Low Budget Meal Recipes

Ginisang Sitaw at Kalabasa

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Filipino Style Recipe: Ginisang sitaw at kalabasa or sauteed sting beans and squash is a simple yet nutritious vegetable dish, basically it’s a combination of string beans and squash sauteed and simmered until tender. Add with shrimp or pork make the dish more delicious and truly enjoyed by most Filipinos.

Estimated time of preparation: 15 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 15-20 minutes
Good for 3-4 persons

Ingredients:
1/2 squash(kalabasa), peeled and cut into cubes
1 bundle string beans (sitaw), cut into 2inch long
1 cup medium-sized fresh shrimp, remove heads and discard shells
2 tbsp cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
1 cup water
fish sauce and ground pepper to taste

Procedures:
1. In a pan, heat oil then saute garlic and onion.
2. Add tomatoes then continue sauteing for 5 minutes or until soft.
3. Add shrimp and stir fry until red.
4. Add vegetables and stir cook for a minute, then add water and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Season with fish sauce and pepper according to taste.
6. Cook until veggies are tender then transfer to serving plate and serve.

Notes:
1. You may also use pork meat instead of shrimps.

Tinapa Fried Rice

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Filipino Style Recipe: tinapa fried rice is another affordable rice dish made up of tinapa flakes, cooked rice and seasoning.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 20 minutes
Good for 4 servings

Ingredients:
5 cups cooked rice or left-over rice
2 pieces fried or left-over tinapa(smoked fish), flakes and discard bones
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 gloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
chopped spring onion for garnishing(optional)

Procedures:
1. In a pan, heat oil then saute garlic.
2. Add tinapa flakes and stir cook for 3 minutes or until light brown.
3. Add cooked rice, salt and ground pepper then stir cook for 2-3 minutes. Mix evenly.
4. Transfer to serving plate and sprinkle with spring onion then serve hot!

(Thanks to Ms. Rochelle for sharing)

Sauteed Tinapa with Tomatoes

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Filipino Style Recipe: sauteed tinapa with tomatoes is an easy and simple dish made up of smoked fish(tinapa) cut into flakes then sauteed in garlic and tomatoes. I used left-over tinapa in this recipe, this is usually served during breakfast with garlic rice.

Estimated time of preparation: 8-10 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients:
4-6 pieces tinapa(smoked fish), flakes and discard bones
3 tomatoes, chopped
2-3 gloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes(optional)
spring onion, chopped(optional)

Procedures:
1. In a pan, heat oil then saute garlic.
2. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until soft.
3. Add tinapa flakes and chili flakes then stir cook for 3 minutes.
4. Adjust seasoning according to taste then sprinkle with spring onion.
5. Transfer to serving plate then serve with garlic rice.

(thanks Ms. Rochelle for sharing)

Cookies and Cream Smoothie

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Filipino Style Recipe: cookies and cream smoothie is another sweet, creamy and refreshing beverage. This is made up of crumbled chocolate cookies, vanilla ice cream, low-fat milk and chocolate syrup. Best to served during summer season.

Estimated time of preparation: 5-8 minutes

Ingredients:
10 Oreo cookies or any chocolate cookies, crumbled
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1/4 cup low-fat milk
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Procedures:
1. In a blender, combine milk, ice cream and chocolate syrup.
2. Add 1/2 of crumbled cookies then process until blended.
3. Pour into glasses then sprinkle with remaining cookies then serve immediately.

Jelly Seaweed Salad

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Filipino Style Recipe: Jelly seaweed salad or kinilaw na potpotlo is another Filipino delicacy in Northern region. Jelly seaweed AKA(also known as) pokpoklo is another type of seaweed that normally eaten raw and toss with onions and tomatoes. In my experience, we eat this jelly seaweed salad as side dish together with fried fish and garlic rice.

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

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh jelly seaweed
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 seaweed thoroughly then drain. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. In a bowl, combine seaweed, onions and tomatoes.
3. In a small bowl, combine spicy vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. Serve as dipping sauce or combine in seaweed salad.
4. Serve immediately top with sliced salted eggs, fried fish and garlic rice.

Atchara

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Filipino Style Recipe: atchara, achara or atsara is a popular Filipino side dish made of grated green papaya. This is usually serve as side dish together with grilled or fried food such as fish, pork or beef. The grated papaya is squeeze out then combine with carrots, bell pepper, onion and raisins. The vegetables store and refrigerate in a sealed bottle with salt, sugar and vinegar for at least a week to maintain its sweet and sour taste.

Ingredients:
2 pieces medium-size green papaya(unripe), peeled and grated
1/2 cup salt
1 piece carrots, julienne
1 piece red bell pepper, julienne
1 large white onion, sliced
1 piece thumb-size ginger, julienne
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon peppercorn

Atchara Syrup:
4 cups white vinegar
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon Salt

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine shredded papaya and salt then mix well. Set aside for at least an hour.
2. Pour 1 cup water and place in clean cloth then squeeze out all the juices. Set aside.

Part 2
1. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar and salt then bring to boil. Remove from heat and set aside.

Part 3
1. In a large bowl, combine the papaya and the rest of the ingredients then mix well.
2. In a large bottle, place the combined vegetables then pour over the vinegar mixture.
3. Seal tight the bottle then refrigerate for at least 7 days before serving. Enjoy:)

Grilled Pork Liver

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Filipino Style Recipe: grilled pork liver or inihaw na atay ng baboy is another simple yet popular finger-food(pulutan). This is usually made of marinated pork liver(atay) then grill for a few minutes. Serve with soy sauce, calamansi juice and red chili. Pork liver is a good source of protein and iron to helps the body generates healthy red blood cells.

Estimated time of preparation: 5 minutes(plus marinating time)
Estimated time of cooking: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients:
500 grams pork liver(atay), 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon cooking oil

Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/8 cup calamansi or lime juice
1/4 teaspoon grind black pepper
dash of salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine marinade ingredients then marinate pork liver for at least 3 hour or in a fridge overnight.

Part 2
1. Remove the pork liver and then reserve the marinade.
2. Combine ketchup and oil in marinade then mix well for basting.
3. Grill marinated pork liver over hot charcoal for 2 minutes each side or until tender while basting with marinade mixture.
4. Slice into serving pieces then serve with spicy tuyo-mansi.

Tikoy or Nian Gao

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Filipino Style Recipe: Tikoy or Nian Gao is a traditional Chinese rice cake popular during New Year. Tikoy is made of glutinous rice flour and sugar dissolved in boiling water then steam until set. This dish has a sticky texture dip in beaten egg then fry until light brown.

Estimated time of preparation: 10 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 60 minutes(plus frying time)

Ingredients:
4 cups glutinous rice flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup boiling water
olive or vegetable oil for greasing
1 teaspoon vanilla extract(optional)

Cooking:
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
paper towels

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, dissolve sugar in boiling water then add vanilla extract and flour. Mix until well blended.
2. In a round pan, grease with oil then pour mixture and spread evenly.
3. Steam for about an hour or until the edges separate from the pan.
4. Let it cool and remove from the pan before slicing.

Part 2
1. In a bowl, beat egg then dip tikoy slices.
2. In a frying pan, heat oil then fry until light brown then drain on paper towels. Serve.

Tips:
1. You may also add sesame seeds on top of flour mixture before steaming.
2. Tikoy can be also cook in a microwave oven or re-steam.

Vegetable Chowder Soup

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Filipino Style Recipe: vegetable chowder soup is a creamy and healthy vegetable dish that is made up of chopped vegetables like broccoli, potatoes and carrots cooked in a blend of flour, milk and cheese.

Estimated time of preparation: 15 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 60-70 minutes
Good for 8-10 servings

Ingredients:
4 cups broccoli florets, chopped
2 medium potatoes, minced
2 medium carrots, minced
1-1/2 cups water
1 large onion, minced
4 cups evaporated milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cheddar cheese, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1 chicken bouillon cube(optional)
2 stalks celery, chopped(optional)
1 cup corn kernels(optional)
2 cups chicken fillet, cooked and shredded(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine flour and 1 cup milk, mix until smooth. Set aside.

Part 2
1. In a saucepan, heat oil then saute onion.
2. Add celery, carrots and potatoes then continue sauteing for 5 minutes. Add a little water if needed.
3. Pour flour mixture, milk, chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
4. Add the other ingredients then simmer for an hour or until sauce thicken. Keep stirring.
5. Remove from heat and add cheese just until melted. Serve.

Stir Fried Shrimps with Asparagus and Baby Corn

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Filipino Style Recipe: stir fried shrimps with asparagus and baby corn is another simple yet healthy dish. Normally the shrimps stir fry with asparagus, baby corns then season with oyster sauce then garnish with parsley.

Estimated time preparation and cooking: 15 minutes
Good for 2-3 persons

Ingredients:
300 grams asparagus, cut into 1 inch
100 grams baby corn, sliced diagonally in half
400 grams shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 teaspoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 red bell pepper, sliced(optional)
1/8 cup parsley, chopped(optional)

Procedures:
1. In a pan, heat olive oil then saute garlic.
2. Add shrimp, salt and pepper. Stir for another minute.
3. Add asparagus, baby corn and bell pepper then stir for a few seconds.
3. Add the remaining ingredients then stir for 2-3 minutes until tender and crisp.
4. Transfer to serving plate then garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.