Arroz Ala Cubana

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsps cooking oil
• 6 pcs ripe plantain bananas, cut lengthwise
• 2 small pcs (160 grams) sweet potato, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 large red onion
• 6 pcs (225 grams) red ripe tomatoes
• 375 grams lean ground pork
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2-1/4 tbsps fish sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 pc (40 grams) carrot, chopped
• 1/2 pc (15 grams) red bell pepper, minced
• 2 sachets (about 30 g.) raisins
• 1/2 tbsp white sugar

thickening agent:

• 1 tbsp cornstarch or tapioca starch
• 3 tbsps water

Procedure:

1. In a pan, over medium-high fire, heat thoroughly. Put 1/3 of oil, fry the bananas until golden brown. Remove from pan. Drain in paper towel.
2. Back to the pan, put half of the remaining cooking oil. Heat again. Stir-fry the sweet potatoes until sides are lightly brown. Remove from pan. Retain oil.
3. Put the rest of the oil in the pan. Add garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Saute until translucent. Mash. Put the ground pork, black pepper, fish sauce and soy sauce. Stir-fry until pork separates and sauce thickens or dries up.
4. Put water. Cover. Bring to boil. Then, reduce heat to low. Simmer for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, put the thickening agent ingredients. Mix well. Set aside.
5. Increase fire to medium heat, put the carrot, bell pepper, raisins and sugar. Mix. Lid on. Cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Add the sweet potatoes and thickening agent. Mix well. Bring to boil.
7. Serve with fried bananas, rice and usually with sunny side up egg, in which this time I did not, we had too much of eggs this week (",)

Pancit Luglug

Ingredients:

• 500 grams rice sticks (pancit luglug)
• 2 packs oriental gravy mix (palabok mix sauce), I used Mama Sita's
• 5 cups water
• 1 tbsp anatto seeds with lye water (achuete na may lihia)
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 3 tbsps cooking oil
• 6 cloves garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onion, minced
• 250 grams lean ground pork
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp salted tiny shrimps (hibe), finely minced
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsps ground smoked fish (giniling na tinapa)
• 50 grams pounded pork cracklings (giniling na chicharon)

toppings:

• nicely toasted garlic
• pork cracklings
• chopped spring onions
• sliced hard boiled eggs
• a few pieces of boiled & headless shrimps
• Philippine lemon (kalamansi)

Procedure:

1. Cook rice sticks as per package directions.
2. Combine in a bowl the oriental gravy mix and water. Mix. Set aside.
3. Place the anatto seeds in a bowl. Carefully pour the hot water. Stir. Stand aside for a few minutes until it render a intense orangy-red color (remove the anatto seeds).
4. In a large wok, place over medium-high fire, heat moderately. Put oil and garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onion. Saute until soft. Add the ground pork, black pepper, salted tiny shrimps, fish sauce and ground smoked fish. Stir-fry until it aromatic. Put the anatto mixture. Cook for a few seconds.
5. Pour the palabok mixture. Cook until it boils. Put the cooked rice sticks. Put off the fire. Mix until blended. Sprinkle the pounded pork racklings. Stir some more. Place in a large serving platter or the traditional "bilao", lined with wilted banana leaves.
6. Top with toasted garlic, pork cracklings, spring onions, hard boiled eggs and shrimps. Just before eating, squeeze kalamansi on top for that extra flavor and aroma.

Bacon, Ground Pork & Spaghetti in White Sauce

Ingredients:

• 300 grams spaghetti noodles
• 1 tbsp of butter
• 200 grams bacon, cut into two
• 1 tbsp of light olive oil
• 1 pc (100 grams) white onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 250 grams lean ground pork
• good pinch of fine salt
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of chicken & mushroom condensed soup
• 1 brick (250 ml) all purpose cream
• 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves & some for garnishing

Procedure:

1. Cook spaghetti as per package direction. Do not run in water, just strain. While hot, toss with butter.
2. Meanwhile, using a large skillet over medium-high heat. Slightly cook the bacon for several seconds. Do not brown. Remove from pan. Retain the oil.
3. Add the light olive oil. Saute together the onion & garlic until aromatic only. Put the ground pork, salt and pepper. Saute until it separates and the pork changes color.
4. Pour the white wine. Let it cook for a minute, making the alcohol evaporates.
5. Put the condensed soup, cream, cheese, water and oregano. Stir. Bring to boil lightly. Toss in the buttered spaghetti and bacon until well blended.
6. Serve. Garnish with dried oregano.

Chicken Congee (Arroz Caldo)

Ingredients:

• 400 grams uncooked glutinous rice (malagkit)
• 8 cups water
• 3 tbsps cooking oil
• 8 cloves garlic
• 50 grams ginger
  
• 2 large (100 grams) red onion
  
• 2 pcs (650 grams) chicken thigh & leg part
  
• 250 grams chicken liver & gizzard
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 10 cups hot water
• 2 pcs chicken cubes
• 1 tsp iodized coarse salt
• 3 leaves pandan, tied in a knot
• 1 heaping tsp of wild saffron (kasubha)
• 6-8 pcs or more shelled hard-boiled chicken eggs

Procedure:

1. In a medium thick bottom casserole, put the uncooked glutinous rice. Wash twice. Drain well. Put water. Cover. Place over medium high fire. Bring to boil. Then, decrease fire to very low. Cook with lid on for 15 minutes. Mix well. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat the casserole. Set aside until needed.
2. Meanwhile, pound finely the garlic. Slice the ginger into julienne. Cut in half the onion, then, slice thinly. Cut into very small pieces the chicken. Cut into two each chicken gizzard & liver.
3. In pan, place over medium-high heat. Put oil, garlic and ginger. Saute until garlic is rich golden brown. Follow with onion. Saute until translucent. Put the chicken, liver, gizzard, black pepper and fish sauce. Stir-fry until very aromatic.
4. Add the cooked glutinous rice, hot water, chicken cubes, salt and pandan leaves. Mix well. Cover. Bring to boil. Stirring often.
5. Sprinkle the wild saffron on top. Mix. Cook for another minute.
6. Serve hot. Drizzle with Philippine lemon juice (kalamansi) and fish sauce (patis). For more enticing taste, top with toasted garlic and minced spring onion. You can also add hard-boiled eggs.