adobongblog

A number of lumpiang shanghai preparations have come from our kitchen ever since we experimented with using wanton wrapper (and we have switched back to lumpia wrapper ever since). But I haven't discussed making a simple sauce to accompany the lumpiang shanghai. This is almost always the preferred dip for it, coupled with ketchup as an alternative for those who prefer a sweeter taste (so I'm talking banana ketchup here).

This dip is very easy to make. All you need is vinegar (preferrably white), some whole peppercorns, some garlic (crushed and chopped), a couple of pinches of salt, sugar, and some chopped spring onion (only if you have this). Combine all these together, tasting it and adding more sugar to "balance" the sweet and the sour.

The dip we have is in a bottle because we prepared a batch of our special lumpiang shanghai to bring to a birthday party, where it is customary to bring some food with you to share (sorta like a potluck party). I also cooked banana muffins, made more special by topping these with raisins.


















This is my first plate consisting of rice, our lumpiang shanghai, a bigger version of lumpiang shanghai, giniling, fried chicken, and binagoongan! This was all that can fit on my plate, so I have to go for seconds, then thirds, etc etc. and so on and so forth. I forgot my diet again on that day!


















Technorati tags: recipe

Continue reading...

I can bake! What a monumental event that was! I tried this recipe a couple of nights ago and came up with a wonderful batch of banana bread (which is one of my favorites, by the way). This recipe is real easy to do because there's no kneading and waiting for the dough to rise. I will surely want to try that soon, but in the meantime this recipe has totally given me the momentum to try out more challenging recipes.

And not only is this recipe easy to make, it's yummy too!


















Ingredients:
2 cups self-raising flour
2 eggs
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp baking soda
4 bananas, mashed

Procedure:
Mix the butter and sugar.


















Add the eggs, beating and mixing well.
Mix in the mashed bananas. Set aside.


















Heat up the milk over a pan then stir in the baking soda. This will result in a frothy mix.

Put this into the banana mixture, then fold in the flour.

You would usually place this on a baking tin, but my wife decided to use that so I was left with the muffin tin. Whichever baking container you will use, grease it up so the bread won't stick. I used butter to do this. We have a rather large muffin tray, and I was able to divide the mixture into twelve muffins.


















Bake for 45 minutes at 180C (350F).


















Then you're done! Twelve overgrown yet yummy banana bread muffin! Didn't I tell you it was easy?

Technorati tags: recipe

Continue reading...

Now, who hasn't had a taste of polvoron? Practically everybody has (in the Philippines, that is). This sweet, powdered concoction usually molded into a thick, oblong shape and wrapped with either colorful cellophane or japanese paper is childhood fodder. Try to jam more than two pieces into your mouth and you end up coughing many of it out. I have yet to meet someone who can eat polvoron and talk at the same time. Polvoron is also a popular eating contest item at parties.

Our eldest sister used to cook polvoron at home. It usually does not have time to cool off; from the frying pan it is immediately dispensed onto funnels made from bond paper and distributed to us eager kids. To indulge, we simply pry open the narrow end, tilt it onto our mouth, and tap gently to let loose the powdery stuff. Ah, the stuff of fun childhood!

To make polvoron at home, you need these very basic ingredients:
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup powdered milk
3/4 cup sugare (brown or white will do)
1/2 cup butter

















Procedure:
Heat up the frying pan over medium heat. Toast the flour for around 15 minutes. It will turn light brown. You might want to lower down the heat if you notice the flour getting scorched too much.

Turn off the heat. Add the powdered milk and sugar and mix thoroughly.



















"Dig" a hole in the middle of the pile and turn on the stove to low flame. Put the butter onto the hole so it softens up. Don't let the butter melt through and start burning up, though. Once it's soft, turn off the flame and start mixing the butter onto the flour-milk-sugar mixture.



















I noticed that no matter how much I squished and pounded onto the mixture, I still had some solid lumps on it. There are even white ones, which are flour that stubbornly stuck together. You can sift the polvoron through a strainer, like I did. Believe me, the resulting fine-powdered polvoron is loads better. Try to squish the lumpy portions by: placing this in a sandwich bag and continuously rolling a bottle over it, or ground it fine with mortar and pestle. Then just create a separate batch out of this for guests you are less fond of. hahaha!



















We tried using table napkin for the funnel but it didn't work out. Sturdier paper works best. My kid can't get enough of the polvoron, nonetheless!

Technorati tags: recipe

Continue reading...

It's the small clump of colorful, chopped vegetables sitting beside the pork chop you ordered in the restaurant. Buttered vegetables are great to munch on and are - should I say it? - nutritious too! gasp!

But you don't have to go to a restaurant or eat out just to have your mixed veggies fix. You can easily have some at home. Better yet, you can even do a lot more with it than just plain veggies. Too busy with work or, erm, Facebook to chop up veggies? Buy it pre-packed from your favorite shop! Here are other ways you can maximize your cache of mixed veggies.

















Buttered corn and carrots (and peas and beans) - all you need are mixed veggies and butter. Simply melt the over medium heat in a pan. Then pour some frozen mixed veggies and stir occasionally. No need to thaw. Yummy!

When making instant noodles (or pancit canton, for that matter), add mixed veggies to the water! It's sooo much better than the dehydrated veggies included in the pack.


















Top some mixed veggies on your fried rice. Makes it extra special!


















Add mixed veggies on your stir-fries! Like this one my wife made with beef and oyster sauce. Yummy rice topping!

















It's a very versatile pack that you can have in your ref! Remember, you do not need to thaw it. Just add to your cooking and heat up for a couple of minutes. Instant colour and flavour to regular meals!

Technorati tags: recipe

Continue reading...

There are various preparations that can be done with squid. The simplest one is grilled over an open fire (We did this on a beach back in high school. Freshly-caught squid! This was where I also learned how to remove the beak and the plastic-like thing - the cartillage - on its back).

The tricky part with squid is, no matter what method of cooking you do with it, make sure that you do not overcook it as it becomes rubbery. I rather like the smaller squid, though, as big ones are more prone to this.

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo squid, cleaned
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
3 tbsp vinegar, preferably white
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup water
cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste


Procedure:
Heat the cooking oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic.
Add the squid and mix occasionally.
After a couple of minutes, add the water, cover and let it boil.
Add the vinegar and soy sauce, mix a bit, then let simmer for a couple more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Technorati tags: recipe

Continue reading...

We actually brought the turon to a Filipino birthday party last weekend which called for "bringing a plate" (which means bring a food item here in New Zealand). Many of the guests did not know it came from us, so while I was doing my rounds on the food table, I heard some diners say delightedly, "uy turon!" "paminsan-minsan lang yan!"

It was one of the food items that was promptly gobbled up. We're so happy!

Well, we still have some cooking bananas left (it's called banana plantain at New World) so we decided to cook up some minatamis na saging (sweetened bananas). Another very simple recipe and yet it's a truly delightful thing to have on the table. You can have it as panghimagas (desert) or eat it as anytime. The slices can also be cubed further and added to a Filipino summer delight: the halo-halo.

Ingredients:
Three medium saba, roughly chopped into bite-size pieces
5 heaping tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons water


Procedure:
Place all ingredients on a pan over medium heat. Mix lightly once to coat the banana slices with the sugar and water. Cover and let cook. The sugar will promptly turn to syrup and cook the bananas. This will take around 8-10 minutes. Remove from fire and cool. This effectively preserves this sweet treat so you can have it in the course of the next few days, if it can last that long.


July 05 update
I just remembered another way this is served. Cook whole bananas using above method, then set aside to cool. To serve, place banana on a bowl, add some crushed ice, then pour some of the sweet sauce on top. The crunchy ice and soft, sweet banana is a delight!

Technorati tags: recipe

Continue reading...