Pork in Sour Broth (Sinigang)

Filipino food is prepared in a variety of ways. Some complex some simple. Also, due to a variety of influences from several countries that once colonized the country, food also therefore comes in such varieties. Some local recipes are actually a blend of the cuisines from these countries. So most will find Filipino cuisine sometimes to have the look of cuisines from other countries but, taste is entirely a different story. Like all other nations, it has that unique characteristic that shouts of its origin.

One favourite among the natives is known as ‘sinigang’. Sinigang is a sour broth that can be prepared with a variety of meat like chicken, pork, beef and seafood like prawns and a wide variety of fish. A variety of native vegetable are also included in the recipe. Also, the souring agent varies too. Some use, tamarind, guava, citron, tomato, kamias, santol, etc. This one I share uses tomatoes (kamatis in Filipino). So I hope people try this out and enjoy their ‘Sinigang na Baboy sa Kamatis’.

Ingredients

1 kg Pork (cut into rectangular pieces)

1 kg Tomatoes (quartered)

¼ tsp. Black pepper (ground)

1 tsp. Iodized salt

5 cloves Garlic (peeled and cut to small pieces)

1 pc. Onion (medium sized, peeled, whole)

1 ½ cup Water

½ kg Bokchoy (native pechay variety)

Cooking Instruction:

In a pressure cooker, place the pork, water, salt, tomatoes, black pepper, garlic, and onion. Pressure cook for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the flame and allow the pressure cooker to cool and loose pressure normally. Do not vent pressure but allow it to dissipate normally, the cooling time will afford additional cooking time to tenderize the meat. When no more pressure is inside the cooker, open and remove the meat, set aside. Put the native pechay leaves and put the meat on top of the leaves. Cover and again turn up the flame to high heat and until pressure builds up again but once the pressure begins to exhaust from the pressure cooker, immediately turn off the flame and again allow cooling normally as was instructed earlier. After which, you may enjoy the hot soup with some rice or bread.

Chicken with Daikon Radish and Sesame Seeds

Chicken is enjoyed in many countries. Makes one think of how many variations one can do to chicken so that it will not become very boring food. I modified a Korean recipe to produce this interesting chicken variation. I hope people find this one interesting.

Ingredients:

½ kg Chicken thigh fillets (cut into large strips)

1 pc. Egg (beaten)

¼ tsp. Iodized salt

2 tbsp. Cornstarch

1/8 tsp. Black pepper (powder)

2 tbsp. Safflower oil (for frying fillets)

2 tbsp. Mirin

2 tbsp. Safflower oil (for sautéing)

5 pcs. Garlic (minced)

1 pc. Onion (medium, sliced thinly)

¼ tsp. Black pepper (powder)

1 tbsp. Sesame seeds

2 pcs. Ginger (cut thinly approximately about 1 tsp.)

4 tbsp. Premium dark soy sauce

2 tbsp. Oyster flavoured sauce

½ cup Water

Cooking Instruction:

In a suitable bowl, place eggs, salt, black pepper and cornstarch and mix well, fold in the chicken and let stand for about 15 minutes. Toast the sesame seed until brown in a hot Teflon coated frying pan. Set aside sesame seed. On the frying pan, place oil and fry the fillets on both sides until golden brown. Set aside the chicken on top of paper towels to reduce the fat content.

In a suitable saucepan, add the oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the garlic is golden brown and the onion starts to caramelize. Add the ginger and the sesame seed. Fold in the chicken and daikon radish. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mirin wine, soy sauce, and oyster sauce, and water and cook for additional 15 with cover and another 5 minutes without cover or until sauce is reduced to approximately ½ cup. Serve over rice or with steamed plain buns.

Beef Curry (Low Fat)

Curries are so popular that it seems several countries have their own variety. I enjoy it too and this is my version of a curry with low fat. Yes, low fat since I replaced the coconut milk with skim milk. The taste is almost the same as well as the texture less the fat from the coconut milk. Interesting isn’t it?

Ingredients:

1 kg Beef brisket cut into cubes

250 g Potato cut either to quarter or 1 cm pieces (I recommend cutting them in 1 cm slices rather than into quarters because this will make it easier to fry both sides properly without much use of oil.)

1 pc. Red bell pepper (cut into large squares)

¼ tsp. Black pepper (powder)

1 bulb Garlic (minced)

1 pc. Onion (large, quartered)

2 tbsp. Safflower oil (for frying potato)

1 tbsp. Safflower oil for sautéing

1 cup Water

2 tbsp. Premium light soy sauce

½ tsp. Iodized salt

¼ cup Skim milk powder

½ cup Water (for suspending the milk)

1 tsp. Curry powder

2 pcs. Ginger (fresh, cut into thin sliver, about 1 tsp.)

Cooking Instruction:

In a suitable Teflon coated frying pan, heat the oil and fry the potatoes until both sides are nicely browned. Set aside on top of paper towels to allow far to be absorbed.

In a suitable pressure cooker, heat the oil for use in sautéing. Sauté the garlic and onion until garlic is golden brown and onion starts to caramelize. Add the ginger and the beef. Continue cooking with steering for about 2 minutes. Add water, curry powder, soy sauce, black pepper, soy sauce, and water. Cover and pressure cook under low flame for about 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, turn off the flame and let the pressure cooker lose its pressure naturally. Do not force excess pressure to be removed by venting. The additional time afforded by normal pressure loss will add more cooking time to tenderize the meat properly. When there is no more pressure, open the cooker and skim any fat that may be floating to reduce the fat content further. Toss in the potatoes and bell pepper. Again turn on the heat and reduce to simmer. While simmering, place in a suitable cup the skimmed milk and cornstarch. Add water to suspend evenly and add to the cooking mixture. Salt may be added to taste at this point. Curry is ready when the starch is cooked and the sauce has that nice consistency. Enjoy the low fat curry with rice or some bread...

Fish Heads with Tofu and Salted Black Beans

Fish heads especially of the sea bass are nice. They have that nice gelatinous texture esteemed by some Chinese gourmets. Also, this particular fish part normally goes to waste. But I figure maybe I can make some interesting recipe out of them. So here goes...

Ingredients:

500 g Grouper fish heads (about 2 pieces)

250 g Tofu (cut into rectangular blocks)

1 tbsp. Black Beans

1 tbsp. Oyster sauce

¼ tsp. Black pepper (ground)

2 pcs. Ginger (fresh thinly sliced)

4 pcs. Garlic (minced)

1 pc. Onion (small, cut into thin slices)

1 tbsp. Mirin

½ tsp. Chiu Chow chilli oil

3 tbsp. Premium dark soy sauce

½ cup Water

1 tsp. Cornstarch (heaping)

3 tbsp. Water (for suspending cornstarch)

1 tsp. Sesame oil

4 tbsp. Safflower oil (for frying tofu and fish)

1 tbsp. Safflower oil (for sautéing)

Cooking Procedure:

Heat oil in suitable Teflon coated frying pan. Fry tofu until all sides are golden brown. Set aside. Fry the fish head in the hot oil until browned and set aside too. In another sauce pan, heat oil and sauté the garlic and onion until garlic are golden brown and onion starts to caramelize. Add the ginger, fried tofu, and the fish. Add the water, soy sauce, black beans, Mirin and chilli oil. Simmer for approximately 15 min under low heat (Until the eyes of the fish pops out which means that it is already done just right). At this point if more saltiness is desired, salt can be added. Otherwise the natural salt from the soy and other ingredients will be just enough.

In a suitable bowl, place the cornstarch and water. Stir to ensure that cornstarch is well dispersed. Add the oyster sauce and sesame oil and mix well. Add to the fish and stir by gently swirling the contents of the pan. Cook until the starch is cooked and sauce has nice consistency. It is important not to overcook when sesame oil is already added less the flavour deteriorates. Serve with rice...

Chicken with Tofu and Black Beans

As I have mentioned earlier in my previous recipes, tofu is very versatile ingredient. You can use it in a variety of ways. Not only that. It imparts that nice delicate flavour and texture to food too. Check this quick recipe with chicken.

Ingredients:

500 g Chicken thigh fillets cut into large strips

250 g Tofu cut into large rectangles

1 tsp. Black beans

1 tsp. Garlic (minced)

1 pc. Onion (minced)

¼ tsp. Black pepper (powder)

3 tbsp. Premium dark soy sauce

2 pc. Ginger (thinly sliced, about 1 tsp.)

¾ cup Water

1 tbsp. Mirin

2 tbsp. Safflower oil (for sautéing)

2 tbsp. Safflower oil (for frying tofu)

1 tsp. Cornstarch

4 tbsp. Water (for suspending starch)

Cooking Instruction:

Heat oil in Teflon coated frying pan and fry both sides of the tofu until golden brown. Set aside tofu.

Heat oil in a saucepan and sauté the garlic and onion until garlic is golden brown and onion starts to caramelize. Add the ginger and chicken and stir fry for about 2 minutes at high heat and 3 minutes in medium heat. Add the black beans and mirin and stir. Add the tofu and water and turn up flame to high heat to start the water to boil. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. If volume of water still exceeds about ½ cup, turn up heat and uncover to reduce the sauce to desired volume. In a small bowl, place the cornstarch and add water. Mix well to suspend starch evenly. Add to the cooking mixture and continue simmering until starch is cooked. Serve over rice or with steamed plain buns...