KARE KARE WITH SPECIAL BAGOONG

Kare-kare is a popular stew in Philippines that is served on special occasions like Feast Days (fiesta), Birthdays and family gatherings. The dish’s defining ingredient is its peanut sauce which is made out of peanut butter, ground toasted rice and annatto seed extract this is then cooked with variety of local vegetables and meat (usually ox tail or ox tripe). It’s a bit pale in taste compared to other rich Philippine dishes that’s why it is often always accompanied with a salty shrimp paste called bagoong.
This dish probably had originated from Pampanga  as it is really popular there and every household in the said province offer this as their specialty and have their own better versions that stand out among the others but there are also some suggestions that it originated from the Southern island of Mindanao where this dish is popular as well, it was said that this is one of the regal dishes of the Moro elite who settled in Manila even before the Spanish arrival.

Another suggestion says that it has a Japanese influence as the name “Kare-Kare” is derived from the Japanese word “Kare” which is a Japanese word for curry.   So where this dish did really came from? Well I don’t really know but most experts say it was from Pampanga also called the culinary capital of the Philippines. I guess this is not for everyone due a lot of people has allergies over nuts and if you don’t have one you might freak out with the part of beef used.  But if you are adventurous in food, this is a must try especially for those who loves peanut butter, you will feel good about this dish.

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
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup shrimp paste
• 34 Ounces water (about 1 Liter)
• 1/2 cup annatto seeds (soaked in a cup of water)
• 1/2 cup toasted ground rice
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• salt and pepper

Cooking Procedure

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!

ADOBO SA GATA

Adobo is a dish indigenous to the Philippines that involves meat, seafood or vegetable stewed in a vinegar and garlic mixture. Preparation and secondary ingredients such as onions, peppers, bay leaves, turmeric, pineapple, fish sauce and soy sauce may vary from one household to another,  from one region to the next.  Adobo sa gata is a regional take on this perennial favorite where the meat is simmered in the traditional vinegar marinade and then completed with coconut milk and chilies for a wonderful viand that’s both rich and mildly spiced.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4 to 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork butt, shoulder or belly, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 to 4 Thai chili peppers, stemmed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon oil
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a pot, combine pork, onions, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, water, vinegar and soy sauce. Over medium heat, bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until meat is tender. Drain meat and reserve 1 cup of the liquid.
2. In a pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Add reserved liquid, coconut milk and chili peppers. Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until meat is completely cooked and sauce is thickened. Season with salt to taste. Serve hot.

PUTO BUMBONG FOR CHRISTMAS

Puto Bumbong is a type of puto or rice cake named after the bamboo tube in which it is steamed. It is unusual among puto, being sticky and having a long thin shape and purple color. The elongated shape results from the method of cooking while its color comes from the violet pirurutong rice it is made of. It is served with grated coconut and brown sugar. Along with  bibingka , it is often served outside churches around Christmastime.

Yes, puto bumbong is such a favorite in the Philippines that Filipinos think of Christmas in the colors of not just red and green but also purple!
Puto bumbong, along with other favorite Filipino Christmas foods like bibingka, tsokolate and salabat, are sold right outside the many Catholic churches in the Philippines from December 16 to 24 each year, when many Filipinos attend the nine-day Christmas dawn masses that start as early as 3 o’clock in the morning.

Improvised Way of Preparing Puto Bumbong

Filipinos living outside of the Philippines make puto bumbong with just strainers, aluminum foil-covered heavy-duty paper like cardboard, and pots filled with water.
Since this improvised way does not make use of bamboo tubes, then the shape of the end-product is naturally not cylindrical but rather cup-like.
Still, the taste is absolutely the same as the puto bumbong prepared in bamboo tubes.
Here is a trouble-free and non-traditional puto bumbong recipe that does not need a lansungan.

Ingredients for Making Puto Bumbong

• banana leaves – cut into 2 square pieces
• coconut meat – fresh and grated; 2 tablespoons
• margarine or butter – 1 tablespoon
• muscovado sugar or panutsa(sugar cane sweet) – 2 tablespoons
• pandan leaves – 1 stalk
• pirurutong or purple-brown aromatic sticky rice – ½ cup
• white sticky rice – 1 cup
• water – about 4 cups

 
Instructions for Making Puto Bumbong

• Get the moist rice mixture from the muslin or cheese cloth and place it in a large-sized mixing bowl.
• Crush the rice mixture by hand until its texture becomes consistent.
• Place pandan leaves into a pot.
• Pour water into the pot.
• Place the heavy-duty paper covered with aluminum foil on the lid of the pot.
• Apply butter or margarine on the small-sized strainer.
• Fill the small-sized strainer with the rice mixture.
• Fit the small-sized strainer into the hole at the middle of the heavy-duty paper.
• Cover the pot and let the mixture steam for 60 seconds or up to two minutes.
• Scoop out the steamed rice cake and place on banana leaves.
• Flavor the rice cake with muscovado sugar or panutsa, butter or margarine, and grated meat of fresh coconuts.

Voila! Your puto bumbong is ready to eat. Have a merry Christmas!

For Christmas JELLYCAKE

As you can see, my username is Jellycake. I just made it up because it sounds cute and when you combine the two things together, I think it is a very nice results. Just imagine jelly plus cake? Isn't it yummy? This just made me wonder though. Is there really such a thing called a jellycake? I know there are cakes with a gelatinous layer on top with fruits but it has another name. I wonder if there is really a dessert with a name of jellycake. If there is none, I guess I could create one and name it like that. Haha. Anyway, for me, a cake like this would be very yummy. I love sweets and I love the balance of different textures so this would be interesting.

Have you ever tried a cake with a jelly on top? Or have you created one? Wouldn't it be a great idea for Christmas when you will bake a cake and put a gelatinous layer on top composed of different Christmas colors and incorporate lots of fruits like peaches and berries inside? For me, that is already heaven. Creative and sweet!

 My craze for Jelly Cakes began on my 10th Birthday when a Jordanian neighbour of ours taught mom to bake a completely vegetarian jelly cake. All you need is curd to substitute eggs and vegetarian strawberry flavored gelatin powder. Lets get started now.....


Don't be tempted to eat the cake until it has stood for two days. This seasoning allows the moisture from the filling to soften the cake layers. This cake also freezes well.

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup molasses
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Dried Apple Filling

PROCEDURE

Beat shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy.
Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes.
Add egg, beating until yellow disappears.
Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Stir together buttermilk and molasses in a large measuring cup.
Gradually add flour mixture to shortening mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat until blended.
Divide dough into 5 equal portions; place each portion in a 9-inch greased and floured cake pan or cast-iron skillet, and firmly press with floured fingers into pan.
Prick dough several times with a fork. Sprinkle each layer evenly with 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until golden brown. (Only bake layers on one rack at a time.)
Repeat procedure as needed to bake in pans.
Remove layers from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
Spread 1 1/2 cups Dried Apple Filling between each layer to within 1/2 inch of edge, beginning and ending with a cake layer. (Save your prettiest cake layer for the top.)
Loosely cover cake, and let stand 2 days at room temperature.
Makes 12 to 16 servings.

SHRIMP IN SOUR SOUP (SINIGANG NA HIPON PARA SA MASARAP NA TANGHALIAN)

Sinigang is a popular Filipino dish,it is a sour soup that uses tamarind as it's base flavor, it can be cooked with fish,meat,shrimp and vegetables.

Sinigang na Hipon is a Filipino sour soup dish, with shrimp as the main ingredient. Sinigang pertains to a method of cooking soups that incorporates souring agents.
Sinigang na Hipon is easily prepare by cooking the shrimp and vegetables in boiling water. The souring agent (whether natural or in powdered form) are added in the middle of the process. The commonly used souring agent is tamarind. However, other fruits such as guava, tomato, bilimbi (known as kamias), green mango, pineapple, and wild mangosteen (santol) can also be used.

For this particular soup we will be using shrimp as the main ingredient. Instead of using real tamarind,we can use packets of tamarind seasoning mix, I prefer to use "Maggi Magic Sinigang" mix,so far of all the instant mixes I've tried this one has the most natural delightful sourness,but of course you can also use Knorr or Mama Sita brand.
Detailed instructions after the jump.

Ingredients

1/2 kilo shrimp to 1 1/2 pack Sinigang mix if you want it super sour
1 big Onion (diced)
2 big tomatoes (quartered)
2 pieces Radish (sliced)
1 bundle Sitaw (String beans)
1 bundle Kangkong (cut into 2″ long)
3 pieces long green pepper
5 cups water

Procedure

1. Pour the water in a large cooking pot and bring to a boil
2. Add onions and tomatoes and cook until texture becomes soft
3. Put-in the sinigang mix and simmer for 2 minutes
4. Add the banana pepper and string beans and simmer for 3 minutes
5. Add the shrimps and fish sauce then simmer for 5 minutes
6. Add the water spinach, turn the heat off, and cover the pot. Let stand for 5 minutes.
7. Serve hot. Share and Enjoy

Pork Leg Braised in Soy Sauce and Vinegar in tagalog PATAKIM

 

 INGREDIENTS

Pork Butt or Pork Leg

green onions
3/4 c soy sauce
3/4 c vinegar
3-4 pieces of star anise
3/4 c brown or white sugar
4-5 cups of water (you may add more if the pork in not yet tender)
bok-choy for garnishing

PROCEDURE

 

Rub the green onions onto the pork butt. Heat 2 tbsps of cooking oil on a skillet. Brown all sides of the pork. Set aside.

Caramelize sugar in another pot. Add all the ingredients except the bok choy. Let it boil. Put the pork butt in. Reduce heat when the pot is boiling and cook until the meat is tender. It usually takes 2-3 hours before the meat is tender and for it to have the melt-in-your mouth softness.

Stir fry the Bok-choy and use it to garnish the Pata-tim. Have a cup of steamed white rice and you are ready to enjoy the melt-in-your mouth goodness of Pata-Tim. Happy cooking!enjoy PINOY DELICACY FOOD!

GINGER COKIES :)

          This the season so here is a different cookie recipe to make during the Christmas Season and all thru the cold winter months. Just smelling this cookie bake, sends heavenly ginger, cinnamon, and clove smells throughout your home. Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 C. flour
2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Ginger
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Cloves
1 C. brown sugar
3/4 C. oil
1/4 C. Molasses
1 egg


PROCEDURE

PROCEDURE


Stir together the first 5 ingredients and 1/4 salt. Combine remaining ingredients and beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture and beat well. Form dough into 1 inch balls. Then roll each ball in loose sugar on a plate then place each roll on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake in 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. For softer cookies bake only 8 minutes. Let cool and serve. Makes 48 cookies.

These cookies can be given as gifts with attached recipe, given to neighbors, for bake sales, or just a good family treats. Enjoy! Ho, Ho, Ho! 2 1/4 C. flour
2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Ginger
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Cloves
1 C. brown sugar
3/4 C. oil
1/4 C. Molasses
1 egg

Stir together the first 5 ingredients and 1/4 salt. Combine remaining ingredients and beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture and beat well. Form dough into 1 inch balls. Then roll each ball in loose sugar on a plate then place each roll on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake in 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. For softer cookies bake only 8 minutes. Let cool and serve. Makes 48 cookies.

These cookies can be given as gifts with attached recipe, given to neighbors, for bake sales, or just a good family treats. Enjoy! Ho, Ho, Ho!