Inihaw na Hito(Grilled Catfish)

Filipino Style Recipe: Inihaw na hito or grilled catfish is another delicious dish that is favorite by most Filipinos and commonly served as finger food(pulutan). Like other grilled fish, we marinate catfish then grilled over hot charcoal.

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

Ingredients:
3 catfish(hito), remove innards then rub and clean with salt
1/2 cup light soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 head garlic, crushed unpeeled

You will also need:
bamboo Skewers
charcoal grill

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a large container, place catfish then add salt and water. Let stand for 10 minutes then rinse.
2. With a sharp knife, slits the catfish vertical cuts on both side.
3. Skew each catfish on bamboo sticks through the mouth.
4. In a large container, combine garlic, soy sauce, salt and pepper then marinate catfish for 20 minutes.
5. Grill marinated catfish over hot charcoal for about 10 minutes each side or until catfish is tender.
6. Serve with soy sauce and calamansi.

Beef Teriyaki

Filipino Style Recipe: beef teriyaki is a popular dish in Japanese cuisine. Normally the beef marinade then pan-fried with marinade sauce until tender.

Estimated time of preparation: 10 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 20-30 minutes

Good for 2-3 persons

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo beef sirloin, sliced thinly into strips
3 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon cooking oil
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 pan, heat oil and stir fry beef over low heat until golden brown.
2. Pour the marinade and teriyaki sauce, cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes until tender.
3. Adjust seasoning according to taste by adding more sugar, water or teriyaki sauce.
4. Transfer the beef to serving plate and pour thickened sauce on top.
5. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and spring onion. Serve hot with sauteed mung beans and steamed rice.

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Scramble

Filipino Style Recipe: bacon, egg and cheese scramble is another easy yet delicious breakfast dish. It is consists of egg and milk mix until blended then cooked with bacon and grated with cheese. This is usually served with rice or bread.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:
300 grams bacon, cut into cubes
3 pieces raw eggs, beaten
1/4 cup evaporated milk
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Whisk until well blended.

Part 2
1. In a pan, heat oil and fry bacon until done. Drain and set aside.

Part 3
1. In a same pan, melt butter and saute garlic and onion.
2. Add egg mixture then cook in a low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is soft and fluffy.
3. Add bacon and cheese. Stir until the cheese melted.
4. Remove from heat and transfer to serving plate. Serve and enjoy.

Fruit Cake

Filipino Style Recipe: Fruit cake is a sweet cake that is usually serve during Holiday season. This is cake is made of butter, sugar, salt, eggs, flour and baking powder mixed with candied fruits and chopped nuts soaked in liquors like brandy or rum then baked until golden brown.

Estimated time of preparation: 15-20 minutes(plus soaking time)
Estimated time of cooking: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup red and green maraschino cherries, drained
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup candied pineapple chunks
1/2 cup brandy or rum
2 cups sugar(plus 1 cup sugar for caramel syrup)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
250 grams butter, melted
6 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla essence(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1(Soaking Fruits)
1. In a stainless steel bowl, pour brandy then soak fruits.
2. Cover and let stand overnight at room temperature. Set aside.

Part 2(Caramel Syrup)
1. In a heated pan, pour 1/2 cup water then dissolved 1 cup sugar until caramelized. Let it cool and set aside

Part 3(Batter Mixture)
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Mix well.
2. Add butter, sugar and eggs, vanilla essence then mix well.
3. Add caramel syrup and half of soaked fruits then mix well.

Part 4(Baking)
1. In a loaf pan, grease with melted butter then dust with flour.
2. Pour mixture then bake over 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes then remove from the oven.
3. Sprinkle the remaining soaked fruits on top then put back in the oven.
4. Bake for another 40 minutes or until golden brown.
(Fruit cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.)
5. Remove from the oven then brush top with remaining brandy from soaked fruits.
6. Let it cool then refrigerate before slicing. Enjoy!

Lemon and Pepper Fish Fillet

Filipino Style Recipe: lemon and pepper fish fillet is another low-carbohydrate dish. It is usually consists of fish fillet season in lemon juice, salt and grind pepper. Coated with flour then deep fried until golden brown.

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

Ingredients:
4 fish fillets(lapu lapu, dory, talakitok)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest(optional)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
dried rosemary
cooking oil for frying

Procedures:
1. In a bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, cornstarch, rosemary, salt and pepper. Mix well
2. Add fillet then coat onto flour. Shake off excess flour then set aside.
3. In a frying pan, heat oil then deep fry one by one until golden brown.
4. Drain on paper towel and transfer to serving plate. Serve with steamed beans.

Beef Stroganoff

Filipino Style Recipe: beef stroganoff is a Russian dish consists of beef strips and mushrooms served with sour cream. It became popular to Filipino cuisine and some other countries. Normally the beef sauteed and cooked with mushrooms in a blend of sour cream and seasonings.

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

Ingredients:
1 kilo beef tenderloin or sirloin, cut into large strips
1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch(dissolved in 1/4 cup water)
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine beef, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes.

Part 2
1. In a pan, melt butter and stir fry marinated beef for 3 minutes or until brown and tender. Drain and set aside.
2. In a same pan, add butter and saute onion and mushroom until golden brown.
3. Add stir-fried beef, sour cream, salt and pepper. Simmer in a low heat for 3 minutes. Stir constantly.
4. Add dissolved cornstarch and stir for another minute or until thicken.
5. Remove from heat then serve hot with bread, pasta or rice.

Notes:
1. You may also add condensed cream of mushroom soup if you prefer.
2. You may also used yogurt instead of sour cream.

Cassava Cake

Filipino Style Recipe: cassava cake is another sweet Filipino delicacies. It is made of grated cassava(Kamoteng Kahoy) as main ingredients then mixed with condensed milk, coconut milk, eggs, butter and macapuno or young coconut strips. Topped with creamy milk mixture then baked until firm and golden brown. This cake has a thick and soft consistency and chewy and spongy texture.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 60-80 minutes

Ingredients:
Cassava Cake:
2 packs(16 oz.) grated cassava
1 can(14 oz.) condensed milk
1 can(14 oz.) coconut milk
1/4 cup melted butter
2 pieces eggs, beaten
1/2 bottle macapuno
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1/2 can condensed milk
1/2 can coconut milk
1 egg yolk
1/2 bottle macapuno

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a large bowl, combine cake ingredients. Mix well
2. In a baking pan, grease with butter then pour the mixture.

Part 2
1. Bake over 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes or until firm.
2. In a bowl, mix topping ingredients then spread evenly over cake.
3. Bake again for another 15 minutes or until top turns to golden brown.
4. Remove from the oven and let it cool before slicing. Enjoy!

Notes:
1. grated cassava is available in grocery stores under frozen section.

Cheese Stick

Filipino Style Recipe: cheese stick is another simple and easy Filipino meryenda(mid-afternoon snack) that is commonly sold along the streets. Cheese stick is made of cheese strips wrapped in spring roll wrapper then deep fried until golden brown. Then served with your favorite dipping sauce.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 block cheddar cheese (I Used PROCHIZ Gold) , sliced into small strips
1 pack spring roll wrapper
1 cup cooking oil
mayonnaise & ketchup for dipping sauce
powdered cheese(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Wrap the cheese in a wrapper, sealed the edges with water.

Part 2
1. In a frying pan, heat oil then deep fried cheese sticks for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towel
2. In a container, add powdered cheese and fried cheese sticks then cover and shake until coat evenly.
3. Serve with mayo-ketchup dip.

Paksiw na Tilapia

Filipino Style Recipe: Paksiw na tilapia is a quick and easy fish dish by Filipinos. The fish and vegetables cooked in a blend of vinegar and some spices like garlic, onion and ginger. Here is my Mom’s recipe on how to cook the usual paksiw na tilapia. Enjoy cooking!

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

Ingredients:
4 pieces medium-sized tilapia, cleaned, scales removed and cut diagonally into half
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 peppercorn
2 teaspoon salt
3 green chili(siling haba)
5 small okra, heads removed

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a pan, arrange tilapia, garlic, onion, ginger, salt and peppercorn.
2. Pour water, vinegar and cooking oil then add vegetable 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.

Pansit Bihon Guisado

Filipino Style Recipe: pansit bihon guisado is a noodle dish originate from Chinese that has become very popular in Filipino cuisine. Pansit bihon consists of rice noodles(bihon) mixed with pork, chicken and different vegetables. This dish is commonly served in different occasions.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 40-60 minutes
Good for 8-10 persons

Ingredients:
500 grams rice noodles(bihon)
100 grams pork, sliced in small pieces
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
4 cups chicken broth from chicken breast
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 kilo snow peas(sitsaro)
2 cups cabbage, sliced into strips
1 carrot, julienned
1 cup celery(kintsay), sliced
4 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
10 pieces calamansi

100 grams pork or chicken liver(optional)
100 grams shrimps, shelled and deveined(optional)
1 chicken cube(bouillon cube)(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a big bowl with water, soak noodles for 10 minutes or until soft. Drain and set aside.

Part 2
1. In a wok, saute the garlic and onions.
2. Add pork and liver, then cooked until color turns to brown.
3. Add broth, soy sauce, and bouillon cube then simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Add vegetables and the remaining ingredients then season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes or until half cooked.
5. Remove and set aside all the ingredients except for the liquid.(Make sure the liquid is enough for the noodles to cook and absorb).
6. Add bihon then toss until the the liquid absorb.
7. Put back all the ingredients then cooked 2 minutes. Mix well.
6. Adjust seasoning according to taste then remove from heat. Serve hot with calamansi.