Taiwan Onion Cake

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c all purpose flour
3/4 c self-rising flour
1 c boiling water
2 tsp oil
2 stalks spring onion (minced)

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all purpose flour and self-rising flour. Slowly add the boiling water into the flour and stir until it forms a rough dough. Add the oil and stir for another minute or so. Cover dough with wet cloth and let sit for about 1 hour.

2. On a floured surface, knead dough briefly and then cut into thirds and continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic. Roll each of the three sections of dough out into a flat piece approximately 1/2 cm or 1/4 inch thick. Brush the pancake with a bit of oil and sprinkle with spring onion. Roll up the pancake and cut into 8-10 pieces. Use the palm of your hand to flatten each piece. Roll out again.

3. Heat a bit of oil in a large skillet. Fry pancakes until both sides are golden brown. Serve whole or cut into wedges (similar to a pizza).

Yookgaejang (Spicy Beef & Scallion Soup)

Yet another one of my favorite Korean dish. During the winter, Korea can be bitterly cold...this soup will help you stay warm because Korean's make this dish red with chili pepper.

Ingredients:

1 lb beef (sliced thinly)
1/2 lb bean sprouts
1/2 c gosari (fern brake), drained
2 green onions (cut into 1-inch)
3 tbs Korean chili powder (can be purchased from any Oriental Stores)
1 tbs soy sauce
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 tbs sesame oil
8 c of water
salt and pepper to taste
In a big pot, saute beef with soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili powder for 4-5 minutes. Add water and bean sprouts and cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add fern brake and cook for another 20-30 mintues until beef is tender. Add green onions and salt and pepper to taste.


Gosari (Fernbrake)

Bulgogi

This is one of my favorite dish while I was in Korea. Bulgogi is traditionally grilled but you may also broil or fry it in a pan.

Ingredients:

2 lbs flank steak (sliced thinly)
3 scallions (cut into 1/2" pieces)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
3 tbs sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c water
1/2 tsp sesame seed
2 bunches of Romaine Lettuce

1. In a mixing bowl, mix steak and sugar well. In a separate bowl, combine soy sauce, water, garlic and sliced scallions. Pour sauce mixture into meat. Mix well with your hand. Add sesame oil and sesame seeds. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.

2. Broil beef over a charcoal fire or stir-fry in a regular frying pan on a stove burner until browned. Serve with lettuce leaf and Kimchi (if available). This dish can also be eaten with steam rice.

Maja Blanca (Tibuk-Tibuk)

Ingredients:

1/2 c Cream Cornstarch
3/4 c corn (canned)
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c water
2 coconuts (grated)
coconut oil (from Latik recipe)

1. Place grated coconut in a cheese cloth. Squeeze to get 1 cup of kakang gata and set aside. Mix 2 cups of water water with the grated coconut and squeeze to get thin coconut milk. Set aside.

2. In a blender or food processor, puree the corn. In a mixing bowl, combine corn, cornstarch and sugar and mix well. Add 1/2 cup water and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened.

3. Grease pan or mold with the latik oil. Pour the mixture in and let set until cool. Top with Latik and

Latik:

1 c coconut milk
3 tbs white sugar (optional)

Boil coconut milk until oil separates from mixture. Take all the excess oil out and set aside. Add sugar to latik and cook until crisp.

Variations:
1. The corn is used to make this dessert yellow in color...of course there's the taste. I've also seen this dessert with whole corn kernels mixed into it. You can, however, skip the corn altogether.

2. You can also use canned or powdered coconut milk if fresh grated coconut is not available.

Creamy Fruit Salad (American Style)

Ingredients:

1 can of Fruit Cocktail (8 1/4 oz)
1 sm apple (unpeeled and diced)
1/2 c seedless green grapes (halved)
2 bananas (peeled and sliced crosswise)
5 Marachino Cherries (halved)
1/4 c Mini Marshmallows
1/2 c Whipping Cream

Drain fruit cocktail. In a large bowl combine fruit cocktail, bananas, apple, grapes, cherries and marshmallows. Fold in whipped cream and refrigirate. Just before serving, garnish salad with strawberries.

Filipino Style Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

5 large cans of Fruit Cocktail
5 c of young coconut meat (grated)
2 cans of lychees
1 sm bottle of nata de coco (green and red)
1 sm bottle of kaong
1/4 kilo seedless grapes
3 sm apples (cubed)
1 can condensed milk
2 c Cream
1 can peaches for topping

Drain liquids from the canned fruits. In a mixing bowl, combine canned fruits, grated coconut and add condensed milk and cream. Top with slices of peaches. Chill before serving.

Potato Salad

Although, potato salad is an American recipe, I see many Filipinos preparing this dish at parties. Most of the time, however, it doesn't taste and look the way it should be. Here, is a simple and quick recipe for you to try.

Ingredients:

4 lbs russet potatoes
3 large hard-boiled eggs
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c teaspoon celery seed (optional)
1 tsp dry mustard (optional)
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3 tbs cider vinegar
3 stalks celery (chopped finely)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
1 med. onion (finely diced)
3 scallions (thinly sliced)
1 tsp paprika

1. Place potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover by several inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, add 1 tbs salt. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. Drain into colander. Peel potatoes, and cut into 1-inch dice while still hot. Drizzle with vinegar and set aside.

2. Take two hard-boiled eggs, peel and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Add mayonnaise, celery seed, mustard, 2 tsps salt, and black pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add potatoes to mayonnaise mixture. Add celery, red pepper, onion and scallions. Mix well. Chill in the refrigirator for 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with the third egg cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds and paprika.

Variations: You may also use pickle relish and mustard while skipping the scallions and red bell pepper. Not sure with other Filipinos out there, but I like mine with lots of mayonnaise!

Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

1 3 lb whole chicken (rinsed and patted dry)
3 ribs celery (cut into third)
1 large onion (cut into quarters)
1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs olive oil
6 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
2 tbs unsalted butter
4 sprigs rosemary (roughly chopped)
2 fresh bay leaves
1 c dry white wine

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Season the chicken both inside and out with the salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon halves over the chicken. Place the onion, celery and bay leaves inside the cavity.

3. In a bowl, combine half the rosemary, olive oil and butter. Rub the chicken both inside and out with the mixture and place in the roasting pan.

4. Place the pan in the oven and roast the chicken for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the juices run clear. To test for doneness, insert a thermometer in the thickest part of a leg. It should register at 160 degrees internal temperature. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before carving.

Gravy:

Pour off excess fat from pan and return to heat. Whisk in chicken stock, roasted garlic, white wine and chopped rosemary, scraping up the bits on the bottom of pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Reduce gravy by half, until thickened.

Apple Pie

Ingredients:

4 large cooking (green) apples
1 tbs lemon juice
2/3 c granulated sugar
1/2 c light brown sugar (firmly packed)
3 tbs flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
dash nutmeg
dash allspice or ground cloves
pastry for 2-crust 9-in pie
2 tbs butter
2 ready pie crust

Filling:

Peel, core, and quarter apples; cut into 1/4-inch slices (you should have 6 cups of apple slices) In a bowl, toss apple slices with the lemon juice. In a separate bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Pour the dry ingredients with the apples and toss to coat.

Pastry:

Roll half of pie pastry to a 12 inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fit pastry into a 9-inch pie plate; trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Spoon apples into the prepared pastry shell; cut butter into very small pieces and sprinkle over the apples. Roll out remaining pastry to an 11-inch circle. Cut several slits in pastry to allow steam to escape. Cover pie and trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Turn edges under flush with the rim; flute all around to make a stand-up edge. Bake pie at 425 degrees for 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and juices are bubbling up. Cool on wire rack.

Empanada (Philippine Style)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 c potatoes (diced)
1/2 c seedless raisins
3 eggs yolks
1 clove garlic (minced)
salt and pepper to taste
1 sm onion (minced)

Filling

Brown ground beef. Add garlic, onion and potatoes and cook until potatoes are done. Season with salt and pepper and mix in raisins.

Dough

Mix and knead all ingredients until dough is soft. On a floured board, roll out 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 4 or 5-inch diameter circles.

Put a spoonful of meat filling in center of each circle. Fold in half, wet edges with egg white, press and seal the sides by pinching or use a fork. Brush top with remaining egg whites and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Variations:
1. If you don't have the time to make the dough, you can buy the Betty Crocker pie crust mix or Ready Pie Crust.

2. You can also substitute the meat with chicken

3. If you want more color, add vegetables like green peas and carrots.

Empanada (Spanish Style)

Ingredients:

Dough

2 c flour
2 tbs lard
1 egg
1/2 c milk
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Sift all dry ingredients, add the cold lard. In a separate bowl, combine egg and milk and blend well. Add the flour mixture. Take about a tbs of the mixture and roll out. Set aside.


Filling

2 large onions (cubed)
1 lb beef (cubed)
2 eggs (hard-boiled and cut in wedges)
pepper, cumin, salt and red pepper to taste
raisins
olives
1 tbs papika
3 tbs lard (crisco)

In a skillet, heat 3 tbs of lard and add 1 tbsp paprika. Let stand for about a minute. Pour colored lard over the onion and meat. Add salt, pepper and cumin. Let cool. Take pastry pieces and fill with meat mixture. Add 1-2 piece of hard-boiled egg wedges, raisins and olives. Seal by pinching ends and bake for 20 min at 400 degrees F.

Pangat

Ingredients:

2 med size Sap Sap (cleaned)
3 large calamansi
2 large tomatoes (cut in rings)
2 stalks green onion (cut in 2-inches long)
1/2 c water
salt and pepper to taste

1. Take cleaned fish and rub with calamansi. Set aside.

2. Put half of green onions and tomatoes on bottom of pan or clay pot. Add fish.

3. Arrange the rest of the green onion and tomatoes on top of the fish. Add water, salt and pepper to taste, and let boil. When it starts boiling, lower heat, cover and simmer until fish is done.