Crispy Pork Sisig
June 16, 2008
I have a very extravagant kitchen habit that I’ve been trying to break: I cook food at home like I am feeding an army of thirty instead Read more
Lechon Kawali
June 15, 2008
A very good friend of mine called me late in the afternoon today asking if my daughter, Liane, can watch over her two sons while I accompany her for a few hours. “I just need to talk”, she begs. As we dug into a gotta-have-it bowl of ice cream at Read more
Paksiw na Pata (Braised Pork Shanks in Soy Sauce and Vinegar)
June 10, 2008
As I’ve mentioned in my post, there are a few ways of preparing the popular filipino pork adobo. Some recipe variations simply call for all ingredients to be combined in a deep pot and then Read more
Beef Pochero
June 1, 2008
If there is ever a clearer display of how diversified the Philippine cuisine is, I believe it can be found in the many ways the pochero dish is interpreted from one Filipino kitchen to another. Google the recipe and different food websites will provide you with different variations~from the basic Nilaga-style version enhanced simply by the addition of Read more
Kare-kareng Beef Oxtail and Tendon (Beef Stew with Peanut Sauce)
May 16, 2008
I have prepared kare-kare on many and for many occasions. Each and every time, I get applauded for the dish~”the best kare-kare, lalaine, “teach me your recipe, lalaine”. Each and every time, I acknowledge the compliment with a “thank you” and sit through the the gathering with a sly smile plastered on my face. You see, the each and everytime I cooked my kare-kare, Read more
Chicken Soup with Pandan Leaves
May 3, 2008
Simple. Flavorful. Exotic.
This chicken soup idea that I found on a package of Knorr chicken broth cubes borrows the basic ingredients of the chicken tinola as it, like the classic filipino dish, also starts with sauteed garlic, onions and ginger. However, the addition of pandan leaves lends a unique Read more
Crispy-Fried Smelt Fish
February 23, 2008
Although deep-fried smelt is a favorite in my house, I balk at cooking it frequently primarily because of the amount of cleaning involved. Two to three pounds mean around 50 to 100 small fish I have to remove gills from, and two or three pounds sometimes is not even enough for the huge appetite we have for this dish. Read more
Pork Menudo
February 18, 2008
When you say menudo in California, what usually comes to mind is a spicy Mexican soup made with tripe. However, the menudo recipe we have here is the filipino version~ a colorful stew made with chunks of pork, liver, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, garbanzo beans and a thick tomato base. Unlike its Mexican namesake, filipino menudo leans towards a slight sweetness due to the addition of raisins. Read more
Pork Embutido (Filipino-Style Meatloaf)
February 11, 2008
If my mother has her pinakbet (sauteed native vegetables in shrimp paste), I, on the other hand, have pork embutido as the very first recipe I mastered. Over the years, I have tweaked this recipe so many times~from adding liver spread to mixing in cheese~until I arrived to this version that is now a frequent request by my family and friends. Read more
Galunggong Lumpiang Shanghai (Fish Eggroll)
February 10, 2008
Here is an alternative lumpiang shanghai recipe for Lent. It is a good way to enjoy filipino eggrolls if you are one who is refraining from the customary ingredient of either ground pork, beef or chicken. The process is laborious and time consuming, but the end result is well worth the extra effort! Read more
