BATCHOY RECIPE

This is my own simple version of Batchoy Tagalog. This recipe is a noodle soup made with sliced pork, liver and noodles. In this recipe, I used misua. It is a very thin chinese noodles made with wheat flour. And cooking this kind of noodles usually takes just 2 minutes.


This kind of batchoy is very similar to Batchoy Tagalog. This is actually more similar to Tinola in cooking method. Batchoy Tagalog is made up of pork and pork innards like kidney, liver and heart, even pork blood. On the other hand, my version is more simple and I only used sliced pork and liver. I always use pork belly and I always omit the pork blood and some innards because my two young kids like it more without those ingredients. But don't worry, this is still a very acceptable and delicious Batchoy Tagalog.

INGREDIENTS:


- 1 kilo pork belly, sliced
- 1/4 kilo pig liver, sliced into strips
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 head of garlic, minced
- 1 medium sized ginger, sliced into strips
- 7 cups water
- 2 small packs of misua
- 1 bundle dahon ng sili (chili leaves)
- 4 tbsp fish sauce
- all in one seasoning granules
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar




COOKING PROCEDURES:


1. Saute garlic, onion and ginger in a casserole.
2. Add pork, cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add liver, cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add patis, simmer for 5 minutes.
5.Add water and cover. Let it boil and Cook for 15 minutes.
6. Add chili leaves and all in one seasoning granules. Cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Add miswa and cook for 2 minutes. 


Serve hot and enjoy. 

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KARE KARE RECIPE

Kare Kare is a famous Filipino stew. The most common cut of beef used is tail or leg. I just love it with round beef or sirloin cut. Others use oxtail, pork leg and others prefer adding tripe to be more traditional.


This is thickened in a peanut-based sauce and best partnered with shrimp paste on the side in order to be absolutely enjoyed. We, Filipinos, call this shrimp paste as Bagoong Alamang. It is salted and fermented. And for me, Kare Kare is not Kare Kare without bagoong on the side. I can't fully enjoy this dish without it. 


There are so many Filipinos around the world and Im sure all of them know this incredible dish. Im sure everyone has a lot to say about this one because this is really something else. 


I want you to try this recipe and tell me what's on your mind.

INGREDIENTS: 


- 1/2 kilo beef (round or sirloin) cut into cubes. For a more traditional kare kare, use tripe
- 1/2 kilo oxtail, cut into 2 inch long
- 1 cup of peanut butter
- 1 cup ground peanuts
- 1/4 cup grounded toasted rice
- 1/2 cup cooked bagoong alamang (anchovies)
- 2 pieces onions, diced
- 2 heads of garlic, minced
- 4 tbsp atsuete oil
- 4 pieces eggplant, sliced 1 inch thick
- 2 bundles of Pechay (Bok choy) cut into 2 pieces
- 1 bundle of string beans cut to 2inch long
- 1 banana bud, sliced 1 inch thick 
- 1/2 cup oil
- 8 cups of water
- Salt and pepper to taste






COOKING PROCEDURES:


1. In a large pot, boil beef and oxtails in water for an hour or until meat is tender. 
2. Transfer the meat into a bowl, keep the stock and set aside.
3. Heat a big pan or wok, heat oil and atsuete oil, saute garlic and onion.
4. Add meat and mix.
5. Pour in the stock, add ground peanuts and peanut butter and simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Add the toasted ground rice and let it cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
7. Add the eggplant, string beans, pechay and banana bud. Cook for 5 minutes. Do not overcook the vegetables.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve with bagoong on the side.


Enjoy!

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CRISPY PATA RECIPE

Crispy Pata is a famous Filipino dish consisting of deep fried uncut pork leg.  The "pata" or leg is made tender by boiling in water along with some spices and will be rubbed with seasonings and deep-fried until becomes very crunchy. It is best served with a soy-vinegar dip and many Filipinos love it with lots of onions and garlic.

It is also one of the famous dishes served in many restaurants in the Philippines. And also, we love this as a compliment to alcohol drinks especially beer. Although it is very very high in cholesterol, it is honestly irresistible and tempting because of the very crispy skin, soft and chewy meat, and of course, the sauce.

The procedure seems simple, yet it includes dangerous steps, so you guys need to be very careful. We all know that deep frying a whole leg, with lots of oil is not that safe. But don't worry, you just need extra caution and I assure you, all of your efforts will be worth it. You'll be in heaven like a kid eating a cotton candy while eating this crunchy, mouthwatering and luscious dish.

INGREDIENTS: 

- 1 whole pig’s leg, about 2 kilos, cleaned and knuckles removed

- 1 can soda (Sprite or 7Up, 12 oz size)

- 7 pieces dried bay leaves

- 2 tablespoons whole peppercorn

- 6 teaspoons salt

- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

- 10 to 12 cups water

- 12 cups cooking oil

- All in one seasoning granules

COOKING PROCEDURES: 

1. Clean the pork by removing all hair by scraping the skin with a knife. Wash thoroughly.

2. Pour water in a cooking pot then let boil.

3. Put-in dried bay leaves, whole peppercorn and salt.

4. Add the whole leg then simmer until the leg becomes tender (about 45 to 60 minutes)

5. Remove the pata from the pot, hang and allow it to dry until the temperature goes down. (Others usually hang it for 24 hours. Some just thoroughly drain the pork and refrigerate for a few hours.) My technique is, I just let the temperature goes down and fry it in low heat until it becomes very crispy.

6. Before pouring in the oil, rub the leg first with all in one seasoning granules, ground pepper and salt.

7. Heat a clean large pot with cover and pour-in cooking oil.

8. Deep fry the rubbed pork leg in low heat. Continue cooking until one side becomes crispy, and then flip it to crisp the other side of the leg. Please be careful while doing this step.

FOR THE DIP SAUCE:

Mix 3/4 cup of vinegar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 head of diced large onion. Add a pinch of sugar. Salt and pepper to taste.

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PININYAHANG MANOK (Pineapple Chicken) RECIPE

Pininyahang Manok day is "cheat day!" I don't want to exaggerate but I can eat a lot, like 3 cups of rice, if this dish is on the table. And yes, there's a Filipino expression that best describes me, "I eat like a construction worker!"


This dish is one of my favorites because of the combination of sweet pinepapple and milk. And by the way, Pininyahang Manok literally translates to Pineapple Chicken.


There are some variations of this dish. Some use evaporated milk over coconut milk and vice versa. I would say that both alternatives will yield good results though I used evaporated milk in this recipe and I always do.


You should try this one especially if you have kids like me. They'll enjoy it, no left overs and they'll surely ask for more. So, let's get down to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS: 

- 1 whole chicken, cut into serving pieces

- 1 can pineapple chunks, set aside the syrup

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped

- 1/2 cup evaporated milk

- 3tbsp fish sauce

- Pechay (bok choy)

- 1pc red bell pepper, cut into cubes

- 2 medium-sized potatoes

- 1 Tbsp oil

- salt and pepper to taste

- all in one seasoning granules

COOKING PROCEDURES:

1. Marinade the chicken with the pineapple syrup for a few minutes, atleast 10 minutes.

2. Pour the chicken with the marinade in a pot, cook until the marinade evaporates and the chicken is lightly brown. (Don't fry the chicken. You're just sealing in the juices.)

3. Remove the chicken and set aside.

4. Heat up oil, saute garlic and onion. Add the chicken and cook for about a minute.

5. Add fish sauce and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

6. Pour the evaporated milk and pineapple chunks. Cook over low heat until meat is tender.

8. Add potatoes, simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Add bell pepper, pechay, granules, pepper and salt to taste. Cover and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy!

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The Best PORK ADOBO SA GATA (Pork Adobo w/ Coconut Milk) RECIPE

Adobo is one of the best Filipino viands of all time and even considered as the national dish. No Filipino will be tired of eating the usual adobo, whether it is pork or chicken. But many of us want to have something different sometimes. And this time, Adobo is made richer with coconut milk.


My husband works in Saudi Arabia. Everyone knows that eating pork in that country is strictly prohibited. So when his first vacay came, I was so excited to prepare different pork dishes. He was even more excited than me! He asked and requested specific dishes and Adobo was one of those. I surprised him with this one and he totally liked it. He even shared it to his friends and made it as their "pulutan" (Filipino term used to accompany with an alcohol drink). All of his friends were thrilled and had nice reactions. 

INGREDIENTS:



1 kilo pork belly, cut into pieces
1 head garlic; pounded 
1 small onion; chopped 
4 dried bay leaves
1/2 tablespoon peppercorns
1/2 cup soy sauce 
1/4 cup vinegar 
1 cup water 
1/2 cup coconut milk
6 hard boiled eggs (optional), peeled
All in one seasoning granules (I always use Maggi Magic sarap. It really does make a huge difference!)
2tbsp sugar


COOKING PROCEDURES:


1. Prepare the marinade of garlic, pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, water and bay leaves.


2. In a large saucepan combine meat and marinade, cover and simmer over low heat until meat is tender.


3. Remove pork from the sauce. Set aside in two different bowls.


4. Heat up oil in a saucepan. Saute garlic and onion. Cook the pork chunks for about 3-5 minutes.


4. Pour the marinade and coconut milk. Put the hard boiled eggs. Add all in one seasoning granules and sugar. Cover and simmer in low heat until sauce thickens.


Serve with rice and enjoy!

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NO-BAKE CITRUS CHEESECAKE RECIPE

This is No-Bake Citrus Cheesecake. I adore this dessert a lot. It's so easy and tastes heavenly. I totally recommend this one and you guys should try this at home.


The fact that this doesn't require an oven, I can say that this is absolutely addicting because of its scrumptious taste, creaminess and light flavors.

INGREDIENTS: 

- 250g biscuit crumbs (I used Graham Crackers)

- 175g melted butter

- 500g softened cream cheese

- 400g sweetened condensed milk

- 300ml all purpose cream

- 3 tbsp gelatine powder

- 1/4 cup lemon juice

PROCEDURES: 

1. Combine biscuit crumbs and butter, press into the base of a springform pan. Refrigirate.

2. Beat cream cheese until smooth.

3. Beat in condensed milk, all purpose cream and gelatine until smooth, then add lemon juice. Beat until smoothly combined.

4. Pour mixture into prepared base and refrigirate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Feel free to decorate your cake. Here, I simply used all purpose cream and put cherries on top

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PORK NILAGA WITH CORN RECIPE

This is a very easy dish."Nilaga" means boiled. You just throw everything in the pot and let it cook until tender. I highly recommend this dish to those who are learning how to cook because it takes almost no effort at all to prepare.

My mother-in-law taught me how to cook this one. That was 5 years ago. And honestly, I didn't expect it would be that easy. I mean easy, really easy. After she taught me the procedures, I was literally shocked and said, "that's it?". She just nodded, smiled and told me that cooking is not that hard like what others usually think.

Now, I consider this dish as a very special one eventhough it's very easy to make. It is special because this is the first dish that I learned and my mom-in-law was my teacher. She's actually one of my inspirations when it comes to cooking. I know she's smiling at me down here everytime she sees me cutting those onions!

INGREDIENTS:


- 1 kilo pork belly, cut into serving pieces
- 5-6 cups water
- 1 large size onion, quartered
- 1/4 tsp. peppercorn
- salt and all in one granules to taste
- 3 potatoes, quartered
- pechay (bok choy) or cabbage leaves
- 4 saba banana, divide into two
- 3 pieces sweet corn on cobs, divide into four each piece




COOKING PROCEDURES:


1. Combine water, pork, onion and peppercorn. Let it boil for about 30 minutes or until meat is almost tender. 
2. Add sweet corn and saba, let it boil for another 10 minutes.
3. Add potatoes and boil for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the vegetables, salt and all in one granules to taste.


Serve and Enjoy!

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PORK AFRITADA RECIPE

Afritada is a simple Filipino recipe, one of those tomato based dishes. This simply means “stewed pork in tomato sauce”, usually cooked with potatoes and carrots.

This is actually a well-known dish in the Philippines, from family gatherings to just simple family dinners. My youngest child loves this one because it is really tasty and I personally love it, too. Now let’s get down to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 lbs pork belly, chopped

- 1 big potato, cut into wedges

- 1 big carrot, cut into wedges

- 3 pieces dried bay leaves

- 2 cups tomato sauce

- 1 tsp ground black pepper

- 1 cup bell pepper, diced

- 1 tsp garlic, minced

- 1 cup onion, chopped

- 2 tbsp cooking oil

- 2 tbsp fish sauce

- salt to taste

- all in one seasoning granules

Cooking Procedure:

1. Heat the cooking oil in a pan and sauté the garlic and onions

2. Add the pork and sauté until the outer parts are cooked (approximately 5 minutes)

3. Add fish sauce and let it cook for 10 minutes with low heat

4. Add the bay leaves and tomato sauce then simmer for 5 minutes

5. Add the ground black pepper then pour-in the broth and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes (or until the meat is tender)

6. Put-in the potato and carrots then simmer for 5 to 7 minutes

7. Add the bell pepper

8. Add seasoning granules and salt to taste, simmer for 3 another minutes

(I sometimes add sugar together with the salt, I like it more and it really makes a difference. 1 tbsp is fine.)

Serve hot and enjoy!

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PORK STEAK RECIPE

PORK STEAK is an alteration of Bistek Tagalog. All the ingredients are the same, as well as the procedure; the only difference is the use of pork instead of beef. Here, I used pork chop, the best part to be used in this one. Though it’s hard to find this part in some countries, unlike here in the Philippines it’s in every market (with fats and skin attached), you can use any part as long as they are sliced properly.

This is one of the easiest dishes for me because it doesn’t require too much ingredients. With just soy sauce, lemon (kalamansi) and white onion, you’ll have an exquisite pork chop dish. With this one, I added green beans at the end to have healthier dish for my kids. So, let’s get started.

INGREDIENTS:

- 5 to 6 pieces pork chops
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 pieces lime or 1 piece lemon
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 2 medium white onions, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
- Pepper to taste
- All in one seasoning granules

COOKING PROCEDURE:

1. Combine pork chops, soy sauce, lime juice and seasoning granules in a large bowl or any container. Marinade for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat a pan then pour-in cooking oil.
3. Pan-fry the marinated pork chops in medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side.
4. Remove excess oil. Pour-in the remaining marinade and water and let boil. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the pork is tender. (Note: Add water as needed.)
5. Add-in the sugar and pepper then stir.
6.Put-in the onions and cook for 3 minutes more.

Turn-off heat and transfer to a serving plate. This is best served with steamed rice.
Serve and enjoy!

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