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Sweet Ananas

One of the most prized fruits is "ananas" or popularly known as Pineapple. Christopher Columbus called them pina de indes (pine of the Indians). This tropical gem possesses sweet scent and tart flavours, making it a versatile ingredient to be used in both savoury and sweet dishes. 

Although pineapple is available year round, their best season is from March to July. This tropical fruit is native to Paraguay in South America, Columbus the explorer brought them to Spain when he discovered the Americas in 1493, and it has spread around the world on ships just like tomatoes- that's another story!

There are hundreds of varieties of pineapples around the world. Locally, we have Cayenne or Hawaiian which is best for canning, Formosa or Queen is the sweetest grown in Bicol region, the native Philippine red is cone-shaped and grown for its fiber, Cabezona is the largest and other varieties include Java, Sugar, Loaf and Abakka each are different in sizes and flavour notes. Philippines is one of the major producers of pineapples in the world.

When buying pineapple, make sure the leaves are fresh and deep green in colour with no traces of yellow or brown. Choose fruit that are free of bruises, soft spots and molds. Smell should be fragrant sweet not musty, sour and fermented. This tropical fruit does not ripen after they are picked, unlike bananas the starch will not convert to sugar once it is harvested. Turn the fruit upside down and scan its bottom for yellow colouring to pick a ripe pineapple. This indicates that the sugar has already developed in the fruit. There is no difference in quality between large and small pineapples, so size doesn’t really matter. Fresh pineapples do not stay long, they perish quickly at room temperature and they cannot be stored in refrigerator for long periods, consume as early as possible.

Nutritional Facts :

·         Low in calories ( 50 cal per 100g). No saturated fats or cholesterol.

·         Rich in soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, pectin.

·         Contains enzymes that helps in digestion of food.

·         Anti inflammatory, anti-clotting and anti-cancer

·         Helps fight arthritis, indigestion and worm infestation

·         Excellent source of antioxidant vitamin C, Vitamin A , B complex group of vitamins like folates, thiamine, riboflavin and minerals like potassium.

·         Helps in controlling heart rate and blood pressure

Pineapple and Chicken Salad

Instruction

3 cups Chicken breast(boneless), cooked and diced

1 ½ cups Celery, chopped

½ cup Pineapple, cut into chunks

¾ cups Mayonnaise

Salt and Pepper to taste

Lettuce

Boiled Egg, sliced

Procedure

Combine all ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve on lettuce and garnish with sliced egg on top

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

Ingredients

1 cup Fresh Pineapple, cut into chunks plus ½ cup for garnish

Vegetable Oil

2 pcs Shallots, finely chopped

3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped

1 pc Green Chilli (Siling Haba), thinly sliced

1 pc Egg, beaten

½ cup Green peas

¼ cup Raisins

½ cup Unsalted Cashews (whole)

¼ cup Chicken Stock

3 cups Cooked Rice

2 tsp Curry powder

½ tsp Sugar

3 tblspn Fish Sauce

Garnish :

Coriander(fresh), chopped

Spring Onion, finely sliced

Procedure

Using your clean hands, mix 1 tblspn of oil with rice to separate any chunks. Set aside.

In a cup, combine fish sauce, sugar and curry powder together.

Add1-2 tblspn oil in a wok over high heat. Sauté Shallots, garlic and chilli until aromatic.  Quickly Stir in egg, green peas, raisin and cashew.  Add 1 tblspn chicken stock at a time, making sure that wok is not dry. Add 1 cup pineapple chunks, cooked rice and fish sauce mixture. Continue to stir fry for 5 to 8 minutes.

Serve with cilantro, spring onion and pineapple on top.

Grilled Pineapple with Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 pc Pineapple, sliced

¼ cup Brown Sugar

1 tblspn Cinnamon Powder

Juice and Zest of 1 pc Lime

Vanilla Ice Cream

Procedure

Combine and marinate Pineapple in brown sugar and cinnamon powder for 30 to 60 minutes.

Cook on a hot grill pan until you have grill marks on each side. Remove and toss with lime juice. Serve with Vanilla ice cream and sprinkle with Lime Zest.

Food Notes:

1. Pineapple can be cut and peeled by chopping off the crown and base. Then, slice off skin and carving remaining eyes with the tip of your knife. Depending on the size, sometimes it is easier to use pineapple “corers”
2. Best paired with bacon, brandy, coconut, cucumber, hazelnut and cointreau or kirsch, mint , rum or vanilla.
3. Article Published, Cook Magazine July 2013

Dinner for Two : Smoked Fish & Shrimp Fried Rice

Forget the main course and side dish, stir fried rice is a perfect "all-in-one-meal" on a lazy and rainy day. 

Still hungover with Thai Food, I decided to make my version of Khao Pad with a pinoy twist. Adding  smoked fish gives it more flavor and aroma. 

Ingredients 

2 tblspn Vegetable oil

2 pcs Small Tomato

½ pc Onion, medium (chopped)

1 tblspn Garlic, chopped

2 pcs Chinese broccoli or kale, cut into bite size

1 tblspn Green Onion (1 inch long)

1 egg

1/4 cup smoked Fish

6 pcs Shrimp, deveined and shelled

2  cups Cooked Rice

4 tblspn Soy Sauce

2 tbslpn Tomato Paste

1/2 lime

Procedure

Heat pan, sauté onion and garlic until aromatic

Add smoked fish and stir fry until cooked, add green onions, Chinese broccoli and tomato

Add egg, stirring continousy until scrambled

When egg is dried up, add shrimp, rice, soy sauce and tomato paste

Continue to stir fry until all combined,

Serve with lime on side

Food Note:

1. It's best to use day-old rice 

Turon at Banana Q !

Walking along the streets of the Philippines is not complete without stopping by a street vendor to experience one of the most loved and ubiquitous "in between meal snack". Indeed, turon and banana q is the original Pinoy street foods !

Sharing traditional recipes of the most loved Pinoy snacks...

Turon

Turon

Ingredients

6 pcs Banana (Saba) cut into half (lengthwise)
12 pcs Jackfruit (fresh or preserved), strips
12 pcs Lumpia (springroll) wrappers
1 cup Brown Sugar
Cooking oil for frying

Procedure
Lay wrapper, place banana and sprinkle sugar. Add jackfruit on top.

Roll and seal both sides ( just as you make vegetable spring rolls). Repeat to the rest of ingredients.

Pre-heat oil on medium heat. Fry rolled turon, once slightly brown sprinkle with brown sugar until it caramelize and golden brown. Remove from oil and drain.

Serve and Enjoy !

Banana @

Banana-Q

Ingredients
8 pcs Banana (Saba variety), peeled
1/4 c Brown Sugar
Cooking Oil for frying
4 pcs Bamboo Skewers

Procedure

In a wok at high heat, deep fry bananas until slightly brown. Sprinkle with brown sugar and continue frying and stirring until sugar has melted and caramelized.

Remove from wok and drain. Using, a bamboo skewer string 2 cooked bananas together.

Serve and Enjoy !


Food Notes :

1. Philippines is the leading exporter of Bananas.
2. Omit jackfruit if not available for turon,

Wiggle It !

In Culinary world, Gelatin could be grand master piece ingrained with lobster meat or fancy desserts layered with different fruits - Of course, the gelatin that I grew up with was nowhere near as eccentric as that. My childhood gelatin was my lola Auring's homemade gulaman embedded with bits of pineapple or canned fruits.

Little that I know those wobbly and colorful desserts that we made fun of was actually part of a rich and grand culinary tradition. Going through my mom's old cookbooks, making gelatin required strenuous simmering animal, most commonly veal or beef bones and skin to extract collagen, constantly skimming and carefully straining it through layers of napkins. In the late 19th century, the process of laborious making was cut short; Charle's Knox popularaixed the powdered form. And then came the handy and ready to eat flavoured Jell-O which became popular to average home kitchen.

The word gelatin comes from French word gelatin meaning edible jelly and gelato meaning to freeze. Gelatin is odorless, colorless and tasteless thickening agent; it is comprised of 84 to 90% protein, 1 to 2% mineral salts and 8 to 15% water. It contains no fat and has about 95% calories per ounce. According to studies, Gelatin is good for digestion. It contains glycine, an amino acid that helps mobilize the digestive process helping to detoxify the digestive system. It is also an option for sinful desserts for people trying to lose weight.

Today, food manufacturers used them in hundreds of products from providing body and weight to marshmallows and gummy candies, stabilizer and texture enhancer to ice creams, to helping in the fermentation of beer and wine. In its purest form, it became relevant to cutting-edge restaurants. Spain's Chef Ferran Adria used gelatin as stabilizer in his sensational espuma or foam dishes.

The last encounter I had with the jiggly dessert was when I was sick. Still, the soothing slurp was exactly what I needed at that time- it was a nostalgic comfort and it dawned on me why gelatin is such a powerful and lovable food. Indeed, Gelatin has always been relevant in both classic home and modern restaurant kitchen.

Classic Perfection Salad

Ingredients

1 cup Boiling Water

1 (3 oz) pack Unflavored Gelatin

5 tblspn Lemon Juice

1 tspn Salt

1 cup Cold Water

1 cup  Celery, finely diced

½ cup Carrots, finely diced

1 cup Cabbage, finely shredded

Mayonnaise

Procedure :

1.       Pour boling water over gelatine in a bowl.

2.       Stir until gelatine is dissolved.

3.       Stir in Lemon juice, veggis, salt and cold water.

4.       Pour into mold, chill until firm.

5.       Serve unmolded on chilled plate, topped with generous dollop of Mayonnaise

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Jiggly Wasabi Oysters

Ingredients

1 pack Unflavored Gelatin

2 tblspn Hot Water

1 tblspn Wasabi paste

2 tblspn Lemon Juice

1 1/2 cup Water

Oysters

Procedure:

1.       Dissolve gelatin in Hot Water. Pour in a sauce pan.

2.       Stir in water, wasabi paste and lemon juice over high heat. Let cool.

3.       Pour in a greased baking pan.  Chill until set and firm.

4.       Cut into cubes and put on top of oysters.

Coffee Wiggle

Ingredients

1 pack  Unflavored Gelatin

2 tblspn Hot Water

3 tblspn Sugar

2 cups Fresh Brewed Coffee

Whipped Cream

Procedure

1.       Dissolve gelatine in hot water in a bowl.

2.       Pour gelatine mixture, coffee and sugar in a sauce pan.

3.       Over high heat, bring to a boil. Let cool a little.

4.       Pour coffee mixture into mold or glasses for individual serving

5.       Chill in refrigerator until firm.

6.       Serve with whipped cream on top.

Food Notes: 

1.Gelatin procedure may vary, follow package instruction.

2. Published on Cook Magazine June 2012

SOM TAM

Every time I go to Bangkok, I make sure to have green papaya salad. Locally known as som tam, the dish combines sour (lime), salty (fish sauce), spicy (chilies) and sweet (palm sugar) taste which gives it a unique and balance savory flavor.  

The dish is also a delicacy to Thai neighboring countries, in Laos they call it tam mak hoong and bok l'hong in Cambodia. This is made by shredding unripe papaya then mixed and pounded in a mortar.

Sharing my version of Thai Papaya Salad for this month's  Kulinarya Cooking Club  Challenge : Pambaha ng Buhay hosted by Isabel and Kai.

Ingredients

1 c Shredded Green Papaya

¼ c Shredded carrots

6 Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)

2 tblspn Dried Shrimps

3 tblspn Roasted Peanuts

2 pcs Bird’s eye chillies

4-5 cloves Garlic

2 tbspn Brown Sugar

2 tblspn Fish Sauce

1 ½ tblspn Lime or Lemon Juice

1 tblspn Tamarind Paste

Procedure

Pound garlic, dried shrimps, chillies and peanuts in mortar

Add cherry tomatoes, pound few times until juice comes out of the tomato

Season with lime juice, palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind paste

Add papaya and carrots mix well

Food Notes :

1. Thai Papaya Salad is listed number 46 on CNN GO's 2011 World's 50 most delicious foods

2. In the streets of Bangkok, Som Tam is prepared according to customer's taste 

Sweet and Sour Pork with Apple

One of the famous Chinese dishes, Sweet and Sour Pork is very delightful and pleasing to the palate. The secret and tricky part is to balance the sweet and sour taste of the sauce.  Once you've mastered it, you can use it to your favorite meat (chicken or fish).

Inspired by this popular Cantonese dish, I added chili for a little kick and apple to give it a lift !

Pork loin with Apple in Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients

225g Pork loin, sliced into cubes

1/4 tsp White Pepper (powder)

1 tblspn Calamansi Juice

1 pc Egg (whole)

1/2 cup Cornstarch

Oil for frying

Procedure

Marinate pork in calamansi juice, salt and pepper for 20 minutes

Whisk egg and cornstarch together. Coat pork with cornstarch mixture and deep fry until golden brown.

Sweet and Sour Sauce 

Ingredients

1/4 cup Vinegar

1/4 cup Water

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1 tblspn Tomato Catsup

1 inch Ginger, sliced

1 pc Apple, diced

1/4 pc Red Bell Pepper, strips

1 pc Siling Labuyo, minced

1 tblspn Cornstarch dissolved in 1 tblspn Water

Procedure

Combine vinegar, brown sugar, water and tomato catsup in a bowl.

Over medium heat, saute ginger in oil until aromatic. Add vinegar mixture.

Add apple and siling labuyo. Bring to a boil for about 1 minute or until apples are half cooked (soft but still crunchy)

Stir in cornstarch mixture and simmer until thick.

Place fried pork in a serving plate and pour sauce on top.

Food Notes :

1. Sweet and Sour Pork or Goo Lou Yok is a classic Cantonese dish

2. Serve with hot steamed rice -- enjoy !!!

Something Fishy

By now we are all aware of the benefits of eating fish—just as our mom told us—Fish is healthy! They are a natural and excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, high in protein, low in fat and a good source of riboflavin, calcium, phosphorous, iron, zinc and potassium. According to the American Heart Association eating at least two servings of fish each week helps to prevent heart disease, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Fish is the real in fast food. It's also one of the most versatile foods you can eat, lending it to most cooking methods. They tend to cook faster than meat and chicken because of little connective tissue and fat making the average cooking time 10 to 12 minutes. The proteins found in fish will coagulate under heat and cause the fish to turn opaque-a sign that the fish is cooked. If you’re unsure, use a fork or knife and insert it into the thickest part of the fish, it should flake easily. Lao Tzu was clear about it -- Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish--Do not overdo it! Here’s a guide to cooking time:

·         10 minutes for every inch of fish

·         5 minutes for every inch of fish cooked in sauce

·         20 minutes per inch if the fish is frozen

Cooking fish is easier and quicker than most people think. Here are some cooking method and tips from our kitchen to yours:

·         Marinating fish can impart flavor. However, over-marinating it, especially with excess acid can cause it to become mushy when cooked. As a general rule, if you use acidic ingredients, marinate for no more than 30 minutes. Richer flesh of fish such as salmon and tuna can be marinated for about an hour.

·         Poaching fish is one of the best cooking method, it keeps the fish moist. And probably the healthiest since it requires little or no oil. Simply place fish in pan and cover just barely with poaching liquid ( stock, water, wine, broth or combination of each etc.), bring to a boil, reduce to simmer with lid on, cook for a few minutes or until fish is fork tender. Fish is done when it turns opaque.

·         Baking fish is perhaps the easiest and simplest way to ensure a hassle free meal. All you need to do is set the required temperature of your oven (350-450 deg F). Just remember to grease baking pan and brush fish with butter or oil. To ensure that it stays moist, you can wrap fish in foil or parchment paper (en papillote) Cook for about 10 minutes per inch thickness.

·         Grilling Fish. Nothing beats the flavour of grilled fish.  You can wrap them in foil or banana leaves stuffed with your desired herbs or vegetables. Cooking time depends on the size of fish you are grilling. Try grilling tender fish fillet on wood planks and discover new flavours from cedar, hickory or maple wood.

·         Steaming is probably one of the most common cooking methods in Asia. The whole fish is cleaned and lightly salted. You can add grated ginger or spring onions and season with soy sauce and sesame oil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

• Of course, here in the Philippines popular methods are Pan-fry, Deep-fry , Stir Fry  or Sauteed. Season fish as desired, heat oil over medium-high heat, add fish in a single layer and make sure not to overcrowd pan. Cook for 5 minutes per side, per inch of thickness.

Fresh Tuna and Tomato Stew

750g Fresh Tuna, cut into chunks

4 tblspn Olive Oil

2 pcs White Onion (medium), chopped

2 pcs Garlic cloves, chopped

800g Tomatoes (canned), diced and peeled

1 tblspn Fresh Sage, chopped

1 tblspn Fresh Oregano, chopped

1 tablspn Fresh Rosemary, chopped

2 pcs Bay Leaves

½ tspn Sugar

2 tblspn Tomato Paste

2/3 c White Wine

(To Taste )Salt and Pepper

Procedure

Season Tuna chunks with salt and pepper. Pan grill until half cooked.

In a separate pan, Saute chopped onion and garlic in olive oil. Add tomatoes, fresh herbs, sugar and tomato paste. Stir in white wine.  Simmer for 5-8 minutes or until sauce is reduced.

Add cooked tuna to sauce and simmer for another 3 minutes or until fish is fully cooked.

Herbed Galunggong

4 pcs Galunggong(Mackerel), about 120g each/whole/scaled/cleaned

1 tblspn Fresh Parsley, chopped

1 tblspn Fresh Dill, chopped

4 tblspn Extra Virgin Olive oil

1 ½ tblspn Lemon Juice

 (as needed) Olive Oil

(To taste) Salt and Pepper

8 pcs Lemon Slices (thinly)

Procedure

Combine Fresh herbs, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Lemon Juice In a bowl. Set aside.

Evenly distribute herb mixture inside fish cavity. Brush olive oil all over outside fish and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Cook mackerel about 5-8 minutes each side. Arrange on a platter. Garnish with lemon slices on top.

Note: Cooking this over charcoal fire is heavenly good!

Steamed Pampano

2 pcs Pompano (about 500g each)

2 tblspn Fish Sauce

2 tspn  Pepper, freshly ground

2 tspn Ginger, chopped

2 tspn Red Onion, chopped

1 tblspn Tomatoes, chopped

2 pcs Salted egg, chopped

(as needed)Banana Leaves

Cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

Garlic, toasted(for garnish)

Lemon or Lime wedges

Procedure

Combine ginger, onions, tomatoes and salted egg. Set aside.

Make a slit on each fish. Season with fish sauce and pepper- rubbing all over. Divide ginger mixture to each fish equally, placing it in cavity.

Wrap fish carefully  in banana leaves. Steam for 20-25 minutes or until done. Arrange on a serving plate and garnish with cilantro and toasted garlic. Serve with a wedge of lemon or lime.

Palitaw

With dozens of varieties of rice in the Philipines, apart from the plain steamed rice, our ancestors have developed thousands of indigenous rice recipes. KCC's challenge is to share an original pinoy favorite. And i thought i'd share something Filipinos are known for .... RICE CAKE !  

Interesting as it sounds,literally means to float or rise. Palitaw is a kind of Puto or Rice Cake usually eaten as a merienda or a light snack. It  is made from washed, soaked and ground malagkit (Sticky Rice), then made into small round discs and dropped in boiling water where they float -which indicates that they are ready. Then rolled on a bed of fresh grated coconut, sugar and sesame seeds. 

Aside from the delightful taste, soft and sticky texture, everyone will agree that "prepping and cooking" makes this a delightful and fun snack to do by the whole family !

Ingredients

1 cup Glutinous Rice Flour
1/2 cup Water
As needed, Sugar
As needed, Fresh Grated Coconut
As needed, Toasted Sesame Seeds

Procedure

Combine flour and water until it forms a dough. Take a tablespoon and roll into a ball, then flatten into a round shape on your palm.

In a pot, boil water. Poach flattened dough until they begin to float (about 30 secs to a minute)

Drain and dry  poached dough. Roll in sugar and sprinkle with grated coconut and sesame seeds.

Food Notes :


1. Palitaw means to float. This filipino snack is cooked until it floats.