Filipino Dishes: September 2012

Saturday, September 29, 2012

GINISANG AMPALAYA NA MAY ITLOG (sauteed bittermelon with egg)

Bitter melon or bitter gourd known as Ampalaya in tagalog to Filipinos is a natural remedy for lowering blood sugar (antidiabetic effect). According to Wikipedia: "Like most bitter-tasting foods, bitter melon is claimed to stimulate digestion, and thus help treat dyspepsia and constipation." This is also good for slim diet.
Some people cooked the ampalaya a bitterless taste while others tastes bitter like me so what I do to get rid of bitter taste is to prepare a big bowl with lukewarm water and a teaspoon of salt mixture then soak for at least 5 minutes then squeeze it using my two hands to drip the liquid from the ampalaya before cooking. I remember the teacher assigned cooking in the canteen where I worked before, she's good in cooking the Ginisang Ampalaya its not taste bitter. I could eat a lot even without the rice and also her beef steak and chopsuey are terrific.

Ginisang Ampalaya na may Itlog

GINISANG AMPALAYA (SAUTEED Bitter Melon) WITH EGG recipe

Ingredients:
2 large size ampalaya, seeded and sliced thinly
1 cup ground pork (optional)
2 medium size ripe tomatoes, diced
2 pcs, egg, beaten
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil

How to cook GINISANG AMPALAYA (SAUTEED Bitter Melon) WITH EGG

Procedure and cooking instructions:
1. In a pan over medium flame, heat oil and saute garlic, onion, tomato and ground pork (if added) until meat is tender.
2. Add the squeezed ampalaya and saute for at least 2 minutes. Pour in the beaten egg and stir to mix with other ingredients.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Don't overcook the ampalaya, preserve its fresh green color and crunchiness.
5. Remove from heat and put in a serving plate with plain rice.

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GINISANG UPO (Sauteed White Squash)

Ginisang Upo or sauteed white squash is a Filipino vegetable and easy to cook dish. It is sauteed with garlic, onion, tomato, ground pork and shrimp for an additonal flavor. This is serve with fried fish as side dish.

Ginisang Upo

GINISANG UPO (Sauteed White Squash) recipe

Ingredients:
1 medium size upo, peeled and sliced
1/4 lb. ground pork
1 cup shrimp, peeled
2 meduim size ripe tomato, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp. fish sauce
2 jalapeno (siling pangsigang)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup water (optional)

How to cook GINISANG UPO (Sauteed White Squash)

Procedure and cooking instructions:
1. In a skillet, stir fry the ground pork until golden brown, put a pinch of salt then set aside. Discard any excess fats.
2. From the pork's fat, sautee garlic, onion and tomato. Mash the tomato to release the color and sourness. Add the shrimp and mix in the fried ground pork then season with fish sauce and pepper.
3. Pour in the sliced upo, jalapeno and water then cover the skillet and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the upo is soft but not overcook. Add salt and pepper to taste then stir. Remove from heat.
4. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot with plain rice.

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GINISANG MUNGGO (Sauteed Mung Beans)

According to Wikipedia, "Sprouts are said to be rich in digestible energy, bioavailable vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, and phytochemicals, as these are necessary for a germinating plant to grow. These nutrients are essential for human health."
Ginisang Munggo is one of my husband's favorite dish. It is serve with fried fish and plain rice.

Ginisang Munggo

Ginisang Munggo recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups Munggo (mung beans), washed
1/2 k. chicken meat, cut into desired pieces
1 cup bittermelon leaves
1 thumb size ginger, crushed
1 medium onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 pcs. jalapeno (siling pangsigang)
8-10 cups of water
3 tbsp. fish sauce
salt and pepper to taste

How to cook GINISANG MUNGGO (Sauteed Mung Beans)

Procedure and cooking instructions:
1. In a casserole, put 5 cups of water and let it boil.
2. When water is boiling, put a pinch of salt and pour the mung beans(munggo) then simmer for 30-40 minutes til the mungbean become soft and the skin removed.
3. Some discard the skin of mung bean but I don't take it out because some says that it is where the nutrients are.
4. While simmering the mung beans, in a skillet, heat cooking oil and saute the garlic, onion, ginger, chicken then put a little salt.
5. When the chicken is tender and light brown, pour now into the casserole to mix with mung bean and simmer again for another 10-15 minutes.
6. When chicken and mung beans are soft and the sauce is thick put now the fish sauce to taste, bittermelon leaves and jalapeno and simmer for another 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Remove from heat and serve hot with rice.

Cooking Tips:
1. Aside from chicken, you can also use pork meat, shrimps, tinapa flakes (smoked fish) and chicharon.
2. Some doesn't like the taste of bittermelon, you can use malunggay (horseradish) leaves, watercress, sweet potato leaves (kamote tops),spinach or even squash flower.
3. Mung bean could be eaten with fried fish as side dish.
4. You can also use bagoong sauce instead of fish sauce.

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

SINIGANG NA HIPON

Sinigang na Hipon is a Filipino sour shrimp soup with green leafy vegetables such as long string beans, pechay, bok choy, kangkong, okra, camote tops (young green leaves of yam). It is added with ginger and usually with pepper for spice. Its soup, when eaten with plain rice is flavourful and tasty which makes you crave for more rice and soon you will be full. This Pinoy dish can be eaten in combination with dry dishes such as fried fish, grilled beef or pork, etc.

Sinigang na Hipon

SINIGANG NA HIPON recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. large size shrimps
1 medium size eggplant, sliced diagonally
1 bowl string beans, cut 2" long
1 bowl bok choy or pechay, head removed
2 pcs. jalapeno (siling pangsigang)
1 pack tamarind soup base mix
1 large ripe tomato, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
thumb-sized ginger, sliced
2-3 cups water for broth
1 tbsp. fish sauce
salt to taste

How to cook SINIGANG NA HIPON

Procedure and cooking instructions:
1. In a casserole, boil water then put sliced tomato, onion and ginger. Wait til the tomato is wilted and its juice mixed from the broth.
2. Add eggplant, string beans, shrimps, jalapeno, fish sauce and salt then simmer for another 5 minutes until all the vegetables are almost cook then put the tamarind soup base mix and pechay or kangkong or okra then simmer again for 2 minutes.
3. Add patis or salt according to your preference. Remove from heat at once in order not to overcook the vegetables.
4. Serve hot with plain rice.

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SINIGANG NA TILAPIA (Tilapia fish sour soup)

Sinigang na Tilapia or Tilapia sour soup is a Pinoy dish sour soup that is made of Tilapia fish, tamarind (or any other sour fruit ingredient like kamias, santol, etc.), pepper, and vegetables. The fish can be any fish like salmon, bangus, dalagang bukid, etc.

Sinigang na Tilapia

Sinigang na Tilapia (Sour soup) recipe:

Ingredients:
1 big size tilapia, cleaned and sliced into 3 or 4 pieces
1 medium size eggplant, sliced 1 inch length diagonally
1 medium size gabi (taro/eddo), sliced
1 big size ripe tomato, sliced
2 heads pechay (bok choy)
1 tbsp.ginger, peeled and sliced
8 cups water for soup
1 medium size onion, sliced
tamarind soup base (sinigang mix)
2 pcs. jalapeno (siling pansigang)
salt and fish sauce to taste

How to cook Sinigang na Tilapia (sour soup):

Procedure and cooking instructions:
1. In a casserole, boil water then add onion, ginger and tomato. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Mash the tomato on the side of the pot to release the sourness and color.
2. Pour in the tilapia, eggplant, gabi, pechay, jalapeno and fish sauce then simmer for another 8-10 minutes.
3. Add tamarind soup base mix and salt to taste. Remove from heat in order not to overcook the vegetables.
4. Transfer in a bowl and serve hot with rice.

Note:
   You can also put yard long beans (sitaw), okra, water spinach (kangkong leaves), kamote leaves, spinach, or birds' eye chili (talbos ng sili) to add nutrients and flavor.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

SINIGANG NA BANGUS (Filipino soup dish)

Sinigang na Bangus is a Filipino sour soup dish with Milk fish or Bangus (Philippine national fish) and a variety of vegetables in it. Some uses kamias, santol or riped guava to make the broth more flavorful as well as a souring ingredient.

Sinigang na Bangus

Sinigang na Bangus recipe:

Ingredients:
1 big size milkfish ( bangus), cleaned and sliced into pieces diagonally
1 bundle of kangkong or sweet potato leaves (kamote tops)
1/2 bundle string beans or baguio beans, cut 1 inch length
1 medium size eggplant, cut 1 inch diagonally
8-10 pcs. okra
1 pack Tamarind soup base (sinigang mix)
3 pcs medium size tomatoes, sliced
3 thumb size ginger, peeled and sliced
1 meduim size onion, sliced
2-3 pcs. jalapeno
5 cups of water
salt or fish sauce (patis) to taste

How to cook Sinigang na Bangus:

Procedure and cooking instructions:

1. In a casserole, put water, onion, ginger, tomatoes and let it boil.
2. Add the sliced fish, eggplant, string beans and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Put okra, kangkong and jalapeno (sili pangsigang) and let boil for another 2 minutes.
4. Add the tamarind soup base ( sinigang mix).
5. Season with salt or patis according to your desired taste.
6. Serve hot with rice.

Note:
1. You can use spinach, pechay/ bok choy or frozen sweet potato if there is no available fresh kangkong leaves.
2. You can also use prawn/shrimp, tilapia, salmon or salmon heads, dalagang bukid, lapu-lapu or any kind of fish you like and wash the fish well para hindi malansa (to avoid the unwanted fish smell).

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Sunday, September 23, 2012

ADOBONG KANGKONG (WATER SPINACH)

Kangkong has two varieties, one is narrower leaf with purple stemmed and the other is with larger leaf and white-stemmed. kangkong grew up and spread in swampy, watery areas and its english name include water spinach, swamp cabbage or water morning-glory is rich in carotene, vitamin A and is beneficial to person with hypertension. In the Philippines, this popular dish known as "adobong kangkong" is sauteed in cooking oil, lots of garlic, onion, vinegar and soy sauce or bagoong sauce. This Filipino dish is simple and easy to cook and is also use for fish and meat stew like sinigang. When cutting up make sure to separate kangkong leaves from its stem/stalks because its stem should add in first in the pan before its leaves because leaves cook so fast and is not good if overcooked.

ADOBONG KANGKONG (WATER SPINACH) recipe

Ingredients:

1 bundle of kangkong, (cut up, remove hard stalks and damaged leaves)
1 cup ground pork
1/2 cup soy sauce (or bagoong sauce)
1/8 cup vinegar
1/8 cup water
1/2 head garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. cooking oil

How to cook ADOBONG KANGKONG (WATER SPINACH)

Procedure and cooking instructions:

1. Washed well the cut up kangkong leaves and stems/stalks. Drain and set aside.
2. In a pan over medium flame, heat oil and saute garlic, onion and ground pork until light brown.
3. Pour in soy sauce (or bagoong sauce), vinegar, water and let it boil then pour in kangkong stalks/stems.
4. Sprinkle with salt (if still needed) and pepper and cook for at least 2 minutes then add the kangkong leaves and stir to mix with other ingredients.
5. If the taste is okay and the kangkong leaves are wilted, remove from heat at once so it won't overcooked.
6. Put in a serving platter and serve hot with plain rice.

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ADOBONG PUSIT

Adobo is the national food of the Filipinos. The meat or main ingredient is variable. It can be pork, chicken, squid, or any other meat. This dish is versatile and flexible. It is served almost in any occasion, events, gatherings, parties, birthdays, weddings, or just in simple day to day meals of Pinoys, whether they be rich or working class financial status.

Adobong Pusit

Adobong Pusit (Squid) recipe:

Ingredients:
1 lb. squid (pusit), cleaned
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup vinegar
1 onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb size ginger, crushed
2 pcs. jalapeno (siling pansigang)
1 medium size tomato
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

How to cook Adobong Pusit (Pinoy dish)

Procedure and cooking instructions:
1. To clean the squid, pull the head and everything that comes along with it from the body tube, including the clear, hard bone. Then push the head in, popping out the hard “beak" and discard it. Pull off the grayish membrane, leaving only shiny white meat. Rinse well on the inside and drain well for 1-2 hours and set aside.
2. In a skillet, heat cooking oil and saute the garlic, onion, and ginger. Add in tomato and saute until it wilted.
3. Pour in the squid, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, jalapeno then simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Don't overcook, the squid becomes rubbery texture and tough.
6. Serve hot with rice.

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ADOBONG MANOK (Filipino National Dish)

Adobo is the national dish of the Philippines.

Adobong manok or chicken adobo is one of favorite recipe of Filipinos, easy to prepare and has a long shelf life. There are different ways of cooking adobo. You can use pork, chicken or both (combination of chicken and pork) with vinegar, soy sauce and more garlic. Some cook this with enough sauce, some are dried and some also put potato and/or red bell pepper.

Adobong Manok

Adobong Manok recipe:

Ingredients:

    1 kilo chicken, cut into desired pieces
    5 cloves garlic, minced
    1 pc. laurel leaf (bay leaf)
    1 thumb size ginger, minced
    1 pc. onion, diced
    1/2 cup vinegar
    1 cup soy sauce
    2 cups water
    2 tbsp. olive oil
    salt and pepper to taste

For Marinade:
1 tsp. ground pepper; 5 cloves garlic, minced; 1 medium lemon, squeezed and seeded; 1/2 cup soy sauce; bay leaf; pepper and chicken pieces.

How to cook Adobong Manok:

Procedure and cooking instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix in the soy sauce, vinegar, ground pepper, garlic, bay leaf and chicken pieces then marinate for 2-3 hours. Set aside the marinade sauce.
2. After 2-3 hours, heat cooking oil in a pan and saute garlic, onion, ginger until become all translucent.
3. Add in the marinade chicken and saute til the chicken becomes light brown and the fats come out. Discard those excess fats that came out from the chicken.
4. Pour now the marinade sauce and water into the chicken then simmer for 40-50 minutes until the chicken become tender and thickened the sauce.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want it drier cook a little further or with just enough sauce.
6. Serve hot with rice. Enjoy eating!

Note:
Same procedure and ingredients when using pork meat (Adobong Baboy) or beef (Adobong Baka).

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FILIPINO STYLE CHICKEN CURRY

Chicken curry is cooking chicken with curry powder, coconut milk, potatoes and red bell pepper while others add celery in it. Any part of chicken could be use when cooking. Before frying, dry chicken using paper towel so that it won't stick into the pan. Here's my way of cooking Chicken Curry:

Chicken Curry

FILIPINO STYLE CHICKEN CURRY recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
    1 lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces
    3 medium size potatoes, peeled, quartered and fried
    1 medium red bell pepper, cut into big squares
    2-3 tbsps. curry powder
    2 cups coconut milk
    1 cup water or chicken broth
    1 large onion, sliced
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1 tbsp. fish sauce (patis)
    2-3 tbsps. cooking oil
    salt and pepper to taste

How to cook FILIPINO STYLE CHICKEN CURRY

Procedure and cooking instructions:
1. Pan fry potatoes then set aside.
2. In the same pan using the same cooking oil (add if needed), fry the chicken pieces until light brown in color then set aside and remove excess oil, leave only a teaspoon.
3. In the same pan over medium flame, saute garlic, onion until translucent then put back the fried chicken pieces.
4. Add curry powder then season with patis, salt and pepper. Stir for 2-5 minutes then add water and let it boil.
5. Put coconut milk and fried potatoes. Simmer for at least 1o-15 minutes until the sauce thicken, meat is tender and almost drying.
6. Add red bell pepper and seasoning according to your taste and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and put in a serving plate with plain rice.

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Thursday, September 20, 2012

PHILIPPINE SPRING ROLLS (Lumpiang Shanghai)

Lumpiang Shanghai (Spring Rolls) is an all time favorite of all Filipinos. This dish is a finger food and is always present in every occasion or even on ordinary days as snack. Lumpia is filled with ground pork, ground beef/chicken or vegetables then wrapped and fry until golden brown and crispy and is serve with ketchup or sweet-chili sauce.

PHILIPPINE SPRING ROLLS (Lumpiang Shanghai) recipe:

Ingredients:
1 kg ground pork
1 pack spring roll wrapper
1 egg
1 big size onion, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium size carrots, chopped or grated
1 small size red bell pepper, minced
1 cup celery leaves, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp. soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

How to cook PHILIPPINE SPRING ROLLS (Lumpiang Shanghai):

Procedure and Instructions in Making and Cooking Lumpia (spring roll):
1. In a mixing bowl, mix all ingredients except spring roll wrapper and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper then mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well-blended. To check the right taste of lumpia mixture, make one spring roll and fry it to know if it needs more adjustment with the seasoning.
2. Lay one wrapper in a plate, then get 1 teaspoonful of the lumpia mixture, fill and form the mixture (as shown in the picture) in the center of the wrapper. This depends on the size of your wrapper, I'm using the small size of wrapper so I only put 1 teaspoon. Don't put too much filling if you want your meat cooked.
3. Take the bottom end of the wrapper and fold toward the center then fold left and right sides and roll towards the center tightly. Moisten the top edge using water to seal the wrapper, some use beaten egg instead of water to seal the wrapper but both could seal the wrapper. Make sure all sides are sealed so that the filling won't come out when frying.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you finish wrapping the mixture filling.
5. In a pan, heat enough oil to deep fry the lumpia until golden brown. Keep an eye on it because it fry easily.
6. When the lumpia is golden brown take out from the pan and put in a strainer to drip the oil or in a plate with paper towel.
7. Serve freshly fried with ketchup or your favorite sweet and sour or hot sauce.

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SPAGHETTI (Filipino Style)

Spaghetti is pasta with a sauce. Spaghetti can be cooked in so many versions aside from the original Italian style. This food dish has evolved all throughout the world that in almost every region it has its unique variation. The spaghetti below is based on the Philippine style of cooking.

SPAGHETTI (Filipino Style) recipe:

Ingredients:

1 kg. spaghetti noodles
1/2 kg ground beef
1/2 kg ground pork
1/4 kg hotdogs, sliced diagonally
1 kg. spaghetti sauce
1 medium can tomato sauce
1 bottle catsup (like UFC, banana or any other brand of sweet catsup)
2 medium size onions, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1 head garlic, minced
2 pcs. laurel leaves
1 package cheese, (1/2 pack grated for sauce and 1/2 for topping)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 sliced butter

How to cook SPAGHETTI (Filipino Style):

Procedure and Cooking Instructions:
1. Cook the spaghetti noodles according to package instructions.
2. In a pan or wok, put the ground pork and beef until oil comes out and discard excess fats then set aside the sauteed ground meat.
3 In the same pan or wok, saute garlic, onion and ground beef/pork in melted hot butter then season with salt, pepper and laurel leaves until ground beef and pork are lightly brown then add sliced hot dogs and simmer for 20-30 minutes in medium fire until the ground meat are tender.
4. Put now the spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and ketchup. Stir occasionally in order not to burn the meat sauce at the bottom. Add now the sugar, pepper and 1/2 pack grated cheese then simmer for another 15-20 minutes.
5. When the sauce is thicken, meats are tender and taste is okay then your spaghetti sauce is done. Take out the laurel leaves.
6. Remove from heat. Put spaghetti noodle on a serving plate then the sauce and grated cheese for topping.
7. Serve spaghetti with fried chicken or spring rolls on the side. Enjoy eating!

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