Pasta Puttanesca

Filipino Style Recipe: pasta puttanesca is an Italian dish that has become popular in the Philippines. The sauce is consists of tomato paste, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, capers, cheese and anchovy. This is commonly prepared over or toss with pasta then sprinkle with grated cheese.

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

Ingredients:
400 grams spaghetti pasta
1 pack(560 grams) tomato paste or spaghetti sauce
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons anchovy flakes(reserved oil)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 can(115 grams) button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese(reserve half for garnishing)

3 pieces tomatoes, chopped(optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped(optional)

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

Part 2
1. In a pan, heat anchovy oil and olive oil then saute garlic and onion until translucent.
2. Add tomatoes and mushrooms then continue sauteing for 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste then bring to boil. Add a little water if necessary.
4. Add the rest of ingredients then season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook for 2 minutes or until beginning to thicken.
6. Arrange pasta into serving plate then pour the sauce and toss. Top with grated cheese. Serve!

Notes:
1. If you don’t have anchovy, you may use bagoong na isda as alternative.

Grilled Oyster

Filipino Style Recipe: grilled oyster is another easy and simple dish made of fresh oysters, grilled until the shells open then serve with white vinegar and bird’s eye chili. This dish is considered as aphrodisiac and usually served as appetizer or pulutan together with cold beer.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 10-15 minutes
Good for 1-2 persons

Ingredients:
12 pieces fresh oysters
1/4 cup white vinegar
1-2 pieces bird’s eye chili(labuyo), sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Procedures:
1. Grill fresh oyster over hot charcoal for at least 5 minutes or until the shells open.
2. Remove the oysters from the grill then remove the top shell.
3. Transfer to serving plate and serve with chili vinegar dip.

Pork and Beans

Filipino Style Recipe: Pork and beans is high protein dish popular the US and Mexico and also become popular in Filipino cuisine. It consists of beans boiled until tender then cooked along with pork, tomato sauce and other ingredients. This is commonly served as breakfast dish and it was amazing and delicious.

Estimated time of preparation: 10 minutes(plus soaking time)
Estimated time of cooking: 40 minutes(plus boiling time)
Good for 4 persons

Ingredients:
1/4 kilo white beans(bitsuelas)
1/2 kilo pork, cut into small pieces
4 gloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 onion, chopped
3 pieces tomatoes, discard seeds and diced
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato ketchup(optional)
1 liter water
sugar, salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, soak beans in water overnight. Wash on running water then drain. Set aside.
2. In a pot, boil water then cook beans for an hour or until tender. Add water if necessary then set aside.

Part 2
1. In another pot, heat oil then saute garlic, onion and tomatoes.
2. Add pork and cook until light brown and tender.
3. Add boiled beans, tomato sauce, ketchup, sugar, salt and pepper according to taste.
4. Simmer until well blended and thicken. Add water if necessary.
5. Remove from heat then serve with steamed rice.

Notes:
1. You may also add some leafy vegetables like cabbage, ampalaya leaves, etc.

Stir Fried Veggies

Filipino Style Recipe: stir fried veggies is another healthy low carbohydrate dish. Normally the veggies cooked in a blend of chicken broth, dissolved cornstarch and other seasonings.

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

Ingredients:
200 grams mushrooms, sliced
3 cups broccoli or cauliflower florets
1/2 cabbage, chopped
1 medium-sized carrots, sliced thinly
3 pieces celery stalk or bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch(dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
1. In a pan, heat oil then saute ginger and garlic.
2. Add mushrooms then stir fry for a minute.
3. Add soy sauce and veggies then cook 3-5 minutes.
4. Pour water, bouillon and dissolved cornstarch then simmer until thicken.
5. Adjust seasoning according to taste. Remove from heat then serve immediately.

Notes:
1. If you don’t have chicken broth, you may dissolved 1 chicken bouillon cube in 1 cup hot water.

(photo credit to Poison Cupcakes)

Baked Stuffed Eggplant

Filipino Style Recipe: baked stuffed eggplant is a special dish made of eggplants filled with ground meat then topped with grated cheese. The stuffed eggplant cooked in a oven until brown and soft.

Estimated time of preparation: 10 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 20 minutes
Estimated time of baking: 60 minutes

Good for 8 pieces

Ingredients:
4 small eggplants
1/4 kilo ground pork or beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
5 tablespoons olive oil

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Cut the eggplant in half then remove the crown and the stem.
2. Scoop out the center leaving the skin 1/8 inch thick.
3. Chopped the eggplant pulp into small pieces. Set aside.

Part 2
1. In a pan, heat oil then saute garlic, onion and tomatoes.
2. Add chopped eggplant and cook for 3 minutes or until soft.
3. Add ground meat and saute until starts to brown.
4. Season with salt and pepper then cooked until the liquid absorbed. Set aside.

Part 3
1. In a bowl, combine ground meat mixture, bread crumbs and egg. Mix until blended.

Part 4
1. Fill the eggplant with mixture then sprinkle with grated cheese.
2. Bake over 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour or until brown and soft. Let it cool then serve.

(photo credit to motdakasha)

Daludal

Filipino Style Recipe: daludal is a quick and easy vegetable dish popular in northern part of Luzon. The way of cooking is similar to paksiw, the vegetable cooked in a blend of bagoong, vinegar and other ingredients until tender. I used leftover fried tilapia as one of ingredients, the Ilocanos really love this dish.

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

Ingredients:
1 bunch daludal, cleaned
6 gloves garlic, peeled and pounded
1 onion, chopped
1 thumb-sized ginger, sliced and pounded
1 tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 cup bagoong(anchovies)
1 1/2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
1 fried fish, slice into 2-3 pieces

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a pan, arrange daludal, garlic, onion, ginger, tomatoes, salt and peppercorn.
2. Pour bagoong, water and vinegar then place fish on top.
3. Cover and simmer in a medium heat for 10 minutes or until tender.
4. Toss and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat then serve hot.

Steamed Fish with Mayonnaise

Filipino Style Recipe: Steamed fish with mayonnaise is a classic dish that usually served in special occasion. The fish cleaned and steamed then spread with mayonnaise on top. The hard-boiled eggs, carrots and onions minced then used to garnish the fish. This is commonly chilled and served as pulutan or finger food.

Estimated time of preparation: 15 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 30-40 minutes
Good for 3-4 persons

Ingredients:
1 large fresh fish(apahap, lapu-lapu, tilapia, etc)
2 teaspoons sweet pickles, relish or minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mayonnaise

Garnishing:
2 hard-boiled eggs, minced
1 small carrot, minced
1 red onion, minced

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Clean fish and remove innards and scales.
2. Rub the skin with salt then sprinkle with ground pepper.
3. Steam for at least 30 minutes. Drain and let it cool.

Part 2
1. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, pickles, salt and pepper. Mix well.
2. In a large plate, arrange steamed fish then spread the mayonnaise mixture on both sides.
3. Arrange the eggs, carrots and onions on top. Refrigerate before serving.

Halo-Halo

Filipino Style Recipe: Halo-halo is a famous Filipino dessert consists of shaved ice, milk and various sweet ingredients then mixed together. Top with ice cream, ube halaya or leche flan makes the halo-halo’s special and delicious. This dessert is easy and simple to prepared and usually served during meryenda(mid-afternoon snack) that is commonly sold along the streets and usually served during summer season. The famous Halo-halo that I’ve tried so far are from Razons and Chowking, the kids really love this dessert.

Estimated time of preparation: 5-8 minutes

Ingredients:
shaved ice
evaporated milk
white sugar
leche flan(optional)
ice cream, any flavor(optional)
rice crispy(optional)

Choose at least 5 sweets you want:
*coconut sport(macapuno)
*colored gelatin(red/green)
*coconut gel(nata de coco)
*sugar palm(kaong)
*sweetened red beans
*ripe jackfruit(langka)
*tapioca pearls(sago)
*sweetened bananas(minatamis na saging)
*ube halaya or leche flan

Procedures:
1. In a bowl or tall glass, combine 1 tablespoon of each sweets and sugar.
2. Add shaved ice then pour evaporated milk top with leche flan, ice cream and rice crispy. Serve immediately.

Tortang Talong with Pork Giniling

Filipino Style Recipe: tortang talong with pork giniling or eggplant omelet with ground pork is a simple yet delicious breakfast dish. It is consists of broiled eggplants and pork giniling soaked in egg mixture before frying. You may also used leftover adobong giniling to take less time for you to prepare this dish.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 30-40 minutes
Good for 2 servings

Ingredients:
2 large-sized eggplants(talong)
4 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
cooking oil for frying

Pork Giniling:
1/2 cup ground pork(giniling)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon cooking oil

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Broil eggplants until skin are charred and blister.
2. Let it cool then peel off the skin and retain the crown and the stem.
3. In a large plate, flatten the eggplant using fork.
4. In a bowl, combine 2 eggs and pepper then whisk well
5. Pour over eggplants then soak for awhile. Set aside.

Part 2
1. In a pan, heat oil then saute garlic and onion.
2. Add pork giniling until brown then season with soy sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper according to taste.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the remaining eggs then add pork giniling. Mix well.

Part 3
1. In a pan, heat oil and place eggplant(soaked in eggs) then scoop and pour the pork giniling(mixed in eggs).
2. Fry until both sides are golden brown then drain on paper towels. Serve with ketchup.

Iced Coffee

Filipino Style Recipe: iced coffee is another refreshing beverage and usually served during afternoon or summer season. This refreshing drinks is made of coffee, milk, sugar and ice cubes. I always prepare this refreshing drinks from my leftover morning coffee then I refrigerate it until afternoon.

Estimated time of preparation: 2-3 minutes
Good for 1-2 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon coffee(depend on the strength you want)
2 cups non-fat milk(or any type of milk)
3 tablespoons sugar or condensed milk
ice cubes
vanilla ice cream(optional)

Procedures:
1. Combine coffee, sugar and milk then stir and blend according to taste.
2. In a tall glass, Put ice cubes 3/4 full then filled with coffee mixture.
3. Top with vanilla ice cream then serve.