Overseas Pinoy Cooking

LP24: Loco over Coco This month’s theme for Lasang Pinoy is Loco over C oco . Crazy over coconut indeed coconut is a major part of Filipino cuisine being the Philippines a tropical country, coconut trees of all kinds are part our landscape. To learn more about the importance of coconut in Pinoy cooking check out Bukcaio, Kai who is hosting Lasang Pinoy 24: Loco over Coco has written an informative essay about the tree of life. Pinoy Buko Chopsuey is my entry for this month’s event, chopsuey is a very popular vegetable dish amongst Pinoy it is loved by every one young and old alike and from all walks of life. There are several Pinoy versions of this dish. I have made a post several months back, an original version I called Oriental Chopsuey and it is one of the most visited post. For my Pinoy Buko Chopsuey version I added young coconut meat and all the other ingredient are the similar, you could always adjust the type and quantities of vegetable and topping ingredients b...

Ginisang Sayote . Most Pinoy foods are prepared ginisa especially the vegetables. We prepare most of our food starting with the basic sautéing of aromatics usually garlic, onion, tomato and the more savory ginisa using ginger. Ginisang sayote is no different from my other ginisa vegetable dish. I was at the vegetable market last weekend and the sack of sayote caught my attention. Sayote is not a common vegetable in Abu Dhabi for this reason it’s a bit pricey when compared to other vegetables. It’s been months when I last have sayote, I bought four pieces which cost me double compare to ordinary vegetables. I was graving for that carinderia style ginisang sayote topped with just hibe (dried shrimp) and perhaps some boiled pork. Here is how I cooked it. Ingredients: 4 medium size sayote , cut into strips 1 cup pork, boiled, cut into short strips (optional) 1 cup small size ready to cook shrimp 1/2 head garlic, minced 1 piece shrimp bullion 1 medium size onion, chopped 1...

Kinilaw na Tanguigue na May Kamatis , this version of kinilaw is popular in some parts of the Visasayas, they add tomatoes on their kinilaw na isda they either use the not so ripe/mahibalang or green tomatoes. I find this version equally good especially if it’s chilled it is more of a salad. I did made another version of kinilaw na tanguige with cubes of cucumber, radish, bell pepper and lemon rind that was also good. See my previous post on kinilaw na tanguigue . Both versions I would certainly offer to non Filipino who loves seviche. Both versions are more of a salad the vinegar was only used to rinse and briefly marinate the fish, instead I used lemon or kalamansi as the souring agent. Ingredients: 1 k. tanguigue , deboned and skin removed, cut into cubes 2 thumb size ginger, finely cut into strips 2 small size onion, finely cut into strips 1 medium size tomato, seeds removed, coarsely chopped 3 tbsp. kalamasi juice 3 pcs red siling labuyo , chopped balsamic ...

Sinigang na Ulo ng Lapu Lapu . Yesterday I went to Abu Dhabi Cooperative Supermarket at Abu Dhabi Mall to buy something for to cook for the dinner and some other items. I was lucky when I reach the fresh fish section I was just in time when the fish monger has just displayed freshly cut fish heads and belly of a medium sized lapu lapu. I bought all of it, about two kilos. These fish heads are what are left from the lapu lapu, where the fillets are sold separate as premium cuts. Pinoys love fish soup, and fish head are best part for fish sinigang. I didn’t waste any time straight to the kitchen in less than 30 minutes dinner of steaming sinigang na ulo ng lapu lapu was ready. I like my sinigang with a lot of leeks or spring onions. Take this one as a cooking tip, it will make a lot of difference. Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 medium size onion, quartered 2 medium size tomato, quartered 1 bundle kangkong leaves or any leafy vegetables 1 big bundle leeks or spring onion, cut into 2...

Lauya nga Luppo ti Baboy, Nilagang Pata ng Baboy . Lauya is how they call in Ilocandia the soup dish like boiled pork, beef or any other meat. Lauya is nilaga in Tagalog. Cooking procedure is basically the same on both lauya and nilaga, except for the choice of aromatic that goes in the boiling stock. Some recipe add ginger or some also would add garlic, which I would say its an option to the locality. The meat cut should have bones and fats or skin like the hocks, belly, spareribs, shank, briskets, tail, ect. Choice of fresh vegetables is also added like pechay, cabbage and potato. Here is the recipe of the pork pata lauya I enjoyed during my childhood. Lauya nga Luppo ti Baboy, Nilagang Pata ng Baboy Recipe Ingredients: 1 pork pata 1/2 head garlic 2 medium size onion, quartered 1/2 small size cabbage, cut into 3 pieces wedge 3 medium size potato, quartered 1 bundle pechay, trimmed 1 tbsp. peppercorns salt Cooking procedure: Ask the butch...

Embutido , Changes are, most likely the embutido you bought at your favorite supermarket or even with your office mate taste like bread or flour at times you won’t even recognize that it is an embutido . Embutido is supposed to be the Pinoy equivalent of meat loaf therefore should be made up of meat. The reason is commercial embutido are full of extenders to compensate for the high prize of meat and to make it affordable to everyone. Now I would like to share a recipe of a real meat embutido . If you have a steamer or can set up your ordinary pot as steamer, all you need is a rack that fit inside the pot, Making embutido is fairly easy, aside from steaming there is no other especial cooking technique. Enjoy… Ingredients: 1 k. ground pork 4-6 slices sweet ham, finely chopped 1 small size carrot, finely chopped 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese 3 pcs. big size egg, beaten 1 small size red bell pepper, finely chopped 1 small size green bell pepper, finely chopped 3 pcs...

Binagoongan Baboy, Pork in Salted Shrimp Paste . If you live in a flat or building and have neighbors of other nationality then cooking bagoong na alamang is a change you have to take and hoping your neighbors wont come knocking at your door. I my self live in a flat lucky for me, our neighbors in the same floor are Filipino. If you really want to have this dish then you have to use bottled pre-sautéed salted shrimp paste . The shrimp paste is to be added only in the last few minutes of cooking and keep it covered. Ingredients: 1/2 c. bagoong alamang (pre-sautéed salted shrimp paste) 1 k. pork liempo or any other part, cut into big cubes 1 large size onion, coarsely chopped 2 large size tomato, coarsely chopped 1/2 head garlic, chopped 3 pcs. bay leaf 1 tsp. pepper corns 1/4 c. vinegar 1 tbsp. sugar cooking oil Cooking procedure: Wash pork thoroughly put in a sauce pan add 3 cups of water, vinegar, bay leaf and pepper corn bring to a boil and s...

Pinasingaw na Gulay, Steamed Vegetables . I would like to share a simple way to steam your vegetables. Any vegetable available or in combination of assorted vegetables can be used. If the quantity is for small serving the easiest way is to steam it together with the cooking rice in a rice cooker. If you don’t mind the steaming vegetables juices mixed with the cooking rice just place the vegetables on the top, otherwise use a heat proof bowl on top of the rice. Should the quantity is more the vegetable is best steam in a proper steamer or if a steamer is not available, blanch the vegetables in boiling water. Take note that vegetables should be cooked just firm and crisp. The best pares for steamed vegetable is binagoongan baboy , or just bagoong na isda or gunisang bagoong na alamang with kalamansi or chopped tomatoes and onions. Of course other dipping sauces like soy sauce with kalamansi or fish sauce with kalamansi are both good choice also. Ingredients: 1 bowl of the fol...

Adobong Tanguige , Adobong Isda. Some variety of fish are good for adobo ,   tanguige or king fish is one of them. It is basically the same cooking procedure with the meat adobo . Remember though that fish are faster to cook and will easily crumble. One technique I have learned to minimized the fishy aroma of tanguige or any other fish with out scale is to rub the skin with salt and wash thoroughly before slicing or cutting , then make a final wash and rinse again rinse thoroughly. The best parts for fish adobo is the tail for bigger fish, the belly, the head and/or the collars or  panga . For today's recipe I used the tail of a big tanguige or king fish . Ingredients: 1 kilo  tanguige tail or any part. 1 head garlic,feeled,  crushed 2 thumb size ginger, skinned, sliced 1 tsp. peppercorns 2-3 bay leaf 3-5 pieces red hot chili pepper 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup vinegar salt cooking oil Cooking procedure: Using scissors cut and tri...

"The kinilaw moment is that instant when the raw fish (or other seafood, or meat) meets the vinegar or other souring agent, and transformation begins from the raw state. In cooking vegetables, there is a spectrum of textural change: from the hardness of the raw, to the limpness of the overcooked. The perfect moment is somewhere along the line, at the point when the vegetable, e.g. ampalaya (bitter melon) retains the crispness of the raw, but acquires the softness of the cooked without being either hard or limp. With kinilaw , the perfect moment is marked visually by a change from translucence towards, but without reaching, opacity. Texturally, it is a moment when the fish or shrimp retains the firm softness of the raw, but reaches a new state of being that has been called niluto sa asim - "cooked", or more accurately transformed, in sourness. It is not an opaque solidity, with the fibres white and the flesh texture that of poached fish. Along the spectrum, it ...

Buffalo Chicken Wings , Wings are my favorite part of chicken and of course the tail. For me it is the tastiest part as well. In any chicken dish, for sure I will have to take the wings. Most of the time I am cautioned that chicken skin is full of cholesterol… Okey I Know but one or two wings once in a while just to satisfy once craving is probably worth it. Chicken wings are also a favorite pulutan of Pinoys. It is quick and easy to prepare and here is the recipe of my buffalo chicken wings. Ingredients: 1 k. extra large size chicken wings 1/2 tsp. chilli powder 1/2 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. garlic powder salt and pepper cooking oil Cooking procedure: Trim each chicken wings tip with scissors, wash and drain. Dust chicken wings with the chilli powder, garlic powder and paprika, Season with salt and pepper. Rub each chicken wings for a uniform coating. Put in a closed container and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge. Deep fry marinated chicken wi...

Adobong Atay at Balunbalunan ng Manok, Chicken Gizzard and Liver Adobo . Almost every parts of chicken are edible to Most Pinoy. the chicken gizzard and liver, including the hearth are the more popular for the reason that these are used as ingredients to a lot of Pinoy noodle dish and or vegetable dish compared to the other chicken parts, like chicken feet, tail, intestine ect. One of the best way to cook chicken gizzard and liver is dry and spicy adobo.  Adobong Atay at Balunbalunan ng Manok, Chicken Gizzard and Liver Adobo is   also a favorite pulutan, best served sizzling in a hot plate. Chicken gizzard and liver are readily available i most supermarkets. Here is the recipe on my  Adobong Atay at Balunbalunan ng Manok, Chicken Gizzard and Liver Adobo Ingredients: 1/2 kilo chicken gizzard 1/2 kilo chicken liver 1 head garlic, peeled,crushed 1 medium size onion, peeled, chopped 2 thumb size ginger, skinned, sliced 1 tsp. peppercorns 3-5 pieces b...