Lovely, Happy China Colours

http://www.npr.org/2014/10/16/354370783/w-va-pottery-company-keeps-popular-fiesta-line-alive-and-thriving

Buta No Kakuni or Japanese Braised Pork Belly

Main:  Pork Dish

Aside from filling soups, fall means heavy stews for our family.

Autumn sights & sounds in our part of the world.

The original recipe for this Japanese stew dish calls for the use of pork belly. In our quest for "healthier" meals, I used instead boneless pork leg.  You can use pork shoulder too.  The success of this dish is a little fat, sorry.  

You can use a regular pot or Dutch oven (better; keeps the meat moisture in).  I used instead a slow cooker.  I just plonked everything in and left it slow cooking for 6 hours.

Ingredients and Process (enough for 2 meals for 4 people)

• Grease bottom and sides of slow cooker.
• Cut 3 pounds of pork into cubes. Place them at the bottom of cooker.
  

• Add 10 slices of ginger and 3 stalks of chopped scallions on top of pork cubes.
  

• In one go, pour in: 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce,

1/3 cup sake (or dry sherry)

2 tablespoons sriracha

1/2 cup water

Slow cook for 6 hours until meat is REALLY tender.

• If using regular pot or Dutch oven, add more water to barely cover the meat.  Boil then simmer until meat is tender. Regularly check to see if you have to add more water.  Bring up to boil each time then simmer.  This would take 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• When the pork is close to done, hard boil eggs. Once eggs are cooked, rinse under cool water and remove shells.  Slice eggs in half.
  

• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tender pork to another container.
  

• Pour the liquid in a big enough pot.  Boil to reduce and thicken the liquid for 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs to the braising liquid so it will absorb some of the flavour.  Boil 5 more minutes.  
  

• Then add the pork.  Gently mix (you want the eggs intact) and transfer to serving dishes.

• If using Dutch oven or regular pot, just leave the braising liquid in pot to boil and reduce.
• Top meat dish with freshly chopped scallions.
  

• Serve with either rice or ramen noodles. Oishi!!!!
  

Leche Flan con Cream Cheese

Dessert

If you think the Leche Flan you've been consuming all these years is rich, this recipe will surely make you reconsider.  The creator is Celia Fisher and was shared by +Chef Ron Bilaro.  After my first attempt, the following recipe has some minor fine-tuning.  It is a wee bit more dense than your regular leche flan, practically like a cheesecake.  Who can say no to that??!? Definitely not my family.

Celia Fisher, the creator of this crazy good recipe.

Ingredients & Process (for a 9 1/2 inch baking tin; sorry, we want our custards big & thick so I don't use the typical, dainty llanera)

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Make the caramel in a small pot by gently heating 1/3 cup water, 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. This would take about 6 minutes until sugar is melted and golden brown. Per the original recipe, you can prepare the caramel directly on the pan.  Unfortunately, cack hands and induction cooktops don't go safely together :p
• Pour the caramel onto the pan.  Submerge the bottom of the pan on ice water to stop the cooking process ie, you don't want the sugar to harden.
  
• You can do the following in a blender or if you're lazy to set up and wash too many things, just bring out your hand blender. In a big bowl with spout, hand-blend the following.  Make sure there are no cream cheese clumps hiding in the mixture. Believe me, the cream cheese is tricky.

1. 5 eggs - room temperature
2. 1 can evaporated milk
3. 1 can condensed milk 
4. 4 oz cream cheese (that would be half a tub)
5. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
6. 2 tablespoons vanilla

• Carefully pour mixture into the pan.  That's why you need a spout on your bowl because you don't want the caramel and custard to mix - you want them as separate layers.
• Cover pan with tin foil and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes in a bain marie.
• When done, dispose of tin foil and chill flan in the refrigerator to set.
• Run the dull side of a thin knife around the edge before inverting on serving plate.

Chicken Any Noodles Soup

Main or Side:  Chicken Noodle Soup

Mornings are getting nippier our side of the world.  It's time once again to whip out heavy stews and filling soups.

 

To start things off, am sharing with you this Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.  It will surely warm you up - both tummy and heart because memories of childhood start flooding back with each rich mouthful. So flexible too. You can use any type of noodle you have in your pantry: macaroni, elbow, flat egg noodles, gnocchi, etc. and will still deliver the same satisfying result.  You can clear out your refrigerator with left over veggies and meat bones.  I added a left-over pork bone for this batch.

Procedure and Ingredients (serves four people as the only dish plus a little extra for snack or breakfast)

The ingredients.

• Get a gallon bag, place 2/3 cup flour, season with salt and pepper.  Place 1.5 - 1.8 pounds of boneless chicken breasts. Toss a little so all parts of the chicken are coated with the flour mixture.  You can use bone-in but it's just a bother to remove the bones when you shred the cooked meat. 
• Heat a pan with 3 tablespoons of cooking oil then brown the chicken breasts.  You're not frying them so 3 minutes per side would suffice.  
  

ISIS Ladies and Nutella!!?!!!

I'm having a cognitive dissonance here, ISIS ladies continuing on loving Nutella??!??!!!!  Notwithstanding?!!?

ISIS ladies and Nutella

Truly Coffee Coffee Cake

Dessert:  Coffee Cake

This is an adaptation of +thepioneerwoman's recipe called "Coffee Cake, Literally!".  When I hear or read coffee cake, I don't know why but I want that cake to be coffee-flavoured not just something to go with my coffee.  Me and my bizarre word association.  This cake is dedicated to +Laverne McMahon who was my regular "coffee-mate" in Singapore when our eldest sons were still in pre-school. She posted this on her Facebook page yesterday :)

You'll be needing a lot of bowls, big & small, for this recipe and eventually, you have to bring out your mixer.

Maileen's Tuyo & Tinapang Bangus (dried fish & smoked milkfish) Pasta

Main:  Seafood Pasta Dish

This is a new favourite in our house.  +Maileen Dimanlig shared with me her recipe last July.  Just did not have the energy to drive over 13 miles for the tuyo and tinapa ingredients.  Lazy, ha ha ha

Am naturally drawn to strong women
and Maileen is such a perfect example.

The actual cooking for this yummy pasta sauce just takes 10 minutes, it's the flaking of the fried tuyo which takes forever. First ever attempt was 48 minutes for me, second time was 45.  I will be speedier yet.  Am just really hoping that next time I go to Seafood City (big Asian grocery), there will be tuyo in jars available.  I imagine it would be easier.

Process & Ingredients:

• Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees.
• Wash and drain your pack of grape/cherry tomatoes (11 oz or 312 grams); drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground salt and pepper; gently mix with your hand.
• Spread out the tomatoes on a lined baking sheet and slow roast for 1 hour.

  

  Before and after 1-hour roasting

• While the tomatoes are slow roasting, you can start with the tedious task of flaking your fish.  See if you can find tuyo in jars because I imagine the task would be easier.
  
  I think 2 jars, drained, would suffice.  I was lucky enough to find a tray (about 26 pieces) of fried tuyo already so I was able to avoid the scary task of frying.  
  
  Use the sharp side of your medium size knife to scale the tuyo from head down to tail. With the tinapang bangus, you can easily tear off the skin. Set aside your flaked fish. Make sure you don't have old rice hiding in your ref so you won't be tempted to eat a little, ha ha ha.

  

  Have a scented candle nearby while flaking :D

• Slice thinly 12 cloves of garlic and half a big white onion.
• Have on standby: 1 1/2 cups of sherry or dry white wine, a tablespoon (or more) chili flakes, a handful of flat leaf parsley leaves (no need to chop); 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms and a small tin (2.25 oz/64 g) of sliced olives.
  
• I used a wok to saute the onions until soft.  About 3 minutes, add a little water so the onions won't burn then add the garlic and saute another minute.
• Mix in the flaked fish then the olives and mushrooms. 
• Pour in your wine or sherry and let boil uncovered to reduce. See if you need to add salt (I really doubt) and the amount of chili flakes you prefer.  Reduction would take about 3-4 minutes. You don't want the fish to crumble and you want a little liquid to remain.

  

  A little liquid to coat your pasta noodles.

• Remove from flame, plonk in the parsley leaves, cover wok to allow the residual heat to wilt the parsley.
• You can store the tuyo/tinapang bangus pasta sauce in the ref until ready to use for your cooked pasta (we used spaghetti noodles).  Just make sure to cover well with cling wrap. I strongly suggest that you avoid using a plastic container for storage.
• When ready to serve, top with a handful of basil leaves cut chiffonade style

  

  Image from penandfork.com

  and either grated or parmesan cheese.  Dig in and enjoy this surprisingly not salty pasta dish!!!!! For the next attempt, my boys are suggesting I also add smoked salmon.  Will keep you posted...

  

  Methinks this dish won't be limited to summer months only.

New (but still messy) Way of Peeling Ripe Mangoes

Somebody, I forget who, shared this tip on Facebook a few days ago.  I decided to try it today because I need mangoes for a cobbler I'm about to prepare.  As you can see from the video, I still need to master this new technique.

I suggest using this technique only if you'll use mango as an ingredient.  If you're going to eat mango as dessert, I still prefer criss-cross slicing the mango cheek or scooping out with a spoon.

Typical American Food I Still Have to Love

http://www.viralnova.com/food-haters/

I have to agree with this list except for: 

• bacon, just bacon, not the eggs, ha ha ha
• meatloaf, not served in diners but my version.  Obviously, wrapped with bacon
• rich chocolates

For #7, I have to include spray whipped cream as one of my hates too.

Asians Eat Weird Things Music Video featuring AJ Rafael

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFGCr9KsqUA

Longga-balls Pork Meatballs

Main or Appetizer

Longganiza is the Philippine's version of sausages.  Each region or province has its own version.  Salty spiced ones from Lucban, Baguio's sourish plump ones, slightly sweet ones from Central Luzon, etc etc etc.  Longganiza is not only served for breakfast but other times of the day too. I remember lots of classmates who brought longganiza for their packed lunch. Just as long as there's rice, fried garlicky rice even, longganiza is good to go.

I found the original recipe in page 89 of Food Magazine's Step-by-Step Cookbook (2002, first edition) given by my SIL, +Anne Bautista.  Actually, looking through my collection of recipe books, I have noticed that Anne and my mother-in-law, have given me quite a number since I got married.  I totally understand their concern :D  They were aware that their then new daughter-in-law wasn't really a kitchen mainstay.

Strawberry Shortcake - Japanese Style

Fruity Baked Dessert

Nothing beats greeting summer than by serving fresh fruit desserts to your family and guests.  

Strawberries are really affordable nowadays so I decided to prepare Japanese style strawberry shortcake.  As opposed to American style, Japanese style is lighter and "airer".  Not laden with too much sugar, flour and absolutely no shortening, just a smidge of butter. Have even encountered some shortcakes with whipped cream from spray cans.  Yikes!

This version is mainly a copy of +The Tart Tart recipe with some minimal refinements. http://www.thetarttart.com/2013/10/japanese-strawberry-shortcake/

I remember having Strawberry Shortcake scented erasers and stickers when I was still a wee one :) Did you have one too??!?

Parmesan Chicken

Main:  Chicken Dish

It was Tita Ninang who taught this dish to us when they visited us in Singapore.  I have served this easy-peasy dish to guests numerous times and it always gets rave reviews.

Tita Ninang, Uncle Vlado and then toddler, Jacob.

Recipe (enough for four):

• in a sturdy plastic bag, place 3/4 cup flour, heaping teaspoon each of salt and paprika powder
• drop in the bag 16 pieces of chicken drumettes
• hold one end of the bag tightly and shake bag well so that the flour mixture will lightly coat all the chicken pieces. Set aside.
  
• thinly slice 2 big onions.  You need the touch of sweetness the onions will provide.
• shave 250 grams of parmesan cheese (grated parmesan in packs aren't that cheesy enough). Divide into 2/3 & 1/3 portions.

  

  I used a cabbage shaver (you can find this nifty
  gadget from Japanese dollar stores) to speed up
  the tedious process. You can also use a regular peeler.

• heat oil in a frying pan and brown the chicken.  Drain on paper towels set aside.  
  
• you can use the same pan for the next step.  Throw away the oil and rinse it well.  Wipe pan with paper towel.
• pre-heat oven 350 degrees
• melt a stick of butter in the pan
• caramelize onions, adding a little water or stock at a time so the onions won't burn.  Along the way, I add a teaspoon of chicken stock powder, a few splashes of tabasco and liquid seasoning.
  
• when the onions have caramelized properly, pour a cup of stock or water. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of paprika and the 2/3 portion of parmesan cheese.  Cook until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.  Stir constantly to spread out the cheese.
  
• distribute the drained chicken on your baking dish
• pour the onion/cheese sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese.
  
• cover the baking dish with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes
• when it's done, let it rest for 5 minutes before removing the tinfoil and enjoying the tender goodness of the chicken

  

  For carbo, we had steamed brown rice because generously drizzling
  the buttery/cheesy sauce over it is heavenly.
  To somehow counter-act the richness,
  we had vegetable pasta on the side.
  

Pulled Braised Pork in Steamed Buns

Main or Snack:  Pork

My family first encountered this heavenly dish, kong bak pau, the first time we ate at +Westlake Eating House.  The restaurant is found in an HDB complex (stands for Housing Development Board, like government housing) with green plastic chairs (and chopsticks!) and floral plastic covered tables.  So nondescript but always crowded. Even if you wait for a long-ish time, the aunties & uncles always assure you that they haven't forgotten you.

Westlake Eating House's kong bak pau served with lettuce leaves.

Their Hokkien version uses pork belly slices. When we lived in Singapore, I used twee bak (pork shoulder with skin on). Less fatty and hopefully, more healthy.  Here in the US, I use either pork shoulder or full ham boneless (the back part), also lean but with a hint of that all important fat. You need the fat, even minimal, for flavour and to keep the meat moist during the long cooking time.  The Hokkien braised pork recipe has ginger, catsup, cloves, star anise and five spice powder.  My family is not too keen on said spices.  Am too lazy too to blanch first the pork then brown it before starting with the braising process. Instead, the tweaked recipe I am sharing is from +Nora V. Daza's book, "Let's Cook With Nora," pork asado recipe. In addition, am using a slow cooker.  You can use pressure cooker or even a regular saucepan.  You just have to be around to constantly check that the meat is really getting tender and that there is still enough braising liquid.

I used full ham boneless cut with a little fat & skin.

I decided to prepare this dish because the coriander my boys planted latter part of March is blooming.  Instead of lettuce leaves, we place instead cucumber sticks and coriander leaves. We find it more refreshing.

Coriander or cilantro leaves ready for picking.

Braised Minced Pork

Main:  Pork

Don't you just love preparing and serving tasty dishes which are complete in protein and vegetables?  This is a fairly recent family favourite, a recipe I learned from +Bujit Tesoro.  Like most braised or stewed dishes, it's best to cook this a few days before serving so that the flavours gel together.

Ingredients & Process (enough for 4 people with big appetites with extra for breakfast)

• in a wok, heat 4 tablespoons of sesame oil.  I prefer the darker coloured one because it's richer in flavour. Swirl the oil around so it also coats the sides of the wok.
• cook to soften minced medium onion.  Add a little water at a time to ensure it just softens, not burn.  I also add a teaspoon of stock powder.  About 4 minutes.
• saute minced garlic, about a minute.  I minced 12 cloves, the more garlic, the better.
• add 3 pounds minced pork and cook until there are no more pink bits
• while the pork is cooking, mix in: 3 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine (or any dry white you have in your cupboard; sake works too!), a heaping teaspoon (or less, depending on your tolerance level) of chili garlic, 2-3 tablespoons each of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce & brown sugar. Make sure you mix well.
  
• mix in cornstarch (1 tablespoon) dissolved very well in 1/3 cup water.  Add enough water to barely cover the meat.  Boil then simmer 20 minutes.
• while the meat is simmering, prepare your veggies.  The original version calls for par-boiled green or snap beans which is supposed to top the cooked minced meat.
  
  I wanted to use my relatively new toy, Cuisavor spiral vegetable slicer, so instead, I made veggie pasta out of 3 zucchinis and 3 yellow squashes. Place in the refrigerator when done.
  
• when the pork is well cooked, increase flame to high and remove the cover.  Cook to reduce liquid, about 5 - 7 minutes.  See if you have to add more flavouring, say, sugar or soy sauce. Stir every few minutes to ensure it won't crust at the bottom (usually happens when you have sugar in your dish).
  

  

  Above shot, still liquid-y.  Below, after the reduction
  where it is more "dry".
  

• remove from flame and gently fold in your veggie pasta. As I've mentioned, it's best to refrigerate at least 1 day (the longer the better) before serving hot (just re-heat in the micro).
  
  
  
  
• just to make it a little different if I serve it again for breakfast the following day, I  top it with poached egg. For dinner tonight, we did rice-topping style.  Veggie & meat in one robust-tasting dish!