Salted Duck Egg and Tomato Salad

Itlog na Maalat (salted duck eggs) and kamatis (tomatoes): the quintessential Filipino side dish. Though labeled as a salad, it is not eaten before the main meal customary in Western dining. It's more considered a side dish to be eaten along with your ulam (viand) and of course, steamed rice.

A few months ago in Spring, the egg vendor at my farmers market was selling duck eggs so thought I'd give it a try making my own itlog na maalat. I went to research and found this great pictorial on the photo blog My SariSari Store about the process of making salted duck eggs in the Philippines (there are four parts).

Though chicken eggs may also be used, duck eggs are traditionally used for their bigger size and fatty yolks. Commercially-prepared salted eggs are also brined in mud! Dirt and water mixed along with salt are used to brine the duck eggs for about 3 weeks. Though my sons would gladly approve of any opportunity to "cook" in the mud I think it'll be one messy project!

Thank goodness there is another, less messy, way which is to just soak the eggs in saltwater. It would make sense to use sea salt and not the common table which has iodine. I ended up using two cups of salt dissolved in six cups of water. The porous eggs shells will absorb the salt from the water and flavor the eggs inside. Osmosis at work and my sons got a science lesson out of it. ;)

You also need a little bit of patience for they take about three to four weeks to cure. And since fresh eggs float in the water, you need something heavy on top to keep the eggs totally submerged in the saltwater. A plate or a sealed food-storage bag filled with water placed on top will work fine. Keep the container with your eggs and saltwater in a cool place, I kept mine at the bottom shelf in my pantry. I boiled one egg for ten minutes to test for my preferred saltiness. If you think the eggs achieved the right salty flavor, just boil the rest. If not, just keep soaking them for a few more days, for up to a week.

I was not able to take pictures in-process but I believe it's easy and straightforward. The last three eggs you see here are ones I made all the way back on Easter, enjoyed with the Summer's ripest tomatoes. So you can see, once you cooked them, they keep for a long time in the refrigerator. Now I want to make more.

I've actually been asking my egg vendor for more duck eggs. My egg vendor told me he had been collecting eggs from his ducks but was not comfortable selling them to me due to the summer heat. And now with Autumn's arrival, the ducks have slowed their egg production.

This is my entry for this month's Kulinarya, the challenge: red, white, blue and yellow -- colors of the Philippine flag.  So you thinking where's the blue: the egg shells of course!

Ginataang Bilo-Bilo for Kulinarya Cooking Club

This month's theme for Kulinarya is White to correspond for the wedding month of June chosen by Adora of Adora's Box and Diona of Tita Flips. 

I made Ginataang Bilo-Bilo, a snack or dessert that consists of tubers like sweet potatoes, yams and cassava plus tropical fruits like saba (or burro) bananas and jackfruit. It may also include sago (tapioca) pearls and all are simmered in sweetened coconut milk that produces a creamy sweet confection.

They are sometimes called Ginataang Halo-Halo due to similarities to the assorted ingredients you would find in the popular shaved ice treat. But once you put little chewy nuggets of glutinous rice, it somehow gets renamed Ginataang Bilo-Bilo to let you know you'll be getting something extra special.

My children all loved having these little rice balls, especially after I made Ube-Coconut Rice Balls. They especially liked forming them with their little hands, just like the way I remembered when they played with Play-Doh. And while we are cooking them, I especially never tire of watching their surprised faces once the balls float to the top of the boiling water.

I remember eating bowlfuls of this growing up. My family would always make them by the pot. We served ourselves, ladle them out into bowls to enjoy straight away. This way is especially good for warming up during the cold and rainy season. But during the humid, hot summers I would place my bowl and in the fridge (in the freezer if I'm being impatient) and wait a little while to enjoy and savor each spoonful. When eaten cold, the coconut milk thickens even more giving it an almost pudding-like consistency.

This treat is naturally gluten- and dairy-free and very easy to make. Glutinous rice flour is available in Asian markets and Asian aisle of major supermarkets. Do not let the term glutinous confuse you, it does not have gluten. This only means that the rice flour is made from a sticky type of sweet rice.


Ginataang Bilo-Bilo
serves about 6

1/2 cup dried sago pearls
1/2 light brown sugar
3/4 cup glutinous rice flour
1/4 cup water (more, if needed)
2-13.5 fl. oz. cans coconut milk
1 small cassava/yucca, peeled and cubed
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
6 pods jackfruit, chopped
3 saba bananas, quartered lengthwise and chopped
1/2 cup sugar (or more to taste)


Prepare the sago pearls:
Place sago in a medium bowl and fill halfway with water. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking together. Strain the sago and rinse under cold water. Check for doneness. If still hard and chewy, repeat process or until the center of each pearl becomes translucent. Drain and rinse under cold water. Place sago back in pot with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 cups of water. Heat until sugar dissolves. Turn off heat and let it cool. Set Aside.

Prepare the bilo-bilo:
In a small bowl place rice flour. Stir in water and mix thoroughly. If needed, add water a tablespoon at a time until dough comes together. Dough should be firm but pliable. Shape a piece into a log shape about 1/4 inch in diameter. Cut 1/4 inch piece off the log and shape into balls. Set aside.
Bring a pot filled halfway with water and let it boil. Once it comes to a rolling boil, lower heat to simmer and drop the rice balls, several at a time. Take them out as they float to the top. This takes about a minute to cook.

Prepare the Ginataan:
Place coconut milk and cassava into a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to low and let it simmer covered for 5 minutes.
Add the sweet potato and jackfruit. Stir in and let boil. Cover and let simmer 5 minutes.
Next to add is the bananas and sugar. Stir to combine and let it come to a boil another 5 minutes. Taste for sweetness, you may add more if you prefer it sweeter. Check for doneness of the cassava and potatoes and let it simmer until done. Do not let it boil over high heat, the potatoes may fall apart.
Add the sago (without the brown sugar syrup) and rice balls and simmer until heated through.

Enjoy right away warm. Any extra can be placed in the refrigerator and eaten cold.

Munggo Guisado for Kulinarya Cooking Club

Thank you to Erika of Ivory Hut for choosing vegetables for our Kulinary Cooking Club theme this month. Many choices came up and I wanted to cook them all, from the classic Pinakbet (Filipino Vegetable Stew) to Adobong Sitaw, my favorite way of preparing string beans to Tortang Talong (Eggplant Omelet), a simple two-ingredient dish that my kids adore.

So cook I did but one major problem: no pictures! One dish was eaten up right away so there were no leftovers for a pictorial. For the other dish, I made sure to make plenty and had set it aside but come to find out the camera had no battery! By the time I got around to getting batteries, sadly the dish was all eaten. The last dish I just completely forgot to take pictures. I know, bad food blogger! ;)

So down the wire, last night I thought of something simple I can prepare today. Luckily, I have most of the ingredients I needed, plus I got to cook something perfect on this cold, rainy day: Munggo Guisado, a soup made of mung beans. This dish comes about fairly quick since the beans are so small, they only take minutes to boil. A quick saute of garlic, onions and tomatoes (the trinity of Filipino cooking) along with shrimp makes this a quick meal.

I remember having to pick malunggay (moringa) leaves off one by one and adding them at the end of cooking. I have not seen any but found spinach as a good substitute. Now thinking arugula would be great as well.

I've also topped my dish with chicharon (pork cracklings) which my family always does when we eat Munggo Guisado. When I mentioned this to my husband, he went out in the rain to get some. :)  This is totally optional and usually omitted during Lent when we served this on meatless Fridays. Tinapa (smoked fish), or even just fried fish goes great with this. Also, Paksiw na Bangus (Milkfish stewed in Vinegar) is my parent's favorite to eat with this. I have not eaten that in years so of course, now I'm craving it! :)


Munggo Guisado
(makes 6-8 servings)

2 cups dried mung beans
1 lb. shrimp (with heads) peeled & deveined, (head & peels reserved)
2 TBSP vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 TBSP bagoong alamang (shrimp paste)
1 bunch spinach (or arugula)
chicharon (optional)

Pick through the mung beans for debris, rinse in water and place in pot. Fill to about an inch of water and let it boil over high heat. Once it boils, lower heat and let it simmer until beans are tender, 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally and add water as needed.

Once beans are boiling, make shrimp stock. Place reserved shrimp trimmings in small pot and add 2 cups of water. Let it boil then simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and reserve broth.

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook quickly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onions and cook 2-3 minutes until soft and translucent, do not brown. Add tomatoes and continue to cook, smashing them to give off the juice. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Add the bagoong and stir a few seconds until it is fragrant ;) Then add the shrimp, stirring to get the shrimp coated with the tomato mixture. A soon as the shrimp is starting to turn pink and opaque, pour in the boiled mung beans and shrimp stock. Turn heat up high and let it boil quickly.

Once it boil, turn off heat and add the spinach and stir. There will be enough heat to wilt spinach (also prevents  overcooking). Serve hot.

Please visit my fellow Kulinarya members for their Vegetables creations:

Kath - http://www.acupcakeortwo.com/
Trisha - http://sugarlace.com/
Trissa - http://trissalicious.com/
Olive - http://www.latestrecipes.net/
Ninette - http://bigboldbeautifulfood.blogspot.com/
Peach- http://www.thepeachkitchen.com/
Althea- http://www.busogsarap.com/
Asha - http://forkspoonnknife.blogspot.com/
Malou - http://www.skiptomalou.net/
Cherrie - http://sweetcherriepie.blogspot.com/
Acdee - http://acdee.blogspot.com/
Valerie - http://www.acanadianfoodie.com/
Sheryl - http://crispywaffle.com/
Divina - http://www.sense-serendipity.com/
Anna - http://www.anniesfoodjournal.blogspot.com/
Dahlia - http://www.energychef.blogspot.com/
Joy - http://joyjoycreativeoutlet.blogspot.com/
Maribel - http://www.foodgeek.webs.com/
Tressa
Jen - http://www.jen-at-work.blogspot.com/
Pia - http://bisayajudkaayo.blogspot.com/
Malaka - http://thegrandinternational.com/.
Mimi - http://lapinchecocinera.blogspot.com/
Erika - http://ivoryhut.com/
Kat - http://www.caterersearch.com/tabletalk/default.aspx
Lala - http://thislittlepiggywenttothemarket.blogspot.com/
Selfie - http://eats.sefiebee.com/
Connie Veneracion - http://homecookingrocks.com/
Oggi - http://oggi-icandothat.blogspot.com/
Katrina Kostik - http://lardonmyfrench.blogspot.com/
Rochelle Ryan - http://www.whydiss.blogspot.com/
Marica - http://cuppycreme.blogspot.com/
Diona - http://titaflips.blogspot.com/
Rowena - http://saraplicious.blogspot.com/

Rellenong Bangus (Stuffed Milkfish) for Kulinarya Cooking Club

This month marks the first year anniversary of Kulinarya Cooking Club. Thanks to Kath, Trish and Trissa, all the way across the globe in Australia, for starting a group that highlights our colorful Filipino cuisine. To mark this special occasion, Anna and Dahlia chose a festive theme to celebrate: Relleno, a term for stuffed food like chicken, fish, crab or vegetables.

I made Rellenong Bangus (Stuffed Milkfish), one of my favorite dishes growing up. This type of fish is perfect for stuffing due to the thicker skin (just like salmon skin) but the drawback is that milkfish has more bones. Besides the vertebral spine, there are teeny tiny bones along the lateral and ventral sides. This is the reason Rellenong Bangus is a dish considered by many as a "special occasion" dish due to the laborious preparation that goes into the dish. When I say laborious, I only meant one thing: picking out the fish bones! I know this from experience because I was always the one who had to help pick them out. I didn't mind because my Mom would reward me with the best slice: the one with the fish belly, yum! :)

I decided to try something different in preparing my family's Rellenong Bangus recipe by starting with a boneless milkfish; a short-cut to avoid the dreaded bone picking. Most Asian markets now offer boneless milkfish (usually found in the frozen aisle), just make sure to buy ones that has not been marinated. A minor drawback is the fish still have their scales on but given the choice between bones or scales, it is easier to scale the milkfish (just takes minutes) than picking out the bones (may take hours).

Then it is just a matter of scraping out the meat. Setting aside the fish bodies to marinate in some soy sauce and kalamansi (or lemon). Saute the fish meat with onions, garlic, carrots, red bell pepper, raisins and seasoned with some soy sauce. Remove from heat and let it cool. (The cooling process is usually when you would go over the mixture to pick out the bones which can take hours.) I put the mixture in the freezer for about half an hour to speed the process. Once cool, mix in eggs and bread crumbs to help bind together when you put it back in the fish cavity.
 

Look no fish bones! :)

Then it is just a matter of frying or baking the fish until the skin is cooked through. This way of making Rellenong Bangus has been so easy that I won't need a special occasion to make my favorite dish. :)



Rellenong Bangus

2 milkfish, preferably deboned, thawed
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP freshly-squeezed kalamansi juice (or lemon)

1 medium onion, finely minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely minced
1/2 cup green peas, thawed
1/3 cup raisins
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
oil, for frying

Prepare fish. Scale and rinse, pat dry. With a spoon, scrape meat off the skin, leaving belly intact. Put fish meat in a bowl, season with salt and set aside.

Place fish bodies in bowl along with soy sauce and kalamansi juice. Place in refrigerator to chill while you cook the fish meat.

Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, saute until translucent, do not let it brown. Add carrots and cook for about 2 minutes until soft. Add the fish meat and saute until meat become opaque, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add bell pepper, peas and raisins until heated though (the raisins would have soak some of the liquid the fish gave out). Take from heat, transfer to a bowl and let mixture cool.


Spoon the fish mixture into the fish and close it back. The seams were sewn together by using a regular needle and cotton thread. Lightly dredge the whole fish in cornstarch before frying it in a wok-ful of hot oil (350F). Fry until the skin is golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes on each side.

Alternatively, you may bake the rellenong bangus in a 350F degree oven. Wrap the fish with a greased tinfoil, for about 40-45 minutes. Unwrap and broil to get some color in the skin. Though you won't get the crunchy skin when fried.

Please visit my fellow Kulinarya members for their Relleno creations:

Kath - http://www.acupcakeortwo.com/
Trisha - http://sugarlace.com/
Trissa - http://trissalicious.com/
Olive - http://www.latestrecipes.net/
Ninette - http://bigboldbeautifulfood.blogspot.com/
Peach- http://www.thepeachkitchen.com/
Althea- http://www.busogsarap.com/
Asha - http://forkspoonnknife.blogspot.com/
Malou - http://www.skiptomalou.net/
Cherrie - http://sweetcherriepie.blogspot.com/
Acdee - http://acdee.blogspot.com/
Valerie - http://www.acanadianfoodie.com/
Sheryl - http://crispywaffle.com/
Divina - http://www.sense-serendipity.com/
Anna - http://www.anniesfoodjournal.blogspot.com/
Dahlia - http://www.energychef.blogspot.com/
Joy - http://joyjoycreativeoutlet.blogspot.com/
Maribel - http://www.foodgeek.webs.com/
Tressa
Jen - http://www.jen-at-work.blogspot.com/
Pia - http://bisayajudkaayo.blogspot.com/
Malaka - http://thegrandinternational.com/.
Mimi - http://lapinchecocinera.blogspot.com/
Erika - http://ivoryhut.com/
Kat - http://www.caterersearch.com/tabletalk/default.aspx
Lala - http://thislittlepiggywenttothemarket.blogspot.com/
Selfie - http://eats.sefiebee.com/
Connie Veneracion - http://homecookingrocks.com/
Oggi - http://oggi-icandothat.blogspot.com/
Katrina Kostik - http://lardonmyfrench.blogspot.com/
Rochelle Ryan - http://www.whydiss.blogspot.com/
Marica - http://cuppycreme.blogspot.com/
Diona - http://titaflips.blogspot.com/
Rowena - http://saraplicious.blogspot.com/

Suman na Kamoteng Kahoy (Cassava Steam Cake) for Kulinarya Cooking Club

The Kulinarya Cooking Club chose to highlight Suman this month. Suman are Filipino cakes that are wrapped in leaves and steamed. Every town or region have their own specialty. Most suman are usually made with glutinous rice and cooked in coconut milk. Some suman recipes require the rice to be soaked, even treated with lye, before being rolled in leaves. Banana leaves are usually used to wrap them into little logs before it goes to cook in a steamer. Other wrappings used are palm fronds or sometimes even placed inside a bamboo node. But definitely all suman are steamed.

Thanks to Sheryl and Divina for choosing suman this month. If it weren't for them, I would not have stepped out of my comfort zone and tried cooking suman from scratch.My family never bothered to make suman at our home since my mother knows plenty of friends that make them. Even though my family makes biko, puto, espasol and other kakanin, growing up I never saw suman being made at home which made me believe special wrapping skills is needed to pull it off. (Though my research showed me one that is: Suman sa Ibus, even my Mom confirmed it yesterday when I came over her house to make my suman.)

I hope to work myself to that level but first, let's start with something that would be the easiest to start with. I didn't use glutinous rice either with my suman. Only four ingredients were used in this suman: grated cassava, grated mature coconut, sugar and banana leaves. Even easier, the ingredients can be found in the freezer aisle of your local Asian grocer.

Suman na Kamoteng Kahoy
makes about 20

banana leaves
2 bags (1-lb each) frozen grated fresh cassava, thawed (about 4 cups)
1 bag (1-lb.) frozen mature coconut, thawed (about 2 cups)
1 cup granulated sugar

Prepare banana leaves. Wipe down both sides of leaves with damp towel. Cut into 9" by 9" square. Turn stovetop and pass leaves through the heat until it wilts slightly. This makes the leaves more pliable and resistant to cracks when rolling the suman. Be careful, the leaves will steam and turn darker as they are heated.

Prepare steamer by putting water to boil. While waiting, combine the cassava, coconut and sugar in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed. Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of cassava mixture on center of banana leaf. Fold over the mixture with one end and roll over. Tuck the ends under and place on its seam. Put in steamer with the water in rolling boil for about 30 minutes. Let it stand to cool, about 10 minutes. You may serve warm or room temperature.

These suman were a success at my Mom's house. Everyone wanted several and was quite impressed that I made them from scratch. I had my mom watching over my shoulders the whole time but I think she approved since I saw her sneak another one to eat for later. :)  The banana leaves add a nice hint of flavor to the suman, it had a strong smell coming out of the steamer but mellowed out when it cooled. If banana leaves are not available, you may roll them in foil (as my mother suggested) or just spoon them into small cups for steaming. Though they won't be called suman anymore but called Pasingaw (to steam) which I realized I posted on it a couple of years back.

I managed to save a few for breakfast this morning and my boys ate them with some leftover ganache. They come up with great ideas, the ganache put them over the top! Next time, I will even use fresh cassava and coconut -- I'm sure the flavor would be even better!

Kulinarya was started by a group of Filipino foodies living in Sydney, who are passionate about the Filipino culture and its colorful cuisine. Each month we will showcase a new dish along with their family recipes. By sharing these recipes, we hope you find the same passion and love for Filipino Food as we do.



Please visit my fellow Kulinarya members for their Suman creations:

Kath - http://www.acupcakeortwo.com/
Trisha - http://sugarlace.com/
Trissa - http://trissalicious.com/
Olive - http://www.latestrecipes.net/
Ninette - http://bigboldbeautifulfood.blogspot.com/
Peach- http://www.thepeachkitchen.com/
Althea- http://www.busogsarap.com/
Asha - http://forkspoonnknife.blogspot.com/
Malou - http://www.impromptudiva.com/
Cherrie - http://sweetcherriepie.blogspot.com/
Acdee - http://acdee.blogspot.com/
Valerie - http://www.acanadianfoodie.com/
Sheryl - http://crispywaffle.com/
Divina - http://www.sense-serendipity.com/
Anna - http://www.anniesfoodjournal.blogspot.com/
Dahlia - http://www.energychef.blogspot.com/
Joy - http://joyjoycreativeoutlet.blogspot.com/
Maribel - http://www.foodgeek.webs.com/
Tressa
Jen - http://www.jen-at-work.blogspot.com/
Pia - http://bisayajudkaayo.blogspot.com/
Malaka - http://thegrandinternational.com/.
Mimi - http://lapinchecocinera.blogspot.com/
Erika - http://ivoryhut.com/
Kat - http://www.caterersearch.com/tabletalk/default.aspx

Lumpiang Sariwa for Kulinarya Cooking Club

The Kulinarya theme chosen by Malou and Cherrie for this month is Lumpia, the Filipino version of springrolls. Since I have already featured Lumpiang Shanghai before, I thought of making something different: Lumpiang Sariwa.

The word sariwa means fresh in Tagalog which implies the freshness of the ingredients. This lumpia also got their name because they are not fried. Instead of using thin rice paper wrappers for rolling, delicate egg-y, crepes are used.


I am featuring my basic recipe for Lumpiang Sariwa here. Besides the initial saute of onions and garlic, this recipe consists of only four vegetables: sweet potato, carrots, green beans and mushrooms. I did this to show how easy this recipe can be. Once you get the hang of it, you could add other vegetables to your liking like cabbage, bean sprouts, singkamas (jicama), sayote (chayote squash), or even garbanzo beans. As the name imply, fresh also means using produce that are available in the season. My visit to farmers market lately showed crisp-tender green "Bagiuo" beans and unblemished shiitake mushrooms. Feel free to use any or all of the vegetables I mentioned here.

I also purposely left out any meat in this dish because I wanted to show there are dishes in Filipino cuisine that are cooked without them. You may add ground pork, shrimp, shredded chicken and/or tofu if you like for a more substantial Lumpiang Sariwa. However, this recipe cannot be called vegetarian since I use chicken broth to boil the vegetables which would then be used to make the sweet sauce. If you truly want a vegetarian lumpia, just use water or vegetable stock. I have yet to try so please let me know if you do.

Now, isn't Lumpiang Sariwa not only wholesome but a versatile dish, as well?


One last thing: For times when you are feeling lazy or just don't want to be bothered by making lumpia wrappers, no need to worry, you can still enjoy these. Just spoon them onto fresh lettuce and eat them just like that! (Just like those lettuce cups that are so popular right now.) But make sure to call them Lumpiang Hubad. The word hubad means "naked" - a play on words but pretty straightforward, I think. :)



Lumpiang Sariwa
makes about 10

For the wrappers:
2 eggs
1 cup water
2 TBSP vegetable oil
pinch salt
3/4 - 1 cup flour

For the filling:
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 medium sweet potato, julienned
6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 medium carrots, julienned
1/2 pound green beans, diagonally sliced
1 TBSP soy sauce
2 cups chicken broth

For the sauce:
reserved broth from above
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 TBSP dark soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch

For the assembly:
lettuce leaves
garlic, finely minced
peanuts, crushed


Make the wrappers:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, salt and oil. Strain flour through the sieve and over the egg mixture. Mix until no lumps appear.

Heat a crepe pan or non-stick skillet over low flame. Ladle 1/4 cup of batter and swirl, covering the bottom of pan. Cook for about 2 minutes then turn over and cook another minute. Remove and let cool.

Continue until all batter is used. You may stack together. Keep them covered to prevent drying out.


Make the filling:
Heat oil in wok (or large saute pan) over high heat. Cook onions until limp, about a minute. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Do not brown.

Add sweet potato and mushrooms and cook for about 2 minutes.

Stir in the carrots and green beans, cook for a minute. Add soy sauce and freshly-cracked pepper if you like. Add in the broth and bring to a boil, covered.

Once it boils, lower heat and cook until potato is tender, about 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain through strainer immediately to stop vegetables from cooking further, reserving the broth. You want to keep the crispness of the vegetables. Set vegetables aside to cool.


Make the sauce:
Return reserved broth to the pot. Stir in the sugar and soy sauce and bring to a boil.

Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water to make a slurry. Stir into boiling broth until broth thicken. Turn off heat. Transfer to serving bowl.


Assembly:
Place a lettuce leaf in middle of lumpia wrapper.

Spoon about 1/3 to 1/2 cup vegetable filling. Close wrapper over the vegetables.

Ladle sauce on top and sprinkle with fresh garlic and crushed peanuts. Serve.


Kulinarya was started by a group of Filipino foodies living in Sydney, who are passionate about the Filipino culture and its colorful cuisine. Each month we will showcase a new dish along with their family recipes. By sharing these recipes, we hope you find the same passion and love for Filipino Food as we do.



Please visit my fellow Kulinarya members for their Lumpia creations:

Kath - http://www.acupcakeortwo.com/
Trisha - http://sugarlace.com/
Trissa - http://trissalicious.com/
Olive - http://www.latestrecipes.net/
Ninette - http://bigboldbeautifulfood.blogspot.com/
Peach- http://www.thepeachkitchen.com/
Althea- http://www.busogsarap.com/
Asha - http://forkspoonnknife.blogspot.com/
Malou - http://www.impromptudiva.com/
Cherrie - http://sweetcherriepie.blogspot.com/
Acdee - http://acdee.blogspot.com/
Valerie - http://www.acanadianfoodie.com/
Sheryl - http://crispywaffle.com/
Divina - http://www.sense-serendipity.com/
Anna - http://www.anniesfoodjournal.blogspot.com/
Dahlia - http://www.energychef.blogspot.com/
Joy - http://joyjoycreativeoutlet.blogspot.com/
Maribel - http://www.foodgeek.webs.com/
Tressa
Jen - http://www.jen-at-work.blogspot.com/
Pia - http://bisayajudkaayo.blogspot.com/
Malaka - http://thegrandinternational.com/.
Mimi - http://lapinchecocinera.blogspot.com/
Erika - http://ivoryhut.com/
Kat - http://www.caterersearch.com/tabletalk/default.aspx

If you'd like to learn more about our Filipino cuisine, please read Tracey's (of Tangled Noodle) latest post on Filipino Food: Of Thin Skins and Filipino Food. She had eloquently written about the multiple facets of our cuisine and dismissed the negative notions of what the uninformed public perceive Filipino food to be - a very frustrating subject among fellow Filipino food bloggers like myself (or for any Filipinos). I applaud her for articulating so well what I have thought about many times but can never quite convey. Tracey also has a recipe for Lumpiang Sariwa so you can see for yourself how really versatile this recipe is.

Pork BBQ on a stick for Kulinarya Cooking Club

When I found out this month's theme is Pinoy BBQ, I immediately thought of cooking Pork BBQ on a stick - a childhood favorite! Usually considered street food, vendors hawk these (and other cuts of meats on a stick) out on the street corners cooked from their makeshift grills. They are also a very popular party food. When you serve them, they are usually the first thing that gets eaten right away; people look out for and hoard these right off the grill (at least in my family)!

I learned to make Pork BBQ sticks from my Lola (grandma). She had already been in the U.S. for several years before my family came to join her; I was fourteen. She had always been in charge of all the cooking for our family parties. When I arrived, I was not sure how it happened but I ended up as her assistant in the kitchen. I "got stuck" peeling cloves after cloves of garlic and crushing them using a pandikdik (mortar & pestle); never a food processor. The next day, the daunting task of skewering the cold meat that's been marinating in the fridge overnight. Daunting only because when our big family cooks Pork BBQ sticks, we start with at least 20 pounds!

My Lola's recipes were never written and she was quite a bossy lady (I was always a little scared of her) so I just did what she tells me. Along the way, I picked up a few kitchen wisdom from her. The one that stuck in my head with this Pork BBQ stick recipe (besides using 7-up soda) is a 1-to-1 ratio of sugar and soy sauce. Then you can play around with the other seasonings: more crushed black pepper or siling labuyo (bird's eye chili) if you want it spicy, add more garlic to make them extra garlicky (we always do), even a few drops of patis (fish sauce) and/or kalamansi juice if you like a little tang to them.

Another thing I remember from cooking Pork BBQ sticks with my Lola was she never basted with ketchup when they're grilling. It just masked the already flavorful meat, she said once. So I don't but would brush on some of the marinade to keep them moist. It also helps to NOT use a lean cut of meat; pork shoulder is a great choice here.

Pork BBQ sticks are usually served with achara, pickled green papayas. I haven't had luck eyeing green papayas but had some mangoes today so I combined them with cucumbers to make a quick relish. And since the coals were still burning in the grill, I threw in some eggplants to roast. Once cooked, I just slit them open and topped them with tomatoes for a quick side dish to make it a complete meal. I have posted a fire-roasted eggplant salad once before here.

Lola's Pork BBQ on a Stick
makes about 20 skewers

1 head of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 TBSP salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 TBSP freshly-squeezed kalamansi juice (optional)
2 pounds pork butt, cut into 1/4 inch slices
3/4 cup 7-Up soda

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until all the sugar is melted.

Place pork in a shallow glass container. Pour in the marinade and stir in until all the meat is coated. Pour in the soda and stir again. Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 8 hours.

Soak skewers 30 minutes before using. Skewer meat and set aside. You may use marinade by placing in small pan and boil for 2 minutes. Set aside.

Prepare grill. Cook Pork BBQ sticks over medium-hot coals about 3-5 minutes on each side, basting every so often. Serve immediately.


Kulinarya was started by a group of Filipino foodies who are passionate about the Filipino culture and its colorful cuisine. Each month we will showcase a new dish along with their family recipes. By sharing these recipes, we hope you find the same passion and love for Filipino Food as we do.



Please visit my fellow Kulinarya members for their Pinoy BBQ creations:

Kath - http://www.acupcakeortwo.com/
Trisha - http://sugarlace.com/
Trissa - http://trissalicious.com/
Olive - http://www.latestrecipes.net/
Ninette - http://bigboldbeautifulfood.blogspot.com/
Peach- http://www.thepeachkitchen.com/
Althea- http://www.busogsarap.com/
Asha - http://forkspoonnknife.blogspot.com/
Malou - http://www.impromptudiva.com/
Cherrie - http://sweetcherriepie.blogspot.com/
Acdee - http://acdee.blogspot.com/
Valerie - http://www.acanadianfoodie.com/
Sheryl - http://crispywaffle.com/
Divina - http://www.sense-serendipity.com/
Anna - http://www.anniesfoodjournal.blogspot.com/
Dahlia - http://www.energychef.blogspot.com/
Joy - http://joyjoycreativeoutlet.blogspot.com/
Maribel - http://www.foodgeek.webs.com/
Tressa
Jen - http://www.jen-at-work.blogspot.com/
Pia - http://bisayajudkaayo.blogspot.com/
Malaka - http://thegrandinternational.com.
Mimi - http://lapinchecocinera.blogspot.com
Erika - http://ivoryhut.com/
Kat - http://www.caterersearch.com/tabletalk/default.aspx

Pancit Bihon Guisado for Kulinarya Cooking Club

This month's Kulinarya Cooking Club theme is pancit. Olive and I chose to highlight noodles, the Chinese influence to the Filipino cuisine. Noodles signify long life and so they are served on birthdays as part of the celebration. My youngest son turned six this month so there were plenty of pancit cooked and enjoyed.

There are many types of pancit in the Filipino cuisine based on the type of noodles used and the region a pancit dish originated. Pancit Bihon, noodles made from rice, is the type usually thought of when one talks about pancit so I decided to make them here.


Pancit Bihon
Makes 8 large portions or can serve up to 20 as part of buffet

1 lb pork meat
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 small onion, quartered

1 8-oz package pancit bihon

2 TBSP oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, minced
1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined
2 ribs celery, julienned
2 medium carrots, julienned
1 small cabbage, shredded
1 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed
soy sauce, up to 1/4 cup
3 chinese sausage, steamed and sliced diagonally

kalamansi (or lemon) for serving (optional)


Place pork in medium pot with garlic and onion and 1 tsp salt, put enough water (about 3 cups) to cover meat and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender, about 20 minutes. Cut meat to strips. Reserve broth and keep hot under low heat.

Before heating wok, soak noodles in hot tap water (soak about 5 minutes).

In a large wok, heat oil over high heat. Saute garlic & onion until translucent. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper and sauté until shrimp turn pink, remove from wok and reserve (to avoid overcooking).

Add celery and carrots and sauté for about a minute, add cabbage and peas and sauté 2 minutes longer and season with soy sauce. Add reserved broth and quickly bring to boil. Once it boils, take most of the vegetable to avoid overcooking. Drain noodles and add to boiling broth. Keep stirring until noodles soak up broth and to avoid sticking. Lower heat to low and add sausage and return shrimp and vegetables to warm through. Season to taste with more salt and pepper and/or soy sauce.

Right before serving, sprinkle with scallions and kalamansi. Enjoy!



Kulinarya was started by a group of Filipino foodies who are passionate about the Filipino culture and its colorful cuisine. Each month we will showcase a new dish along with their family recipes. By sharing these recipes, we hope you find the same passion and love for Filipino Food as we do.



Please visit my fellow Kulinarya members for their Pancit creations:

Kath - http://www.acupcakeortwo.com/
Trisha - http://sugarlace.com/
Trissa - http://trissalicious.com/
Olive - http://www.latestrecipes.net/
Ninette - http://bigboldbeautifulfood.blogspot.com/
Peach- http://www.thepeachkitchen.com/
Althea- http://www.busogsarap.com/
Asha - http://forkspoonnknife.blogspot.com/
Malou - http://www.impromptudiva.com/
Cherrie - http://sweetcherriepie.blogspot.com/
Acdee - http://acdee.blogspot.com/
Valerie - http://www.acanadianfoodie.com/
Sheryl - http://crispywaffle.com/
Divina - http://www.sense-serendipity.com/
Anna - http://www.anniesfoodjournal.blogspot.com/
Dahlia - http://www.energychef.blogspot.com/
Joy - http://joyjoycreativeoutlet.blogspot.com/
Maribel - http://www.foodgeek.webs.com/
Tressa
Jen - http://www.jen-at-work.blogspot.com/
Pia - http://bisayajudkaayo.blogspot.com/

Polvoron for Kulinarya Cooking Club

This month, the Kulinarya Cooking Club presents Polvoron (Tagalog, Pulboron). The crumbly, creamy pastry, likened to shortbread, is beloved by all Filipinos. Philippines, a former colony of Spain, had adapted this shortbread and made it their own. The best thing about them, they are never baked!

This recipe is very easy to make but it posed a challenge for me since you need a special tool to shape them and these molds are difficult to find in US. When I found out we will be making polvoron, I called Filipino stores in my area but had no luck. The molds sometimes comes up on e-Bay or Etsy but when I checked, they are not available at the moment.

The previous times I've made polvoron, I usually would use mini muffin tins to form them but they are difficult to get out. Usually only one polvoron would come out nice from a dozen; the rest would fall apart or have crumbled edges. These would leave me very frustrated so I would just give up and eat polvoron with a spoon. Some times, to make it really portable, I would just place them in a paper cone, fold to close up the opening, cut the tip off and let the crumbs fall into my mouth, just like how we used to eat melted ice cream from an ice cream cone when we were kids. Hey, whatever works, right? :) (Actually, an old trick I learned from my older sister. She would give my impatient brothers and I paper cones filled with polvoron powder to quiet us while she finished shaping the polvoron.)

This time, I decided to use a silicone pan and see if it will give me better results. Since Silicone pans or molds are flexible, I thought maybe it'll be easier for me to ease out the polvoron with minimal damage. I found this bite-size brownie silicone pan and went to work. It was definitely a better way than using a metal tin pan but some still were coming out broken. Hmm, maybe I wasn't pressing enough into the mold. I tried shaping them again and with my husband's suggestion, placed the filled pan in the freezer for a few minutes. And golly, it worked! Yay!

I made the classic polvoron recipe and gave it a healthy twist by using whole wheat flour. I used whole wheat pastry flour which has a finer texture and lighter mouth feel, which I thought would blend in with the creamy powdered milk.


Whole Wheat Polvoron

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup powdered milk (preferably whole milk)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

Place flour in a dry skillet and on low heat until evenly golden brown and smells nutty, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
Add powdered milk and stir to combine. Add sugar and stir again.
Turn off heat, add butter and mix completely. Mold into shape.


But I didn't stop there. Yesterday, feeling inspired by the fresh strawberries I've been seeing (and buying) from the farmers' market, I decided to make strawberry polvoron. However, this recipe doesn't use fresh strawberries but freeze-dried ones, pulverized with the sugar in a spice or coffee grinder.



Once finely-powdered, add them in the toasted flour and dry milk mixture. Stir to combine before adding the butter. Polvoron is done! Well almost, still have to mold them. :)



And strawberries are always better with a little chocolate to go along with them. So I decided to drizzle some melted chocolate on them. Nothing wrong with a little chocolate, right? I have originally wanted to call these Strawberries and Cream Polvoron but with the added chocolate, maybe call them Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Polvoron?


Now that I can mold polvoron, I can't wait to try out other polvoron recipes. My husband already requested a Coffee & Cream Polvoron (not mocha but pure coffee, he said). I also would like to try other fruits that's been freeze-dried like blueberries or mango, mmm. I also have matcha powder I've been meaning to use for polvoron. What flavors would you like for polvoron?


Kulinarya was started by a group of Filipino foodies who are passionate about the Filipino culture and its colorful cuisine. Each month we will showcase a new dish along with their family recipes. By sharing these recipes, we hope you find the same passion and love for Filipino Food as we do.

Please visit my fellow Kulinarya members for their Polvoron creations:
Trish
Kath
Trissa
Olive
Peach
Cusinera
Asha
Malou
Cherrie
Acdee
Valerie
Bel
Divina
Anna
Dahlia
Joy

If you’re interested in joining our Kulinarya Cooking Club, please feel free to leave a comment – we would love to hear from you!

Kulinarya Cooking Club: Empanadas

Empanada is something I have never done before. So when I found out it was our theme for this month, I was lost for ideas. I have no recollection of my family making this at home but we have eaten them plenty of times and always enjoyed them. My mother usually would just buy them from the bakery or order it from a neighbor who makes them from scratch. Growing up, I do remember stashing a few of these from my brothers. Sometimes I would hide them so well, I'd forget where I hid them.



So this month I tackle Empanada with the help of, what is considered by many, a classic Filipino cookbook: The Philippine Cookbook by Reynaldo Alejandro.

The recipe for Empanada is simple enough. Brown some ground beef with garlic and onions. Stir in some chopped potatoes and cook them all until the potatoes are tender. Season with S&P and mix in a few raisins. My husband is not too keen on the raisins so I omitted them :( but when I was filling the empanada pastry, I snuck in a few raisins in one just for me. :) I should have marked this one because it got lost in the fryer and just remembered it when the family sat down to eat them for lunch. So our empanada lunch became a contest for my boys on who can get the lucky empanada. :)



Empanada
as it appears in book
yields 20

1 pound ground beef (I used rib-eye)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 cup potato, diced (1 large)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup raisins (omitted)

Brown ground beef. Push meat to one side and saute garlic and onion until brown, then add onion. Mix the meat, garlic and onion, then add potatoes. Stir and cook until potatoes are tender. Season withsalt and pepper and mix in raisins.

Empanada Pastry

3 cups all-purpose flour
4 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup oil
3 egg yolks (plus some egg whites for sealing empanadas)

Mix and knead all ingredients until dough is soft. On a floured board, roll out 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 4- or 5-inch diameter circles (use wide-mouthed jar or cup for cutting circles). Put a spoonful of meat filling in center of each circle. Fold to half-moon shape, wet edges with egg white, press and seal sides. Deep fry until golden brown and drain. Or, instead of deep frying, pies can be baked in preheated 425F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.



My family enjoyed the empanadas and have requested for more. I was not sure why I never made these before but will surely make them more often.

Kulinarya was started by a group of Filipino foodies living in Sydney, Australia who are passionate about the Filipino culture and its colorful cuisine. Each month we will showcase a new dish along with their family recipes. By sharing these recipes, we hope you find the same passion and love for Filipino Food as we do.

Please visit my fellow Kulinarya members for their Empanada creations:
Trish
Kath
Trissa
Olive
Peach
Cusinera
Asha
Malou
Cherrie
Acdee
Valerie
Bel
Divina

If you’re interested in joining our Kulinarya Cooking Club, please feel free to drop by and leave a comment – we would love to hear from you!