Sotanghon Patola Soup with Siomai

Filipino Style Recipe: sotanghon patola soup with siomai is another easy and mouth-watering soup dish that usually during rainy season. Usually the sotanghon noodles, luffa(patola) and siomai boiled in water until done then season with fish sauce and pepper according to taste.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 20-30 minutes
Good for 5 servings

Ingredients:
2 packs sotanghon noodles
1 medium-sized luffa(patola), peeled and sliced diagonally
12 pieces siomai(pork or beef)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
fish sauce or salt and ground pepper to taste

1 pork bouillon(pork cube),(optional)
1 egg, beaten(optional)
spring onion, chopped(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, soak sotanghon in water until soft then cut into desired length. Set aside.

Part 2
1. In a pot, heat oil and saute garlic and onion
2. Add water and bring to boil then add pork bouillon.
3. Add siomai and simmer until 5 minutes or until cooked.
4. Season with fish sauce and ground pepper according to taste.
5. Add sotanghon noodles and patola then simmer for another 2 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat then pour beaten egg while keep stirring.
7. Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with spring onion then serve immediately.

Paksiw na Salmonete

Filipino Style Recipe: Paksiw na salmonete or red mullet is another quick and easy fish dish by Filipinos. Salmonete is a Spanish word for red mullet. Red mullet is a Mediterranean fish with a mix of orange, red and pink colored skin. I used striped red mullet in this recipe and the procedure is similar to other paksiw. Normally the fish and vegetables cook in a blend of vinegar and some spices like garlic, onion and ginger then cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender.

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

Ingredients:
500 grams red mullet(salmonete), cleaned
1 small garlic, pounded
1 onion, sliced
1 thumb-sized ginger, sliced and pounded
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon grind black pepper
2 teaspoon salt
3 green chili(siling haba)
5 small okra, heads removed

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a pan, arrange salmonete, garlic, onion, ginger, salt and black pepper.
2. Pour water, vinegar and cooking oil then add okra and green chili.
3. Cover and simmer in a medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until tender.
4. Remove from heat and Serve.

Notes:
1. You may also used eggplants or bitter gourd(ampalaya) as alternative vegetable.

(Thanks to my Mom for sharing)

Denengdeng na Labong at Saluyot

Filipino Style Recipe: denengdeng na labong at saluyot is a native ilocano dish from Northern part of Luzon. It is a simple and easy yet healthy vegetable dish consisting of bamboo shoots, jute leaves, bagoong isda boiled until tender.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 20-30 minutes
Good for 4-5 persons

Ingredients:
500 grams bamboo shoots(labong), sliced
2 bundles jute leaves(saluyot) , trimmed
4 slices milk fish or tilapia(fried or grilled),(optional)
3 tablespoons fermented fish(bagoong isda)
1 onion, chopped
4-6 cups water
salt to taste

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a pot, pour water then add bamboo shoots. uncover and simmer for at least 40 minutes or until soften. Drain and set aside.

Part 2
1. In a bowl, dilute bagoong isda in 2 cups hot water, strain and reserve the juice.

Part 3
1. In a pot, boil 4 cups water then add onion.
2. Pour the juice from bagoong isda and simmer for a minute. Remove the scum that rises.
3. Add labong and simmer for 3 minutes. Add jute leaves and fried fish then season with salt.
4. Simmer for a minute then turn off the heat. Serve with steamed rice

Sardines Sotanghon Soup

Filipino Style Recipe: Sardines Sotanghon Soup is another easy and simple soup dish. The sardines in tomato sauce sauteed and cooked together with sotanghon noodles and veggies. I use spicy sardines because I usually serve this dish during rainy season.

Ingredients:
2 small cans spicy sardines in tomato sauce
200 grams sotanghon noodles, cut into desired length and soak in water until soft
1 tomato, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-4 cups water
3/4 cup cabbage, shredded(optional)
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes(optional)
spring onion for garnishing(optional)

Procedures:
1. In a pan, heat oil and saute garlic, onion, chili flakes and tomatoes until soft.
2. Add sardines including tomato sauce, break big chunks then stir cook for a minute.
3. Add water then bring to boil, season with salt and pepper according to taste.
4. Add sotanghon noodles then simmer for 2 minutes. Add water if necessary.
5. Add cabbage then simmer for another minute then remove from heat.
6. Transfer to serving bowl then sprinkle with spring onion. Serve with steamed rice.

Ginisang Sitaw at Kalabasa

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

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)

Lumpiang Togue

Filipino Style Recipe: Lumpiang Togue or lumpiang gulay is another typical Filipino meryenda(mid-afternoon snack). It is normally consists of mung bean sprouts, carrots, tofu and seasonings wrapped in lumpia wrapper then deep fried until golden brown and crisp.

Estimated time of preparation: 20-30 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:
500 grams togue(mung bean sprouts)
1 carrot, julienned
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, minced
2 tablespoons oyster sauce or soy sauce
1 cup fried tofu, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
15-20 pieces spring roll wrapper(lumpia wrapper)
cooking oil for deep frying
1/2 cup dried shrimps(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a pan, heat oil then saute garlic and onion.
2. Add dried shrimps then continue sauteing for a minute.
3. Add tofu and carrots then cook for another minute.
4. Season with oyster sauce and pepper then mix well.
5. Add beansprout then cook for 2-3 minutes or until cook. Let it cool and set aside.

Part 2
1. Place 1/4 cup of veggies in a line shape at the middle of the wrapper.
2. Fold over the bottom edge to the center then fold the two sides towards the center and roll.
3. Use a bit egg to seal the last edge. Repeat until all wrapped up.

Part 3
1. In a frying pan, heat oil deep enough that wrapped lumpia is half-submerged.
2. When the oil is hot enough, deep fry lumpia until golden brown and crispy.
3. Drain on paper towel then serve with spicy vinegar.

Sauteed Tinapa with Tomatoes

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

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.

Sizzling Porkchop in Mushroom Gravy

Filipino Style Recipe: sizzling porkchop in mushroom gravy is a delicious sizzling dish made of broiled pork chops and mushroom gravy. This is commonly served in hot sizzling plate together with mixed vegetables and steamed rice. I got this idea from one of the resto bar somewhere in Makati City. They served this kind of dish as main course or finger-food(pulutan) together with cold beer.

Ingredients:
4-6 pieces pork chops
1 cup soy sauce
6 pieces calamansi
1/4 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

Mushroom Gravy:
1/2 onion, diced
2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce or oyster sauce
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons butter

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Marinate pork chops in soy sauce, calamansi juice, salt and pepper for an hour.
2. In a pan, melt butter then broil pork chops for 5 minutes each side or until tender. Set aside.

Part 2
1. In a pan, melt butter then saute onions over medium heat.
2. Add mushrooms then stir cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add soy sauce and flour, stir constantly for a minute.
4. Add beef stock and simmer for 3 minutes or until the sauce becomes thick.
5. Add butter and cook for another minute. This will make the sauce shiny and more flavorful.

Part 3
1. Transfer the pork chops in hot sizzling plate then pour mushroom gravy sauce on top.
2. Serve immediately with mixed veggies and steamed rice.