One of my favorite ethnic foods is Mexican and during my 20+ years in Chicago, I made it a point to go across the street from my place at ""El Taco Loco" and order my favorite chicken burrito. Ever since I moved back to Manila, I've been experimenting this dish using ingredients that are not native to my hometown like the Jalapeno and Serrano pepper which is native in Mexico. But there are specialty stores in the Metro area where you can find sauteed Chipotle peppers, pickled Jalapeno peppers and refried beans in a can.
INGREDIENTS:
For the Burrito roll-
1 large flour tortilla
1 breast of chicken
1 can of Chipotle peppers
pinch of salt & pepper
1 medium sized Spanish onion, diced
1 small can of refried beans
For Toppings:
1 6 oz sour cream
1/2 stick of grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 6 oz can tomato sauce
For the Salsa:
1 small can of Jalapeno peppers, diced
1 medium sized Spanish onion, diced
3 ripe tomatoes, diced
sprig of cilantro, chopped
a dash of Worstershire sauce
dash of salt & pepper
RECIPE:
Mix all the salsa ingredients and set aside. In a medium sauce pan, add the chicken breast, diced onions with a cup of water and the Chipotle peppers and bring to a boil. After boiling for 15 minutes, set the heat to low or simmer until the water is partially dissolved and the chicken breast is tender. Set aside the chicken breast, discard the bones and dice the meat and mix it back in the sauce pan.
Heat the flour tortilla for about a minute, lay it on a platter, spread a couple of tablespoons of refried beans and place some chicken filling. Roll the tortilla resembling a large eggroll. Position the burrito in the middle of the platter and pour the small can of tomato sauce on top of the roll, and layer on top the cheddar cheese. Microwave for about 3 minutes until the cheese melts.
Remove the burrito roll and set on a table. Put a generous amount of salsa on the roll and top it with a spoonful of sour cream and serve. Bona petito!
This simple Japanese comfort food consisting of simple ingredients will surely put a smile in your tummy! It may be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner and only takes a few minutes to prepare.
INGREDIENTS:
Pork Loin (2 slices)
1 large egg, beaten
Bread crumbs
1 medium sized Spanish onion, sliced
1 tspn light soy
1 onion stalk, cut to 2 inches
pinch of salt and pepper
2 tablespns vegetable oil
1 cup, cooked Japanese rice
RECIPE:
Pound the pork flat and sprinkle salt and pepper. Dip the meat into the egg batter and onto the bread crumbs. Heat oil in a pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Set aside and saute the sliced onions for 2 minutes. Set the rice onto a bowl and place the onions, pork and onion stalk on top. In a cup, mix 2 tablespoons of light soy, 2 tablespoons water and a teaspoon of sugar and pour over the pork and rice bowl mixture and serve.
I've been experimenting brownies for about half a dozen times and I think I got the consistency I want this time. I wanted a crusty toasted topping but a soft and chewey inside with melted dark chocolates. Here is my recipe:
Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups flour
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 flat bar of dark chocolate
1 cup sugar
Recipe:
In a bowl, add the eggs, softened butter, flour, sugar and mix thoroughly. Chop the dark chocolate bar and add to the ingredients. Brush vegetable oil on a 9 x 13 pan and pour in the mixture. Heat the oven to 350F degrees or 170C celcius and wait 5 minutes. Bake the pan for 20 to 25 minutes. Take out the pan and rest for 20 minutes then cut and serve.
Greeka Kouzina, located at 285 P. Guevarra, Little Baguio, San Juan with its decor, typifies an authentic taverna when traveling to Greece. You'll find authentic dishes like the roast shoulder lamb, pork chop, mousaka, Greek salad, artichoke dip, lamb, beef
and chicken souvlaki and gyros. Aside from their authentic food, their ceiling is decorated with colorful mediteranean lamps and wall covered photos of white washed buildings found in most Greek islands. One of the few Greek restaurants in the metro that you'll find most enjoyable! Opah!
Arya, a Persian restaurant is located at the Promenade in Greenhills, San Juan. Besides having an authentic ambiance complete with water pipes, this resto serves an array of delicious Persian cuisine from pita wraps to a wide variety of meat kababs with fluffy basmati rice or warm pita breads. Their special sauce consists of yogurt with garlic and crushed grilled tomatoes and chili complements the meal and they have an assortment of salads to choose from. Price ranges from 280 to 560 pesos, leaving you quite satisfied!
Jambalaya is a dish composed of any mixed meats and vegetables. It can be anything from pork, chicken, sausages and vegetables like celery, onions, green or red peppers. And for flavoring...anything goes. Here is my version:
INGREDIENTS
1 kilo cubed pork butt (kasim)
1 Polish sausage (cubed)
1 cup red beans (soaked overnight)
1 red pepper (chopped)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 cup chopped celery
2 medium sized tomatoes (chopped)
2 cups long grain rice
1 tspn. tumeric
1 tspn. celery seeds
1 tspn. ginger powder
1 tspn. cumin
1 tblspn. crushed dried rep pepper
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 small box raisins
4 slices of bacon (diced)
4 cloves garlic
1 tspn. salt & pepper
DIRECTIONS:
In a small pot, boil the red beans and simmer for 2-1/2 hours until soft leaving about 1/2 cup of its juice. In a large pot, brown the garlic, then add the onions, tomato, celery, turmeric, cumin, ginger powder and celery seeds. Then add the pork and sausages along with the raisins and red pepper. Stir until brown and oil comes out of the meats and add the tomato sauce. Add 2 cups water and the rice and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked with the lid on. Mix the remaining red beans along with the juice while adding salt and pepper. Stir and add more salt if needed until you get a balanced flavor and serve on a platter. Total cooking time is around 3 hours so enjoy!
Shio, Tonkotsu, Shoyu and Miso are the different types of ramen you can find at Konbini. Located along Connecticut Street in Greenhills, Mandaluyong, Konbini is an upscale Japanese convenient store that sells almost anything Japanese. You can find food items such as sauces, packaged food products, wasabi powder and paste and even plates and grilles for indoor cooking. The noodle shop is located at the back end of the store which sits around 30 people. Along with variations of ramen, you can order pot stickers and other Japanese snacks to complement your soup. Average price for ramen is about P2.50 and with a side order of pot stickers, your bill would amount to P3.20...not bad considering having an authentic Japanese noodle soup!
Jamon Iberico is produced in the southwest regions of Spain and commonly known as Iberico de Bellota hams. Raised from free range black pigs in the oak forest regions of Spain, these are often known as aspata negra, these cured hams are one of the finest in the world and often called Bellota de Oro. These are often cured from two to four years before they are ready to be sliced and served.
Jabugo ham comes from a
town called Jabugo in Spain, situated in the province of Huelva which became the first area to gain international fame for their Jamon Iberico de Bellota, chorizos and paletas.
Spanish Cocido or sometimes called Pochero, originally came from the Basque region of Spain. Brought in by the Spaniards during their 500 year colonization of the Philippines, Manilenos concocted different variations and here is my version.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 kg. beef shank
1/2 kg. chicken cut up into 2" pcs.
5 cloves of garlic, diced
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 medium sized tomato, diced
1 whole Spanish chorizo, chopped
100 grams, jamon Iberico, chopped
12 oz. tomato sauce
6 oz. olive oil
6 plantain (or Phil. Saba) bananas chopped into 3" pieces
2 medium sized potatoes chpped into 3 x 3" pieces
Baguio Pechay or Chinese cabbage, slice to 2" length
salt & pepper to taste
RECIPE:
In a soup pot, add 3 cups water, bring to a boil and simmer the beef shank for 2 to 3 hours until tender and put aside. Using a medium pot, heat the olive oil and saute the chorizo, Jamon Iberico and garlic. After a minute, add the diced onions and tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the cut up chicken pieces, potatoes and bananas, saute for 2 minutes and add the beef stock, and tomato sauce. Set the heat on low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
When the chicken is cooked, add the remaining beef shank and Chinese cabbage and simmer for another 5 minutes and serve on a bowl. Total cooking time is around 3-1/2 hours. Bona Petit!
This recipe was a result of some leftover dishes that I cooked and thought of creating something different. From the beef shank soup (bulalo), there was about a cup and a half left of stock and a shank with some meat left. I deboned the shank, chopped, and placed them aside, added a cup of water to the stock and cooked the farfalla pasta for 9 minutes. I also had some leftover grilled red peppers and onions which I chopped and set aside. The leftover ragu was from the recipe I did with the meatballs (see last month's Ragu with Meatballs).
In a saute pan, combine the ragu sauce, chopped beef shank meat, and chopped red peppers and onions and heat for about a minute. Add the cooked aldente farfalla pasta and set on a pasta bowl. Add some parmesan cheese and serve!
Located at the basement of The Podium in Ortigas Center Complex, Terry's boast of a wide assortment of imported Spanish products from paelleras to canned food products to Bellota jamons and chorizos to olives and olive oils. On the other wing is their deli and bistro which serves delicious sandwiches and paellas ala Barcelona style with authentic Spanish ingredients. They also offer a wide selection of Spanish wines from different regions of Spain. You can purchase jamon and chorizos in individual packs of 100 grams or any ingredient to cook your own paella.
Situated along the narrow strip on Wilson just past Guevara (past West Greenhills) is a small noodle shop named Mu Noodle Bar. As I sat on the table, I asked the waiter what he would recommend and he offered the beef ramen which was their specialty, and so I did. A few moments later, he came out with a bowl of noodles served in a stoneware bowl still boiling hot. On the side was a half soft boiled egg and some greens and sprouts to complement the soup. The beef, thinly slices of briskets reminded me of the New York style corned beef, medium rare spread on top of the Shoyu miso based ramen soup which was a good serving for 2 to 3 people. Hungry as I was, I finished the whole bowl. Upon looking at the menu, which consisted of Chinese dishes, I found out that the owner was a member of the family owned Mann Han chain of restaurants. I was surprised and glad to know that despite of the Chinese influence, Mu did a pretty good job of serving a Japanese style ramen soup!
Located at the new wing of the Promenade in Greenhills Shopping Center, Wee Nam Kee boasts of authentic Singaporean Chinese cuisine that tickle your taste buds. The decor does not reflect that of the ordinary tea house but more of a family type establishment. Their signature dish, Hainanese Chicken, is complemented by a delicious cup of Chicken rice from the drippings of the steamed chicken. Other dishes, the Crispy Singaporean Prawns consists of prawns covered by crumbs of delicious crispy tofu and the barbecue style pork Char Shiu complement the signature dish. Price range from Ph250 to Ph450.
