Thanks to Mama Sita, another delicious find has made its way to my kitchen.
To my fellow overseas Pinoys, here’s a treat to keep the homesickness at bay. For the others, a breakfast/lunch/dinner suggestion, if you may.

While the marinade does its job,

why don’t you fry up some leftover rice and sunny-side up egg to complete your ToSiLog (Tocino-Sinangag-Itlog) ensemble!

Happy cooking!

As requested by my dear sister, this will be one of the dishes that my mom will cook for her birthday lunch on Saturday. (Hence, the photo will follow then.) Much as we wanted to order or dine out to save the birthday girl the trouble of having to cook, we are taking advantage of her skillful presence in the kitchen. Lol!
Ingredients:
1 large fish
1 large onion
2 large green and red sweet pepper, cut into strips
5 tbsps soy sauce
5 tbsps vinegar
4 tbsps brown sugar
2 tbsps cornstarch
vetsin to taste
pinch of black pepper, pounded
Directions:
1. Clean and fry fish and set aside. Fry garlic, …read more

Here’s a tasty, homemade twist to the canned kind. My picky 1-year old liked it and so will you!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup glutinous rice
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 can whole kernel corn or 2 cobs of fresh corn, scraped
2 cans coconut milk
Directions:
1. Combine glutinous rice, water and sugar in a deep sauce pan and keep to a boil.
2. After 5 minutes of boiling, add the coconut milk and corn stir well. If rice is tender and soup becomes thick, put off stove. Add a little water if it becomes too thick. Serve hot.
Ahh.. nothing beats a taste of home. Definitely brought …read more

Ingredients:
1/2 kg large shrimps, shelled and deveined
1/2 kg fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 tbsps lard
3 tbsps cornstarch
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
2 tsps soy sauce
salt
Directions:
1. Sprinkle cornstarch, soy sauce and powdered ginger over shrimps. Mix very well.
2. In a skillet, heat lard and stir-fry vegetables. Set aside.
3. Heat remaining oil in skillet and stir-fry shrimps in it for about 3 minutes. Add cooked vegetables to shrimps and combine very well. Add seasoning. Serve hot.
Happy cooking!
Source: Philippine Fiesta Recipes
by Leonarda R Belmonte & Perla B Del Mundo

This Saturday’s Signature dish is an easy-to-cook meal that is very much common among Filipinos. This may be because it is likely that the ingredients are conveniently available as they are staple in every Asian kitchen, particularly soy sauce.
Ingredients:
250g beef sirloin, cut in 6 slices
1 tbsp kalamansi or lemon juice
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 tbsps oil
1 onion, sliced into rings
Directions:
1. Marinate the beef in kalamansi or lemon juice, soy sauce and pepper.
2. Heat the oil and pan-fry the beef until medium-rare. Transfer to a plate. In the remaining oil, saute the onion until tender. Garnish the beef …read more

Welcome to Trouble-free Thursdays!
Pardon my loyalty, but this dish is always a number-one choice of mine when it comes to quick and easy cooking. The recipe below is the version I learned from my mom. Another version I featured before in this blog was Travis’. Have a laugh and watch his cooking demo!
Ingredients:
500g chicken portions/nibbles (and/or 500g pork slices, cubes)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 cup vinegar
2 bay/laurel leaves
1/4 cup soy sauce
Procedure:
1. Boil chicken portions in garlic, peppercorns, vinegar and bay leaves.
2. Once the chicken is tender, remove the broth and set aside. Add the soy sauce to the …read more

The more important question you might ask first is: What is Noche Buena? Well, it’s a traditional family dinner that takes place on Christmas Eve and generally comes after the entire clan has gone to the Misa de Gallo, a late evening mass celebrating the Lord’s birth.
Way back then, I remember my cousins and I were very eager for the mass to end and be the first ones to walk back to my aunt’s house from the church. As soon as we get there, we would immediately head for the kitchen to check out the food. Before you know it, …read more

Asia’s first recognized guide to the best restaurants, The Miele Guide, placed Antonio’s Fine Dining 10th (among 20) in their list. The chef and owner, Antonio Escalante, must be very proud to be the only Philippine restaurant to top the list. I know of a lovely married couple, close to my husband and I, who got engaged there. The cuisine and the ambience must really be that good!! I must remind my hubby to take me to Tagaytay for a romantic dinner if we ever make plans to come home for a well-deserved vacation.
Image credit: Our Awesome Planet’s …read more

This recipe is for Ruth, who requested Filipino buchi. Ruth, there are variations to this; what I’m giving you right now is the simplest one with the shortest ingredient list.

Most of these are open to the public. Click on the links for more information!
April 30, Berkeley, CA: Berkeley International Food Festival
May 5, Cheung Chau, HongKong: Cheung Chau Bun Festival
May 5-9, Boseong, Korea: Boseong Green Tea Festival
May 6-7, Nacogdoches, Texas: Multicultural Festival
May 10-13, Shanghai, China: China Wine and Liquor Expo
May 12-14, Pasay City, Philippines: IFEX Philippines
May 12-14, Guangzhou, China: Interbake China
May 12-14, Guangzhou, China: Ice Cream China
May 12-14, Guangzhou, China: Coffee Festival
May 13, Des Moines, Iowa: CelebrAsian
May 14-15, New York City: Ninth Avenue International Food Festival
May 17-19, Shanghai, …read more