Pie Crust

Filipino Style Recipe: pie or pie crust is usually made of a pastry dough made of flour, butter, salt, sugar and cold water then mix until dough is formed. Pie crust usually contains various filling made of fruits, veggies, meat or any sweet ingredients. The crust can be purchase in grocery store under frozen section but if you prefer to do it by yourself, here is the recipe.

Estimated time of preparation: 10-15 minutes(plus chilling time)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4 cup cold water

Procedures:
1. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt then mix well.
2. Add butter then mix thoroughly. Gradually pour cold water then mix until well blended.
3. Gather the dough into a ball shape then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. In a clean flat surface, sprinkled with flour then flatten dough using a rolling pin until 1/8 inch thick.
5. In a pie pan, arrange and press the flattened dough then cut off the excess.
6. Crimp the edges then refrigerate while preparing the filling.

Potato Salad

Filipino Style Recipe: potato salad is comprises a potato as main ingredient. Combine with mayonnaise, mustard, hard-boiled eggs, lemon juice, chives, salt and pepper for salad dressing.

Estimated time of preparation: 20-30 minutes. Good for 3-4 persons

Ingredients:
1 kilo potatoes, cleaned
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard
1/2 cup spring onion or chives, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon or calamansi juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped(optional)
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated (optional)
1 teaspoon dried thyme(optional)
1/2 cup celery, chopped(optional)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped(optional)
1/2 cup chicken breast flakes or smokey bacon tidbits(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a large pot, boil water with salt then cooked potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until tender.
2. Let it cool then peel and chop the potatoes into cubes.
3. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

Part 2
1. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and stir until well blended.
2. Pour over potatoes then toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

No Bake Mango Cheesecake

Filipino Style Recipe: No-Bake Mango Cheesecake is another variety of soft and sweetened dessert. Like the usual cheesecake, it is consist of soft cream-cheese on hard biscuit crust then topped with mango glaze. Refrigerate until firm before serving.

Estimated time of preparation: 20-30 minutes(plus chilling time)

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder(optional)

Cheesecake Filling:
1 cup cream cheese
1 cup whipping cream or all-purpose cream
1/2 cup sugar

Mango Glaze:
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
2 cups hot water
1 cup mango or mango puree

Procedures:
Part 1(Crust)
1. In a mixing bowl, combine crushed graham, cinnamon powder, sugar and butter then mix until well combined.
2. Mixture should be moist, add more butter if too dry.
3. In a molding pan, spread and press down the crust mixture up to 1/2 inch thick then refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.

Part 2(Mango Glaze)
1. In a bowl, dissolved gelatin in hot water.
2. In a blender, combine mango, water and sugar. Blend until smooth. Strain to discard any fibers.
3. In a pan, combine mango mixture and dissolved gelatin then simmer over low heat for 5 minutes or until slightly thicken.

Part 3(Filling)
1. In a bowl, mix cream cheese until smooth then slowly add sugar and whipping cream. Mix until well blended.
2. Combine cream cheese mixture and half of mango gelatin mixture. Mix well.

Part 4(Assembly)
1. Pour and spread evenly the filling into the crust up to 1 inch thick then refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or until firm.
2. Pour and spread the mango glaze on top then refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Serve Chilled.

Spicy Fish Fillet with Tomatoes and Olives

Filipino Style Recipe: spicy fish fillet with tomatoes and olives is another low-carbohydrate dish. It is usually consists of fish fillets fried and cooked with tomatoes, olives, onions, garlic and peppers.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 20-30 minutes
Good for 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 pieces fish fillet(tilapia, salmon, red snapper)
2 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup black olives, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced(optional)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons paprika
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, season fillets with paprika, salt and pepper.
2. In a frying pan, heat olive oil and fry fillet for 2 minutes.

Part 2
1. In a saucepan, heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic.
2. Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, chili flakes, salt and pepper then simmer for 3 minutes or until soft. add a little water if necessary.
2. Place the fish fillets, cover and cook for another minutes.
3. Transfer salmon fillets to serving plate with the sauce.
4. Serve hot.

Beef Teriyaki Soup

Filipino Style Recipe: beef teriyaki soup is a soup dish made of cooked or left-over beef teriyaki then cooked and simmered with vegetables, uncooked rice and teriyaki sauce.

Estimated time of preparation: 15-20 minutes(plus marinating time)
Estimated time of cooking: 30-40 minutes

Good for 2-3 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo beef sirloin, sliced thinly into strips
3 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
1 carrots, cut into matchstick strips
2 cups broccoli florets
1/3 cup long-grain rice
1 thumb-sized ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups water
1 beef cube(Bouillon cube)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cups unsweetened apple juice(optional)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted(optional)
spring onions for garnishing(optional)

Marinade:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon salt

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine beef, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes.

Part 2
1. In a saucepan, heat oil and stir fry beef over low heat until golden brown.
2. Pour the marinade and teriyaki sauce, cover and simmer for 5 minutes until tender.
3. Add water, apple juice, carrots, garlic, ginger, beef cube and uncooked rice. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Adjust seasoning by adding more sugar, water or teriyaki sauce. Stir well.
5. Add broccoli and simmer for 2 more minutes.
6. Transfer to serving bowl then sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, spring onion and red chili.

Sago at Gulaman

Filipino Style Recipe: sago at gulaman is a popular refreshing beverage and usually served during summer season. This refreshing drinks is made of tapioca pearls(sago), gelatin(gulaman), sugar syrup and crushed ice.

Estimated time of preparation: 10-15 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 15-20 minutes
Good for 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon gelatin powder
1/2 cup black tapioca pearls(sago),(how to cook?…see below)
crushed ice

Sugar Syrup:
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 cups boiling water

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a square pan, dissolved gelatin powder in boiling water then stir until completely dissolved. Let it cool and place in fridge until firm.
2. Cut into small cubes. Set aside.

Part 2
1. In a saucepan, boil water then dissolved brown sugar. Stir until dissolved then let it cool and set aside.

Part 3
1. In a glass, place tapioca pearls and cubed gelatin.
2. Pour the syrup then top with crushed ice. Serve cold!

How to cook Tapioca Pearls:
1. Soak tapioca pearls in water for 3 hours then cook in boiling water for 15 minutes or until turn clear.
2. Stir constantly to prevent sticking then drain and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Set aside

Banana Chocolate Pops

Filipino Style Recipe: Banana Chocolate Pops is an easy and sweet and healthy frozen dessert. This dessert has a sweet flavor of frozen banana coated with melted chocolate and rolled in sprinkles. Making this dessert with your kids is a fun way and they will surely love it.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 10-15 minutes(plus chilling time)
Good for 6 Pops

Ingredients:
3 large bananas, peeled and cut in half
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 bamboo or popsicle sticks
1/4 cup choice of sprinkles(rice crispy, crushed nuts, chocolate sprinkles, rainbow sprinkles)

Procedures:
1. Skew each banana on bamboo sticks and wrap with plastic wrap then freeze for an hour.
2. In a sauce pan, heat oil olive then melt chocolate chips.
3. Dip bananas in the melted chocolate until completely covered then decorate with the desired sprinkles.
4. Set aside for a minute then place in a freezer for an hour before serving. Enjoy.

Notes:
1. You may also melt chocolate using microwave oven.
2. You may use cocoa powder and sugar dissolve in water if chocolate chips is not available.

Squash Yema

Filipino Style Recipe: Squash Yema is another popular and easy Filipino sweet delicacy that is made up of mashed squash(kalabasa) then mixed and cooked with condensed milk and egg yolks. Some added flavor like jack fruit, ground nuts or just roll it into sugar.

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

Ingredients:
1/3 cup squash(kalabasa), boiled then mashed
1 big can condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon vanilla(optional)
1/2 cup white sugar for coating(optional)

Procedures:
1. In a bowl, combine condensed milk, squash, egg yolks and vanilla. Mix well.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add milk mixture.
3. Keep stirring for 15 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat and let it cool.
4. Shape the mixture into balls and roll in granulated sugar.
5. Repeat until all the mixture are consumed. Wrap into cellophane or put in fluted baking cups.

Notes:
1. You may also add flavored like ground nuts or jack fruit.

Salmon Ginger Teriyaki

Filipino Style Recipe: Salmon ginger teriyaki is another low-carbohydrate dish. It is usually consists of salmon fillet marinated in a blend of grated ginger, teriyaki sauce and other seasonings then baked until tender.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 30 minutes(plus marinating time)
Good for 2-3 persons

Ingredients:
500 grams fresh salmon steak

Marinade:
1 cup teriyaki sauce
1 thumb-sized ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grind black pepper

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine marinade ingredients then mix well.
2. Add salmon and place the marinade on top, Cover and marinate for 30 minutes inside the fridge. Drain and set aside.

Part 2
1. In a non-stick pan, grease with olive oil then place marinated salmon skin side down.
2. Bake over 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes with fork. Brush with remaining marinade from time to time.
3. Remove from the oven then transfer to serving plate. Serve hot with steamed beans. Enjoy!

Braised Chicken with Black Beans

Filipino Style Recipe: Braised chicken with black beans is another popular dish in Chinese cuisine. Normally the chicken marinated, fried and then cooked with fermented black beans(tausi), bell peppers and sauce ingredients until thickened.

Estimated time preparation and cooking: 20-30 minutes(plus marinating time)
Good for 3-5 persons

Ingredients:
1 kilo chicken, cut into serving pieces
2 tablespoon black beans(Tausi)
1 medium-sized onion
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
cooking oil for frying
salt and pepper to taste
1 piece red bell pepper, diced(optional)
spring onion for garnishing(optional)

Marinade:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine chicken and marinade then set aside for 20 minutes.

Part 2
1. In a pan, heat oil then stir fry chicken until golden brown. Drain and set aside.
2. In a same pan, reduce oil then saute garlic and onion then add black beans.
3. Add bell pepper and chicken then cook until tender.
4. In a bowl, mix sauce ingredients until well blended then pour in a pan.
5. Simmer until thickens then season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove from heat then sprinkle with spring onion. Serve hot with steamed rice. Enjoy.