatoes, and some salt and pepper to taste. Wait for the eggs to set. When cooked, flip the half of omelet over, or serve the omelet open-style as I did.

The second version here is made using mushrooms, feta (goat) cheese and dill. The method is basically the same with different topping ingredients.

2 eggs, well beaten
2 T fresh milk (or cream)
grated feta cheese (as much as you prefer)
4 slices fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced, roasted as above
fresh dill, chopped

I have written a post before on how to make good and fluffy omelets. You may want to refer to that page here.

Here are some more mushroom recipes:

Spiced Mushrooms in Olive Oil
Prawn and Mushroom Quiche
Pork Bones with Ganoderma (LingZhi) Soup
Pork Stew (Adobo) with Mushrooms
Shrimps with Mushrooms and Bell Peppers
Cream of Portobello Mushroom Soup
Grilled Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms
Shrimp Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Sharing this healthy mushroom dish with the Weekend Wokking community. Weekend Wokking is a world-wide food event launched by Wandering Chopsticks to celebrate many different ways we can cook up one ingredient. This month's host is Marija of Palachinka. To see last month's delicious ways to cook broccoli, please check out the round-up done by Wiffy of Noobcook.

Cheezy Beefy Twirls

2008-12-16T00:11:00.000-08:00

Last week, I bought a bottle of cheese Ragu for the first time. I thought of making good ol' Mac and Cheese with the cheese Ragu. Daughter would love it for sure. I have not done Macaroni and Cheese for a long time. Before, I would use cottage cheese or cheddar cheese. This time, I just wanted to try this bottle. Ready made ragu is supposed to be easy to use. Simply pour over cooked macaroni and it is ready to eat. But then, I woould not blog about it if I made it that simple. :) Actually, I simply added beef for more protein, and bell peppers for colorand vitamins, and voila! it became a yummy dish!

I discovered these colorful veggie twirls in my pantry. This is how they looked after boiling. The colors did not fade away! Woohoo! I used these instead of macaroni.

1 package veggie pasta twirls, cooked according to package directions

1 (32 oz) bottle cheese ragu
1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, seeded, chopped
250 gms lean ground beef
ground pepper to taste

1. In a little oil, saute the onions until caramelized.

2. Add the beef and saute until cooked. Add the bell peppers and the cheese. Let boil. Add ground pepper to taste. (I did not add salt as the cheese was already flavorful.

3. Toss the pasta with the sauce. Serve immediately.

See? Easy peasy Macaroni and Cheese made more nutritious!

The above is how it looked with the sauce poured on top of the spirals.

The photo under is how it looks when the sauce is already tossed with the spirals. It may not look good, but it certainly is flavorful. Daughter even asked for the leftovers to be her lunch the next day!

Sharing this cheezy twirls with the Presto Pasta Nights community, headed by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast. This week's host, the last edition for the year, is C of Foodie Tots. To see last week's delicious pasta dishes, please check out the round-up wonderfully done by Marye of Baking Delights.

Mediterranean Angus Beef Steak

2008-12-15T01:19:00.000-08:00

Angus Beef has certainly been popular in steak houses around town. Accordingly, it is more tender than other breeds of cattle because of the marbling on its meat. Actually, nowadays, Kobe beef is slowly getting popular as well, but that's another story. Angus beef steak is quite pricey in restaurants. Unless you are well-heeled, you cannot really afford Angus beef steak, except of course, when you want to splurge on special occasions. :)

I was very happy to have stumbled upon angus beef tenderloin at a popular membership shopping store. It is, of course more expensive than other kinds of meat but when I roughly computed how much it would cost per serving, it sounded more attractive. It would cost me around only 25 percent of how much it would cost me if I order this dish in a restaurant!!!

Because we rarely eat steak, I want to make this extra special. I chose to add olives and olive oil.

Olives are little fruits popularly grown in the Mediterranean region. We do not grow olives here in the tropics. The Greeks once considered this fruit sacred, a symbol of goodness and nobility. I think even today, the branches of the olive tree are symbols of peace. We all know that this fruit is loaded with monosaturates which is good for our health. Olives also contain substances that are believed to help us ward off cancer.

Someone has told me that the fresh olive fruit is not palatable. I cannot really confirm this because what I have tasted are those that are bottled or in cans. :)

Olive oil is a delicious source of antioxidants. Because of its high level of monosaturated fats, it can help lower our bad cholesterol and is good for our overall heart health. This is the oil I love. Not just because of its healthy benefits, but I also love the scent. I always choose the extra-virgin dark colored ones. More pricey than regular oils, but I guess, it is worth to splurge on something healthy.

2 pcs angus beef tenderloin steak
salt and pepper
dash of olive oil

Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Add some olive oil to coat. Grill on high heat until desired doneness. Arrange on individual serving plates.

5 T minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
5 T capers, cut in half
10 pitted olives (in can), sliced
salt and pepper

1. Heat up a little olive oil. Add in the onions and garlic. Saute a little bit until fragrant but not burnt. Add in the capers and olives. Turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper according to taste.

2. Add this mixture on top of the steak. Splash in some fresh olive oil on top.

Hubby loved this special treat, of course! :)

Sharing this olive-laden treat to the holiday edition of Weekend Herb Blogging, headed and specially hosted this time by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At Least Once. To see last week's delicious dishes, please check out the round-up done by Chriesi of Almond Corne r.

Chicken Soup with Green Papaya and Malunggay (Tinola)

2008-12-12T23:33:00.000-08:00

When December hits, everything becomes topsy-turvy - at least in my part of the world. Everybody becomes so busy with buying gifts, wrapping presents, delivering presents and enduring the horrendous traffic as well... writing letters to friends and family abroad, attending neighborhood parties, office parties, once-a-year reunions, etc. All of this on top of the regular work and home routine...

And dinner... I still have family to feed. Where am I going to get some more extra time to prepare dinner? I don't. So my best solution is an easy to prepare one-dish filling meal to go with rice.

This is a perfect dish to prepare for this cold December weather, too.

1 kilo chicken, washed, cut to bite sized pieces
1 pc green papaya, peeled, cored, cubed
5 slices fresh ginger
4 T minced garlic
1 bunch moringa or malunggay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
4 C water

1. Saute the ginger in some oil until fragrant. Add the ginger and saute until fragrant. Add in the chicken pieces. Stir fry for a while until it changes color.

2. Add in water and papaya. Boil and simmer until chicken is thoroughly cooked, around 15 to 20 minutes. Add in the malunggay leaves just before turning off the heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Actually, you can just throw in all the ingredients in a pot, let boil and cook. Sauteing the chicken in ginger first before adding the water is a Chinese thing to do, I guess. At least, that was what my grandmother always did.

See? This is a simple, warm, tasty, comforting soup dish that can be easily prepared on a busy night. I don't know why, but the comforting soup calmed me down as well. :)

I thank my next door neighbor W, for the malunggay leaves. She has this malunggay tree that has grown tall - over a storey high, so a portion of the branches and leaves invaded my side of the fence (which is an open parking space). She was apologetic about it, and offered to cut off the invading parts. Of course I told her I am a plant lover, too! No way am I going to waste those precious nutrients! So, I asked her permission to harvest some leaves (at least those that are on my side of the fence) for my cooking instead. We had a deal!

The Moringa tree or Malunggay is a common plant here in the city. It can thrive in the harshest tropical weather and even in poor soil. Which is a good thing because here in the Philippines, it is considered a miracle vegetable. Why? It contains a lot of nutrition and health benefits. Mothers who have just given birth are always required to eat this vegetable everyday. To see the complete health benefits, please check out this article written by a doctor of our Food and Nutrition Research Institute.

Sharing this nutritious and comforting soup dish with the Grow Your Own community, headed and hosted this week by Andrea of Andrea's Recipes. To see the yummy treats in the previous edition, please check out the round-up done by Rachel of the Crispy Cook.

Sicilian Style Spaghetti - With Lots of Meat and Garlic

2008-12-10T01:50:00.000-08:00

I shall never look at Spaghetti the same way again.

Not after reading Lily Pryor's La Cucina : A Novel of Rapture, for the Cook the Books Novel Book Club's challenge this month.

You see, Spaghetti for the Filipinos is a dish for kids. This is a common dish in children's parties. The Filipino version is sweet style with sliced hotdogs and lots of sauce. And the kids really love it!

However, the La Cucina book is definitely R rated - definitely not for kids.

The book is sensual, sexy, sensous, earthy, passionate, emotional, intense, livid. Lily Prior is a very good writer. She writes with such passionate words that the reader cannot help but "feel" the book. She brings you to intense emotional highs and lows, so exciting that you cannot put the book down. You will be eager to know what happens next...

However, I think this book is for mature women (and men) who understands that this is pure fiction. While reading the book, you feel the excitement of the character Rosa, her ups and downs, her experiences, her world of reality and fantasy. That is how you suspend your disbelief and enjoy the book. After reading the book, you go back to the real world, your real kitchen, real family, real life; then you start to think as you go back to the details of the book, is that how real people in Italy live? Is that how they behave? Do all the values, and morals presented in the book the same as the values people in Italy have? Are the mafias really like that? Is the Italian farm life really like that? Is that really their way of life? Is that how they really cook?

I cannot argue with the cooking part. We, who love food, do cook with the passion and intensity as Rosa does. What about the others? I am a foreigner peeking inside a part of Italian culture. However, where do I draw the line between fantasy and reality? Wouldn't my perception of Italy be influenced by the pictures and scenes of the book?

I believe that writers have an obligation to the world and to the next generation. What picture of reality do you present to your readers? Look at the television. They present violent and immoral stories. They aim to sell, to titillate. They present extreme situations and extreme stories. Such that the next generation think it is normal to be violent and ammoral. Same thing with literature. A writer presents a sensual picture, you associate it with the culture. Of course, we can always argue that readers know this is fiction. But even fiction has some basis in reality, unless the setting is in the outer space or in another dimension.

I believe that writers should not just titillate the senses in order to sell their books. If the writers present the idea that it is justified for this person to kill his own son just for what? and that a husband (or wife) cavorting with the farm helper is a common occurrence, then people would get desensitized to immorality as well. Writers should present the good side of the real world. If the readers feel that the world is right and good, they would also follow and do right and good. The good part is the author was able to present the consequences suffered by those people.

I know that sounds lame and old fashioned. But that is the only way to make this world a better place. Because of television and mass media, the world had gone violent and immoral. Families have become dysfunctional. Is this the right way to go? This is not an attack on the book. I confess I enjoyed reading the book myself and my imagination had gone wild with the scenes and numerous edible possibilities. But then we have to qualify that this book is for mature readers only.

I confess that if not for the Book Club, I would not read this book. This type of novel is not in my usual reading list. I apologize if that came out as snotty. It is just that because of the demands and pressures of my job(s), I do not usually have time to read books simply to enjoy them! Thanks to the Cook the Books, I got to experience a new kind of literature.

I finished the book in one sitting - probably two to three hours. This book is a light read. Have I let out a secret? I'm a nerd. Specifically a book-nerd. I love books. I devour them. I would want my kids to have the same passion. I apologize if this post became somewhat of a long sermon. My kids read my blog. Their friends and classmates read my blog. I have an obligation to show them what is the right way to go.

As for the challenge, I cooked the spaghetti that L'Inglese cooked for Rosa at his house. Do you remember the scene? That is why I cannot look at Spaghetti as a kids' meal anymore. He made it with lots of garlic and meat, just like the way Rosa taught him. I would love to make the oysters, but I do not know how to shuck fresh oysters. :) I would love to complete the menu with veal (We do not have veal meat accessible here.) and the lovely dessert...

I used the homemade pasta that I made. That is why I have "flat" spaghetti instead of the regular round noodles. Recipe and how to make your own pasta here.

For the sauce:

4 T olive oil
5 tomatoes, chopped
2 heads garlic, peeled, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1/2 Kilo lean ground beef
16 oz tomato sauce
a handful of fresh basil, chopped
3 T sugar (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese, grated

1. Heat up the olive oil in a deep pan. Saute the onions until caramelized. Saute the garlic until fragrant. Add in the tomatoes and let it cook for a while until soft and juices come out.

2. Add in the ground meat. Cook until it changes color and fully done. Add in the tomato sauce and sugar (if using). When the sauce boils, add in the bell peppers and basil. Cook for a while. Adjust seasoning to taste.

3. To serve, top the sauce over cooked pasta. Grate parmesan cheese on top.

Also sharing this homemade pasta dish with the Presto Pasta Nights community, headed by Ruth of Once Upon A Feast. This week's host is Marye of the delicious Baking Delights. To see last week's delicious pasta dishes, do check out the round up here.

Taiwanese (Japanese?) Style Cold Tofu with Century Egg

2008-12-09T02:53:00.000-08:00

Pardon me for the title. I was not sure of the nationality of this dish. Here in Manila, this is known as the Taiwanese style cold tofu. Actually, this dish is only available in Taiwanese-style restaurants. So we have always called this Taiwanese tofu.

Then a Japanese chilled Tofu dish called Hiyayakko came out in the Round-up of Regional Recipes #2 featuring dishes from Japan. It makes sense actually, for this dish to be Japanese. It is very simple and elegant, very easy to prepare, all distinct qualities of a Japanese dish. The ingredients used - the tofu and bonito flakes are also Japanese.

So maybe we should call this Asian Cold Tofu instead. :)

Or perhaps, what made this dish different from the Japanese tofu is the addition of century eggs. True enough, when I googgled for century eggs, Wiki explained that this version of chilled tofu with century eggs is the Taiwanese version of the Japanese one.

Get it? Without the century eggs, the nationality is Japanese. With the century eggs, the nationality is Taiwanese. :)

What a big difference the simple addition of century eggs can make.

Century eggs are preserved eggs, made by wrapping duck or chicken eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, lime and rice straw straw for several weeks to several months. At least that is what they do traditionally. Nowadays, the traditional method is still being used, but modern production have discovered certain curing methods can be used to imitate the chemical process used to produce century eggs. This can speed up production to as fast as ten days. That's a great improvement - from a hundred years to ten days! Seriously, it does not take a hundred years to produce century eggs, not even when made traditionally. :)

To think that when I was young, I refuse to eat century eggs. There was this persistent rumor that century eggs were made by soaking the eggs in animal dung. And it is easy to believe this rumor, century eggs have a strong odor when opened... not exactly a bad one.

Century eggs are almost always served as appetizer. Even if their color is not exactly appetizing. It can actually be eaten as is, straight from the shell. Well, wash the egg for a while to remove the odor. Or maybe it is just me :) It can also be added to Chinese barbecue dish like barbecue pork and slivers of jellyfish. Yes, the Chinese eat jellyfish. It is quite yummy, too. But that will be for another post. Century eggs is usually added to tofu as in this dish.

This a a very easy to prepare, no-cook, healthy and fuss-free dish. Very nutritious and delicious.

1 block Japanese silk tofu
1 (or 2) century eggs, shelled, sliced
sprinkling of bonito flakes
soy sauce ( I used the thick Kekap manis, but any good quality soy sauce will do)
dash of sesame oil
green onions, chopped

Just arrange all the ingredients on top of the tofu. Serve.

Tofu or Beancurd is touted as the protein of the future. It is definitely Chinese in origin, though Japan, Korea and other countries also produce their own tofu. Here in the Philippines, there are generally 3 kinds of tofu. There is the Japanese soft and silken tofu. There is the Chinese or Asian tofu which is a bit firm. The third is the dried tofu, which is more firm and is often used for frying.

Beancurd is made by coagulating soy bean milk and pressing the curds into blocks. Sometimes, pre-made soy milk can be bought and made into tofu, but more often than not, most tofu producers begin by making their own soy milk, which is produced by soaking, grinding, boiling and straining soybeans. Of course modern processes can speed up the process. Machines are available for making soy bean milk and tofu.

Tofu is low in calories, contains fat and no cholesterol. It is full of good protein making it an ideal food. It has a high amount of Vitamin B and Calcium. It is soft, and easy to digest, making it a good food for kids and elderly. Though, some people are known to be allergic to its components.

Sharing this tofu dish with the Weekend Herb Blogging community, now headed by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At Least Once. This week's host is Chriesi of Almond Corner. To see last week's delicious dishes, please click on the wonderful round-up done by my friend, World Food Day event and BloggerAid chief Ivy of Kopiaste.

Paksiw Bangus - Milkfish Stewed in Vinegar

2008-12-08T01:01:00.000-08:00

This is a very simple Filipino dish. One major ingredient (the fish) and only 5 everyday spices, making 6 ingredients in all. Almost everybody can cook this with their eyes closed (or half-closed :) Yes, it is that easy, even kids can cook this. Cooking time is 5 minutes tops. Yet, this is one the most flavorful Filipino dishes ever. When Daughter was 2 (the terrible toddler years), she would request to eat this everyday!!!

This is also the ultimate comfort food for most of us. Spicy, hot, sourish, tasty fish. Perfect to go with a warm bowl or plate of Jasmine rice!

1/2 K deboned milkfish belly
1/2 C good quality rice vinegar
5 slices fresh ginger
1 T salt
5 pcs long green chilies (siling haba)
1 t crushed black peppercorns

Just put everything in a cooking pan. Bring to a boil. Simmer for around 5 minutes or until the milkfish has changed color and is cooked. Add a little water if it gets dry. Do not overcook the milkfish or it will turn tough. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve immediately with rice.

Yup, it is that simple.

Just like our other national dish -- the Adobo, the Paksiw also has several variations. You can of course, change the type of fish. Or even change it to Lechon (Roasted Pork) . You can even use other souring ingredients. Though, most often used is of course - the vinegar. Several months back, I have several friends arguing over the spices used in a true vinegared paksiw. One said only ginger is used. The other said you can add garlic and onions. Yet another one said you can only add onions... :)

Whatever spices used, the long green pepper is a mainstay in this dish. You can add much as you want (or less if you prefer less spice), and slice the peppers for more spicy kick. Peppers, like all gifts of nature, are healthy. They are full of vitamin C and B.

I would serve this dish to a hungry stranger who would come visiting at my door. Why? This is delicious, healthy, easy to prepare in the shortest possible time. (How can a hungry person wait so long?) Fish is easy to digest, and healthy. Because it is flavorful, the hungry person can eat lots of rice with it. :)

So, I am sharing this easy to prepare dish with BloggerAid -- Because WE CAN HELP! World Food Day event, headed by Ivy of Kopiaste, Val of More Than Burnt Toast and Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen. This month's event is hosted at Equal Opportunity Kitchen, where bloggers can share dishes they would cook for a visiting hungry person.

BloggerAid is a social network of bloggers, who are working together to bring awareness about world hunger and also raise funds for the World Food programme, which is the United Nation's frontline agency to fight against global hunger. We, as food bloggers have more than enough food on the table. But there are others who don't. So, maybe it is time for us to share our bounty with others. Join BloggerAid and learn how you can help. Maybe individually, our contribution may be small, but together, we can make a difference.

Giz and Psychgrad at Equal Opportunity Kitchen are selling handmade food charms made by Giz herself! The income would be contributed to the World Food Programme. Please contact them if you are interested.

Autumn Apple PorkChops : A FabulousFood.com Recipe

2008-12-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

I know for most places on earth, apples are associated with autumn. So the scent and aroma of this fruit brings warm comfort during cooler days. But here in this tropical country, we do not have autumn season. Apples are always associated with the holiday season though, starting November and December. Markets and supermarkets would be brimming with bright red apples. And who can resist these juicy and crispy temptations?

I remember when I was a child, apples would be a real treat. Why? Apples do not really grow in a tropical country. At that time, importations of foreign goods and foods are limited. Imported goods like apples are quite expensive. Nowadays though, because of globalization and free trade policies, we have access to most products around the world. Our kids can enjoy apples, grapes, pears, etc., anytime they want. Does more choices mean progress? :)

Now, that would take a long discussion, so let us go back to the recipe. :)

Here is an interesting recipe I found at the FabulousFood.com site. This recipe sounded interesting as I have not tried cooking with apples before. It also looks so easy to do, and easy to prepare. Easy and healthy are synonymous with this kitchen.

I basically followed the original recipe, except that I left the porkchops brined overnight. My kids are quite picky about their pork chops. They want their meat super soft. I thought if we can brine turkey, I am sure we can brine pork chops, too! So I tried brining the meat first in salt and pepper solution. I also used a real apple, which I grated instead of using apple juice. Here's my retake on the recipe:

4 pcs pork chops, brined
1 T flour
2 T butter
1 onion, chopped
1 apple, skin removed, cored, grated
1/2 C water
2 T sugar, optional

1. Lightly flour the pork chops. Melt the butter in a non-stick skillet. Brown the chops on one side in the butter. Turn the chops to brown the other side.

2. Stir in the onions, grated apple, water and sugar. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately.

Result? Tender juicy chops that the kids find interestingly delicious. It might not look colorful and pretty. But it is flavorful and fragrant.

Another discovery. We added chopped cilantro. What can I say? We just love cilantro! And we discovered that cilantro pairs beautifully with apples!

This is my entry to the FabulousFoods.com Cooking Club Challenge this month, featuring fall favorite recipes.

Kokoras Krassatos Me Chilopetes - Greek Style Coq Au Vin - Chicken Stew in Red Wine With Pasta

2008-12-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

You do know Ivy of Kopiaste... To Greek Hospitality?

She is one untiring lady, taking time to visit all our food blogs, befriending us, organizing and hosting lots of foodie events. Of course I already knew of Kopiaste, and would visit (lurk?) her site from time to time. I would also participate in her food events. But I got to really know her when I joined the World Food Event, where she is one of the brains and organizers, along with Val of More Than Burnt Toast and Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen. This is one of the food blogging world's more worthier events as it aims to bring awareness to our readers about the problem of hunger in the world. Now, this monthly food event has now expanded into Bloggeraid -- Because We Can Help. This is a social network of bloggers uniting to aid in the allevation of hunger. We're not just going to talk about hunger but actually do something about it!!!

Because World Food Programme of the United Nations and BloggerAid and what we can do to help is a worthy topic to discuss, I will write a separate post about it. :)

When I hosted the Grow Your Own food event featuring dishes with ingredients we have grown or raised ourselves, Ivy even in the middle of her vacation, sent over this delicious looking home-raised chicken dish with ingredients that sounds flavorful. Isn't that soooo very nice of her? What was exciting was that I had all the ingredients immediately on hand! (Well, except the cherry brandy, which Ivy says is optional) I was on my way to making my first Greek dish!

I basically stuck to her original recipe except that my dish does not have cherry brandy. I used white chicken instead of organically-raised chicken making the cooking time is shorter. I used home-made whole wheat pasta instead of the chilopetes pasta. (Please see my post on how to make home made pasta to learn more.) And before adding in the onions for sauteing, I added some slices of fresh ginger. I suppose that is just the Chinese thing to do. We always saute our chicken (and seafood) dishes with ginger. :)

1 Kilo chicken legs and thigh, washed, chopped to serving sizes
4 T olive oil
4 slices fresh ginger
1 onion, chopped
5 T minced garlic
1 C dry red wine
2 C water
1 bay leaf
1 pc cinnamon bark
5 pcs large tomatoes, chopped
1 T tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil the homemade pasta in water for around 2 minutes or until al-dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Saute the ginger in the olive oil until fragrant. Add in the garlic and onions, and saute until fragrant but not burnt.

3. Add in the chicken pieces. Stir fry for a while until meat changes color. Add in the wine. Let boil. Wait for a while until the alcohol evaporates. Add in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, bay leaf and cinnamon bark.

4. Let boil and simmer for around 15 to 20 minutes until meat is soft and sauce has thickened. Adjust seasoning to taste.

5. Remove the chicken meat with a slotted spoon reserving the sauce in the pan. Toss in the pasta to coat the noodles with the sauce.

6. Arrange pasta in individual serving plates. Top with chicken pieces. Top with grated parmesan cheese (as I do nor have the Greek myzithra cheese :)

The chicken may not look pretty (I remove the chicken skin for health reasons), but I promise, this is one of the more flavorful chicken dish we have tasted. Actually, this dish tasted so similar to our very own chicken adobo (where we use rice vinegar instead of wine in stewing). It is salty, sweet, fragrant, flavorful at the same time. It is also amazing to discover that we have similar tasting dishes even if we are halfway across the globe!

Sharing this Greek-inspired dish with the Bookmarked Recipes community, headed and hosted by Ruth of Ruth's Kitchen Experiments. This is a weekly food event where anyone from anywhere can blog about a recipe they had bookmarked from a cook book, food magazine, food blog, food website, from TV etc. To see last week's delicious dishes, please click here.

It's So Easy to Make Your Own Pasta! Plus Wonton Noodle Soup

2008-12-02T01:14:00.000-08:00

This wanton noodles soup in chicken broth is not the star of the show today. But for those of you who are interested, it is so easy to put a comforting warm bowl of noodle soup dish like this together. Boil several cups of chicken broth (made from scratch, please), throw in some store-bought pork and shrimp dumplings, add some green veggie of your choice (this time I added chopped napa cabbage), season to taste, add the noodles and serve piping hot. It is truly a comforting dish this time of the year :)

The star of the show today is my new toy -- my newest baby -- my very own pasta maker!!! Can you hear the happy shrieks of this proud mama? :)

Hubby gifted me with a pasta maker. This is not surprising of course, because this family eats pasta every week if not twice or thrice a week or as much as we can! He figured making our own pasta would be healthier because it would not contain any preservatives of the store-bought ones. And we can be creative and add more healthy ingredients to our pasta. My head is already brimming with possibilities, I can add carrots, or basil, or spinach...

See the first picture? the noodles used in the wonton soup? Those are made from half plain flour and half whole wheat flour. Now, isn't that healthy?

The pictures below were taken the first time I made pasta. Since it was the first time, I followed the exact recipe written with the instruction manual of the pasta maker. I used plain flour and halved the recipe.

On a clean surface, measure 2 cups of flour. Make a well in the center and add in 2 eggs (room temperature). The proportion is one egg for every cup of flour. Whisk the eggs with a fork. Then slowly incorporate some flour while beating. Keep incorporating more flour until you cannot whisk anymore. Using a dough cutter or your hands, knead the dough until it comes together into a smooth ball.

At this point, it was hard for me to keep the dough together. The flour just would not stick together! I cheated and added 2 tablespoons of cold water ( I figured 1 tablespoon for every cup of flour) and it worked! :) I just took the idea of adding cold water from making a basic pate brisee pie crust :) And it worked! The dough formed easier...

Divide the dough into smaller balls. Let rest, covered for at least 30 minutes. I did not get this part of the instruction from the manual. I got this from the internet. The purpose of this resting is to allow the gluten to relax. Actually, another site said that we should allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator. But somehow, I forgot the refrigerator part and just left the balls on the kitchen counter. I didn't think any harm was done. We have cooler weather nowadays. :)

The dough should not be sticky. Otherwise it will stick to the rollers. Add more flour if the dough sticks to your fingers. It should not be too dry that it is falling apart either.

Set up the pasta maker. Set up the two smooth rollers at position one. Cut the balls into half (or smaller parts) and with 1 piece at a time, pass the dough into the two smooth rollers while turning the handle. Repeat this several times. When the dough has taken a regular shape, pass this dough over at position 2, several times, then on to position 3 and so on until your desired thickness.

Insert the already thin and long dough into the cutters. I have 2 sizes of cutters included in my pasta maker. One for fettucine (wider noodles) and one for spaghetti (though the noodles came out flat and not round). Slowly turn the handle while letting the dough be "cut" and catch the resulting pasta with your other hand.

In my case, the kids were so eager to turn the handle, which they call "cranking up" the machine, so I let them do the turning while I have both hands on the dough. :)

The instruction manual says to lay these noodles on a clean table cloth and leave it to dry for at least an hour. I hanged the noodles on a clean clothes hanger instead. An hour after, it is ready to cook!

Nothing beats the taste of homemade pasta. You'll never go back to eating store-bought pasta again. (Though I have to finish the stocks I have left in my pantry :) It is easy to cook (ours took only two minutes!), it is cheaper, it is definitely nutritious and it has the al-dente quality that we are looking for in a good pasta.

Tomorrow, I will share another wonderful dish I made using homemade pasta. So, stay tuned!

Sharing this pasta making experience with the Presto Pasta Nights community headed and hosted this week by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast. To see last week's delicious dishes, please check out the round-up wonderfully written by Daphne of More Than Words.

Chinese Preserved (Salted) Mustard Vegetable Stir Fry with Eggs

2008-12-01T10:26:00.000-08:00

This is one ingredient that brings back memories of my grandmother's kitchen -- the Salted Mustard vegetable, we call Kiam Chay in Fookien Chinese.

There are actually many kinds of Chinese preserved vegetables. Some made of mustard greens, some made from cabbages, some from radish. And then different spices for preserving the vegetables are added, some are pickled in heavy brine, some has lots of chillies added. But one thing is common, they all undergo some kind of fermentation process that preserves the vegetables without need for refrigeration.

My grandma says life in China during her time (she was born in the 1920s) was hard. It was difficult to grow plants as the soil were not rich. They did not have modern technology then. They do not even have refrigerator back then. It is an old Chinese tradition to preserve the vegetables they harvested during the summer for the winter season or for lean months when they do not have food to eat.

Nowadays, we have preserved vegetables not for lean season, but for the taste. I have to admit preserved vegetables may smell a little pungent. What do you expect after the fermentation process? But the taste is something you would be looking for again and again. Specially since this ingredient is connected with good memories of the days in grandma's kitchen.

This salted mustard green is the simplest preserved vegetable to make. Simply add tablespoons of salt to raw whole mustard greens and leave it (covered) to ferment for a few days. When ready to use, simply wash off excess salt, chop to bite-size pieces and it is already ready to eat!

That does sound a little bit crude for the modern generation. What about the germs and other health concerns? Well, grandma would say, simply wash it several times... nobody got sick eating preserved vegetables... :) Maybe science will say that salt preserved the vegetables that no bacteria nor germs can thrive in such environment. But grandma could not explain it that way. She just had years of experience to prove her claim!

Anyway, if you do not want to make your own salted mustard, you can simply purchase some from any Asian groceries. It is a common ingredient and is not expensive.

In its simplest form, these bite sized pieces can simply be viand to a simple bowl of hot steaming congee. Oooohhh! This is the ultimate comfort food for many Chinese!

But if you really want to cook these greens, to be sure your food is totally hygienic, salted mustard greens can be used in a lot of dishes: from soups to stir-fries to flavoring hotpots.

This is one simple stir fry you can do with the preserved greens. With this dish alone, you can eat up a bowl of congee or a plateful of rice :)

1. Wash and chop some salted mustard greens.

2. Chop up garlic and some green onions as well.

3. Beat 2 to 3 eggs well.

4. Heat up some oil in a non-stick pan. Saute garlic until fragrant. Add the chopped salted mustard greens. Stir fry for a while.

5. Add the green onions and eggs soon after. Stir and push the eggs around to get a scrambled style dish. It is done when the eggs are cooked. Serve immediately with congee or rice.

No need to add salt as the preserved vegetables are already salted. However, I love to add dashes of powdered red pepper for some spicy kick. This is entirely optional, of course.

I still have some salted mustard greens left. I was thinking of frying them up with bacon. That is how versatile these salted greens are. Will do another dish and another post on salted greens soon!

Sharing this Chinese traditional dish with the Weekend Herb Blogging Community, where we feature herbs and unique plant ingredients and the dishes we create using these ingredients. WHB is now supervised by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At Last Once. This week's host is my dear friend and blogging inpiration - Ivy of Kopiaste. To see last week's delicious dishes, please check out Scott of the Real Epicurean.

Dulce De Leche Cheesecake

2008-11-28T01:24:00.000-08:00

Hmmm... Dulce de Leche "Sweet Milk" made into a cheesecake. The ultimate sweet for this family. This is another cheesecake made by my fourth and fifth sisters. I will take the advice of my sweet friend Wiffy at Noobcook, she says, "eat first, diet later" just for this delicious sweet treat. :)

To ease guilt: the only guilty ingredient in this cheesecake is the sugar! Cheesecake and milk are good sources of calcium and other vitamins and minerals found in dairy. Ok, I am convinced. :)

Dulce de leche is a milk-based syrup, that can easily be prepared by slowly heating up sweetened condensed milk to create a syrup that is similar to caramel. Wiki-How gives us complete step by step instructions and several methods on how to prepare Dulce De Leche. Sisters used the first method, same as what they did when they made Banoffee Pie.

To make the dulce de leche. Remove the label from a large can of condensed milk. Boil and simmer the whole unopened can covered in water for 3 hours. (To economize, you can boil several cans at the same time. And use the other cans for the next recipe requiring dulce de leche.) When you open this "boiled" can of condensed milk, it becomes the creamy dulce de leche!

To make the cheesecake crust, mix crushed graham crackers with melted butter. Press this mixture into the spring-form pan. Press it well and up to the sides. Set aside.

For the cheesecake:

3 packs (8 oz each) Cream Cheese
1 C sugar
2 T flour

2 t vanilla
3 eggs
1/3 C fresh milk
1/2 C Dulce de Leche

more Dulce De leche for topping, as desired

1. In an electric mixer, combine softened cream cheese with the sugar and the flour. Beat very well.

2. Add in the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition. Add in the milk and vanilla. Mix well.

3. Combine the half cup of dulce de leche with half cup of the cheesecake batter mix.

4. Pour the plain batter into the crust. Swirl dulce de leche-cheesecake mixture into the plain cheesecake batter using a fork.

5. Bake 325 F on baine marie (water bath) for 45 to 55 minutes or until it tests done in the center.

6. Cool for at least 20 minutes before topping with more dulce de leche.

7. Refrigerate before serving. It is actually best served the next day.

Am sharing this deliciously sweet Dulce de Leche with Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen who is celebrating her first year in blogosphere with the Sweet Celebrations event. Happy Bloggerversary Aparna! May your kitchen continue to churn out yummy and healthy dishes throughout the coming years! Looking forward to more bloggerversaries to come!!!

Clams in Noodle Soup

2008-11-27T03:42:00.000-08:00

Clams are one of the more affordable live seafood available in this tropical country. At fifty to eighty pesos a kilo (roughly US $1 to $ 1.50) , its tasty and flavorful meat can feed 5 to 6 people or when we add extenders, maybe even more.

I know many people do not like to eat clams because clams are known as the scavengers of the sea. With many bio-toxins polluting our seas, many people believe that the clams are full of bio-toxins as well. That is why it pays to know where your clams are sourced.

We do not often eat clams. But sometimes we do get a craving for its tasty and flavorful meat. And when we do, we prefer the Palawan clams (a local variety of shell) because we believe that these are cultured, and hopefully, "cleaner" than those harvested from the seas.

My grandmother, and my mother believe that clams should be cooked fresh and while they are still alive. That means - no to frozen or canned. But I think if the clams are fresh frozen (without shells) and cooked properly from its frozen state, the clams are still edible and may even be as delicious as the fresh ones.

Clams are delicious and nutritious. As with the other seafood, it is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals like iodine and zinc.

But the problem with fresh clams is the cleaning!!!

Since clams bury themselves in sand or underwater soil, they are full of grits. These grits, you have to brush off from each and every one of the shells -- this job really takes a lot of patience. Then, after cleaning the outer shell, the vendors would recommend to soak the shells in tap water for several hours so that the clams would spit out the sands and grits they have in their inside digestive system. For the Palawan clams that I buy, my (suki) vendor would always tell me that she had already soaked them and that they are ready for cooking.

For this batch of clams, Hubby wanted me to cook the clams in soup, with tofu and mustard greens. Yummy! Perfect for the rainy evenings we are having nowadays. Then, I mentioned that I needed a pasta dish for my weekly Presto Pasta Nights events, and it is nearly the Friday deadline... so we agreed to add noodles to our soup. Hubby loves noodles, he does not refuse any dish with noodles. With the addition of noodles, this clam soup became a filling one dish evening meal for all of us!

It was then that I realized that Wow! That is how much I love blogging and blogging events! It is starting to influence what dishes we are having on the table!!! Is this good or bad??? :)

1 kilo fresh clams, cleaned
5 slices of fresh ginger
5 T minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
3 C water
4 pcs crabsticks, sliced
3 packs of instant Japanese ramen noodles
salt and pepper to taste
sesame oil, optional

1. Saute the ginger in a little oil until fragrant. Add onions and garlic and saute until fragrant but not burnt. Increase the temperature of the cooking, add in the clams and stir fry immediately.

2. Add in the water, cover and cook in high heat. When the water boils and all the clams are opened, remove all the clams to a plate or bowl with a slotted spoon. Set aside.

3. Boil the clam soup again, add in the ramen noodles (we were able to buy ramen noodles made in Korea. Hubby loves the texture of these noodles.) Cook until the specified time (ours was 3 minutes.) Add in the crabsticks. Add back the clams. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve immediately and add some drops of sesame oil, if preferred.

Fresh clams are already super flavorful and tasty, you do not need any broth or extra flavoring. Just salt and pepper is enough. Clams are also perfect as soup base for any noodles, again because of its superb flavor. I know a friend who uses clam broth as their broth for soups instead of pork or chicken bones. Actually it makes sense because clams are easy to cook (saves on gas with less cooking time) and it is indeed flavorful enough to stand alone as a soup base. Plus, it has no fat, less calories than chicken and pork. Hmmm... I might be a convert, too!

Sharing this tasty dish with the Presto Pasta Nights community, headed by Rith of Once Upon A Feast. This week, the host is Daphne of More Than Words. To see last week's delicious pasta dishes, please check out the round-up done by Nilmandra of Soy and Pepper.

Steamed Milkfish En (Faux) Papillote

2008-11-26T00:28:00.000-08:00

I just love the phrase "en papillote." Sounds more sophisticated than "wrapped in parchment paper." Don't you think so? :) Since this fish is wrapped in foil, I had to put the word "faux" because I did not use parchment paper and I do not know the French term for foil. :)

Cooking "en papillote" is a method in which you seal the food in a pouch and bake (or grill, or steam, as what I did.) The food essentially steams and cooks in its own juices. Making the dish naturally tasty. Fish, having delicate meat, is perfectly suited to this technique. The method is also incredibly easy and has the added benefits of being a low fat method of cooking and easy to clean up. Healthy and easy are synonymous with this kitchen.

En Papillote usually uses parchment paper. But in my grandmother's kitchen, we have always used foil, which is convenient, spill-proof, and leak proof.

Some secrets to a succesful en papillote cooking are:

1) Always use fresh ingredients. The fish or meat will be cooked in its own juice, so if it is fresh, the dish will taste fresh. If the fish is not so fresh, the dish might turn out to be "fishy."

2) Use various fresh herbs and condiments that will naturally compliment the fish. This will bring out the natural taste of the fish and enhance instead of overpower the taste.

3) Adding white wine and olive oil would add a different dimension to your fish, though these are optional.

Here is what I did:

1) Cut a foil big enough to wrap and cover the whole fish.

2) Begin by laying out the deboned milkfish (you can use any kind of white fish fillet, or whole deboned fish) on the pre-cut foil.

3) Please refer to the topmost picture, sprinkle sea salt and red chilli peppers on the fish. Spread some chopped tomatoes, onions and garlic. I also added freshly cut dill from my balcony garden. Splash with 2 tablespoons of semi-dry white wine.

4) Close the fish, with all the herbs inside. See the second picture above. Fold the foil and close the edges together.

5) Steam in medium heat for around 15 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of your fish).

6) Serve immediately.

Result? Very, very tasty, naturally flavored, soft and flaky fish. Hubby declared it the best milkfish dish he had ever tasted.

Sharing this tasty and healthy dish with the Grow Your Own community. Grow Your Own is a twice a month food event headed by Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, to celebrate the foods we grow or raise ourselves and the dishes we make using our homegrown products. This edition's host is Rachel of The Crispy Cook. To see last week's delicious round-ups, please check out the round-up done by yours truly!

Broccoli and Parma Ham Quiche

2008-11-25T01:32:00.000-08:00

This is my continuing love story with Quiche :)

You may find this quaint or worse, weird... that I am making a big deal out of making quiche. I know quiche is something ordinary in western kitchens. I hope you understand that this is an Asian kitchen, where it would be easier and simpler to stir-fry the parma ham with broccoli. This is also a tropical country, where the tropical heat will affect the texture of the crust if I do not work quickly... But for Wandering Chopstick's Weekend Wokking, where we present different ways to cook an ingredient, I try to make it something more special, something different, something I do not normally do.

And I love quiche. :) I love the flaky, buttery crust. I love this all-in-one complete dish, perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

I love broccoli, too. For my family, broccoli is considered one of the super-veggie. Packed with all anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals incomparable to other veggies. To see the complete nutritional value of Broccoli, please hop over to NoobCook's site. She did a thorough research on the healthy benefits of broccoli.

So the marriage of broccoli and quiche in a dish is just perfect for me!!!

Can you tell I am biased for broccoli? Of course! I had the honor of picking the secret ingredient of the month! :)

This month the Weekend Wokking community will explore different ways we can cook broccoli. If you have any broccoli dish that you would like to share, please join us and submit your dishes to the newly crowned master chef who cooks a lot - Wiffy of Noobcook, who is hosting this month. Email your dishes to weekendwokking (at) noobcook (dot) com.

For the crust recipe and the tips on how to get the flaky, buttery crust, please see my previous quiche dish here. Although, this time, I experimented and and substituted 1 cup of plain four with 1 cup of soft whole wheat flour. Here is the final ingredients I used for the crust: (Instructions and baking tips here.)

1 C soft whole wheat flour
1 and 1/2 C plain flour
1/2 t salt
1 C cold butter, cut
1/3 C cold water

After the dough is ready, roll out dough on the quiche dish. Press the dough to conform to the shape of the dish. Prick the dough with a fork. Prebake at 350F for 10 minutes.

Chop up some parma ham, onions, garlic, bell pepper and broccoli and spread out on top of the pre-baked crust. See the picture above? Isn't it very colorful? You may add in as much (or less) ingredients as you like. This is what makes the quiche a versatile dish - you can add in whatever ingredient you have in the fridge. :) But since the Weekend Wokking event is featuring broccoli, I added lots of healthy broccoli!

For the egg mixture:

6 eggs
1 C cheddar cheese
2/3 C all-purpose cream
1/4 C fresh milk
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
dash of nutmeg, optional (tip from my German missionary friend)

Whisk all the ingredients together and pour into the quiche dish (with prepared crust and broccoli and parma ham). See the picture above? The broccoli looks as if they are swimming... :)

Bake in the preheated 350F oven for 60 minutes or until it tests done in the center.

Sharing this yummy, tasty and healthy dish with Weekend Wokking, created by Wandering Chopsticks, to celebrate the many different ways we an cook one ingredient. The ingredient for the month is broccoli, hosted by the lovely Wiffy of Noobcook. To see last month's delicious ways to cook the pumpkin, please see the round-up presented by yours truly! Check out the previous round-ups (featuring different ingredients) here.

Stir-Fry Chinese Spinach (Polunchay) and the Secrets to a Chinese Vegetable Stir-Fry

2008-11-24T01:47:00.000-08:00

I confess Hubby is the real vegetable lover in this family. He has healthier eating habits ( and exercises) more than I do. As I have mentioned several times before, he has to see "greens" on the table with every meal. This means I have to serve vegetables with our every meal. I have learned to love vegetables as well, since we got married (many, many years ago) and I am happy that our kids learned to eat vegetables while they are still young. I did not have to "train" my kids to finish their vegetables. I suppose it happens naturally if you serve it everyday, every meal. And of course, we have to serve it in different delicious ways. :)

The vegetable featured today is the Chinese Spinach. We call it Po Lun Cai in Fookien Chinese. It contains significant amounts of Vitamins A, B and C. And when I googled about Chinese Spinach, I found out that it contains twice the amount of iron than the regular or Western Spinach. Thus, this vegetable is highly favored in Asia. Again, as with most leafy green vegetables, it is recommended that we do not cook the polunchay too long or the dish will lose most of its nutritional content. That is why, a quick stir-fry is a perfect cooking method with most vegetables.

Through trial and errors, through various experiments, I have discovered a variety ways to make our stir-fry vegetables more delicious and tasty. If you have kids, you would understand the need to make your veggie dish more attractive and flavorful... Here are some of them:

1. If you are particularly worried about vegetables containing pesticides, and other industrial chemical contaminants, a quick 2-second blanch in boiling hot water is recommended after washing the vegetables. This would also give you a " brighter" and "greener" vegetable dish.

2. Use good quality peanut oil or grapeseed oil, in the cooking. And add some drops of sesame oil after the cooking. Do not cook the vegetables in sesame oil, as the sesame oil changes its smell and taste when subject to high heat.

3. Add lots of garlic in your stir-fry, as much as your taste buds can take it. Garlic is healthy anyway. It would add more flavor to the dish. And do not let garlic burn when sauteing, as it will turn bitter.

4. If you are not adding any meat or seafood to flavor your vegetable, instead of flavoring with MSG or bouillon cubes, add a spoon or two of Chinese cooking wine to remove the "green" or "herby" taste of the vegetable.

5. Always use high heat, hot wok (or cooking pan) when sauteing and with quick hands, stir, stir, stir, all the time. It would only take a minute or two, so you will not really get tired. This is to mix all the flavors in the shortest time possible.

5 T peanut oil
300 gms Chinese Spinach (Polunchay)
5 T minced garlic
2 T cooking wine
1 T soy sauce
salt and pepper
pinch of sugar, optional (my kids just like their veggies sweeter)
dash of sesame oil

1. Clean and blanch the spinach.

2. Heat oil in wok, and saute the garlic until fragrant but not burnt. Add the cooking wine and soy sauce and sugar. When the mixture boils, add in the spinach. Stir fry and mix everything up to allow the spinach to absorb all the flavors. Turn the heat off.

3. Adjust taste with salt and pepper. Add the sesame oil and serve immediately.

Result? A very quick dish (5 minutes - max) that is tasty, flavorful and nutritious!

Sharing this dish with the Weekend Herb Blogging Community, supervised by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At Least Once. This week's host is
Scott of The Real Epicurean. To see last week's array of wonderful dishes, please check out Siri's Corner.

Moist Pumpkin Quick Bread

2008-11-20T00:20:00.000-08:00

One thing I have benefited from doing food blogging is to try to go out of my comfort zone... albiet slowly. I try to cook, prepare, or bake dishes that I have never tried before, and probably would not dream of creating if I do not have this food blog. Need I say Hubby is very happy with the variety of dishes I prepare? :)

Things I have challenged myself to do (but not yet tried):

1. Bake a cake from scratch, complete with icings
2. Bake a yeast bread
3. Try and taste the different fruits and veggies that is not readily available here in this tropical country; and prepare dishes using these "rare" ingredients
4. Prepare those sweet and savory pies I keep seeing around the blogging world
5. Make and prepare and cook dishes I have never tried before, starting with Greek and French dishes :)

Things I have done so far:

... well, you can check out the blog for the complete list :)

This quick bread is an example of something I would not have done if I am not in the food blogging world. For one, pumpkin is not a usual ingredient in this tropical country. We have squashes, but no pumpkin ! (Though they belong to the same family.) I started exploring the world of pumpkin when I hosted Wandering Chopstick's Weekend Wokking featuring pumpkins, last month.

And now, Val of More Than Burnt Toast, who spearheaded the World Food Day event with Ivy of Kopiaste, tagged me to participate in another very worthwhile event Breadline Africa.

With our support, Breadline Africa can convert shipping containers into locations for food production and distribution to the poor people in South Africa. These sustainable community kitchens will not only provide foods such as bread and soup to those in need, but also opportunities for skills development within these poor communities. So, they are not only aiming to give them bread, but also to teach them skills so that they will be able to earn their own bread as well.

Breadline Africa launched the Worldwide Blogger Baker Bake-Off Challenge aiming at raising $ 1 M in funds. This bake-off gives us baking bloggers the power to make a difference in this world. What do we do? Bake bread. Give Dough. Feed Africa. Vals says, "You can sign up for the campaign, make a donation, upload your bread recipes and document your culinary adventures in the media center to spread the word. You don't have to donate money but simply just mention the campaign and create awareness."

The following is quoted from the Breadline Africa Bake-Off site:

On 15 October, we launched The Breadline Africa Worldwide Blogger Bake Off.

The Blogger Bake Off is an online campaign that challenges bloggers to get involved by baking bread, and then acting by donating to end poverty. And then, challenge their readers and five other bloggers to do the same.

With the money raised, we will be supporting grass roots community projects aimed at ending poverty and hunger in Africa. We’ll be placing container kitchens, vegetable gardens and more in poor communities, sending emergency food relief where needed and helping these poor communities to help themselves.

The rules for bloggers are outlined below:

If you are tagged, copy and paste the rules into your post.
Bake bread, do something you wouldn’t normally do, and blog about it. Upload your picture and recipe.
Give dough, donate to Breadline Africa and help us end poverty.
Tag five bloggers, and ping us so we know you’ve done so.

The person who raises the most funds will get to name a Breadline Africa community kitchen and win $500 Amazon Vouchers. There are also three minor prizes of $250 Amazon vouchers for people who receive the most votes in the following categories: Most Unusual Recipe; Most Nutritious Recipe and Most Traditional Recipe.

For this worthwhile event, I decided to bake a quick-bread. My apologies to the other participants. I am not really an experienced baker. You can call me a scaredy-cat baker. I am always fearful of the unexpected in unknown territories :) So, I think this bread qualifies as something I do not normally do (see No 2 rule). I decided to make this pumkin bread - an ingredient I have used only once. And also because, well, I have leftover pumpkin puree in the fridge that I better put to use before it starts to grow molds. :)

Recipe taken from Recipezaar.com

1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C Vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
1/3 C water
2 C pumpkin puree
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 and 3/4 C plain flour ( I used 1 C whole wheat flour and 3/4 C plain flour)
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t pumpkin spice

topping:
1 T butter
1/4 C brown sugar
3 T milk
1/4 C pecans (I substituted walnuts)

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan.

2. In a medium size bowl, beat eggs and mix with sugar, oil, water and pumpkin.

3. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients only until just blended. Do not overmix.

4. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 min. Check with a toothpick or cake tester for doneness.

5. For the topping: melt butter in a small saucepan. Add in sugar and milk and mix well. Boil for 2 minutes stirring constantly until sugar melts. Immediately drizzle on the baked loaf. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and press the nuts lightly on top.

6. Wrap and store until the next day for serving. This will keep moisture inside.

Readers of Recipezaar gave this recipe a 5-star rating. I do, too! It is a fool-proof recipe, even novice bakers like me can prepare. It is easy to do and the result? Truly moist flavorful bread made healthy with the addition of pumpkin, walnuts, and whole wheat.

I am tagging the following bloggers:

Deborah of Taste and Tell
Jin Hooi of Smell and Taste are My Memory
Lesley of Beachlover's Kitchen
Usha of Veg Inspirations
Yasmeen of Health Nut
Ruth of Ruth's Kitchen Experiments
Sangeeth of The Art of Cooking Indian Food
Lubna of Kitchen Flavours

With the holidays approaching you may not have time to bake your own bread but a mention of this worthy cause on your blog would spread the word..... and even if you haven't been tagged feel free to join!!!

Sharing this bread and the invitation to this food event to the Bookmarked Recipes community, headed by Ruth of Ruth's Kitchen Experiments. Please feel free to join in!!! Bookmarked Recipes is a food event where anyone from anywhere can blog about a recipe they had bookmarked from a cook book, food magazine, food blog, food website, from TV etc, make it and submit it to a weekly roundup. To see last week's delicous round-up, please click here.

Stir-Fry Mung Bean Vermicelli (Sotanghon) with Beef

2008-11-19T01:48:00.000-08:00

This is vintage 1950's recipe.

That's what it says in the book "In My Basket: The Cookbook" where I got the recipe. The author Lydia Castillo has been a food section contributor in the local newspaper The Philippine Star, so I have been a regular follower of her column. Naturally, when her cookbook came out, I just have get myself a copy.

This recipe sounds very easy to prepare. We love mung bean vermicelli (sotanghon). Mung bean vermicelli is different from the regular Chinese egg noodles, and rice noodles. As the name suggests, this vermicelli is made from green mung bean starch. It is transparent, this why sometimes, it is also called cellophane noodles. It is more firm and chewy than the other kinds of noodles, which we prefer. My mother-in-law believes mung bean vermicelli is healthier because, well, it is made from beans!

Here is my take on the recipe:

200 gms lean ground beef, marinated in
a dash of pepper
2 T soy sauce
1 T cornstarch

100 gms vermicelli noodles (sotanghon)
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 T cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 T fish sauce (patis)
ground pepper, as desired
1 large bell pepper, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 stalk leeks, chopped
1/2 C water or broth

1. Soak vermicelli noodles (sotanghon) in water for 15 minutes. Cut to 2-inch length. Marinate the ground beef in pepper, soy sauce and cornstarch.

2. In a cooking pan or wok, saute the garlic, onion, tomato in the oil. Let the tomatoes cook for a while, then add the marinated meat. Season with fish sauce, and ground pepper. Cover to seal in the flavors. Simmer, stirring every few minutes.

3. When meat is cooked, add the noodles, bell peppers, celery and leeks. Add the water or broth. Stir and mix so that all the noodles will absorb the meat and the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings. You may use salt, soy sauce or more fish sauce.

4. When cooked, transfer to a serving dish. Serve immediately.

This is a different take on the usual Filipino vermicelli stir-fry (sotanghon guisado) dish. It uses a tomato based sauce that is made flavorful with fish sauce and beef. Even the combination of beef and fish sauce is quite unique. The result? Very flavorful noodles dish that will surely be a mainstay in my kitchen.

Hmmm... I should have added cilantro. :)

Sharing this dish with the Presto Pasta Nights people, headed by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast. This week's host is Nilmandra of Soy and Pepper.