Pakbit

This is an Ilocano dish but it made its way to the Kapampangan kitchen, where it was modified to the Pampanguenos taste. In Angeles City, Pinakbet or Pakbit as they call it, is usually served with steam rice and fried fish. The word "Pinakebbet", meaning shrunk or shrivelled is the contracted word form of the Ilocano word. As its name infers, it is usually cooked until almost dry and shrivelled. In the Visayan regions, they make this dish by combining all kinds of vegetables, bagoong (anchovies) and water and boiling until vegetables are done. The way I cook my Pinakbet, I don't let the vegetables shrivel and I serve the bagoong on the side. I like the vegetables colorful and I dare not use green chilis.

Ingredients:

1 c pork with fat (cut in sm strips)
1 tbs oil
1 sm onion (sliced thinly)
3 med. tamatoes (chopped coarsely)
2 tbs bagoong
2 c squash (cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces)
2 c sitaw (cut into 2-inch pieces)
1 c eggplants (cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces)
5-6 sm okra (cut tops off)
2 c ampalaya or bitter melon (seeded and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces)
1 c water

In a deep pan, heat oil and brown pork. Add onion and tomatoes until onion is translucent and tomatoes are wilted. Add the bagoong and saute for another minute. Add the vegetables and water. Cover and simmer until vegetables are cooked. Make sure not to overcook the vegetables. Serve with steam rice, fried fish and ginisang bagoong.

Variations: You can also saute this dish with shrimps.

Calamares

Ingredients:

6 c squids (cut in rings)
2 calamansi (cut in half)
1/2 cornstarch
1 c cooking oil
sal and pepper to taste

1. Clean the squids, removing the head and the spine. Squeeze calamansi juice on the squid and rinse thoroughly. Drain well and set aside.

2. In a bowl, mix cornstarch and salt and pepper. Cover the squid rings lightly with the cornstarch mix. In a frying pan, heat oil. Fry squid rings until golden brown.

Adobong Pusit

Ingredients:

1/2 k small fresh squids
1 tbs cooking oil
1/2 c vinegar (white)
1/2 c water
10 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion (sliced )
2 tomatoes (chopped)
1 tsp sugar

1. Wash the squids removing the long thin membrane from the body part and popping the eye out. Make sure you save the ink sack.

2. In a sauce pan, combine squids, vinegar, water, half the garlic, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer until squid is tender. Set aside.

3. In a skillet, heat oil and saute the remaining garlic, onions, and tomatoes until the onion is translucent. Add the squid ink, sugar and the squids including the broth. Simmer for about 5 more minutes.

Siomai

Ingredients:

1 k ground pork
1/3 c chopped singkamas
1/3 c carrots (chopped)
1 big onion (minced)
1 bunch spring onion or leeks (chopped)
1 egg
5 tbs sesame oil
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp salt
50 pcs large small wanton or siomai wrapper
1 calamansi (or lemon)
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs sesame oil

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork, singkamas, carrots, onion, spring onions, egg and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture onto the wrapper. Fold and seal by pinching the edge of wrapper. Set aside.

2. Arrange siomai into your steamer. Cover and steam for 15-20 minutes or until done.

3. Dip: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, calamansi and sesame oil.

Serve siomai with the soy sauce dip.

Seaweed (Lato) Salad

A very simple, easy to prepare side dish. Seaweed is also believed to help with digestion and good for your health.

Ingredients:

2 c Lato Seaweed
1 sm onion (chopped)
1 med. tomato (chopped)


Rinse the seaweed and drain. In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve with steamed rice and fried fish.

Mochi (Coconut)

Ingredients:

2 c mochiko
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbs baking powder
2 eggs
1/4 c melted butter
1 2/3 c evaporated milk
1 c shredded coconut (angel flakes)
1/3 c macademia nuts (chopped fine)

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix all dry ingredients.

2. Melt butter and cool.

3. In another mixing bowl, beat eggs and evaporated milk.

4. Combine all dry ingredients and butter and blend. Add macademia nuts and coconut. Pour into 9 x 13 ungreased pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes. When done, let cool and cut into 1-inch bars.

Bringhe

Ingredients:

1 c coconut milk
3/4 c lukewarm water
4 tbs cooking oil
3 gloves of garlic (crushed)
1 med. onion (sliced thinly)
1 whole chicken (cut into serving pieces)
salt and pepper to taste
5 tbs yellow ginger juice
4 c malagkit (washed)
1 green bell pepper (cut in cubes)
2 hard-boiled eggs (cut into wedges)

In a large skillet, heat oil and saute garlic, onions and chicken until chicken is brown. Add salt, pepper, and ginger juice. Add the malagkit then gradually pour in the coconut milk. Cook until the malagkit is done and the chicken is tender. Cover top of pan with a banana leaves and invert the bringhe into a platter. Garnish with bell pepper and sliced eggs and serve hot.

Kutsinta

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c water
3/4 c brown sugar
1 c flour
1 tsp lye water
1 c fresh coconut (grated)

In a sauce pan, combine sugar and water and bring to a boil. Let cool. When water is cool, add flour and stir until smooth. Add lye water and mix well. Fill greased muffin pans (about 3/4 full). Take a large baking pan and put 2 c of water into it. Place muffin pan in the baking pan and put in the oven. Steam for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Top with grated coconut and serve cold.

Kutsinta

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c water
3/4 c brown sugar
1 c flour
1 tsp lye water
1 c fresh coconut (grated)

In a sauce pan, combine sugar and water and bring to a boil. Let cool. When water is cool, add flour and stir until smooth. Add lye water and mix well. Fill greased muffin pans (about 3/4 full). Take a large baking pan and put 2 c of water into it. Place muffin pan in the baking pan and put in the oven. Steam for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Top with grated coconut and serve cold.

Baruyang Saging

I cook this simple snack whenever I have overiped saba in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

3 ripe saba (peeled and mashed)
1/2 c flour
water
2 tbs cooking oil

Combine mashed bananas and flour. Add enough water to make a thick batter. Heat cooking oil in a frying pan. Using a spoon, scoop batter and drop in oil. Cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels to get rid of excess oil.

Chicken Mami

Ingredients:

6 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1/2 lb Chinese style wheat noodles (or egg noddles)
1 c cooked chicken (diced)
1 hard-boiled egg (chopped)
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/4 green onion (chopped)
5 c chicken broth
1 tbs patis
salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, heat oil and fry the garlic until its golden brown. Drain cooked garlic on paper towel and minced. Set aside. Put the noodles in warm salted water to separate them. In a sauce pan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Stir in patis, then add salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine chicken, green onion, eggs and noodles. Add the broth. Top with garlic.

Cassava Cake

Ingredients:

3 eggs
2 c sugar
1 c evaporated milk
7 c raw grated cassava (or frozen)
1/4 c butter
Banana leaves (blanched)

Beat eggs and sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients. Pour into a greased 9x9 baking pan lined with banana leaves. Bake until done.

Topping:

1 c coconut milk
2 tbs flour
1 can condensed milk
2 egg yolks
2 tbs grated cheddar cheese

Mix coconut milk with the flour. Add condensed milk and cook over low fire until thick. Add eggyolks and mix well. Return to heat and cook for five minutes. Pour over bibingka. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Cassava Suman

Ingredients:

3 c cassava (finely grated)
1 c coconut (finely grated)
15 pcs banana leaves (blanched)
1 c white sugar

Combine grated cassava, grated coconut and sugar. Place measured amounts of the cassava mixture on each piece of banana leaf. Roll and fold both ends towards the middle and tie with a string loosely. Arrange suman on steamer and steam for about 30 minutes.

Valenciana

Ingredients:

1 breast and 2 chicken legs (cut in bite size)
1/2 lbs of pork (cut in cubes)
1 onion (thinly sliced)
2 pcs chorizo de bilbao (julliened)
1/4 c green peas
1 red bell pepper (julliened)
1 1/2 c of rice (washed and drained)
1/2 c malagkit (washed and drained)
1 egg
4 cloves of garlic (chopped)
2 med tomatoes (chopped)
1 1/2 spoons of pimiento (dissolved in water)
Patis
2 tbs cooking oil
salt and pepper to tast
1 c water

In a skillet, heat oil and saute garlic, tomatoes and onion until onion is translucent. Add chicken and pork and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add patis and cover for 5 minutes. Add water and let boil. When it starts boiling, lower heat and simmer until meat is tender. Add chorizo, bell pepper and pimiento. Let boil. Add rice and malagkit and stir. Add more water if needed to cook the rice. Add salt and pepper. Cover the pot stirring occassionally to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of pot. When rice is done, add green peas and cook for 2 more minutes. Top with liced eggs and serve hot.

Suman

Ingredients:

4 c malagkit
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
1 c white sugar
Banana leaves
1/4 tsp anise

Step 1: In a deep mixing bowl, combine rice and water and soak overnight.

Step 2: In the morning, drain water completely. Combine malagkit, coconut milk and anise.

Step 3: Take the banana leaves and run it back and forth the fire (stove top) until wilted. Cut the leaves in squares (depending on how big or small you want your suman to be). Spoon desired amount of malagkit mixture onto the banana leaves. Sprinkle with sugar and roll to wrap. Fold both ends and tuck towards the middle and tie with a string to secure. Arrange them in a pot, cover with water and simmer for about 2-3 hours.

Fish Escabeche

Ingredients:

1 2lb sea bass or red snapper (or fish of your choice)
1 c cider vinegar
1 c water
1/2 c sugar
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 sm onion (diced)
2 tbs ginger (julliened)
1 bell pepper (cut in thin strips)
2 c shredded green papaya

Clean the fish and cut three slits on both sides. Rub salt all over it. In a frying pan, heat oil and fry fish until golden brown and set it aside. Take most of the oil out and saute garlic until brown. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add sugar, vinegar, water and ginger and let it boil. When it starts boiling, add the fried fish and the green papaya. Add salt to taste.

Daing (Bangus)

I like to eat daing with sinangag na kanin with patis and suka for sawsawan.

Ingredients:

1 bangus (milkfish)
1/4 c vinegar
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cloves of garlic (crushed w/ the skin on)
1/2 c cooking oil

Cut the fish lengthwise along the back, trying not to damage the skin. Place the cleaned fish in a shallow dish or marinating container, outer skin side down. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the oil. Marinate in the refrigirator overnight. Turn the fish over once to marinate the other side. Drain the fish. In a skillet, heat oil and fry the fish until golden brown.

Note: In some places in the US, Asian grocers will clean the fish for you.

Pork Adobo

This dish is fast and easy to prepare. I usually make this when I find myself press for time. Sometimes, I cook it the night before and have it the next day.

Ingredients:

1 kilo pork shoulder or butt
6 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 bay leaf
1/4 c sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 vinegar
1/2 c soy sauce
1 1/2 c water

Slice pork into serving pieces. In a sauce pan combine ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until meat is tender. Add water if needed.

Chicken Adobo

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (cut into small pieces)
salt to taste
1 tbs pepper corns
1 bay leaf
1 c vinegar
1 head garlic (crushed)
1/4 c oil

Clean and cut the chicken into small pieces. Season with salt and peppercorn. Place in a saucepan and add bay leaf, garlic, and vinegar. Let simmer until tender. If too dry, add 1/2 cup of hot water at a time. When meat is tender, add the oil and saute until chicken is brown. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Torta (Kapampangan Version)

This dish is very popular in the Pampanga area in the Philippines. People in Manila and other areas calls this dish Arroz a la Cubana, but in Pampanga it's known as Torta. Serve with white steam rice and fried saba banana.

Ingredients:

1 sm red bell pepper (cut in cubes)

1 lb ground lean pork
2 tbsp. cooking oil
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 small onion (minced)
1 large tomato (minced, deseeded)
1/4 cup raisins
2 tbsp. annatto seeds
salt & pepper to taste
1 sm bay leaf
2 tbsp. calamansi juice (to taste0
1 large egg (beaten)
2 medium-sized potatoes (cut into small cubes)
1/4 cup chick peas

In a bowl, soak annatto seeds in the oil. After the oil turns red, take out the seeds.

In a bowl, combine ground pork, salt and pepper, calamansi juice (or lemon) and egg. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

In a skillet, heat oil. Saute red bell pepper and set aside. Saute garlic until slightly brown, then add onion and saute until transparent, add annatto oil, tomatoes and bay leaf. Add meat and stir until brown. Add raisins, red bell pepper, potatoes and chickpeas. Cover and simmer until potatoes are done.

Puto

Ingredients:

4 1/2 c flour
2 1/4 c white sugar
3 1/2 tbs baking powder
3 c milk
2 1/4 c water
4 eggs
3 tsp vanilla

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Step 2: In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together.

Step 3: In another mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients gradually until smooth. In a muffin pan, place muffin cups and pour mixture into the cups (about 3/4 full). Take a big (deep) baking pan and pour about 3 cups of water in it. Place the muffin pan in it (making sure the water don't get on the muffin pan) and bake for about 10 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Top with grated cheese and bake for another minute to melt the cheese.

Note: You can also use a steamer if you have one handy.

Fish Sarciado

Ingredients:

1 red snapper (or any fish you like)
2 med sized tomatoes
1 egg (beaten)
two cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 sm onion (sliced thinly)
1/2 cup cooking oil
2 calamansi
salt and pepper to taste

Scale and gut the fish. Cut three slits on both sides and rub salt and calamansi juice all over it. In a deep skillet, heat oil and fry fish until golden brown. Place fish on a plate and set aside.

Take some of the oil out of the skillet (leave about 2 tbs). Saute garlic, onion, and tomatoes. When tomatoes and onion are done, add eggs and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour the hot mixture on the fish and serve hot.

Bibingka

Ingredients:

1 box Mochico flour
1 stick of butter
2 c sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz sour cream
1 14oz can of coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a couple of pie pans and line with banana leaves. In a bowl, mix butter, sugar and eggs and beat with a fork until creamy. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Pour mixture into the pans and bake for 40-50 minutes. Serve hot with grated fresh coconut.

Almondigas

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground pork
3-4 medium sized shrimps (Peeled, minced and set aside the shells)
1 egg (beaten)
3 stalks of green onion (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp oil
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 sm onion (chopped)
5 c broth (or water)
2 bunches of miswa (thin flour noodles)

Step 1: In a bowl, combine ground pork, ground shrimps, chopped onion, salt and pepper, eggs and mix. Add flour and mix well (using your hand). Form 1-inch balls and set aside.

Step 2: Take the shrimp shells and pound. Add water and squeeze the juice out. Set aside.

Step 3: In a pot, heat oil and saute garlic. Add patis. Pour in the broth or water and the shrimp juice. Bring to a boil. When it starts boiling, add meatballs and simmer until the meatballs are done (about 20 min). Add miswa and cook for another 2 mintues. Serve with chopped green onion and patis.

Steamed Fish

Ingredients:

1 big fish (white fish, bass, salmon)
2 stalks of green onion (cut in thirds)
1 big lemon
salt & pepper
1 sm quarter of ginger (julliened)
1/2 c water
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs cooking wine (optional)

Clean fish and cut 3 slits on both sides. Squeeze lemon all over it and rub salt and pepper inside and out. take half of the ginger and green onion and stuff inside the fish. Line wok, skillet, or steam-safe plate with the rest of the ginger and green onion. Place the fish on top and pour olive oil all over it. Add water. Cover and steam for about 20 minutes or until fish is done.

Variations: You can replace olive oil with butter and ginger with onion.


This fish steamer is one great investment!
You can cook your fish on stove or bake it in the oven.

Anchovies with Peanuts (Dilis)

This is a very popular dish in Taiwan. People usually eat this dish with a cold beer or two.

Ingredients:

80 g dried anchovies (dilis)
100 g cooked peanuts (without skin)
2 c oil
2 large green or red chilies (julienned)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
3 stalks spring onion (chopped)
1 tbs rice wine
pinch of black pepper

Heat oil in a wok or skillet and deep fry anchovies for about 1-2 minutes. Remove anchovies andand drain. Set aside. In the same pan, add chili pepper, spring onion, garlic and rice wine and saute for 2 mintues. Add anchovies and peanuts and stir for another 4-5 minutes.

Recipe from: eatingchina.com