Whitebait fritters

Whitebait refers to a kind of fish that is a delicacy here in New Zealand. It belongs to a certain species called galaxiids which spend part of its time in salt water as it develops but it mainly a freshwater fish. The whitebait is caught with nets as the fish migrates back from the sea to the rivers. They are still very small at this stage so whitebaiting can be quite an attention-grabbing activity; you have to constantly mind your nets because the whitebait are agile.

We got our whitebait from the local supermarket. It's kept in transparent packaging. It reminded me of our own Dilis which we also cooked into fritters back in Baguio, or for the "bigger" variety we'd deep fry and then you'd get a number of pieces at a time to soak into vinegar. Very crunchy! Now, where was I?

Ah yes. Whitebait fritters. The whitebait has a delicate taste. We have been googling around for a recipe but found this one from Keewee's corner as the most desirable because it's very easy to make and it does not involve using flour (which, I think, is an unnecessary addition because you can no longer taste the whitebait as it has drowned in flour and eggs. This we have experienced in our first batch of fritters not so long ago.)

Salabat (ginger tea)

Long before I learned that it is actually called ginger tea, I have known of this concoction because Filipinos in general like singing, and Salabat is reputed to improve the quality of one's voice. So when salabat is served, don't be surprised if you get asked where the concert is!

I always order this at Cafe by the Ruins in Baguio, which they serve in a small pot with a small cup and honey on the side. And since my friends are not fond of it, I get to have the pot all to my self! Perfect for rainy afternoons.

Salabat is also served in the provinces after the night mass during Christmas. A perfect complement to rice cakes.

Singing aside, ginger does have health benefits. It aids in digestion, it is a soothing drink when you have colds or flu, and loads more. And making this tea is as simple as slicing ginger and boiling some water! Though it tastes great with lemon and honey, simply use sugar if you don't have these and you'll still have great ginger tea. In fact, pictured below is the batch I made awhile ago. I was doing another ginger recipe and discovered that some parts were a bit tough so I just chopped and crushed these up and boiled these in water.



But here's an approximate measurement for your reference.

Garlic mushroom

(not the most enticing of photos I know, but this is really yummy, trust me. Gotta buy a digicam soon!)


I read way back in college that mushrooms are something that people might have allergic reaction to, so please be aware if serving mushrooms. That said, garlic mushrooms are a real treat. I think of this as pulutan actually, as we usually order this when we get together over beer on Friday nights in Manila, along with onion rings, french fries, butter chicken, crispy pata, tokwa't baboy... (miss those times). Going back:

I don't know why, but garlic and butter works well with mushrooms. So give this is a go some time! This recipe serves 4.

Cooking on TV

Watching cooking shows bring to mind my Nanay. There was this afternoon TV show that she would watch and, armed with pen and paper, she would dutifully note down the ingredients and procedure while watching how the dish is done. Wok with Yan also became a household favorite. I mean, who wouldn't love Stephen Yan's greeting (Herrooooooo!) and the crafty things he does with veggies as part of the presentation? And if you'd like to have a copy of the day's recipe, you need to send a SASE to their Canada address! No internet! There was even a Chinese Cooking Show on RPN9's Chinese Theatre every Sunday morning that we watched even though we didn't understand a single word! Ah, those were the days.

These days, we are sure to catch any of the following (in no particular order):
1. Master Chef Australia - this show goes a bit technical. It's a contest for the people who take their culinary skills quite seriously. Accomplished food critics and chefs taste and review each dish. There are different variations of Master Chef: there's one for celebrities, another for aspiring chefs. But whatever version it is, the focus is on the skills of the chefs in terms of presentation, flavour and texture.

Spaghetti Carbonara

This Spaghetti Carbonara recipe is very easy to do. But even then, I had a problem with my first batch mainly because I used the pasta we had on hand, which was fusilli (or pasta twirls). I learned the hard way that fusilli will not work on this recipe because there is simply too much surface area per piece for the egg to cover, leaving the dish bland. Plus, reheating the pasta and adding more egg did not work too!

Undaunted, I tried the recipe again this time with spaghetti and it was wonderful! A delicate taste of egg-coated spaghetti with a bit of saltiness and crunchy texture from the bacon mixed with the savoury taste of parmesan.

This carbonara goes back to basics, and does not use cream. I find that this recipe is yummy by itself, as the cream does not overpower the egg, bacon and cheese combination.

Ingredients:
500g spaghetti noodles
1 medium onion, chopped into small bits
3 cloves, crushed and chopped into small bits
bacon, around 250g, cut into small pieces
cooking oil (olive oil preferred)
4 eggs, scrambled with generous amount of salt and pepper
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese, grated

Fry the bacon in oil til crisp. A few minutes before you remove from the pan, move to one side then saute the garlic, followed by the onion, then mix in the bacon. This way you do not get overcooked garlic and onion.

Cook the spaghetti noodles as per package direction. The next step is crucial.

When the spaghetti is al dente, drain off the water and transfer to a bowl. Then while the pasta is still hot, quickly pour in the scrambled eggs and toss thoroughly. The heat from the pasta will cook the egg, and the salt and pepper from the egg will flavour the pasta.

Next, add the bacon and toss. Taste the pasta. If it's a bit bland, you may season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with grated parmesan and serve.



This is the carbonara I did using fusilli and it did not work. Now I know better :-)

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