Tokneneng

Filipino Style Recipe: Tokneneng is another popular Filipino meryenda(mid-afternoon snack) that is commonly sold along the streets. Tokneneng is a hard-boiled chicken eggs wrapped in orange batter then deep fried until golden brown. This is similar to kwek-kwek which is made up of quail eggs instead of chicken or duck eggs.

Estimated time of preparation: 10 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
12 pieces chicken eggs, hard-boiled
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup water
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon orange food coloring
cooking oil for frying

Procedures:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour,salt, pepper, water and food coloring. Mix until well blended.
2. Add baking powder, stir to smooth batter and set aside for 15 minutes.
3. Place the hard-boiled eggs in the mixing bowl and coat with batter.
4. Spoon out the eggs from the batter and deep fry in hot cooking oil for a minute or until the coating is crispy.
5. Drain and serve with spicy vinegar or sweet and sour sauce. Enjoy!

Notes:
1. You may also used anatto water instead of food coloring.
2. You may used duck eggs or quail eggs instead of chicken eggs.

No-Bake Beef Lasagna

Filipino Style Recipe: Lasagna is one of the popular Italian dish but the word Lasagna is a Greek word which refer to cooking pot rather than the pasta dish. This dish is made with a layer of wide-flat pasta shape, meat sauce and creamy white sauce and normally cooked through baking. But in this recipe, we will cooked lasagna quick, easy and no baking is required.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo Lasagna pasta (cooked according to package direction)

Meat Sauce:
1 kilo ground lean beef
6 gloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 big can four cheese pasta sauce(del monte) or spaghetti sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fresh basil, chopped(optional)

White Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 pack all-purpose cream
1/2 cup full cream milk
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Toppings:
grated cheddar cheese
dried basil

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a large pot, prepare lasagna pasta based on cooking instructions. Make sure to cooked it well then set aside.

Meat Sauce:
1. In a sauce pan, heat oil and saute garlic and onion
2. Add ground beef, salt and pepper. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until tender.
3. Add four cheese pasta sauce, basil and brown sugar. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Adjust seasoning according to taste. Remove from heat. Set aside.

White Sauce:
1. In a separate pan, melt butter and add cornstarch. Mix until well blended.
2. Add all purpose cream, full cream milk, grated mozzarella cheese.
3. Mix well until thickens. Keep warm and set aside.

Assembly:
1. In a rectangular(12x8inch) baking dish, arrange pasta sheets at the bottom.
2. Spread a layer of meat sauce then a layer of white sauce.
3. Repeat alternate layering up to 4 layers is formed.
4. top with grated cheddar cheese and dried basil.
5. Let it cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Tuna and Mushroom Pasta

Filipino Style Recipe: tuna and mushroom pasta is another easy yet delicious pasta dish. It is usually consist of pasta and a creamy white sauce with tuna and mushroom.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 15-30 minutes.
Good for 4-6 person.

Ingredients:
500 grams Fettucine noodles(or any desired pasta)
1 big can spicy tuna flakes in oil, drained
2 cups sliced button mushroom
1 big can evaporated milk
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 gloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves(optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a large pot, prepare the pasta based on cooking instructions. Set aside.

Part 2
1. In a pan, heat oil and saute garlic and onion.
2. Add bell peppers, mushrooms and tuna.
3. Pour chicken stock and bring to boil.
4. Add evaporated milk, cheese and basil.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
6. Prepare pasta on pasta tray, top with the sauce, grated cheese and dried basil. Serve hot!

Porkchop Aloha

Filipino Style Recipe: porkchop aloha is another quick and easy sweet pork dish. This dish is consists of fried porkchops and pineapple slices cooked in a blend of pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey and brown sugar.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 30-40 minutes
Good for 10 servings

Ingredients:
10 pieces porkchops
1 big can pineapple slices/chunks/tidbits, reserve the juice
1 white onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup sweet soy sauce
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup honey(optional)
2 tablespoons brown sugar(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, season porkchops with salt and pepper.
2. In a non-stick pan, melt butter then fry porkchops for 5 minutes each side or until tender. Set aside.

Part 2
1. In a same pan, saute onion and bell pepper.
2. Pour pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey and brown sugar then bring to boil.
3. Add porkchops and pineapple slices. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes in low heat.
4. Adjust seasoning according to taste. Transfer to serving plate then serve.

Notes:
1. You may also used barbecue sauce.

Tupig

Filipino Style Recipe: Tupig is another popular Filipino delicacy and pasalubong from northern part of Luzon specially in Ilocos and Pangasinan Region. This tupig was from Pangasinan, because we went there to visit my grandparents. Although this was a little bit smaller compare to another Region, tupig from Pangasinan had a lot of coconut strips and slightly sweeter. Tupig is almost similar to suman, only that is made from rice flour and coconut strips then grilled in hot charcoal.

Estimated time of preparation: 10 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups rice flour(malagkit)
1 cup young coconut strips
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
wilted banana leaves for wrapping, about 3 inch width

Procedures:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine rice flour, coconut strips, coconut milk, and brown sugar. Mix well until dough like.
2. In a banana leaf, put a tablespoon of mixture then spread evenly and wrap.
3. Grill over hot charcoal for 15-20 minutes or until done. Turn frequently.

Marinated Chicken Pesto

Filipino Style Recipe: marinated chicken pesto is another healthy chicken dish. First, we blend basil, pine nuts and olive oil to make a pesto. We marinate the chicken and then baked until tender. Lastly, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and then serve hot.

Estimated time of preparation: 20 minutes(plus marinating time)
Estimated time of cooking: 25-30 minutes
Good for 3-4 servings

Ingredients:
4 pieces chicken fillet, skinless
100 grams fresh basil
50 grams toasted pine nuts or peanuts
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
100 grams malunggay leaves(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a blender, place basil, malunggay leaves, toasted pine nut and olive oil. Blend until well combined and smooth.
2. Season chicken fillet with salt and pepper then marinate with blended mixture.
3. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Part 2
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. In a baking pan, place the mixture and marinated chicken. Cover with aluminum foil.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is done.
5. Remove foil and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese on top.
6. Bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese turns to lightly browned.
7. Serve hot!

Notes:
1. You may also broiled chicken instead of baking.

Seaweeds Salad(Lato)

Filipino Style Recipe: Seaweeds salad(lato) or kinilaw na lato is another Filipino delicacy. Lato AKA(also known as) ar-arosip is a type of seaweed that has a translucently green tiny wilted bulb like grapes. Normally, lato mixed with chopped onions and tomatoes then season with spicy vinegar, salt and pepper. This is commonly served during breakfast together with fried fish.

Estimated time of preparation: 5-8 minutes(plus refrigerating time)

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh lato
1/4 cup onions, chopped
1/4 cup tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons spicy vinegar or calamansi juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1/2 teaspoon sugar(optional)

Procedures:
1. Wash lato thoroughly then drain. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. In a bowl, combine lato, onions and tomatoes.
3. In a small bowl, combine spicy vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. Serve as dipping sauce or combine in lato salad.
4. Serve immediately top with sliced salted eggs or grated green mangoes.

Pichi Pichi

Filipino Style Recipe: Pichi-Pichi is another popular and easy Filipino delicacy specially in Quezon province. In traditional way we used to boil and grate the cassava(kamoteng kahoy). To make things easier, we will used cassava flour instead. This delicacy is made with combined grated cassava, water and sugar. Steamed and rolled in grated coconut.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 60-70 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups grated cassava or cassava flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon lye water
2 cups pandan water(combine 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon pandan extract)
1 cup grated coconut or grated cheddar cheese

Procedures:
1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except grated coconut. Mix until well combined.
2. Pour the mixture into individual cup molds.
3. In a steamer, steam the mixture for 40-45 minutes or until golden and translucent.
4. Remove from steamer and let it cool.
5. Remove from the cup and roll each pieces into grated coconut for nice coating. Done!

Notes:
1. Another traditional way is to boiled pandan leaves to produced pandan water.

Grilled Lemon Pepper Fish Fillet

Filipino Style Recipe: grilled lemon pepper fish fillet is a low-carbohydrate dish. It is usually consists of fish fillet season in butter, lemon juice and grind pepper. Top with slices of lemon and wrap with aluminum foil. Grilled in hot charcoal until tender.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 40 minutes
Good for 3-4 persons

Ingredients:
4 fish fillet(tilapia, salmon)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
slices of lemon
grind pepper

Procedures:
1. Place fish fillet in a good size sheet of aluminum foil.
2. Brush both sides of fillet with melted butter.
3. Season with pepper and lemon juice.
4. Top with slices of lemon, wrap the fish tightly.
5. Grill for about 15-20 minutes on both sides or until tender.
6. Serve with steamed beans.

Note:
1. You may also season the fish with salt.

Banana Bread

Filipino Style Recipe: banana bread is a sweet bread that is made up of flour, baking soda, eggs, butter and mashed ripe bananas as main ingredients then baked until golden brown.

Estimated time of preparation: 15-20 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 50-70 minutes
Good for 2 loaf breads

Ingredients:
Banana Mixture
7 large ripe bananas(latundan or lakatan), mashed well
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, melted

Flour Mixture
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon(optional)
1/2 cup raisins, nuts or chocolate chips(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine flour mixture until well blended. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine banana mixture until well blended.
3. Combine both mixtures until well blended.

Part 2
1. In a greased loaf pan, pour mixture then bake over 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50-70 minutes or until golden brown.(Banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.)
2. Remove from the oven and let it cool before slicing. Enjoy!

(Thank you to Eloisa Sapallo Fiesta for sharing)