Overseas Pinoy Cooking

Tinolang Tahong is a simple Pinoy way of cooking tahong or mussels. The broth of tinolang tahong is very refreshing. The best way to cook is first boil the water with the aromatics before adding the mussels. Should you prefer more broth then you have to add more water and little salt to taste. Tinolang Tahong with Sotanghon and Spinach Recipe Lemongrass could be boiled with the water if you want an additional zest to the dish. Overcooking will shrink the mussel meat therefore it is very important that is should be cooked until the shells had opened. Ingredients: 1 kilo tahong , mussel 1 thumb size ginger, sliced into strips 1/2 head garlic, crushed 1 medium size onion, sliced 1 bundle kangkong tops, trimmed 2-3 pieces green sili cooking oil Cooking procedure: Wash mussels and place in a bowl, cover with water and let sit in for several hours to allow the mussels to expel dirt and discard water, wash and drain. In a wok or pan sauté garlic, ginger

Ginataang Kuhol . When I was working in Makati we used to frequently drink after office hours on a foodcourt near our office. Our favorite pulutan was ginataang kuhol that was about 25 years ago. At that time we were not worried where the snails came from. Today I would think twice before I buy snails, it is best to ask where those snails came from. Of course I am not always satisfied by the shell monger’s answer, it is always best to clean the snails properly. I don’t rely on just breaking the tip of the snail shell. I would recommend chopping it off and removing all visible entrails or better removing them from the shell and trimming off the entrails, wash thoroughly and returning them back to their shell. Ingredients: 1 kilo kuhol , edible snail 2 big bundle malungay leaves, removed from stem 1 thumb sized ginger, cut into strips 1 head garlic, chopped 2 medium size onion, chopped 2-3 siling labuyo , chopped 4 cup coconut milk cooking oil salt Cooking procedure:

Inihaw na Pusit is one of the most ordered food in any grilled seafood restaurants and fassfoods or foodcourts. I myself have been ordering inihaw na pusit before until I was feed up on the quality of restaurant's inihaw na pusit. Most of the time their inihaw are not fresh or have been pre-cooked and of course overcooked to the point that the squid meat is like rubber. To have a soft and succulent grilled squid it should only be grilled or cooked briefly otherwise the meat will be hard as rubber. Can you imagine a half cooked un-fresh, bilasang pusit, and the rip-off prices these restaurants are charging for their un-edible grilled squid. If you could spot a really fresh squid on the fishmarket don’t think twice buy it and have a really fresh home cooked inihaw na pusit and here is how to do it. Ingredients: 1 kilo large size fresh squid 1/4 cup kalamansi juice 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup sprite or 7up coarsely crushed peppercorns Cooking procedure: To clean squ

Batso nga Tabungao is one of my favorite Ilocano vegetable dish. It is a ginisang upo flavored and colored with annatto. The only difference from the regular ginisang upo is the way it is cut up, the upo is diced into small pieces instead of slices. The annatto gives a distinctive taste to the vegetable and the vibrant orange tint which gives an added visual appeal to the dish. It is important not to overcook the vegetable. Ingredients: 200 g. pork, boiled, diced 250 g. small size shrimp 1 medium size upo , diced 1/2 head garlic, minced 1 medium size onion, chopped 1 big size tomato, chopped 1/4 c. patis cooking oil salt 2 tbsp. annatto water extracted from 1/2 cup anatto seeds Cooking procedure: Wash shrimp thoroughly and drain. Remove head, peel off shell and tail of each shrimp. Set aside head, shell and tail. Slice each shrimp at the back and remove intestine. Using pestle and mortar pound shrimp head, shell and tail to extract juices, dilute in 2 c.

Ginataang Hipon Tabang at Bulaklak ng Kalabasa . Fresh water shrimp and squash flower in coconut milk. This recipe is another one of my original base on ginataang hipon tabang which is one of the favorites of folks from Laguna. These small freshwater shrimp are found in Laguna Lake and adjacent rivers around Laguna and other Tagalog provinces. Squash flowers are now in season, they are also harvested in vegetable farms and gardens along the beaches of Laguna Lake. The combination of orange and yellow colors adds appeal to the already delicious dish. Fresh water shrimp are sweeter compared to the saltwater counterpart. Ingredients: 1 kilo fresh water shrimp 2 big bundle bulaklak ng kalabasa, squash flowers, trimmed 1 medium size onion, sliced 1/2 head garlic, crushed 1 thumb size ginger, cut into strips 3 cups coconut milk 2-3 pieces siling labuyo , chopped cooking oil salt Cooking procedure: In a large pot sauté garlic, ginger and onion. Add 2 cups coconut mil

Sinanglao or Sinanglaw is a beef innards and skin soup, flavored with bile and kamias specialty of Vigan . When you’re at Vigan sinanglao are served at street side eateries in the morning. Version defends on family preferences, some substitute k amias with tamarind or even vinegar. Some even refer papaitan as sinanglao . Ingredients are readily available at the Vigan wet market and are sold in sets complete with coagulated blood and bile. Sourcing the ingredients elsewhere especially if you are overseas is a problem. Not unless you can order from the butcher direct from the slaughterhouse. The papaitan sets or tripe , beef hocks and tail with skin sold in some meat shops when you’re overseas are a good substitute. My sinanglao ingredients are sourced using papaitan set sold at wet market and the beef face and tendons bought from beef section of supermarket. Here is the recipe. Ingredients: 1/2 kilo beef innards 1/4 kilo beef tendons* 1/4 kilo beef beef

Lechon Manok, Turbo Broiled Chicken . Here is a fathers day special lechon manok. I love Andok’s lechon manok, it is just roast right to tenderness. The aroma of lemon grass, the sour, salty and succulent chicken meat dip in sweet lechon sauce. Here is the recipe of my broiled chicken similar to the popular Andok’s lechon manok . The secret is do not overcook the chicken. The meat should be tender and succulent. Ingredients: 1 1/2 kilo whole chicken 4-6 stalks tanglad, lemon grass, crushed 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup kalamansi juice 2 tbsp. ground pepper 1 tsp salt butter Cooking procedure: Marinate chicken in soy sauce and kalamansi juice for 4 hours or overnight. Rub chicken skin and cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff chicken cavity with lemon grass. Tuck in neck inside the cavity, roast in turbo broiler at 350 to 400°F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, occasionally baste skin with butter. Roast until golden brown. Serve with lechon sauce or s

Tinuno nga Buksit ti Baboy, Grilled Pork Belly . Tinuno or inihaw is a popular way of cooking fresh meat and fish in Ilocos . Using the basic or simple marinade only or just season with salt in this way the true flavors of the meat or fish is not masked but enhanced by the marinade used. Pork belly is one of the best parts of pork for grilling . Especially if the pork is really fresh, means just butchered. Just season the liempo with salt and strait to the charcoals. How I miss those fiestas in the province where backyard grown hogs are butchered just for the occasion. Ingredients: 1 kilo pork liempo , belly, cut into 1/2” thick strips 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup kalamansi juice 1 tsp. sugar Cooking procedure: Wash pork belly, remove any traces of blood and drain. Marinate with soy sauce, kalamansi and sugar for 3 hours or overnight. Grill at medium to high heat for 5-8 minutes on each side. Baste with the marinade in between. Do not overcook, it should be moist

Inihaw na Bangus, Grilled Milkfish . I once live along a coastal barangay along the Laguna bay. When in season or when the fish pens over flows due to typhoon bangus are a bargain. The best way of cooking fresh bangus would of course grilling and my personal favorite is with onion, tomato, ginger and bagoong alamang stuffing wraped in aluminum foil. Aluminum foil traps all the juices from the fish and the stuffings which then steam infused all the flavors to the fish. The fish is moderately charred outside but really moist inside. Grilled bangus dip in a mixture of soy sauce, kalamansi and hot sili make everyone droll. Now here is how to do it. Ingredients: 1 large size bangus , milkfish, 1 kilo a piece 2 pc. medium size tomato, chopped 1 pc. medium size onion, chopped 1 thumb size ginger, chopped 1/4 head garlic, chopped 1/4 cup bagoong alamang 2 pc. green sili salt Cooking procedure: Remove gills of milkfish, keep scales intact. Slit at the back of the milkfish

Razon’s Halo Halo has now become a craze. There are several queries for Razon’s halo halo recipe. Their halo halo is simply made up of three ingredients, sweetened banana/saba pieces, some shreded sweetened macapuno and two or three slivers of dayap flavored leche flan. I myself have tried it in some occasions. Sure for those who have been used to eating those generic gel and beans halo halo sold at popular fasfood restaurants, Razon’s halo halo is something new. Some of the best halo halo are those that are made up of homemade native sweets. I grew up in the province where halo halo are made up of homemade native sweets that are cooked by my grandma. Razon’s had capitalize on these using simple native sweets and of course used of new innovation like using syrup and finely shave ice. Their choice of only soft ingredients plus the use of finely shaved ice make this halo halo different from the rest, it is almost like a halo halo shake. The only negative thing is the price,

Braised Chicken Feet . Adidas is the Pinoy coined name for chicken feet. It is a street food cooked as adobo and barbecued in sticks. It is as popular as the other chicken parts like isaw , tails, head ect. I like my chicken feet cooked dim sum style. Braised chicken feet with tausi is a very popular to Chinese dim sum. I know some do not fancy eating chicken feet but for those who have come to love this dish here is the recipe. Ingredients: 1 kilo chicken feet 1/2 head garlic chopped 1/2 cup tausi , salted black beans, drained and rinsed 3-5 pcs. siling labuyo , chopped 1-2 pcs. chicken bullion cubes 1/2 cup oyster sauce 3/4 cup soy sauce 1 tbsp. sugar salt cooking oil Cooking procedure: Chop off nails and remove outer skin of each chicken feet. Wash thoroughly and drain. Marinate chicken feet in 1/2 cup of soy sauce for 30–40 minutes. Drain and discard marinade . In a wok deep fry chicken feet until golden brown in batches. Drain excess

Sinigang na Isda sa Miso is another popular dish in Laguna. Miso is used in sinigang na kanduli with mustasa and labanos . How ever any other white meat fish can be cook with sinigang sa miso especially the head of big fish which are best for sinigang. Miso is a fermented soy bean of Japanese origin. It is the same miso used in the miso soup. The saltiness of miso, sourness of tamarind, bitterness of mustasa and distinct aroma of labanos gives the broth of this sinigang a unique flavor to enjoy. Ingredients: 1 k. big size talakitok , fish head 1 medium size onion, quartered 2 medium size tomato, quartered 1 cup miso, white or yellow 1/4 head garlic, chopped 1 big bundle leeks or spring onion, cut into 2” length 1 medium size labanos , sliced diagonally 2 bundle mustasa , stem trimmed 100 g. unripe sampalok , tamarind fruit 4 pcs. siling haba salt cooking oil Cooking procedure: Ask the fish monger to cut fish head into serving pieces. Wash f

Rellenong Manok, Chicken Relleno is a special dish that is prepared on special occasion. Preparation and cooking is a little bit tricky specially on de-boning the chicken. There are several ways of de-boning a whole chicken. I have searched the net for the best guide on how to de-bone a whole chicken to help those who have not yet tried to de-bone one. Click   here  for the step by step guide with photos. I roast my chicken  relleno  on a turbo broiler instead of the usual way using the oven. How ever if you don’t have the turbo broiler you could always use the oven. Ingredients: 1 k. whole chicken, de-boned Marinade: 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup kalamansi juice Stuffing: 1/2 kilo ground lean pork 1 can Vienna sausage, chopped 1/2 cup sweet pickled relish 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup grated cheese 1 medium size carrot, chopped 3 eggs, beaten 3 hard boiled egg 3 jumbo hotdog salt and pepper 1/4 cup butter Cooking procedure: Marinate de-boned chicken in so

Jumping Salad, Fresh Water Shrimp Salad . Live shrimp are eaten alive and literally still jumping with only a dip or drizzled with kalamansi and salt to taste. This kinilaw version of shrimp is very popular in Ilocandia and some other part in the Philippines. The small live fresh water shrimps are eaten live including the shell and some eat also the heads. There are no exact quantities for this recipe, ingredients deepens on ones preference. Ingredients: live fresh water shrimp kalamansi juice tomato, chopped (optional) onion, chopped (optional) ginger, cut into thin strips (optional) salt Method: Wash fresh water shrimp and drain. Put fresh water shrimp in a deep bowl. Toss in all other ingredients in the bowl. Quantity of as per ones taste and preference. cove bowl to prevent shrimp from jumping all over the place. Serve immediately while the shrimp are still alive. See related Kinilaw recipes;  Kinilaw na Tanguige, KiIlawin Tanguige   Kinilaw na Maya May

Pinangat na Tulingan, Sinaing na Tulingan . Here is another popular way of cooking tulingan aside from paksiw sa gata . Small to medium size tulingan are best cooked in kamias until dry, in Laguna it is called pinangat, in Batangas its sinaing. It is said that the tails of tulingan should be remove and discarded by twisting and pulling out, to rid off the toxin that is located at the base of the fish tail . The toxin cause allergic to some. Other than that tulingan is good fish here is the recipe. Ingredients: 1 kilo medium size tulingan 1 small pc. pork fat 1 medium size onion, quartered 15-20 pcs. kamias , trimed 3 whole green sili 2 stalked leeks, cut into 2” length, optinal coarsely ground pepper salt Cooking procedure: Remove gills and innards of tulingan . Using scissors cut fins and remove tails by twisting and pulling off from the body. Wash fish thoroughly drain and slit cut along the length of each fish on both sides, carefully press fish to flatten

Sinigang na Bangus sa Santol is traditionally cooked in Laguna, they use santol or bayabas fruits as an alternative to sampalok . See my previous post on sinigang na bangus sa bayabas . The sourness of santol goes well with bangus. The meat of the cooked santol can be eaten and the juices of the santol seeds can be suck. The milky broth with the sourness from the santol is great with a lot of hot rice topped by the santol meat. This sinigang is highly recommended. Here’s how to cook it. Ingredients: 1 large size bangus , about 1 k. a piece 3 pcs. medium size unripe santol 1 medium size onion, quartered 1 bundle kangkong , separate leaves and stalks 2-3 stalks spring onion 3-5 pcs. siling haba salt to taste Cooking procedure: Remove scales, gills and innards of bangus . Using scissors cut fins and tails. Wash fish thoroughly drain and slice diagonally keep aside. Skin each santol , lightly crisscross cut around the meat and cut into quarters. Put in