Menudillo Rice

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo of lean ground pork
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsps soy sauce
• 4 tbsps cooking oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely crushed
• 1 large (50 grams) red onion, finely minced
• 1 large (50 grams) red ripe tomato, finely minced
• 1 small (100 grams) carrot, minced
• 1 medium (130 grams) potato, minced
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 pc (40 grams) red bell pepper, finely minced
• 1-3/4 water
• 1 pouch (115 grams) tomato sauce
• 2 tbsps cheddar cheese, finely minced
• 2 tbsps green peas
  
• steamed rice to serve

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, combine the first-three ingredients. Mix well. Set aside.
2. In a wok, put oil. Put over medium-high fire. Saute garlic until golden brown. Follow with onion and tomato. Saute and mash until soft.
3. Add the carrot and potato. Saute fo 3 minutes. Put marinated pork and red bell pepper. Saute until pork changes color and separates.
4. Put water, tomato sauce and cheese. Mix. Cover. Bring to boil. Then, decrease to medium-low, gently simmer for 8 minutes. Add the green peas, cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Serve over hot steamed rice or you can mix it with freshly cooked rice.
   

Kilayin and Tuyo Rice

Ingredients:

for the "Kilayin"

• 1/2 kilo pork shoulder (kasim), cut into thin strips
• 1/4 kilo pork liver, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 head garlic, finely pounded with some skin on
  
• 1 pack (8 grams) all-in-one-seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cooking oil

for the "Tuyo Rice"

• 2-1/2 tbsps & 4 tbsps cooking oil
• 6 pcs (50 grams) salted fish (tuyo)
• 1/2 head garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (70 grams) tomatoes, diced
• 5 packed cups cooked rice
• 1 pack (8 grams) all-in-one-seasoning
• 1/2 tsp iodized coarse salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Procedure:

1. In a deep heavy bottom pan or wok, put all the ingredients for "Kilayin". Mix. Cover. Stand aside.
2. Meanwhile, mash cooked rice until grains separate. Lightly fry the tuyo in 2-1/2 tbsps of oil. Let cool, then, shred. Removing the scales and head. The shredded tuyo will render 1/3 cup. Lastly, prepare other ingredients.
3. Place the pan with the marinated meat over medium-high fire. Cover. Bring to boil without stirring. Let it boil for a minute before opening the cover. Mix. Lid on back again. Decrease fire to low, simmer for 25 minutes. Remove cover. Increase fire to medium-high and let all the extra liquid evaporates. When dry, add oil. Stir-fry for a minute. Serve over "Tuyo Rice".
4. Meanwhile, In a wok over medium-high fire, heat moderately. Put 1/4 cup oil and garlic. Saute until garlic is light golden brown. Follow the shredded tuyo. Stir-fry until aromatic. Add the tomatoes. Cook for 10 seconds only. Put in the mashed rice, all-in-one-seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix. Cook until rice is fluffy.
5. Serve hot or top with "Kilayin

Ground Pork & Bell Pepper Rice

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsps corn oil
• 3 cloves garlic, pounded & minced
• 1 large red onion, minced
• 1 large red plump tomato, chopped
• 250 grams lean ground pork
• 1 tsp all-in-one seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 pc of bell pepper, cut into strips

Procedure:

1. Heat wok at medium-high fire, put oil. Saute garlic until golden brown. Follow with onion ant tomato, cook until soft. Add ground pork and all-in-one-seasoning, stir-fry until pork is no longer pink. Put soy sauce and bell pepper. Stir-fry until liquid evaporates.
2. Top the cooked mixture over steamed rice.
3. tip: if all-in-one-seasoning is not available, substitute it with salt and pepper.

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.

Mocha Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp of cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp instant coffee
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 3 tbsps white sugar

Procedure:

1. In a casserole over medium-high heat, place water. Cover. Bring to boil. Add cocoa powder and coffee. Stir. Put oats, evaporated milk and sugar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer in low fire for about 10 minutes or until desired thickness.
2. Serve immediately.

Spicy Hungarian Pasta

Ingredients:

• 8 cups + 1/2 cup water
• 5 large (250 grams) tomatoes
• 250 grams penne rigate pasta
• 1 tbsp light olive oil
• 2 tbsps + 1 tbsp butter or margarine
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 large (100 grams) red onion
• 3 pcs (300 grams) spicy hungarian sausage
• 1 small pc (30 grams) red bell pepper
• a tsp of fine salt
• 3/4 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 pouch (250 grams) sweet-style spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 cup quickmelt cheese
• 3-1/2 tbsps evaporated milk

Procedure:

1. Put the 8 cups of water in a medium casserole over medium-high fire. Bring to boil. Drop the tomatoes. Cook for several minutes or until skin slightly breaks. Remove tomatoes and immediately plunge in cold water.
2. Meanwhile, grate the cheese. Bruise lightly the garlic to expel the skin. Mince the garlic. Mince the onion. Mince the red bell pepper.
3. Back to the casserole with boiling water, put the pasta. Cook for 15 minutes or as directed in the package. Stir occasionally.
4. While waiting for the pasta to cook, slice the hungarian sausage into large cubes. Peel and chop the tomatoes. In a wok, over medium-high fire, heat moderately. Put the olive oil, 2 tbsps of butter and garlic. Cook for several seconds or until fragrant only. Do not brown. Follow with onion. Saute until soft. Put the tomatoes, hungarian sausage and bell pepper. Cook for a minute. Put 1/2 cup water, salt, pepper, spaghetti sauce and half of the cheese. Bring to boil. Stirring often.
5. Back to the pasta, when done. Strain. Do not splash with tap water. Toss the pasta while hot with a tablespoon of butter. Set aside.
6. Back to the sauce, add the evaporated milk. Stir immediately. Add the buttered pasta. Toss until well-coated. Put in a platter. Top with the rest of cheese.
7. Serve immediately while hot.

Misua Meatballs Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsps of cooking oil
• 4 cloves of crushed garlic
• 2 pcs of red onion, minced
• a tablespoon of fish sauce
• 5 cups of rice wash or water
• 1/4 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1 pc chicken or pork cube
• 30 grams of misua noodles

for the meatballs:

• 1/2 kg of lean ground pork
• a bunch (30 grams) of spring onion, minced
• a tsp of rock salt
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Mix until well blended. Divide into 24 pieces, about an inch in diameter. In a pan, heat oil. Carefully fry the meatballs on all sides lightly, just to hold it together. Don't worry, you'll drop the meatballs in the soup later to make sure they are thoroughly cooked. Set aside.
2. Back to the pan, saute the garlic until rich golden brown in the same oil where the meatballs are fried. Add the onion. Cook until very soft. Pour in the fish sauce. Stir-fry until fragrant or until liquid dries up. Add rice wash, ground pepper and chicken cube. Increase heat to high. Cover. Bring to boil.
3. One by one, drop the meatballs. Bring it again to boil with the lid on. Reduce fire to low. Then, simmer for 12 minutes. Add the misua. Cover. Cook until it boils again. Remove from fire. Let it stand for 5 minutes.
4. Serve hot.

Milky Macaroni Soup with Quail Eggs

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup cooking oil
• ½ head of garlic, finely crushed
• 2 large native or red onion, minced
• 100 grams lean ground pork
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• Chicken stock
  
• 6 cups water
• 1 small can (158 ml) evaporated milk
• ½ tsp of ground black pepper
• 400 grams macaroni
• 1 small (100 g) carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk of minced celery (no leaves & can be optional)
• 24 pcs hard-boiled quail eggs, shelled

Procedure:

1. In a large casserole, sauté garlic in oil until golden brown in medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook ‘til soft. Place ground pork and fish sauce. Sauté ‘til all liquid evaporates. Add chicken stock and water. Cover. Bring to boil.
2. Add carrot and celery. Cover. Cook for 3 minutes. Put quail eggs. Cook for another minute.
3. Serve immediately.