Pinoy Balut

When I went home to the Philippines last year, a cousin of mine treated me,  along with a  few other cousins and friends, to dinner at a popular balikbayan destination called Isdaan Floating Restaurant in Gerona, Tarlac. Although I found the restaurant’s ambience, food and service good but not great, I was very impressed with the sizzling balut on their menu. The lightly-battered duck eggs slathered in a spicy mixture of oyster sauce and chili peppers was such a delicious experience that I’ve been regularly re-creating it at home. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do. Happy cooking!

PREP TIME

15 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

35 mins

 

Yield: 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 4 balut, cooked and peeled
• ¼ cup flour
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 shallots, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 thumb-size ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 to 3 Thai chili peppers, minced
• ½ small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon green onions, chopped
• pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a bowl, lightly dredge peeled balut with flour.
2. In a wide pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add balut and cook, turning once or twice, until lightly browned. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
3. Remove oil except 1 tablespoon from pan. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, chili peppers and bell pepper. Cook, stirring regularly, until softened and aromatic.
4. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce and water. Stir together until blended. Add to pan and bring to a boil. Add balut and continue to cook, gently turning to coat in sauce, until heated through and sauce is thickened. Season with pepper to taste. Remove from pan and arrange on sizzling plates. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.

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SINUGBANG BABOY

            Sinugbang Baboy translates to grilled pork. These are marinated pork slices that are grilled to perfection. It is also a general term that pertains to any grilled cut of pork—be it pork chops, loin, or pork belly. I specifically used pork belly for this recipe because it is the most common cut used to make this dish. In the Philippines, Pork belly is also known as “liempo”.

           I was using thick cuts of pork belly for this recipe. It was pre-sliced that way when I got it from the meat shop. My initial thought was to slice it thinner so that it will cook quickly, but I decided to go with it so that I can demonstrate the steps that are needed when you are faced with the same scenario and still end up with my ideal tasty and juicy inihaw na baboy.

            Making inihaw na baboy might sound simple to most people. Some might just rub salt all over it and throw it on the grill right away. While we are all entitled to our own beliefs and opinion, my suggestion is to go the extra mile by making your grilled pork dish stand out. This can be done by having complete and appropriate ingredients (for the marinade and basting sauce), extra time (we need time to marinate and grill the pork), and control of heat (to ensure that the meat is cooked just right). Of course, a good dipping sauce helps too. 

Prep time

3 hours

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

3 hours 40 mins

 

This is a recipe for Inihaw na Baboy or Grilled Pork

Author: Vanjo Merano

Recipe type: Pork

Cuisine: Filipino

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. Pork belly

Marinade

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 5 tablespoons banana ketchup
• 4 tablespoons Knorr Liquid Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 small lemons or 6 to 7 pieces calamansi
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Basting sauce

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Knorr Liquid Seasoning
• 3 tablespoons banana ketchup
• 1 lemon or 2 pieces calamansi
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Stir until all ingredients are well blended.
2. Put the pork in the bowl with the marinade. Make sure to coat the pork. Cover and marinate the pork for at least 3 hours. Note: you can place this inside the refrigerator to avoid contamination.
3. Prepare the basting sauce by mixing all the basting sauce ingredients.
4. Heat-up the grill. Start to grill one side of the pork in low to medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Brush the basting sauce over the pork and then turn it over to grill the opposite side. continue to grill for another 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat this step 2 to 3 times more (do not forget to baste the pork every time you turn it) until its completely cooked.
6. Remove from the grill and let it cool down. Slice into serving pieces.
7. Serve with a dip composed of vinegar, soy sauce, chili peppers, chopped onion, and ground black pepper.
8. Share and enjoy!

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KINILAW ISDA

             Kinilaw is a type of Filipino fish ceviche wherein Wahoo fish fillet is cut into cubes and cured in a mixture of calamansi juice, fresh ginger, onion, chili, and seasonings.

               Calamansi (which is scientifically known as Calamondin) is a small fruit that looks like key lime. This has a sour juice with a mild bitter taste. It is a popular souring agent in Filipino cuisine and one of the best ingredients when making Filipino fish ceviche or kilawin.

               The key in making the best kinilaw is to choose the freshest ingredient. The fish that I used were fresh from the market. This was made when I was in the Philippines for a few weeks. I was too excited to make this dish using the freshest fish and calamansi (since I am deprived of fresh calamansi here in the Midwest).

Here are the ingredients:

1/2 kilo tuna or lapu-lapu fillets cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup of coconut cream (check Extract coco milk)
1/2 cup kalamansi juice
1 1/2 cup vinegar
1 onion, sliced
1 onion, diced
4 slices of ginger, sliced
1 head garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut into squares
1 green bell pepper, cut into squares
3 chili peppers, sliced into halves
salt and pepper

Preparation
1. Cut the fillets into 1 inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the vinegar and chill for a 2 to 4 hours.
3. Drain the fish.
4. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, chili pepper, onions and calamansi juice. Mix well.
5. Add the coconut cream. Serve cold.
It’s simple but it just takes more preparation time cutting all those ingredients.

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BATCHOY

         Batchoy is a soup dish composed of sliced pork, pig’s innards, and miki noodles.This dish originated from the district of La Paz in Iloilo City — in the island of Panay. Throughout the years, batchoy gained popularity and has been a favorite soup dish along with beef mami, beef pares, and bulalo.The miki noodles used in this recipe refers to fresh egg noodles. This type of noodle is often used in soup dishes. Since the noodles are fresh, it requires minimal cooking time. Sometimes, pouring hot broth over the noodles is enough to cook it

        

           Traditional batchoy recipe requires the use of shrimp paste or guinamus (or guinamos). Unlike regular shrimp paste or bagoong, the shrimp paste used in traditional batchoy are sold in small blocks. It is usually mixed in water and boiled until the flavor comes out. It is later strained and the liquid is added to the broth or caldo. If you can’t find this type of guinamus, you can always use regular shrimp paste – like what I did.

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

90 mins

Total time

1 hour 40 mins

 

Author: Vanjo Merano

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb miki noodles, boiled for 1 minute and drained
• 1 lb pork
• 1 lb pig's intentesines; cleaned, boiled, and sliced
• ¼ lb pig liver, sliced into strips
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon shimp paste (bagoong or guinamus) * optional
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup pork cracklings (chicharon), crushed
• 3 tablespoons spring onion, chopped
• ¼ cup toasted garlic
• 7 cups water

Instructions

1. Boil water in a cooking pot.
2. Put-in salt, sugar, onion powder, ground black pepper, and shrimp paste. Cook for a minute.
3. Add the pork and cook until tender (about 30 to 45 minutes)
4. Put-in the intestines and liver, and then cook for 6 to 10 minutes.
5. Remove the pork, liver, and intestine from the broth (caldo). Set aside.
6. Slice the pork into strips.
7. Arranged the cooked miki noodles in a single serving bowl.
8. Place the strips of pork, liver, and intestine on top of the miki noodles.
9. Pour the broth in the bowl, and then garnish with spring onions and toasted garlic.
10. Serve hot. Share and enjoy!

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KARE KARE

       Kare Kare is a traditional Filipino stew complimented with a thick savory peanut sauce. The commonly used meats for this dish are ox tail, tripe, and pork leg; on some occasions goat and chicken meat are also used. Besides the peanuts, this dish depends on the shrimp paste (on the side) in order to be fully enjoyed. Traditionally, “palayok” (clay cooking pot) is used to cook this dish and it is also used as the serving pot.

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

150 mins

Total time

2 hours 40 mins

 

This is a recipe for Kare-kare or ox tripe stew

Author: Vanjo Merano

Recipe type: Beef

Cuisine: Filipino Recipe

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3 lbs oxtail (cut in 2 inch slices) you an also use tripe or beef slices
• 1 small banana flower bud (sliced)
• 1 bundle of pechay or bok choy
• 1 bundle of string beans (cut into 2 inch slices)
• 4 pcs eggplants (sliced)
• 1 cup ground peanuts
• ½ cup peanut butter
• ½ cup shrimp paste
• 34 Ounces water (about 1 Liter)
• ½ cup annatto seeds (soaked in a cup of water)
• ½ cup toasted ground rice
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil
2. Put in the oxtail followed by the onions and simmer for 2.5 to 3 hrs or until tender (35 minutes if using a pressure cooker)
3. Once the meat is tender, add the ground peanuts, peanut butter, and coloring (water from the annatto seed mixture) and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes
4. Add the toasted ground rice and simmer for 5 minutes
5. On a separate pan, saute the garlic then add the banana flower, eggplant, and string beans and cook for 5 minutes
6. Transfer the cooked vegetables to the large pot (where the rest of the ingredients are)
7. Add salt and pepper to taste
8. Serve hot with shrimp paste. Enjoy!

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KALDERITANG KANDING

One of my favorite Filipino dishes is the Kaldereta or Caldereta. It is a hearty meat dish using chevon (goat meat), beef, or pork combined with potatoes, carrots, tomato sauce, and liver spread or liver paste. This is a popular dish served during special occasions and a regular in every Filipino cookbook. Consider it as the Philippines top beef stew.

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: Vanjo Merano

Cuisine: Filipino Recipe

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef, cubed
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 small red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 small green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• ½ cup liver spread or liver paste (processed using blender)
• 1 tsp. crushed chili or red pepper
• 3 large bay leaves
• 2 cups potatoes, sliced
• 2 cups carrots, sliced
• ¼ cup cooking oil
• ⅔ cup green olives
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the cooking oil in the cooking pot or pressure cooker.
2. Sauté the onion and garlic.
3. Add the beef. Cook for 5 minutes or until the color turns light brown.
4. Add the dried bay leaves and crushed pepper. Stir.
5. Add the liver spread. Stir.
6. Pour-in the tomato sauce and beef broth.
7. Cook the beef until it becomes tender (about 30 mins if using a pressure cooker, or 1 to 2 hours if using an ordinary pot).
8. Add potato and carrots. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
9. Put the green olives and bell peppers in the cooking pot. Stir and continue to cook for 5 minutes more.
10. Add salt and pepper to taste
11. Serve Hot. Enjoy!

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KANDING PAPAIT

          Papaitan Kambing “Pinapaitan nga kalding”or Goat Innard Stew (Bitter Goat Stew) is a unique Ilocano cuisine that has a main ingredient of goat’s tripe, intestines, lungs, kidney, liver and papait (bile liquid). 

          Every special occasion like graduation blow-out party, christmas/new year’s party or birthday party, this dish is hit! Ito ang laging unang nauubos! No wonder why because it’s really good! Masarap! Naimas!  I know that this authentic dish is famous not only in Ilocos Region but also in the entire Philippines. But now that I’m based in US, it’s surprising to know that some Americans like our pinapaitan too! Filipino dishes have a way to win the palette of other races. Masarap naman kasi talaga ang lutuing Pinoy di po ba?  

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

1 hour 48 mins

Total time

2 hours 3 mins

 

Author: Manny

Recipe type: Goat Recipe

Cuisine: Filipino

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 kilo goat innards (tripe, lungs, small intestines, kidney)
• 1 head whole garlic
• 3 Tbsp. ginger, sliced into strips
• 1 inch ginger, crushed
• 1 head garlic, chopped
• 2 red onion, chopped
• ⅛ cup spring onion, chopped
• 1 small packet plain sinigang mix (tamarind)
• 3 pcs siling haba (green finger chili), sliced
• ½ cup patis
• Granulated seasoning (e.g. Magic Sarap, NamNam) to taste (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

How to cook papaitan kambing:

1. Wash the goat's tripe, lungs, small intestines and kidneys thoroughly and set aside the intestines.
2. In a medium size pot put the tripe, lungs, kidneys, whole garlic and crushed ginger with enough water just to cover the meat.
3. Boil for at least 15 minutes then drain. Let is cool and set aside.
4. In another pot, put the small intestines and fill with water just enough to cover the intestines.
5. Boil for at least 15 minutes then drain the intestines and set aside to cool. Save the green liquid from the boiled intestines which you will use later as papait.
6. Slice all the goat innards into tidbits. In a small pan saute garlic until fragrant then follow the onions and ginger and saute until the onions are soft.
7. Add the goat innards and saute for about 9 minutes or until the innards starts to produce oil.
8. Pour some fish sauce or patis and stir for 4 minutes then pour water just enough to cover the innards. Simmer for at least 1 hour or less or until the meat is tender. Add water if the liquid is evaporating too much.
9. Last but not the least add the siling haba, sinigang mix and the papait (the green enzyme).
10. Add the sinigang mix and the papait a little at a time until the desired bitterness and sourness is achieved.
11. Simmer for another 4 to 5 minutes and season with salt, pepper and granulated seasoning. Serve hot with steamed rice.

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CRISPY PATA

Crispy Pata is a famous Filipino pork dish that uses a whole pig’s leg. The leg (or pata) is made tender by simmering in water along with other spices. It is then rubbed with seasonings and deep-fried until the texture becomes very crunchy.This dish can be eaten as a main dish along with pickled green papaya (atchara) and a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and chopped onions. It can also be served as beer food or “pulutan” – which is what Crispy Pata is popularly known for.

Deep frying a whole leg can cause the hot oil to be uncontrollable. It is a must to slightly (not fully, as the cover can pop-up due to pressure) cover the cooking pot while frying. There are also other recipes that require the leg to be frozen then deep-fried immediately. I do not recommend that, at all. The technique can be effective, but it is very risky. It is better to fry the leg in medium heat until it becomes crispy.

Crispy Pata is best eaten with a good dipping sauce. I make my sauce by combing 1 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, one small chopped onion, and some bird’s eye chili. I microwave it for 30 seconds to let the flavor of the onions out.

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

90 mins

Total time

1 hour 40 mins

 

Author: Vanjo Merano

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 whole pig’s leg (pata; about 3 to 4 lbs), cleaned
• 6 pieces dried bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons whole peppercorn
• 4 to 6 pieces star anise (optional)
• 6 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 to 3 teaspoons garlic powder
• 12 to 15 cups water
• 8 to 12 cups cooking oil

Instructions

1. Pour water in a cooking pot then let boil.
2. Put-in dried bay leaves, whole peppercorn, star anise, and 4 teaspoons of salt.
3. Add the whole pig’s legs in the cooking pot then simmer until the leg becomes tender (about 45 to 60 minutes).
4. Remove the tender leg from the cooking pot and set aside until the temperature goes down.
5. Rub the leg with garlic powder, ground black pepper, and remaining salt. Let stand for 15 minutes to absorb the rub.
6. Heat a clean large cooking pot (preferably with cover) and pour-in cooking oil.
7. When the oil becomes hot, deep fry the rubbed pork leg. Continue cooking in medium heat until one side becomes crispy, and then cautiously flip the leg to crisp the other side. Note: Be extra careful in doing this procedure.
8. Turn-off the heat; remove the crispy pork leg; and transfer it to a wide serving plate.
9. Serve with atcharang papaya and soy sauce – vinegar dipping sauce.
10. Share and enjoy!

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HUMBA NGA BABOY

Humba is a sweet pork dish that resembles the famous pork adobo in terms of appearance. This is popular in the southern parts of the Philippines and is considered as one of the delicacies of the region. Pork belly, pork hocks, and pork ham are the 3 most common pig parts used to make this delightful masterpiece.

 This dish uses all the ingredients of pork adobo; however, certain ingredients such as brown sugar, salted black beans, and banana blossoms make this dish stand out. There are also other variations wherein pineapple juice is used (I learned this from my friends that came from Cebu, Davao, and Gensan) – this gives more life to the dish as far as I’m concerned.

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: Vanjo Merano

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pork belly
• 1 cup Pineapple juice
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons salted black beans
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ cup dried banana blossoms
• 2 pieces dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole peppercorn

Instructions

1. Heat the cooking pot then brown the pork belly
2. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are soft
3. Put-in the soy sauce, peppercorn, bay leaves
4. Pour-in the pineapple juice and let boil. Simmer until the pork is tender (add water as needed)
5. Add the vinegar and wait for the mixture to re-boil. Simmer for 3 minutes
6. Spoon-in the salted black beans and brown sugar then simmer for 5 minutes
7. Add the dried banana blossoms and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes
8. Transfer to a serving plate and serve. Share and enjoy!

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NILAT-ANG BABOY

Nilat-ang Baboy is a type of Filipino pork soup in clear. I used pork belly in this version along with other ingredients such as potato, saba banana, and pechay (or baby bok choy). It is a perfect dish that you can enjoy during cold and rainy weather. I suggest that you serve this hot with a small bowl or saucer of fish sauce (with chili pepper if you prefer it  a bit spicy) on the side.

 

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

 

This is a recipe for Pork Nilaga. It is a type of soup in clear broth.

Author: Vanjo Merano

Recipe type: Pork

Cuisine: Filipino

Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. pork belly, cut into cubes
• 1 Knorr Pork Cube
• 3 to 4 small potato, peeled and sliced in half
• 2 pieces ripe saba banana, sliced
• 6 to 8 ounces pechay or bok choy
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 6 to 7 cups water
• 1 tablespoon whole peppercorn
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce

Instructions

1. Pour water in a cooking pot. Let boil.
2. Add onion and whole peppercorn. Continue to boil until the onion becomes tender.
3. Put the pork belly into the cooking pot. Let the water re-boil.
4. Add the pork cube. Stir. Cover the pot and continue to cook in low heat for 45 to 60 minutes or until the pork gets tender.
5. Add potato and saba banana. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Add the fish sauce and pechay or bok choy. Stir. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve.
8. Share and enjoy!

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BINAS-OYANG BABOY

         There have been countless versions of Bas-uy around. The difference mostly is the vegetables used for every recipe. I think that there is no wrong way of preparing Bas uy as long as you stick to the core components which are pork, liver, and lemongrass.

          I am using chayote (sayote) for this recipe. I also added some green onions for that delicate onion flavor that blends well with the soup. Aside from using chayote, you may also use potatoes and bottle gourd (upo) for this recipe.

         Some of you might not like liver. That is ok, but I suggest that you give this recipe a try because you won’t taste the gamy flavor of the liver – as long as you follow the exact steps. The gamy flavor of the liver is neutralized when you cook it in onion and ginger. Who knows, you might enjoy eating liver after all.

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Author: Vanjo Merano

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 1 lb. pork shoulder, sliced
• ½ lb. pig liver, sliced
• 2 pieces chayote, sliced
• 4 stalks green onion or onion leek; cut in 2 inch length
• 1 thumb ginger, julienne
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks lemongrass, tied
• 6 cups beef or pork broth
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the cooking oil in a cooking pot.
2. Once the oil becomes hot, sauté onion and ginger until the onion becomes soft.
3. Add the sliced liver. Continue to sauté for 2 minutes. This will remove the gamy taste and aroma. Remove the liver and temporarily place in a clean plate.
4. Put-in the garlic. Saute until color turns light brown.
5. Add-in the pork. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Pour-in the beef broth. Let boil.
7. Put-in the lemongrass. Cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
8. Remove the lemongrass. Put-in the chayote and cooked liver. Continue to cook in medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add water, if needed.
9. Add-in the green onion or onion leeks. Cook for 2 minutes.
10. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can also use fish sauce if you prefer.
11. Serve hot with rice.
12. Share and enjoy!

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OTAN PAKBET

This Pinakbet recipe is comprised of different vegetables such as eggplant (talong), squash (kalabasa), sting beans (sitaw), ampalaya (bitter melon), okra, and others. Since there are quite a number of ingredients required, I usually carry a shopping list and buy the freshest produce from a nearby market on the day that I’ll cook them. When it comes to the Shrimp paste, I always buy an extra bottle from the Asian store so that I won’t run out of stock.

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Vanjo Merano

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ¼ lb pork, thinly sliced
• 1 large egg plant, sliced
• 1 medium-sized bitter melon, chopped
• ¼ lb squash, chopped into 2x1 inch cubes
• 3 pieces large tomato, sliced
• 1 piece onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 to 8 pieces okra
• 1 bunch string beans, cut in 3 inches length
• 4 tbsp shrimp paste
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the pan and put the cooking oil.
2. When oil is hot enough, saute the garlic, ginger, onion, and tomato
3. Add the pork and cook until color turns light brown (about 5 to 8 minutes)
4. Put-in the shrimp paste and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until pork is tender
6. Put-in the squash and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until texture becomes soft
7. Add the remaining vegetables and mix with the other ingredients.Simmer for 5 minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked. (Do not overcook the vegetables)
8. Serve hot with steamed white rice. Share and Enjoy!

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OTAN LAW-OY

              It’s perfect season for soups once again! Although Filipinos eat our hot soups all-year round, from where I am at (Northern California), the colder weather calls for some really comfort soups to warm the tummy everyday. So I am getting ready my slow cooker and stock pots to make our family’s favorite soup recipes all throughout the season.

            For today, I’d like to share with you guys a fish and vegetable soup known as “law-uy”. It’s very popular in the Visayas and Mindanao region in the Philippines, particularly in Cebu where I grew up.

Also goes by the name “utan Bisaya“, it is a local favorite for its ease of preparation and delicious taste. You can get most of the ingredients for cheap or almost free if you grow vegetables in your backyard.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup of water
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 200g squash
• 3 pcs tomatoes
• 200g eggplant
• 200g okra
• 100g alugbati
• 1 cup malunggay
• 1 tsp patis
• 2 pcs mackerel
• oil for deep frying

Cooking Instructions:

1.  Fry fish in hot oil and set aside.
2.  In a pot, bring water to a boil. When boiling, add the fish and lemongrass and simmer for a few minutes till broth becomes flavorful.
3. Add vegetables except malunggay and simmer till vegetables are cooked.
4.  Season to taste with fish sauce then add the malunggay leaves last. Serve while hot.

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LECHON BABOY

Letchon Baboy  is a pork dish in several regions of the world, most specifically Spain and its former colonial possessions throughout the world. Lechón is a Spanish word referring to a roasted suckling pig.

 

Ingredients:
1 whole pig (20 kilos), rinse and inside is clean and empty
10-20 bundles of lemon grass, pounded
500 grams spring onions, pounded
15 pieces bay leaves
1 kilo garlic
1 kilo onion
2-3 cups salt and peppe

 evaporated milk (glaze)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Pour boiling water inside pig’s belly. Drain.
2. Rub pig with salt and pepper inside and out.
3. Skewer the pig with a long bamboo.
4. Stuff the pig belly with lemon grass, spring onions, bay leaves, garlic, and onions. Secure with cooking thread.
5. Rub the skin with evaporated milk. This will make the skin red and crispy.
Part 2
1. Roast the pig slowly over hot charcoal then glaze with remaining milk from time to time.
2. Roast for 4-5 hours or until skin is red and crispy, and the meat is tender.

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LETCHON NGA MANOK

If you are in the Philippines, you can be considered lucky enough because lechon manok is available almost everywhere. Chances are that there are several stalls/stores near your place that sells this yummy food and they all compete with each other in terms of quality and price. Andok’s, Baliwag, Sr. Pedro, and Chooks-to-go are some of the popular names when it comes to lechon manok.

 But, what if you live abroad? What are your options if you start to crave for one? I am not sure on how it is in your location, but I can say that I have very few options here in Chicago, so I decided to make one for my family. It is not as convenient as buying cooked lechon manok in Manila, but I developed the confidence and the bragging right to say, “I made one myself and it was delicious”.

 Before we start, let me tell you that you will need the proper equipment to spit-roast the chicken with ease – you do not want to manually turn the chicken for 3 hours. It will be great if you have a spit-roaster that you can turn to autopilot to make things more convenient. I just happened to have a grill (Weber Summit S‑670) that does almost everything, and it even has a spit roaster where I can make lechon manok or even lechon de leche.

This is a recipe for rotisserie or spit-roasted chicken. This is also known as Lechon Manok in Filipino.

Author: Vanjo Merano

Recipe type: Main dish

Cuisine: Filipino

Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 1 (2 to 3 lbs.) whole chicken

Marinade

• 4 thumbs ginger, crushed
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 5 pieces dried bay leaves, crumbled
• 1 stalk lemongrass, bottom part crushed
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 ¾ cups 7-up

Stuffing

• 1 stalk crushed lemongrass (tanglad)
• 2 bunches of green onions (dahon ng sibuyas)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients. Mix well.
2. Place the chicken inside a large re-sealable bag. Pour the marinade in the bag with the chicken. Put the onion and lemongrass inside the cavity. Seal and refrigerate overnight.
3. Remove the chicken from the bag and then stuff with fresh lemongrass and green onion.
4. Prepare to roast the chicken on the grill by skewering the entire fowl on a spit and secure both sides with a grill fork.
5. Spit-roast (or i-litson in Tagalog) for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the chicken is done
6. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve with lechon manok sauce and atchara.
7. Share and enjoy!

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BIHON NGA PANSIT

Pancit, or pansit, is a quick-cooked noodle dish that is one of the quintessential meals of Filipino cuisine. All kinds are available, and pancit is as popular at street stands as it is at family gatherings. The most common variety is pancit bihon, with rice vermicelli and a mix of meat and vegetables.

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• Rice vermicelli noodles -- 1 (8-ounce) package
• Oil -- 3 tablespoons
• Onion, sliced thinly -- 1
• Garlic, minced -- 2 to 3 cloves
• Cabbage, chopped -- 1/4 head
• Carrots, grated or julienne -- 2
• Chicken breast, sliced thinly -- 1 pound
• Chinese sausages, sliced thinly on the bias (optional) -- 3 or 4
• Chicken broth -- 2 cups
• Soy sauce -- 1/4 cup
• Salt and pepper -- to taste
• Lemons or Kalamansi limes, cut into wedges-- 2

Method

1. Add the noodles to a large bowl and pour hot water over them to cover. Let soak for about 15 minutes, then drain and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and stir fry until the onions just begin to turn translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and carrots and stir fry for another 2 to 3 minutes. Finally add the chicken breast and sliced Chinese sausages and stir fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Pour in the broth, soy sauce, salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Remove the wok or pot from heat and add the soaked rice noodles. Toss the noodles with the ingredients to coat them with sauce and adjust seasoning. Serve in bowls with lemon or lime wedges to squeeze over the top.

Pancit Bihon Variations

• Meat and Seafood: Add or substitute other meats or seafood for the chicken. Try pork, shrimp, squid, crumbled fried pork rinds, hard-boiled eggs. Often the chicken or pork is simmered in some water first to cook it through. Remove the meat and reserve the broth. Let the meat cool, shred it and add the meat and the broth to the noodles.
• Vegetables: Different vegetables can be added too. Some possibilities: bell peppers, green beans, snow peas, mung bean sprouts, carrots, celery, scallions.

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ADOBONG MANOK (MANOK SA VINEGAR OG SOY SOUCE)

Adobong manok, often called "chicken adobo," is often considered the national dish of the Philippines. Its origins are with the Spanish colonizers — adobo is the Spanish word for a marinade — but Filipinos have happily adapted it as their own.

The vinegar marinade makes a dish that stores very well in the Filipino heat. Endless varieties of adobo exist and each region has its own specialty. Besides chicken and pork, there is fish, squid, green bean and even eggplant adobo.

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• Chicken, cut into serving pieces -- 2 1/2 to 3 pound
• White vinegar -- 3/4 cup
• Soy sauce -- 1/4 cup
• Onion, thinly sliced -- 1/2
• Garlic, crushed -- 4 to 6 cloves
• Bay leaf -- 1-2
• Peppercorns -- 6 to 8
• Salt -- 1 teaspoon
• Water -- 1 cup
• Oil -- 1/4 cup

Method

1. Add the chicken pieces, vinegar, soy sauce, onion, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt to a large, non-reactive bowl and refrigerate for 1-4 hours to marinate.
2. Place the chicken and its marinade in a large pot. Add the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Add water as necessary to keep the chicken from drying out.
3. Remove the chicken from its sauce, reserving the sauce, and pat dry. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high flame and sauté the chicken pieces to brown them. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Bring the remaining sauce to a boil over medium flame and cook until somewhat reduced and thickened.
5. Toss the browned chicken pieces with the reduced sauce and serve with rice.

Adobo Variations

• Adobong Manok na Gata (Chicken in vinegar sauce with coconut milk): Use 1 cup coconut milk instead of the water.
• Pork Adobo: Substitute 1 1/2 pounds of cubed pork for the chicken. The pork is usually browned in oil first and then simmered with the rest of the ingredients. Pork adobo is probably even more popular than chicken.
• Using a combination of pork and chicken is very popular.
• Sautéing the chicken or pork can be eliminated if you like, but it adds a lot of flavor and color.
• Vary the proportions of vinegar and soy sauce to your taste.
• Sugar cane vinegar is used in the Philippines, but white or cider vinegar can be used.
• Add a little sugar to round off the tartness if you like.
• Add 1 cup pineapple to the simmering sauce or use pineapple juice instead of the water.

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MANOK HALANG HLANG (SPICY CHICKEN IN COCUNOT MILK)

Halang Halang Recipe (Chicken Cooked in Coconut Milk)  is a variation of Ginataan, a simple and easy to make Filipino dish with a variety of ingredients from vegetables, all the way to meat, and seafood that is cooked with coconut milk.

Halang Halang, as the name suggests uses Chicken as the main ingredient, though it can have optional ingredients like papaya and malunggay if needed. The main ingredients needed to cook Ginataang Manok are garlic cloves, cooking oil, chopped onions, chicken, fish sauce (patis), salt and pepper, and coconut milk. Other ingredients that may be added are unripe papaya and malunggay, this makes the Ginataang Manok tastier, and at the same time, healthier. The recipe is simple, quite easy, and very tasty, all the same time.

 

Halang Halang Recipe and Preparation Tips

• The first step to make Ginataang Manok is to sauté the crushed cloves of garlic with cooking oil with medium or low heat.
• The next step to making Ginataang Manok is when the garlic turns to a golden brown color, add the chopped onions and sauté it for a few more minutes, three to four minutes would do.
• Once done, add the chicken along with the garlic and onions that have been sautéed, then you can pour some fish sauce (patis) and some crushed black pepper, as well as salt to add flavor to the Ginataang Manok.
• Once you can see the chicken turning into a light, brown color, add the coconut milk, along with the rest of the ingredients of the Ginataang Manok.
• Afterwards, simmer the ingredients until the chicken is tender.
• If you’re going to add the unripe papaya and malunggay leaves, add them once the chicken is tender, afterwards, simmer until the papaya is soft.
• Once you’re done, you can now serve Ginataang Manok on a bow, eat it with rice along with your family, your friends, and relatives. Eat well!

Simply Follow Ginataang Manok Recipe Posted below to make it easier for you to follow. The Ingredients and also the Cooking instruction as well. You Can also follow the steps above or choose the other way around.

 

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Tinonuang Nangka

Filipino Style Recipe: Tinunoang Nangka or jackfruit in coconut milk is another easy yet healthy food. Normally the jackfruit sliced and boiled. Then cooked with coconut milk together with shrimps or salted dried fish, season with salt and pepper.

Estimated time of preparation: 20 minutes

Estimated time of cooking: 30-40 minutes

Good for 5 persons

Ingredients:
6 cups unripe jackfruit(langka), sliced
1 cup coconut cream(first extract)
2 cups coconut milk(second extract)
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large onion, chopped
1 thumb-sized ginger, sliced thinly
3 pieces green chili(siling haba)
200 grams medium shrimp or shredded salted dried fish(daing)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
1. In a saucepan, heat oil and saute onion, garlic and ginger.
2. Add langka, stir and saute for a few minutes.
3. Pour coconut milk(second extract), simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
4. When the sauce is almost absorb, pour coconut cream(first extract) and season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook for another 10 minutes or until langka is tender. Stir occasionally to avoid curdling.
6. Add fried fish and green chili, simmer until sauce is thickens and oily.
7. Transfer to serving bowl then serve.

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ADOBONG NOCOS (Fried Squid)

Adobong Pusit (Squid Adobo) is a stewed squid in soy sauce, vinegar, and other ingredients.

Squid Adobo Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs squid (pusit)
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1 onion; chopped
• 1 tomato; chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic; crushed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• Pepper
• Salt (optional ingredient)

Squid Adobo Cooking Instructions

1. Wash and clean the squid by removing all the entrails.
2. Saute garlic, onion, and tomato.
3. Add the squid, pepper, vinegar, and soy sauce.
4. Simmer until the dish is cooked.
5. Salt to taste. 

Cooking Tip:

• You can also add sugar if you want your adobong pusit to be sweet.

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