Taro leaves in Coconut Milk-Laing

It was been a week, I haven’t posted any recipe in some reasons my computer went down and my husband helped me to fix it.

I have posted before this recipe, but I used the fresh taro leaves with shrimps. Basically, the cooking procedure is the same, only the difference how much taro leaves vary to coconut milk. Dried taro leaves need more amount of coconut milk than fresh ones because it absorbs the liquid faster. Cooking time probably needs more a little longer.

I grew up with this dish and I could say this is one of my specialties. Try and let me know what you think about the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 oz. dried taro leaves

2 cans of 14 oz coconut milk

3 pieces dried salted mackerel, cut quartered

1 red onion, sliced

thumb sized fresh ginger, thinly sliced

3 pieces Thai chili

Procedure:

1. Arrange all the ingredients in a large pot and pour in the coconut milk, (use the first can of coconut milk).

2. Cover it with lid and simmer for 20 minutes over medium-low heat until the leaves get wilted.

3. Occasional need a stirring to even the flavor of ingredients.

4. Once the liquid evaporated, add in the rest of coconut milk.

5. Simmer until all liquid evaporates and shows oil from coconut milk. Not necessary to add here salt because we used the dried salted fish.

6. Best serve with steamed rice. Enjoy.

Stir-fry Vegetables with Fish strips

This dish is incredibly delicious and healthy, and I bet you won’t likely go back to your favorite Chinese restaurant once you learned how to prepare this dish. Stir-fried vegetables can serve as it is or combined with fried fish strips. If you are not peppered lover just simply omit the chili paste, this can be served with steamed rice for lunch or dinner.

Enjoy the savory stir-fry vegetables with fish strips.

 Ingredients:

Fish Strips:

1.5 lb. frozen basa fish fillet, thawed and pat with paper towel to dry.

1 cup flour

½ cup cornstarch

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon pepper powder

vegetable oil for deep fry

Vegetables:

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cloves minced garlic

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground chili paste

2 cups snow pea, washed and ends trimmed

4 stalk celery, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

3 cups sliced Napa cabbage

½ cup sliced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

Procedure:

1. For fish strips, combine all the dry ingredients in a Ziploc bag and shake.

2. Toss in the fish to coat.

3. Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or deep pan.

4. Fry fish until brown and crispy. Drain from oil and set aside.

5. Heat oil in a wok, sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant.

6. Add the ground chili paste sauté for 30 seconds.

7. Toss in the vegetables; stir-fry until tender and crisp. Add the fish and season it with oyster sauce.

8. Fry for a few minutes.

9. Serve.

Braised Eggplant-红烧茄子

Braised eggplant is a common dish in China, translated in Chinese as hong shao qiezi (红烧茄子). I really love this savory dish, a Chinese friend who used to help me to look after my daughter introduced me this dish. We called her Ayi (Aunt in Chinese) she is very nice and I learned from her how to cook a lot of Chinese food. She is like a mother figure to me; she taught me many things food, culture, and traditions.

Like any other dish, braised eggplant has some variations in cooking. Different regions have their own styles in preparation of this dish. If you are a vegetarian this is a perfect dish can be added to your diet. This is an easy approach recipe of braised eggplant. Love the savory, delicious hongshao qiezi.

 Ingredients:

3 pieces Chinese eggplant, washed and cut, quartered lengthwise

Vegetable oil

½ cup chopped green bell pepper

½ cup red bell pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp. grated ginger

1 stalk green onion, chopped

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

½ tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cornstarch

¼ cup cold water

Procedure:

1. Heat enough oil in a wok, to fry the eggplant.

2. Fry the eggplant until it gets soft and browned. Set aside.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok, fry the green and red bell peppers then, sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant.

4. Add the fried eggplant and season it with soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and chili powder. Keep stirring over high heat.

5. Dissolve cornstarch in water, pour into the mixture to thicken the sauce.

6. Sprinkle the green onion, stir and off the heat.

7. Place on a serving plate and serve.

Ginisang Munggo-Sauteed Mung beans

I grew up with this dish, my Mom used to prepare ginisang munggo as a menu for Tuesday and Friday. Behind that tradition, it is not clear to me why she cooked munggo only in specific days.

Ginisang munggo is my Dad’s favorite, and amazingly my husband’s Filipino dish favorite too. Even though he is not Filipino my husband just loves it so much.

There some ingredients variation in cooking ginisang munggo, like it is cooked with shrimps, smoked fish flakes, pork and pork rinds. Try this recipe and hope you will love it too.

 Ingredients:

7 oz. mung beans

1 medium size bitter gourd, sliced

½ lb. pork belly, cut into strips

3 tomatoes, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup chopped onion

2 cups spinach

2 cups chicken broth

3 Tbsp. fish sauce

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

Procedure:

1. Use a large pot to boil the mung beans, first is wash the mung beans under running cold water.

2. Add about 3 cups water.                

3. Boil the mung beans to get tender and soft.

4. Once it’s boiled, heat olive oil in a large saucepan.

5. Brown the meat and set aside.

6. Sauté garlic and onion using the same oil until fragrant.

7. Add the diced tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes, then the bitter gourd.

8. Add the boiled mung beans and meat, simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth as necessary to add more flavors.

9. Season it with fish sauce and add the spinach. Simmer for a minute.

10. Serve with fried fish and steamed rice.

Spinach and Braised Mushroom

In this recipe, the combination of mushroom and spinach goes well together. I had this dish back in China, stir-fried spinach serves alone or with braised mushroom.

You can’t go wrong with this healthy vegetable, easy to prepare and taste so delicious.

Ingredients:

For Spinach:

1 bunch fresh spinach, washed

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Salt

For Mushroom:

2 cups sliced white button mushroom

½ lb. ground pork

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. broad bean chili paste

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. white sugar

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. sesame oil

3 stalks green onion, chopped

½ cup water

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a wok, sauté garlic until fragrant.

2. Add the spinach and fry until get wilted.

3. Season it with salt.

4. Place on a serving plate and set aside.

5. In a separate pan, brown the ground pork and set aside.

6. Heat oil using the same wok, sauté garlic and ginger, add the browned meat.

7. Add in the mushroom, season it with bean chili paste, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar.

8. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.

9. Dissolve cornstarch in ½ cup water.

10. Pour in the mixture and add the chopped green onion. Simmer for a few minutes.

11. Off the heat and drizzle the mushroom with sesame oil.

12. Place it around with the spinach and serve.

Deep fried Spring rolls- Lumpia

This crispy pastry is incredibly delicious. I’ve been obsessed with lumpia since then, today and forever. This pastry can be a snack or side dish; I even eat it with rice. I love the every bite while dipping it in my favorite spicy vinegar sauce.

There so many different variations on lumpia, but among them all, this is my best. How about you which lumpia you love most? Let me know.

Ingredients:

5 cup fresh bean sprouts

1 lb. fresh shrimps, peeled

8 oz. fresh tofu, deep fried and thinly sliced

½ cup carrot, julienne

1 medium size yellow potato, cut into strips

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup minced onion

4 stalks green onion, chopped

20 spring roll wrapper

Quart of oil for deep fry

2 Tbsp. for stir fry

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

Salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Once all the ingredients are ready, heat oil and sauté garlic and onion until fragrant.

2. Add the shrimps and fry until change color.

3. Add in the potato strips and carrot, keep stirring and cook to get tender and crisp.

4. Add the bean sprouts, green onion and season it with soy sauce, a little salt and pepper. Give 3 minutes the sprouts to cook.

5. Lastly, add in the tofu.

6. Let the vegetable to cool before wrapping, in this measurement I made 15 pretty good size of the lumpia.

7. I normally use the square type of wrapper. In wrapping, place the wrapper in diamond position, fill it with vegetables and fold both sides and hand roll slowly and seal the end.

8. Heat the cooking oil in a deep fryer, and fry it by batch until brown and crispy. Lay a paper towel to place the fried lumpia to absorb excess oil.

9. Serve while crispy, and dip it with your favorite sauce.

 

Mango, Avocado Salsa

I posted yesterday the recipe of Buffalo wings and as promised, here is another dish shone to the game night. This versatile salsa can go well with any grilled dishes, chips and crackers. I prepared this salsa often during summer, because it’s very refreshing. Sometimes I had it as it is, I just love the sweetness and tanginess flavor.

Preparations made so easy and the simplicity made so delicious and healthy.

Ingredients:

1 Large size ripe mango, diced

2 Avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

2 Roma tomato, diced

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 Lime

Salt and coarse black pepper

Cilantro and few slices of lime for garnish

Procedure:

Mix all the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, squeeze the lime and season it with salt and pepper. Toss to incorporate the flavor. Place in a bowl and garnish with cilantro leaves and slices of lime. Voila! healthy salsa. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, grilled meat or fish.

 

Katogo- Stewed Cassava and Beans

Katogo is one of the most popular dishes in Uganda, some variation of preparing this dish. Katogo can be a combination of matooke (it is a plantain, a staple food in Uganda) and beans or sweet potato with meat and cooked in a sauce.

This dish is a healthy one pot meal, as the cassava great source of carbohydrates and beans with proteins. Katogo is widely serves of many Ugandans, in hotel, restaurants and in school.

It was a great experience, to prepare this dish with my amazing husband. He guided me the step by step of making the dish. He told me how he loved to eat Ugandan dish today and I asked him to help me to cook his Ugandan favorite dish. This dish is absolutely will fill you up. Try this delicious, healthy and inexpensive dish.

 

 Ingredients:

1 cup dried red beans, boiled or 18 oz canned red beans

2 pieces Cassava, cut in bite size

1 Carrot, chopped

3 Roma tomatoes, chopped

½ cup Green bell pepper, chopped

½ cup Onion, sliced

3 Tbsp. Olive oil

1 cup Tomato sauce

2 cups Vegetable or chicken broth

4 Cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp. Grated fresh ginger

½ tsp. Turmeric powder

½ tsp. Coriander powder

½ tsp. Chili powder

½ tsp. Salt

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a large pot, sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant.

2. Next, add in the onion and sauté until translucent.

3. Add in the tomatoes and powder spices, sauté until looks like a paste.

4. Then, add the cassava, carrots and the broth. Stir slowly. Cover and simmer until cassava get tender.

5. When cassava is tender, add the red beans.

6. Lastly, pour in the tomato sauce and add the bell pepper. Season it with salt and simmer for another 5 minutes.

7. Serve and enjoy.

Red Beans and Rice

Red kidney bean is one of my husband's favorites. If we talk about beans, honestly, I'm not a good cook. I was skeptical to try out this recipe, but it turns out a perfectly delicious dish. Yes, it was a big deal for me to make this. Now here, I want to share how I made this spicy red kidney beans and rice in one.

Ingredients:

8 oz - 1/2 lb Dried kidney beans soaked overnight and boiled
1/2 lb Ground beef
2 c Basmati rice, steamed
3 c Cloves garlic minced
1 Medium red onion chopped
1 Red bell pepper chopped
a thumb size ginger grated
1/2 stick butter
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper powder
1 cube beef bouillon
1 Fresh lemon
alt and pepper

Procedure:

1. In a nonstick saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Saute the fresh ginger, garlic, onion and the chopped red bell pepper.

2. Add in the ground beef, saute until it turns brown. Add the boiled kidney beans and put in all the spices. Add water if necessary. Simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add the steamed rice and mix them evenly, Squeeze it with lemon and season with salt and pepper. Give it to simmer for another 3 minutes.

4. Place in a plate and serve. You can garnish it with chopped cilantro if available.

Bokchoy with Oyster Sauce

This recipe can be done in less than 10 minutes. Bokchoy or Chinese Cabbage is perfect side dish with any spicy dishes with rice. In this recipe, I don't want to make it complicated adding so much ingredients. As much as possible I maintained the crispiness and nutritious of bokchoy. This is so simple and easy, have an easy sarap bokchoy with oyster sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

4 bunches bokchoy, stems trimmed
3 cloves garlic sliced
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil.

PREPARATION:

1. Wash the bok choy very well in cold running water.

2. Bring pot of water to a boil and blanch the bok choy for 1 minute. Remove it from water and set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat, add in the garlic and saute for a minute.

4. Add the bokchoy and oyster sauce, stir-fry for a minute.

5. Serve while it's hot.

Kung Pao Chicken (Gong Bao Ji Ding)宫保鸡丁

 I really love spicy dishes, and here is one of classic dish Kung Pao Chicken, originated in Sichuan in Central-Western China. I was a little disappointed when just got here in Maryland and went one of the Chinese restaurant and order this dish. The taste it wasn't exactly what I have always in China. I bet you will love the way I prepared for this dish, which the main ingredients are chicken, roasted unsalted peanuts and chilies. Bring down this dish at home, enjoy the spicy, sweet sauce and crunchy Kung Pao Chicken.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Skinless chicken breast diced
3/4 cup Roasted peanut
Peanut oil
4 Cloves minced garlic
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. chili bean paste 豆瓣酱
dried chili and Sichuan pepper corn)
1/2 Red bell pepper diced
3 Stalks of celery, diced
1/4 c White wine
1 Tbsp. Dark Soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Mirin
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/4 c Water.
2 Tbsp. Sugar
Sesame oil for drizzle

Procedure:

1. Marinate the diced chicken in white wine, soysauce, mirin and cornstarch for 10 minutes.
2. In a wok, heat oil over high flame. Fry the marinated chicken until well cooked, set aside and clean up thw wok by wiping it with paper towel.
3. Add in alittle bit of oil over high flame.  Throw in the dried chillis and pepper corn.
4. Next, saute the garlic and ginger together. Saute them well.
4. Add the chili bean paste.
5. Add in the fried diced chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Put the red bell pepper and celery and diced carrot. Add water, simmer for 3 minutes.
7. Season it with ground pepper, soy sauce and sugar.
8. Stirring continuously, cooking over a high flame. Throw in the chopped green onion and drizzle it with sesame oil.
9. Serve.

Eggplant with Dried Fish 咸鱼茄子

Eggplant with dried fish (咸鱼茄子)salty fish, eggplant literally translated in Chinese, has a unique sensational taste. This dish served in all most famous cuisine in Guangdong China. You would love the blend taste of dried fish over eggplant. Try this simple recipe, preparation is just easy.

Ingredients:

6 pcs. eggplant cut in lengthwise
1 pc dried fish, soaked in water for 1 hour and chop in small cubes
vegetable oil
cornstarch
5 cloves garlic minced
grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. chili bean paste
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
white wine
1 Tbsp. sugar
green onions chopped

Preparation:

1. In a large plate, coat eggplants with cornstarch.
2. Heat wok over high flame, put oil and deep fry the coated eggplants.
3. Drain exist oil, using stainless strainer.
4. Back to wok, remove some of the oil. Saute the ginger and garlic. Next, the chili bean paste.
5. Add in the fried eggplant and chopped dried fish.
6. Add a cup of water, oyster sauce and white wine.
7. Let it simmer for 5 minutes in moderate flame.
8. Add sugar, gradually mix until the sauce get thick.
9. Put in a ceramic pot or plate and garnish it with green onion.
10.Serve and share.

Easy String Beans Adobo ( Adobong Sitaw)

String beans adobo is perfect match for any fried fish for example mackerel scad, Filipinos love fried mackerel scad (galunggong). This dish is my all time favorite, preparation is simple. Try the easy string beans adobo.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bundle string beans cut into 2" length
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 c soy sauce
2 c chopped fresh tomatoes
6 cloves garlic minced
1 medium red onion sliced
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
dash of chicken powder

PREPARATION:

1. In a large skillet, put oil over medium heat.
2. Saute garlic until brown, next is onion saute until translucent.
3. Add in the chopped tomatoes, saute it well too.
4. Add in the string beans, stir gradually and simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Pour in the soy sauce, cover and simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
6. Season with chicken powder and ground black pepper.
7. Ready to serve.

TIPS:
In this recipe, I didn't use vinegar instead I used fresh chopped tomatoes to blend the sour taste.

Easy Broccoli with Garlic

One of the best vegetable is back on the menu. Perfect side dish for lunch or dinner. Everyone will be glad to taste this crisp-tender broccoli. Should you be a fan of greens, surely you wouldn't ignore this healthy dish. Preparation made as simply easy and bold as you see in the picture.

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh broccoli
2 cups water
6 cloves garlic minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and chicken powder to taste

Procedure:

1. Separate the florets from the stem.
2. In a pot, boil 2 cups of water.
3. After the water boils, blanch the broccoli for 5 minutes and drain.
4. In a pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic until brown.
5. Add in the broccoli and season with salt and chicken powder.
6. Continue sauteing until the broccoli is crisp-tender.
7. Serve.

TIPS:
Tip: Overcooking vegetables will lessen the value of nutrients, don't overcook.

Easy Sauteed Bok Choy with Pork

Bokchoy is not just an ordinary green vegetable, many ways to prepare this healthy green leaves. The crunchiness and watery flavor will make you love this dish. Bokchoy is a good side dish with any marinated meat. Hurry to market nearby and grab bokchoy and make it part of your everyday meal.

Ingredients:

1 Big bunch fresh bokchoy, washed and sliced
100 g Pork loin, cut in cubes
1 Tbsp. oil
1 small onion minced
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c Water
Fish sauce and ground black pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Fry the pork until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Using the same pan, saute garlic and onion.
3. Pour in the water and wait to boil, season it with fish sauce and ground black pepper.
4. Add bok choy and cook it until crisp-tender.
5. Serve hot.

Easy Young green Jackfruit in Coconut Milk (Gatang Langka)

Jack fruit is a native fruit from Southeast Asia used in many Asian cuisines. It can be eaten ripe as a fruit or cooked when unripe. In the Philippines, young jack fruit can be cooked, as adobo or in coconut milk. Here in my recipe I used canned jackfruit with coconut milk. Preferable to prepare this dish using fresh, but it is hard to find in the US, most International market sell the ripe ones.

Ingredients:

20 oz Young green Jack-fruit
400 ml Coconut milk
1 Tbsp. sauteed shrimp paste
100 g Pork belly, cut in bite size 
Thumb sized fresh ginger, smashed
1 Red onion,minced
1Long green pepper
Salt to taste
Pepper flakes (optional)

Procedure:

1. In a pan, put the meat and fry it until golden brown.
2. Pour in the coconut milk, add the shrimp paste, onion, ginger and the long green. Let it boil.
3. Add in the canned jackfruit.
4. Cover and simmer until the jackfruit get well cooked.
5. Dash with salt and pepper flakes if you want a spicy taste.
6. Serve with hot white rice.

TIPS:
You can cook the jackfruit with smoked fish or sardines in tomato sauce too.

Cabbage with Sardines

This is an inexpensive dish, but has a nutritional value. I grew up having this dish, those old days when I'm still at school. I and my family lived close to my school. Those days, we attended school from morning to late afternoon by 5 or 6, so during lunch time we had a long break and the chance to be back at home to have lunch. This is one of the dishes that I prepared to have a quick meal.

Ingredients:

A quartered cut of large cabbage (shredded)
5.5 oz sardines in tomato sauce
1 small red onion sliced
2 sliced tomatoes
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 long green pepper sliced
1/2 cup water
3 Tbsp. corn oil
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. chicken powder
dash of ground black pepper

Procedure:

1.In a pan heat the oil, saute the garlic, onion and tomatoes.
2. Add in the shredded cabbage, continue sauteing.
3. Put the long green pepper, and season it with fish sauce.
4. Pour in the sardines and water, stir well. Simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Dash with ground black pepper and chicken powder.
6. Serve with hot plain rice.

Easy Cabbage Salad

Cabbage salad is best to partner with steak, fried chicken or fried pork chop. This can be an appetizer too. Few ingredients required in only one step. Try the cabbage salad with tangy vinegar dressing. I bet you going to love this everyday.

INGREDIENTS:

a quarter cut of small size fresh cabbage (shredded)
4-5 Tbsp. vinegar
salt and ground pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

In a bowl, toss the shredded cabbage with the rest of ingredients. Enjoy.

TIP:
More tasty if the cabbage is soaked in vinegar dressing for a few hours.

Easy Broccoli with Cornedbeef

Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables because it has been found by nutrition experts to contain a high level of vitamin C, A and K and rich in dietary fiber. It will take you approximately 10-15 minutes to prepare a broccoli with corned beef dish.


INGREDIENTS:

2 bunches of fresh broccoli
2 cups water
a can of corned beef
1 medium red onion
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste

PREPARATION:

1. Separate the broccoli florets from the stem.
2. In a cooking pot boil 2 cups of water.
3. When the water boiling remove from fire and blanch the broccoli for 3 minutes.
4. In a pan heat the oil and saute the onion and the corned beef for 1 minute.
5. Put the blanched broccoli together with the sauteed corned beef. Simmer for a minute.
6. Ready to serve.

TIPS:
Don't overcook the broccoli because it lessen the value of nutrients.