Filipino Dishes

My wife's director was having a party at her house. My wife also mentioned to her that I was a good cook, so I felt that I needed to impress her with my skills. She is Filipino, so I made pork rib adobo and maja blanca. The pork rib adobo is very easy to make, and I've added some of my twists to shorten the time. The maja blanca is a traditional favorite among Filipino families, and I heard that it's not something people would make everyday; it's a special dessert.


Pork Rib Adobo

Ingredients
2-2.5 lb pork ribs, sawed in half and cut into individual ribs
1 C (8 oz can) unsweetened pineapple juice
2 bay leaves
1/4 C light soy sauce
6 peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 C water
2 tsp corn starch
1/4 C brown sugar
2 Tbsp ketchup
5 Tbsp dark soy sauce


Method

1. Fill a large pot with water, enough to cover the ribs. Bring to a boil then add the ribs. Bring to a boil again and then simmer 5 minutes. Remove the ribs, and clean out the pot.

2. Put ribs back into the pot. Add the garlic, pineapple juice, bay leaves, peppercorns, vinegar, and light soy sauce to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about45 minutes. Make sure to stir the pot halfway through to make sure all the meat absorbs the flavor.

3. Remove the ribs from the pot, and turn up the heat to high to reduce the liquid. Mix the corn starch with 4 Tbsp water. When liquid is reduced by half, add the corn starch slurry, brown sugar, ketchup and dark soy sauce. Continue to stir until sauce has thickened. Taste and season. Put the ribs back into the sauce to coat, and then place onto serving dish.


Maja Blanca

Ingredients
1/2 C coconut milk
1 C rice flour
1 C sugar
1/2 C corn starch
3-4 Tbsp sweet corn kernels
4 C fresh coconut milk or water
1/4 diced young coconut meat (or grated coconut, optional)*
*1 young coconut will yeald 2 cups coconut water and 1/4 C coconut meat. If you use the coconut water, the dessert will be somewhat transluscent (see picture). If you use coconut milk, the dessert will be white.


Method
Prepare the Latik in advance
1. Pour coconut milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil for 1 hour. Wait until the oil separates and a brown precipitate forms. This brown precipitate is called Latik. Drain the Latik from the oil and set aside. (Optional: Spread Latik on parchment paper. Drizzle a little coconut oil over the Latik and sprinkle some sugar to sweeten it up a bit.)

2. Grease a 13-inch rectangular dish with the coconut oil (prepared above). Set aside.

3. In a medium-sized pot, blend rice flour, sugar, corn starch, sweet corn kernel, coconut meat, and coconut milk or water.

4. Start to boil over medium heat. When it starts to bubble, reduce heat to low and stir with a wooden spoon constantly to prevent lumps. Wait until mixture is clear to opaque after 5-7 minutes.

5. Pour the hot mixture into prepared dish and allow to set. Sprinkle Latik over the set mixture, and let it cool before serving.


Enjoy,

TH

Pork Skin J-E-L-L-O!

Every country has their own gelatin-based dish, whether it be sweet or savory. In the US, there's fruit flavored Jello, either on its own or mixed with fruit or salad. In Europe, there's head cheese, which is not really cheese per se, but a molded mass of head and/or foot meat and gelatin. And there's China with their pork skin gelatin. I'm not familiar with this dish, but my wife says it may originate from Northern China. It's a relatively simple dish to prepare and they say it's good for your skin, because of the collagen, and has very little fat.

Ingredients:

5 lbs pork skin

1 bunch scallions divided, half cut into 1 inch lengths and half chopped

2-3 slices of ginger

2-3 star anises

soy sauce

1/4 cup

4-5 Tbsp Chinese wine/mirin

1-2 Tbsp sugar

For serving:

Sesame oil

Black Vinegar

Cilantro

Dry chili paste (optional)

Method:

1. Bring a pot of water (enough to cover the pork skin) to a boil, and blanch the pork skin for 3-5 minutes. Remove the skin and dispose of the water. Clean pot.

2. Remove excess fat from the skin. Slice pork skin lengthwise 1/2 inch wide, then cut crosswise at 1 inch lengths.

3. In a pressure cooker, add scallions, ginger, pork skin, wine, soy sauce, star anise, sugar, and enough water to cover the skin. Put on lid and cook on high heat for about 20-25 minutes or until steam is ready.

3. Remove and discard scallions, ginger and star anise. Add the pork skin and liquid and chopped scallions to the bowls that will be used as molds. Stir to mix well. Refrigerate overnight.

4. Unmold and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Dress with sesame oil and black vinegar, and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

TH

Sssss...Snake Gourd

So last night, I went to Patel Brothers (http://www.patelbros.com/) to grab some ginger and garlic (they have very reasonable prices on produce!), and I usually like to browse the Indian vegetables. I came across a vegetable that looks similar to the Chinese okra (aka loufa), but is longer. It's called a Snake Gourd or Potlakaya.

As you can see from the pic, it's green with white streaks that run along its length. The vegetable ($1.99/lb) is somewhat light and has a smooth skin. At the store, I Googled for a recipe and found an Indian recipe called, Snake Gourd Curry. Obviously, I would do my own twist on this recipe (see recipe to follow).

There is not much flavor to the vegetable alone, but it does take on flavors pretty well. It is easy to cook as it releases moisture pretty easily, so you wouldn't need to add water. It is tender when cooked. Word of caution: don't eat the seeds!

Snake Gourd Curry (not really)

2 Snake gourds

1 Tbsp mustard seeds

1 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp turmeric

1 Medium onion, large dice

1/4 lb pork, thinly sliced

1/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut (optional)

Salt to taste

1. Wash gourd and peel the outer skin. Cut lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and slice crosswise.

2. Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds. After the mustard seeds have stopped cracking and popping, add onions and saute until brown. Add paprika and turmeric.

3. Add pork and toss. When pork has turned pink, add the sliced gourd and salt. Cover and cook at medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add coconut and toss for a few minutes before serving.

You can definitely make this recipe better by adding cumin, coriander, garam masala, etc., except I have a picky eater at home, so i didn't add these ingredients.

TH

Tropical Sunrise

So, I made this drink today, because it was so damn hot. I call it a Tropical Sunrise. Sounds corny, I know, but it tastes really good. It's simple to make. Just a few simple ingredients in a tall Collins glass: ice, Bundaberg rum, mango drink/puree, sparkling water, and a few drips of grenadine. Give it a swirl and enjoy!

Cooking Club - French Theme

Last night, my friend started the first cooking club, where each guest would bring in a dish for the theme. Last night's theme was French food. There was a lot of good wine and food, especially two of his dishes, Coq au vin and Beef Bourguignon. Although his dishes were a blast, mine was loved by many as well. It is Julia Child's Chou Fleur a la Mornay Gratine (Cauliflower au gratin with cheese).

It turned out pretty good, especially it was the first time I've made bechamel. The recipe is pretty easy: boiled cauliflower, bechamel with cheese (Swiss and parmesan), and bread crumbs. I guess it was just a little time consuming with the bechamel sauce and trying to get it right. I should have cooked the cauliflower florets ahead of time, because things get messy when you try to do everything at once, like in Mrs. Doubtfire when she tries to make a gourmet meal and ends up setting her bossoms on fire. At least I still have my eye brows.

Also surprisingly, the recipe doesn't call for that much butter or heavy cream. I only used 3 tablespoons of butter, but I did double up on the cheese.

Here's a quick recipe for you:

Cauliflower (Chou Fleur)
1 8 inch head of Cauliflower, florets removed
6-7 Quarts water
2-3 Tsp salt
1/2 cup milk (Optional - to keep cauliflower white)

Boil salted water, add cauliflower and bring to boil. Continue to boil 9-12 minutes until cauliflower is fork tender. You can leave it as is if you plan to use it right away, or you can rinse it in ice water to stop it from cooking.

Mornay Sauce (Bechamel with cheese)
2 cups milk
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
salt/pepper
nutmeg
1/2-1 cup cheese (Swiss and parmesan, mix it up if you like)

Add 1 tsp of salt to the milk and bring to a boil. In a sauce pan, melt butter on low heat until melted, add flour a little at a time while stirring. When flour is mixed in well, turn off heat and continue to stir until it stops bubbling. Add hot milk to the flour-butter mixture all at once, and whisk fiercely to get the lumps out. Add salt/pepper/nutmeg to your taste. Turn the heat back on, bring sauce to a boil for 1 minute. The sauce will get thick. Turn off heat and add cheese and stir.

Assembly of Chou Fleur a la Mornay
Spoon a third of the Mornay sauce into a baking dish. Add the florets and arrange them on the sauce. Salt and pepper the florets. Spoon the remaining sauce over the cauliflower. JC separates the bread crumbs from the butter. I lightly toasted the bread crumbs in the butter before sprinkling them over the cauliflower. Bake in a preheated oven (375F) for 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy,
TH

This image says it all. I've completed the Phaal Challenge at Brick Lane Curry House in NYC...although, my stomach wasn't enjoying the festivities. I did get my free glass of beer to cool down whatever was left in my throat and stomach. At the end, my stomach was hurting, and I felt like I had a curry hangover. I now have the title PCM, a.k.a Phaal Curry Monster!

Balut...

Hi, it's been a while since my last blog, and I have something very interesting to share with you.

When I was growing up, my dad, on occasion, would bring home duck eggs. These were a delicacy! I didn't think too much about what I ate as long as it tasted good. Not until I was older that I learned that these were 2 week old ducklings that was starting to grow feathers and you can even see a beak. Just thinking about this makes my mouth water. Move over Andrew Zimmern!

In the Phillippines, they're called Balut. Some say it is an aphrodisiac. Anyway, these eggs are prepared by putting the eggs into a pot of cold water and brought to a boil, then continued to boil for 20 minutes.

How to eat: The shell is pretty thick so crack it with the back of a spoon and peel away the shell. There is an inner skin, part of the amniotic sac, that you remove to expose the "soup." Drink the soup...mmm... There it is...the duckling...only 3-4 cm long. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper and a few leaves of Rau Ram (a Vietnamese herb that I like to eat with these eggs). Scoop up some of the yolk and the duckling. Continue with the S&P and herbage with the rest of the yolk. You can't eat the white, because it's too hard. Who wants seconds?? I do!!

Who Likes Their Lamb gamy?

Well, I like it somewhat gamy, because it tells me that I'm eating real lamb and not some other red meat. Sometimes when I burp, the air is laced with that gamy odor even after eating for many hours. The gamy flavor reminds me of the pastures that the lamb once grazed on, and now I feel as if I had been there.



Yesterday, I roasted a leg of lamb.



After generously salting the lamb, I put a nice dry rub of freshly ground spices: mustard seeds, coriander, black peppercorns, turmeric powder, allspice powder, and star anise. The meat is then put into the frige to hang for a couple of hours. Before you cook it, preheat the oven to 450F. Bring the lamb to room temp before you stick it into the hot oven. Set the timer for 25 minutes so that the lamb gets a nice golden crust. Then cover it with foil and continue to cook at 350F until desired doneness (160F for medium). Let rest otherwise the juices will flow everywhere.

I'd pair this up with sauteed broccoli and toasted almonds, or any kind of veg, like ratatouille.

Enjoy!

Best Homemade Chinese Beef Noodle Soup Ever

There was some left over pasta dough from V-day, so I took out the old pasta machine and made noodles; the thinnest...I think they were called taglioni, sort of like flat vermicelli. Anyway, I made beef stock using a beef bone and a charred onion. Let this stock cook for about 2 hours; if the liquid reduced by half, add fresh water; just cook the heck out of it. Add star anise to your preference (1 or 2), and season with soy sauce to your taste. You'll get this rich and flavorful (Umami...) stock. On the side, take a small sauce pan and add 2 cups water, 1/4 cup dark soy sauce, 3 star anise, 2 cloves, 2-3 tsp five-spice powder, and a couple tablespoons of dark brown sugar. Let that boil then simmer. Add a piece of beef shank to the simmering liquid and simmer for about an hour or so until tender. Cool completely, then slice thinly. Cook noodles until done. Divide noodles into serving bowls. Break Shanghai bok choy into leaves and cook in broth until almost tender. Divide veges between bowls. Add a few slices of beef to each bowl. Sprinkle chopped scallion to each bowl. Add broth to the bowls and serve with chili paste of your choice (I prefer Lao Gan Ma brand). Enjoy!

V-Day

Last night, I cooked for my wife a 3 course dinner. The first was a bruschetta of fresh tomato puree with kalamata olives and EVOO. Lightly browned French bread cut on the bias and then lightly spread the tomato mixture. EVOO was drizzled onto the bread prior to toasting, and it made the bread so delicious.

Second course, steamed fresh mussels with Yellowtail Chardonnay, fresh chopped tomatoes, red bell peppers, carrots and onions. Perfect for dipping the juices with bread.

Last course, homemade raviolis. Stuffing included ground pork, diced ham, dill, sauteed onions, and cream cheese; an interesting mix. After boiling the raviolis, they were then sauteed lightly with sliced mini portabella mushrooms in a butter and marsala wine sauce.

CNY Dinner

Tonight we went to City Cafe (136-11 38th Ave) in Queens to have dinner with some relatives. They specialize in Cantonese cooking. All of the dishes were pretty good, but small. The best dish was the roasted quail. With a little squeeze of lemon juice, the flavor of the quail just opens up. Crispy and delicious.

Happy Chinese New Year

For the eve of the new lunar year, I though it would be appropriate to get the head of a tiger. But to no luck, so I got next best thing...a roasted pig head. The skin is so crisp and the meat is juicy and fatty!! The meat around the mouth is tender and flavorful. The snout is chewy. For something that tastes this good, it's a crime that it only costs $3!!

Ugly or Ugli?

Well it's Ugli. I was at the farmer's market today, and I came across this strange looking fruit. It looked like a shriveled up pomelo. Definitely ugly. So I looked it up online and it's a Jamaican Tangelo, a citrus fruit hybrid. According to Wiki, it's a cross between a pomelo, an orange and a tangerine. And it tastes like those, not like a blend of all of the flavors. It's very juicy, and you eat it like a pomelo, peeling the membranes away to get at the pulp.

Chicken is so easy...

Last night, I had taken out a whole chicken out of the freezer, but I didn't know what to make. On the way home from work, I was thinking to myself that I hadn't had roast chicken for a long time. I came home, turned on the oven to 350 degrees and started preparing my bird. Well, the oven beeped at 350, but when I checked my new oven thermometer, it only read 250! Damn it; 100 degrees off, what a piece of crap. Crank it up to 450. After rinsing and drying the bird, I laid the bird out, made some incisions around the wish bone, pulled it out and cut down the middle to separate the breasts...Seasoned both sides with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. I had some left over pesto from a long time ago, but it seems to be alright....drizzle that on top of the bird skin side up. I got this cool cordless electronic thermometer as a gift, where I can be in the office while keeping my eye on the temperature of the bird (180F). Before it reaches 180, it says, "Your food is almost ready!" Few minutes later, it goes "Your food is done." Perfect! I poke it and the liquid runs clear.

I make angel hair pasta sauteed with some garlic, olive oil, frozen spinach (rinsed and squeezed) and this roasted red pepper tapenade. They go so well together (the chick and the pasta). Try it!

TH

The Beginning

A number of people have told me, especially my wife, that I should write a blog about things I've eaten, places I've gone, and dishes I've made. I know there are tons of blogs out there that talk about these things, and that my blog would probably get lost. But I'll try it anyway.

Here I go...

Tonight, I have made 2 dishes. The first is a simple dish of steamed fresh dungeoness crab. I used a couple of slices of ginger and one outer section of a lemongrass to put into the steaming liquid (water). The crab was steamed for about 20 minutes until the crab was a nice orange color. I like how the aroma of the crab just fills the house. The crab is served with a dipping sauce of soy sauce, fresh green chilis, sesame oil, Chinkiang black vinegar, sugar, fresh pepper and cilantro. The crab was so good, especially the bitter soft tissue in the body.

The second dish is a soup of pork spare ribs and Chinese yam. The Chinese yam is an interesting root. It has a light tan color with brown spots. After peeling it, the flesh is slimy. The trick is to cut it into 1-inch pieces and then steam it for a couple of minutes. Steaming will remove the slime. It does not have much flavor on its own. The soup is flavored with ginger and scallions. Very simple and delicious. Also, full of nutrients.

That's about it.

TH