Asians are not oatmeal eaters, but oatmeal cookies are thing of the future. Oatmeal cookies are box office hits in Coffee shops such as Starbucks, Gloria jeans, Figarro etc. With or without coffee oatmeal cookies is a great treats for children of all ages.

• INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:     
•       2 cups butter or vegetable oil
•       4 cups flour
•       2 teaspoons baking soda
•       2 teaspoons baking powder
•       1 cup white sugar
•       3 cups brown sugar
•       5 cups oatmeal (instant or quick cook)
•       1 cup peanuts or pili nuts
•       1 cup dried raisins
•       1 teaspoon salt
•       4 eggs, beaten
•       2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream together the butter and the both sugars.  Add everything but the flour and oatmeal – the nuts, eggs, salt, baking powder, baking soda and vanilla and mix them well.  Finally, add the flour and the oatmeal.  This gets hard to mix, so I hope you have an electric mixer!  Either that, or try cutting this recipe in half.  Take a large spoonful of this dough and roll it into a ball and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart from other spoonfuls.  This recipe will fill several cookie sheets.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 12-13 minutes.  Spread cooked cookies in racks to cool. Remember that they will get a little more crispy as they cool.

Enjoy your cookies! Mwahugs! 

Absolutely Free Samples

ADOBONG KANGKONG

Only a true Filipino would love this dish, almost comparable to that of kimchi of Korea, it is both an appetizer and viand for rice. It is best served with Tinapa (smoked fish) or Itlog na pula (salted egg) with tomato. It’s all yours…

Ingredients

• 1 kilo kangkong (river spinach) cleaned and cut
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup of vinegar
• 2 onions sliced
• ½ cup chopped Ginger
• 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
• 1 laurel leaf or 1 star anise
• 2 long green chili (siling berde) chopped
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ cup light soy sauce
• Salt and pepper & MSG to taste

METHOD

• Stir fry chili, ginger, garlic and onions in a big pan.

• Add water, laurel leaf, dark soy sauce, some salt and bring to a boil.

• Then add the vinegar and sugar, let boil.

• Add the kangkong stalks first and cook for 2 minutes then add the kangkong leaves. Continue cooking until the vegetable is almost done (don’t overcooked).

• Add light soy sauce, salt, pepper and MSG to taste

Serve hot! Enjoy!

MWAHUGS!

• ½ cup cornstarch
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• 2-3 cups squash, grated
• 1-2 cups bean sprout “toge” (or grated turnips “singkamas”)
• 1 cup carrots grated
• 1 cup malunggay leaves (or thinly sliced “lubias or chicharo”)
• 2-3 pcs bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cups fried shrimps (or 1 cup chopped cooked bacon)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup water
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cups cooking oil

• Combine water, egg, flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper.

• Add all vegetables into the mixture and blend well.Make sure that they are well coated with egg-flour mixture.

• Tip1: to make it real crisp add 1 cup of “galapong” into the mixture

• Tip2: street food okoy has a drop of food color: yellow or orange

• Chill the mixture real cold before cooking. Drop small amount into hot oil, deep fry until brown and crispy.

• Drain excess oil using a strainer. Serve with dipping sauce.

• Mix 1/2 cup vinegar with a tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and 1 tsp. soy sauce.
• Add 1 tbsp chopped onion and 2 segment garlic
• Add 2 chillies – siling labuyo for a real hot tasting sauce
  

Serve hot.  Makes about 12 big okoys or 24 small ones.

Enjoy your meal.  MWAHUGS!

SIOPAO

Because of heavy Chinese influence, Philippines has develop a liking for Chinese food which has since became an integral part of Filipino cuisine.  One of this is siopao – a Chinese inspired Pinoy style soft white bread with meat fillings – an indispensable pinoy delicious snack.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 2 kilo all purpose flour
• ½ kilo all purpose flour
• ½ kilo white sugar
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 cup cooking oil or lard
• 10 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoon vinegar
• 2 cups boiling water

Filling:   Pork or Chicken Asado

• 1 kilo pork meat (from pig’s head) or chicken
• ½ kilo brown sugar
• 3 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 onions
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 4 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 5 pieces star anise
• 10 hard-boiled eggs

PROCEDURE:

Siopao Dough:

• In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder, vinegar, set aside.
• In another bowl liquefy yeast in lukewarm water then add 1 cup of the flour mixture. Mix thoroughly.
• Cover with a cloth and let rise 1 hour.
• In the meantime, soften the white sugar in the boiling water.
• Stir well then let cool to lukewarm.
• Pour into the yeast mixture, and then add the rest of the prepared flour mixture.
• Stir to blend well. Grease a large bowl.
• Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead for 3 minutes, you want your dough smooth, not sticky.
• Put ball into bowl, turn once and cover with a damp cloth.
• Let rise 2 hours or until doubled.

Siopao Filling: Pork Asado or Chicken Asado

• Stir fry the garlic and onions in oil in a wok.
• Add pork (preferably meat from pig’s head), or chicken and stir fry for 1 minute or until meat is no longer pink.
• Add soy sauce, oyster sauce and brown sugar.
• Transfer in the dissolved cornstarch and stir fry quickly until meat is glazed well.
• Remove from heat and let cool.

To make Siopao:

• Knead dough further on a floured board for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Divide dough and roll further
• Cut each into 50to60 grams a piece using a weighing scale.
• Roll each piece into a ball using your hands then rolling it flat into a 3 inch diameter circle.
• Powder with flour if needed to prevent sticking.
• Place 1 slice of egg into center of dough round, then 1 Tablespoon of filling with sauce.
• Gather sides of round pinch together and twist.
• Put pinched side down on parchment paper and place in steamer. Repeat until done.
• Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1 hour. Steam Siopao for 20 minutes. You can freeze cooked Siopao, simply re-steam for 10 minutes.
• Makes about 50 pieces of siopao

Enjoy your meal

MWAHUGZ!!!

Dear hot readers, I want to share with you this all time Hot Filipina recipe: Palabok, a true Philippine fiesta or celebration won’t be as nostalgic without this yummy Pinay merienda- Palabok.  I hope you’ll try and love it!

For the Noodles:

• 2 kilo of white and round miki
  
• 1.5 liter water
  
• 5 tbsp oil

For the Garnishings:

• 1 cup sliced squid adobo (canned is ok)
  
• 2 cups flaked smoked fish (tinapa- available in Filipino or asian store)
  
• 1 cup pork chitcharon, coarsely pounded (chicharon – available in Filipino or asian store)
  
• 1 cup powdered pork chitcharon
  
• ½ cup fried minced garlic
  
• 2 cups cooked shrimps, shelled
  
• 4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
  
• 1 cup chopped spring onions

For the Palabok Sauce:

• 5 tbsp Crab fats/Taba ng Talangka- in bottle jar  (available in Filipino or asian store) 
  
• 2 large onion, chopped finely
  
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
  
• ½ cup vegetable oil
  
• 5 tbsp cornstarch
  
• 3-4 cups water
  
• 5 tbsp atchuete seeds or
  
• 4 tbsp atchuete oil (available in Filipino or asian stores)
  
• 5 tbsp patis
  
• 1 tsp Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
  
• 2 tbs ground pepper
• salt to taste

PROCEDURE:

• Sauce:     Saute garlic, Onion, crab fat and 3 cups water. Let boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly Then, add dissolved cornstarch, stir until it thickens. Add atchuete. Season with salt, patis and MSG and pepper.

• Noodles:     Boil 8 cups water, add a little salt and oil. Put noodles in strainer and dip in boiling water for 5 minutes or till noodles is cooked. Drain. Transfer on plate. Top with garnishings. Pour palabok sauce on top. Garnish with sliced cooked eggs and chopped spring onions

• Serve hot
• 20 Servings
• MWAHUGZ!

 

PALABOK: Favorite Authentic Pinoy Merienda

YUMMY  and HOT PINAY FOOD: 

SIOMAI

This yummy siomai in hot and spicy sauce is a famous street cart food among Filipinos… Perfecting this recipe can be a good business venture and a good source of income:

Ingredients:

• 2 kilos ground pork  (ground beef is alternative or gluten for vegetarian)
  
• 500 grams grounded shrimp meat
  
• 3 large white or red onions, chopped
  
• 4 cup spring onions, chopped
  
• 1 cup chopped celery (kinchay)
  
• 1 cup chopped black mushroom
  
• 4 cup ground or chopped water chestnuts or turnips (singkamas)
  
• 5 cup ground or chopped carrots
  
• 1 cup cooked and mashed taro roots (gabi)
  
• ¼ cup ground garlic
  
• 4 large eggs, beaten
  
• 1/2 teaspoon grounded anise or dash of vanilla
  
• 2 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
  
• Salt and Monosodium glutamate (MSG) 
  
• 200 pcs. large or 300 pcs. small wanton or siomai wrapper (available in Asian stores and groceries)
  
• soy sauce, lemon, sesame oil (strictly sesame oil), and hot chili sauce

Procedure:

• Microwave or steam ground pork for 5or10 minutes.
  
• Mix all the ingredients for the filling in a big bowl.
  
• Spoon 1 tablespoon of mixture into each wrapper. Fold sides and seal.
  
• Meanwhile, boil water and brush steamer with oil.
  
• Optional: brush or tip orange food color on top of every siomai, or place a chickpea on top before steaming.
  
• Steam the siomai for 15-20 minutes, longer for larger pieces.
  
• Serve with soy sauce, calamansi and chili sauce in sesame oil.
  

To make Hot Chili sauce:

Simplest version of chili sauce would be to chop 1 cup of chilies (labuyo variety is perfect) and fry them in sesame oil.

The chili sauce found in restaurants is a combination of chili, garlic and oil. Combine chopped chilies and mashed garlic then simmer for around 20 minutes or till most of the water has evaporated. Add sesame oil, simmer and stir well.

Cooking time: 1 hour

Makes about 300 pieces of siomai..

Enjoy your meal!   Mwahugz!!!

 

It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this ‘sludge’ reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

Eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before meals! You have heard people complaining – every time I eat water-melon I burp, when I eat banana I feel like running to the toilet etc – actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!

Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes all these will not happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.

Quikie and Hot 

KARE KARE

(Beef Stew with Thick Peanut Sauce and Vegetables)

Any authentic Pinay cooking is not without Kare-Kare, the beef stew with a rich nutty sauce and served with a variety of vegetables. Cooking a perfect Kare kare is an Art in Philippine Culinary scene. This recipe is the fastest way of cooking this dish, with the help of a kare-kare commercial ready mix.

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4lbs oxtails, cut into serving pieces (if oxtail is not available, leg or feet is alternative)
• 10 cups of water
• 3 cups water
• 3-4 cups egg plant, cut into pieces
• 3 cups string beans (sitaw) cut into 2″ lengths
• 3 cups pechay (bok choy)
• 3 cups young banana flower – available at most Asian stores and groceries
• 2 cups peanut butter
• Salt
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
• Salted shrimp paste (sauteed bagoong) – available at most Asian stores and groceries
• Kare-Kare Mix (Stew Base Ready Mix powder) – Available at most Asian stores and groceries.

Procedure:

Cut the oxtail or leg into serving pieces, pressure cook until tender, leaving about 8 cups of broth. Set aside meat.     Dissolve Kare-Kare mix into the hot broth. Stir in ground toasted bread. Mix in peanut butter. Let boil into a thick sauce.

Boil all vegetable in 3 cups boiling water until half cooked. Stir in meat. Stir in the thick sauce. Let boil for 3 minutes more.  Add salt and MSG to taste.  (Note: Eat with Rice and salty shrimp paste -bagoong and Hot Chili sauce)

Serves Hot

Cooking Time:  1hour

12 Servings 

Enjoy your meal!  Mwahugz!!!

 

KARE KARE: A truly authentic Filipino dish