Ube Halaya

Filipino Style Recipe: Ube Halaya is a Filipino dessert made from purple yam. The purple yam comes boiled, peeled and grated. Cook with condensed milk and evaporated milk until thick.

Ingredients:
1 kilo purple yam(ube)
2 cans(12 ounces) condensed milk
1 can(14 ounces) evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a pot, arrange purple yam and pour water. Bring to boil for 30 minutes or until tender.
2. Drain and let it cool. Peel and grate the purple yam.

Part 2
1. In a pan, melt butter in a low heat and add condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla extract. Mix well.
2. Add grated purple yam and cook for 30 minutes or until becomes really thick.
3. Transfer to shallow pan and let it cool.
4. Refrigerate for 2 hours then serve.

Notes:
1. You may also used powdered purple yam, available in grocery stores.

Yema

Filipino Style Recipe: Yema is another popular and easy Filipino sweet delicacy that is made up of condensed milk and egg yolks, some added flavor like jack fruit, ground nuts or just roll it into sugar.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 big can condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup white sugar(optional)

Procedures:
1. In a bowl, combine condensed milk and egg yolks. Mix well.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add milk mixture.
3. Keep stirring 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.

Pork Kilawin

Filipino Style Recipe: pork kilawin is another popular spicy and sour appetizer that usually served as finger food(pulutan). Normally the pork meat(usually cheek and ears) comes boiled and grilled then chop into small pieces. Mix well with onions, vinegar, soy sauce, salt and pepper.

Estimated time of preparation: 10 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 30-40 minutes
Good for 5-7 servings

Ingredients:
1 kilo pork meat(combination of cheek, ear and snout)
2 big onions, minced
2 thumb-sized gingers, minced(optional)
5 red and green hot chili(siling labuyo) chopped
1/2 cup vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
1. In a pot, Pour water, pork and salt. Bring to boil for 30-40 minutes or until soft and tender.
2. Drain and grill over hot charcoal until browned.
3. Let it cool then chopped into small pieces.

Part 2.
1. In a large bowl, place chopped pork and add remaining ingredients.
2. Serve! best for pulutan.

Baked Honey Barbecue Spareribs

Filipino Style Recipe: honey barbecue spareribs is popular in American and Chinese cuisines. Usually the spareribs marinated then baked and base with marinated sauce until tender.

Estimated time of preparation: 10-15 minutes(plus marinating time)
Estimated time of cooking: 40-60 minutes
Good for 4-6 persons

Ingredients:
1 1/2 kilo pork spareribs, cut into serving pieces
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
dash of garlic powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice(optional)
1 teaspoon paprika(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well.
2. In a large container, arrange spareribs and pour the mixture.
3. Marinate for at least 3 hours.

Part 2
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a baking pan, transfer marinated spareribs.
3. Bake uncovered for 40-60 minutes or until tender. Brush with remaining glaze every 10 minutes.
4. Transfer to serving plate, served with barbecue sauce.

Crema de Fruta

Filipino Style Recipe: Crema de Fruta is another popular Filipino dessert. It is usually consist of sponge cake topped in succeeding layers of custard cream, fruits and gelatin. This dessert is usually served during Holidays.

Ingredients:
sponge cake
1 can slices of peaches, well drained
1 can slices of pineapple, well drained
1 small bottle cherries, well drained

Cake Syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Custard Cream:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
3 cups evaporated milk
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Gelatin:
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a rectangular container, arrange sponge cake.

Part 2: Cake Syrup:
1. In a saucepan, pour water and add sugar, cook until sugar has dissolved. Pour over the sponge cake.

Part 3: Custard Cream:
1. In a saucepan, combine flour, milk, water and sugar then cook in a medium heat. Stir constantly until thickens.
2. Add egg yolks, butter and vanilla extract, cook for another 2-3 minutes or until well blended. Stir well.
3. Pour over the cake syrup and let it cool. Set aside.

Part 4: Gelatin:
1. In a saucepan, boil water and add unflavored gelatin, pineapple juice and sugar.
2. Simmer until gelatin is dissolved.
3. Arrange fruits over custard and pour the gelatin syrup on top.
4. Refrigerate over night or until gelatin is firm. Serve chilled.

Notes:
1. You may also also fruit cocktail as alternative fruits.
2. Sponge cake is available in grocery and bakery stores. But if you prefer to do it by yourself, here’s the recipe on how to make the sponge cake.

Sponge Cake:
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedures:
1. In a bowl, sift flour and baking powder together. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, put egg yolks and sugar. Stir until light and fluffy.
3. Add sifted flour and baking powder into egg mixture. Stir until well blended.
4. In a saucepan, combine milk, butter and vanilla extract. Cook until well blended.
5. Pour milk mixture into egg mixture. Stir until well blended.
6. Pour the mixture into baking pan and bake in 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes or until done. Let it cool.

Sweet Red Bean Paste

Filipino Style Recipe: sweet red bean paste is one of the typical filling of buns like hopia and buchi. Normally the red beans soaked in water for several hours and then boiled until very soft. Mashed and cooked with sugar until it becomes a thick paste.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups red beans
4 cups water
1 cup sugar

Part 1
1. In a large bowl, pour plenty of water and then soak the red beans for atleast 8 hours or over night.

Part 2
1. In a pan, place red beans and pour water. Bring to boil over medium heat for 2 hours or until very soft.
2. Remove the foams forming in the surface and the skins as it rises. Add more water as necessary.

Part 3
1. Drain the beans and then blend it into a blender or gently mash it until become puree. Discard the skins.
2. Using a clean cloth or strainer, place the red bean puree and squeeze to remove excess moisture.
4. In a pan, place red bean puree then add sugar, cook in a low heat until it becomes a thick paste.
5. Stir well so that it does not stick to the bottom. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Buchi or Butsi

Filipino Style Recipe: Buchi is another typical Filipino meryenda(mid-afternoon snack). It is usually made up of sticky rice balls filled with sweet red bean paste. Rolled in sesame seeds then deep fried until golden brown.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sweet rice flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sweet red bean paste
1/2 cup sesame seeds
cooking oil for frying

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine flour, salt and water. Mix well until dough like.

Part 2
1. Divide a dough into small pieces and make a ball shape.
2. Flatten the center of the dough using your thumb and scoop in at least 1 tablespoon of sweet red bean paste.
3. Fill in the center of dough, seal and roll it until the shape is round.
4. Roll the dough over sesame seeds.

Part 3
1. In a pan, heat oil and deep fry the dough for 3 minutes or until golden brown.
2. Drain on paper towel then serve.

Notes:
1. Sweet red bean paste is available in grocery stores. But if you prefer to do it by yourself, here’s the recipe on how to make a sweet red bean paste.

Fiesta Float Graham

Filipino Style Recipe: Fiesta Float Graham is another variety float graham. It is usually made with a layer of graham crackers, condensed milk, cream and different fruits. This dish is one of the easiest and favorite dessert of Filipinos specially during Holidays.

Estimated time of preparation: 10 minutes(plus draining time)
Good for 5-7 persons

Ingredients:
1 can(850 grams) fruit cocktail(add more fruits if desired)
200 grams graham crackers
50 grams crushed graham crackers
1 big can condensed milk
1 big can all purpose cream

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In the strainer, drain the fruits thoroughly for at least 30 minutes.
2. In bowl, combine all purpose cream and condensed milk. Mix well.

Part 2
1. Prepare a rectangular container.
2. Dip the graham cracker into cold water and arrange a layer at the bottom.
3. Spread a layer of cream mixture.
4. Arrange fruits over cream.
5. Repeat layering using remaining ingredients up to the desired thickness.
6. Add a final layer of cream and fruits mixture then sprinkle with crushed graham crackers on top.
7. Store in refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight. Served cold.

Lengua Estofada

Filipino Style Recipe: lengua estofada or lengua estofado is originally from Spanish that has become very popular in Filipino cuisine. Lengua estofada is a stewed ox tongue cooked in tomato sauce then serve with fried potatoes.

Estimated time of preparation: 15 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 2 hours and 10 minutes

Good for 8 persons

Ingredients:
1 kilo ox tongue
2 large potato, peeled and sliced crosswise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 cup brown sugar
3 cups water
1/4 cooking oil
salt to taste
1/2 cup white wine(optional)
1 piece beef cube(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, mix vinegar and salt. Rub tongue with mixture to remove the shiny substance then rinse well.
2. In a pot, pour water and arrange tongue. Bring to boil for 10 minutes.
3. Drain the tongue and scrape the white surface using knife. Rinse well.

Part 2
1. In a frying pan, heat oil and fry tongue until brown. Drain and set aside.
2. Fry potatoes. Drain and set aside.

Part 3
1. In a sauce pan, heat oil and saute garlic and onion.
2. Add tongue, 2 cups water, tomato paste, bay leaf, white wine, oyster sauce, sugar, peppercorns and salt.
3. Simmer for 2 hours or until tongue is tender. Add more water if necessary.
4. Adjust seasoning according to taste.
5. Take out the tongue and slice 1/2 inch diagonally.
6. Transfer to serving plate with fried potatoes. Pour the sauce on top. Serve

Ginataang Halo Halo

Filipino Style Recipe: ginataang halo-halo or mixed fruits in sweet coconut milk is another popular Filipino snack, appetizer or dessert that usually served in special occasion. It is consist of plantain bananas, sweet potato, taro and tapioca balls cooked in sweetened coconut milk.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 40-50 minutes
Good for 3-4 servings

Ingredients:
200 grams tapioca pearls(sago)
200 grams sweet potato(camote), peeled and cut into cubed
200 grams taro(gabi), peeled and cut into cubed
6 pieces ripe plantain bananas(saging na saba), peeled and sliced
250 grams ripe jack fruit(langka)
3 cans(400 ml) coconut milk
1 can(400 ml) coconut cream
300 grams white sugar

Glutinous Rice Balls(bilo-bilo):
1 cup glutinous rice flour(malagkit)
1/2 cup water

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, mix rice flour and water to make a dough-like consistency.
2. Get a small piece and form into small ball about 1/2 inch in diameter.
3. Repeat this step until all the dough are consumed. Set aside

Part 2
1. In a big pot, pour coconut milk and bring to boil.
2. Add tapioca pearls, sweet potatoes and taro. Simmer uncovered until the pearls are cooked.
3. Add banana, jack fruit and rice balls. Simmer until all the rice balls has floated in the surface.
4. Pour coconut milk and sugar to taste.
5. Transfer to serving bowl then serve.