Nilagang Baka 3
Sweet corn and carrots, potatoes and chinese cabbage (pechay) , kalabasa (squash), onion leeks, string beans, the napa-variety cabbage… a different combination in texture and color gives a new nilagang baka recipe every time.
There is another way, though, of cooking nilagang baka with a different twist. Aside from a new combination of vegetables, try changing [...]
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Achara (atsara)
Achara, or atsara, means pickled green papaya. Well, basically. Carrots, ginger, onions and bell peppers are added to the papaya to turn it into achara. The pickling solution–a mixture of vinegar, sugar and salt–preserves the papaya and the vegetables. In air-tight jars, achara will keep even without refrigeration. After the jar has been opened, however, [...]
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Balon-balonan at kangkong (gizzards and water spinach)
Barbecued balon-balonan ng manok is probably the most popular way of cooking chicken gizzards in the Philippines today. Sold as street food, they are initially boiled until half cooked, then grilled until crisp. My daughters like balon-balonan ng manok tremendously but find the barbecued form too tough.
Frozen balon-balonan ng manok or chicken gizzards are [...]
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Bulalo
Bulalo is the marrow in the bone of the beef shank. The dish bulalo is simply boiled bone-in beef shank served with a variety of vegetables. A simple dish to prepare, really; but the flavorful broth and the texture of the meat makes it a treat.
Beef shank is locally known as kenchi. It can be [...]
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Pochero with Spicy Eggplant Sauce
Here is another dish I grew up with, and something I learned to cook by watching my father in the kitchen.
Pochero is a stew of Spanish origin–stewed beef cooked with chorizo de bilbao (Spanish blood sausage) and lots of chopped onions and tomatoes. The vegetables and saba bananas are cooked separately. Pochero is traditionally served [...]
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Tortang Talong
This is the classic tortang talong recipe. But look out for the tip at the end of the post. If you like this recipe and would like to be even more adventurous, try my tortang utak ng baboy (pig’s brain frittata). No, it’s not one for the Fear Factor. There’s nothing disgusting about the way [...]
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Pinakbet (or something like it)
I’ve always wanted to cook pinakbet–that classic Ilocano dish that is a mainstay in any Filipino buffet. But… I am allergic to bagoong (salted shrimp sauce). And… my kids do not eat ampalaya (bitter melon or bitter gourd). So I have never cooked pinakbet before.
I wanted vegetables for lunch today, mainly because we have been [...]
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Lumpiang hubad
This dish is made with “ubod”, or the heart of palm, especially the coconut palm. In Filipino, “ubod” means core. If you split a palm tree, you will find a soft white core. This is “heart” palm, the core or what we call “ubod”.
In some Pacific islands, “ubod” is eaten raw. Quite a delicacy, [...]
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