Pork Siomai

Ingredients:

1/2 kg ground pork

1 egg

2 tablespoon flour

1 table spoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 knorr shrimp cube.

1kinchay or celery

1 pack of molo or siomai wrapper

water

Procedure:

1. Mix all ingredients and set aside for 3omins.

2. Place 1 teaspoon of the pork mixture in the middle of the siomai wrapper and fold to the center all sides.

3. to close the siomai wet the edges with water.

4.brush the steamer with oil

5. line it with kinchay/celery

6. arrange the siomai in the steamer

7. cook for 30 to 40mins.

Devil's Food Cake with chocolate ganache frosting

I cooked this in an oven toaster believe it or noty.

Ingredients:

CAKE:

1 devil's food cake mix

Chocolate Ganache

3 oz. bitter sweet chocolate

1 and 1/4 cup milk

Procedure:

for the cake:

1. prepare the cake mixture as per package direction

2.pre-heat oven toaster for 5 mins

3. line the oven toaster pan with butter

4. pour the cake mix in the pan make sure the mixture in the pan is just 2/3 in height against that of the pan.

5.place in the oven toaster and cook for 10 to 8 mins or until stick comes out clean.

6. this can make 4 small rectangular cakes

for the ganache

1. melt the chocolate in a double boiler along with the milk

2. let cool and spread between cake layers and all over the cake.

almond and cheese tart

I have always wanted to bake.

Though I do not have a full scale oven, I make do with the oven toaster.

I once made this when I was in college and this is my second attempt.

It still taste the same. :-)

Ingredients:

for the dough

4cups flour

2tsp salt

1 and 3/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup water

3 tbsp sugar

1 egg

for the filling

1 can condensed milk

1/2 cups shredded almonds

1/4 cup grated cheese

equipment:

tart mould

oven toaster

procedure:

1. mix all dough ingredients and knead.

2. wrap in a plastic and set-aside inside the refrigerator for 30 mins

3. place in a saucepan all the filling ingredients and cook over slow fire for 8minutes

4. constant stirring is required because the milk might burn.once cooked, this has a sticky consistency, moreso, when cooled.

5. remove the dough from the ref and portion small amounts to line the tart mould.

6. half fill the tart mould (lined with the dough) with the cooked milk filling

7. place in the oven toaster for 8-10minutes. make sure to check if the top is not burning.if you can lower the temp of your oven then do so for moe even cooking.

milk tends to brown easily.

8. remove fom mould

9. let cool

10. wrap

Sopas

A spanish inspired filipino recipe for a soup.

1/4 cup oil

3cloves garlic, minced

1 medium sized onion, minced
1/4 kilo chicken , cut into small small bite-size pieces

3 pieces hotdog, sliced into disc

1/4 head of medium sized cabbage

1 carrot, cut into strips

2 chicken cubes

10 cups water

2 and 1/2 cup elbow macaroni pasta

1 cup milk

procedure

1. saute in oil the garlic and onion

2. add chicken and saute for about 5minutes

3. add water and chicken cubes and let it boil

4. once boiling, add the pasta and cook pasta for 8 minutes

5. add hotdog and carrots. cook for 3 minutes

6. add salt and pepper to taste

7. add cabbage, cover the saucepan and turn-off the stove. the remaining heat in the saucepan will cook the cabbage.

8. when boiling stops, add the milk while stirring to prevent it from curdling due to too much heat.

pork adobo with tofu and black beans

This adobo has an oriental twist.

One of my personal favorites.

Ingredients:

1/2kl pork

4pcs tofu , cut into cubes

1can black beans, drained and rinsed once with water (unrinsed black beans is too salty)

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup vinegar

3/4 cup water

1/8 tsp pepper

1 large onion, minced

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 pcs laurel leaves

1tsp sugar

Procedure.

1. Fry the tofu and set aside

2.Place in a thick saucepan all the ingredients

except for the black beans

3. let it boil to tenderize the pork for about 30-45 minutes.

4. once pork is already tender, add black beans

5. cook for additional 5 minutes

6.turn off the heat and mix the tofu.

7. serve with rice.

Ghirardelli Flourless Mocha Torte

I got this from the Ghirardelli site.

It seems very easy to make.

Ingredients

7 ounce(s) 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar
4 ounce(s) Milk Chocolate Baking Bar
1 tablespoon(s) instant freeze-dried coffee
3 tablespoon(s) boiling water
6 eggs, separated
2/3 cup(s) sugar
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt (optional)
2 cup(s) heavy whipping cream for frosting1 tablespoon(s) instant freeze-dried coffee for frosting

1/4 cup(s) boiling water for frosting

Directions:

Melt 6 ounces of the bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water.
Stir occasionally until the chocolate is smooth.

Set aside.

Dissolve the 1 T coffee in boiling water; set aside. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Grease two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with waxed paper, and grease the waxed paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites on medium until soft peaks form.

With the mixer running, gradually add 1/3-cup sugar.

Increase the mixing speed to high and continue beating until stiff peaks form. (The meringue should be shiny.)

In another large bowl, whip the yolks, the remaining 1/3-cup sugar, and the salt until thick and lemon colored, approximately 5 minutes.

Slowly add 6 ounces of chocolate and 1 Tbsp coffee; beat until well blended.

Gently fold ¼ of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it.

Carefully but thoroughly fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

Bake on the center oven rack for 25 minutes.

Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside for 5 minutes with the oven door closed.

Transfer the pans to a wire rack (the centers will fall).

Remove the waxed paper while the cake is warm. Cool completely.

Frosting and Garnishing:

For the frosting, melt 4 ounces of milk chocolate as directed for the cake.

Dissolve the coffee in 1/4 cup boiling water; add all at once to the chocolate, stirring continuously until smooth.

Cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream at high speed until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream.

To assemble the torte, level the top of each layer by cutting off the raised edges with a long serrated knife.

Place one layer on a serving plate.

Spread the layer with 1 cup of chocolate whipped cream.

Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the torte with the remaining frosting.

Sprinkle to the top with 1 oz Bittersweet Chocolate shavings.

ham and tomato pasta

A fast to prepare dish for your pasta cravings.

One of my recipe ideas when I wanted a pasta but do not have the usual ingredients for the classic spaghetti.

Ingredients:

400grams pasta cooked as per package direction.

1 and 1/2 cup ham, cubed (you can put more if you like)

1can of diced and peeled tomatoes

1 small pack/can of tomato sauce (~1 cup)

3 table spoon olive oil

1 tsp dried basil

1 medium sized onion, diced

grated cheese

Directions:

1. saute onion and diced tomatoes in olive oil

2. add ham

3. add tomato sauce and dried basil

4. simmer for 5 minutes , stirring occasionally

serve over pasta.

Top with grated cheese.

You can opt to add mushroom .

spicy tuna carbonara

Ingredients:
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 can tuna chunks in oil (regular), drained
1 can tuna chunks in oil (spicy), drained set aside 1/2 of the liquid content
1 can button mushrooms (sliced thinly)
1 pc. Large white onion (minced)
1 big can all purpose cream
1 big can cream of mushroom
3/4 cup water
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1//4 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil
Salt and pepper

400grams pack of pasta cooked as per package direction.

Directions.
1. place butter in a pan and saute onion.
2. add the flour and cook flour in butter (it will look have a gravy like consistency)
3. add the tuna with the 1/2 of the liquid content (for added tuna flavor)
4. add mushroom
5. add cream of mushroom, nestle all purpose cream, water and cheese
6. simmer over low heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
7. add dried basil
8. add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over pasta and top with pamesan cheese.

For variation to have a seafood carbonara:

add crab meat, squid (cooked in oil/butter) and cooked mussels (meat only)

Leche flan (creme brulee filipino version)

A lot of people assume that this recipe is complicated.
But it uses very few ingredients, you just have to be very careful with the procedure.
I will try to add an image next time.

ingredients

caramel (at the bottom of the pan)
white sugar

if using the llanera ( oval shaped aluminum pan)use 2 tbsp sugar
if using round aluminum pan , 2 inches in diameter use 2 tsp sugar.


leche flan mixture

6 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
1 can condensed milk (300ml/390grams)
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz/ 354ml)
1 tbsp vanilla


Procedure:

for the caramel
1. place sugar (check measurement in the ingedients part) in the pan.
2. heat on top of a stove using very low heat.

The idea is to caramelize the sugar but not burn it. Too high heat will instantly turn your sugar to very dark brown or black which is very bitter.We do not want that.
Use pliers or thongs to hold the pan while caramelizing the sugar so you can even out the heat all thorough out the pan.
If you see the sugar boiling remove it from heat and swirl the sugar by moving the pan from side to side.
Once the sugar has liquefied already, no more solid sugar and has turned into golden brown,
remove it from the heat and set aside.

Let cool. It will look like hard candy coating the bottom of your pan.
The candy like coating will have a tendency to crack once cooled; its normal.

for the leche flan

1. place egg yolks, whole egg in a bowl and whisk
2. combine the condensed and evaporated milk with the whisked egg.
3. mix.
4. remove lumps of eggs (it's normal to have some egg lumps in the mixture, but make sure to remove them).
5. strain the mixture in a cheesecloth (katsa) or a very fine strainer.
6. fill the pans (the once prepared with caramel already )) 3/4 full. with the mixture.

Cooking directions
using a stove top steamer
1. Cook in a steamer for 30-40 minutes or until firm.

1.Place filled pans on a larger pan with water (water height should be half of your leche flan pan) in an oven pre-heated with 350F temp.
2. Cook for 1hour or until firm.

Tip: Do not fully close the steamer or cover of the pan. It will cause the leche flan mixture to boil and will not turn out smooth.
Boiling of the mixture will result to scrambled egg-like consisitency.

Ginataang suso (Escargot)

One of the Filipino Dishes my husband loves and can devour in 1 sitting except the shells ofcourse hihihi...

Ingredients

500 grams suso ( black shell, found in rivers)
saluyot (jute leaves)
okra (5 pieces), sliced
coconut milk ( extracted from 1 coconut)
2 medium onions, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pc chili (green or siling haba)

salt and pepper to taste

Pre-cooking Procedure

1. Extract coconut milk from its meat twice. Separate the first extract into a container from the second.

2. Slice all vegetables

3. clean suso in water to remove the residues and crack a small opening on the closed end of the snail.

Make sure for the crack not to be too big or else you won't be able to suck out the meat once cooked due to the big air passage created.

Cooking Procedure

1. Bring to boil coconut milk (second extract) with garlic and onions, until it becomes thick.

3. Add suso shells , bring to boil.

5.. Add saluyot and okra, bring to boil or until tender

6. Add the first coconut milk (first extract).

7.Add chili, bring to boil

7. Add salt and pepper to taste

* if you opt to use the coconut milk in can skip step # 6.

so easy kare-kare recipe

As the saying goes, a way to a man's heart is thru his stomach...
Everytime I cook kare-kare I can see how happy my husband eats.
It is very tedious to cook back in the old days that is why we only have it during special occassions but thanks to ready made sauce's and the pressure cooker kare-kare can now be an eveyday dish.

1/2kl kilo beef (round or sirloin cut) cut into cubes and 1/2 kilo ox tripe OR
1 pata sliced (around 1kg)
3/4 cup peanut butter.
2 packets of Mama Sita kare-kare mix (i guess you can use other brand)

1/2 cup cooked bagoong alamang (anchovies)
2 pieces onions, diced
2 heads of garlic, minced
1/2 cup oil

4 pieces eggplant, sliced 1 inch thick
1 bundle Pechay (Bok choy) cut into 2 pieces
1 bundle of sitaw (string beans) cut to 2" long
1 banana bud, cut similar to eggplant slices, blanch in boiling water




Cooking Instructions:

Cook meat or pork in perssure cooker as per pressure cooker manual direction ( I cook for around 45 minutes)

Strain and keep the stock.
In a big pan or wok, heat oil.
Sauté garlic, onions until golden brown, then add 2 packets of kare-kare mix dissolved in 2cups stock, meat OR pork and peanut butter.
add 3 cups more stock
Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes..
Add the eggplant, string beans, pechay and banana bud. Cook the vegetables for a few minutes - Do not overcook the vegetables.

Serve with bagoong on the side and hot plain rice.

Foor for the Gods

I will definitely try this recipe. I have seen this in one of the food magazines and am inspired by it.

Ingredients:
1 14/ cups all purpose white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup pitted dates, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease and flour and 8 x 12 inch pan. Set aside.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat.
Add the white and brown sugar and mix until well combined.
Remove from heat.
4. Add the eggs one at a time. Stir using a wire whisk.
Make sure egg is mixed in completely before adding the next.
5. Add the dates and walnuts. Mix well.
6. In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to combine then add to the date mixture. Do not overbeat.
7. Pour in an 8 x 12 inch pan.
Bake in the oven at 350F for 35-40 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean but not dry.
8. Cool completely before slicing. Slice by 1 1/2 x 2 inch then wrap with foil and colored cellophane.

The Charlie Chan Challenge

I am a huge fan of Yellow Cab's Charlie Chan Pasta. But it is always a 45 minute drive from where I leave. With that , in one of my Charlie Chan moment's I really, truly scrutinized the taste, texture and over-all appeal of the pasta to be able to come up with my version which is close to the real thing.
So here it goes. All you Charlie Chan lovers out there... Enjoy!

2 tbsp choppped garlic
1/2 cup cooking oil
250g chicken breast (strips)


3/4 cup oyster sauce ( imported brand are more salty than local; please omit the soy sauce if using imported oyster sauce)
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 cup water with 1 tsp cornstarch
2 tablespoon soy sauce.
1 tbsp peanut butter

1 1/2 cup Shitake Mushrooms ( if using dried - soak in water for 30minutes then drain) this will take 5-8 minutes to cook; if using fresh, it will be the last to be placed in the sause and simmer only for 2 -3 minutes
1 cup roasted nuts
2 tbsp chopped siling labuyo (the red ones - seeds taken out, please!)

1/2 kg cooked pasta.


Directions
1. Sauté garlic in oil.
2. Cook chicken until brown.
3. Mix the rest of the ingredient.
4. Add liquid mixture to chicken (do not remove the oil) and simmer for a few minutes.