Special Bibingka Recipe

Bibingka Recipes are very much common during the holiday season. Street vendors selling bibingka during dawn and evening masses are usually a common scenario here in the Philippines especially during Christmas. These street vendors prepare as early as 2 a.m. and eventually spend the whole day selling their bibingka espesyal. Some of them even come from far-away provinces.

Cooking your own home-made bibingka is quite an easy thing to do if you have the right tools and equipment. Although the traditional way of cooking this native Filipino rice cake is not as easy as today’s modern methods, both methods still use the same ingredients. For this Bibingka Recipe, we are going to need some coconut milk, galapong (milled rice) or rice flour, some margarine and sugar. For the cooking procedure, we are going to use an alternative method since the traditional way would require us to use a specially made clay oven called the bibingka oven and uling (charcoal). And since not all of us have clay pots and bibingka ovens at home, the traditional method also consumes more preparation time than the modern method. So we are going to use the modern method instead using baking pans and our kitchen oven.

Here is my Special Bibingka Recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice flour
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 can (400 mL) coconut milk
• 1 banana leaf (optional)
• 1 tbsp butter, sliced
• 2 tbsp. fresh (or frozen) grated coconut
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh milk

Cooking Procedure:

• Preheat oven to 375 deg. Fahrenheit. 
• Combine rice flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and set aside. 
• Cream butter then gradually put-in sugar while mixing. 
• Add eggs then mix thoroughly. 
• Gradually add rice flour, salt, and baking powder mixture then continue mixing. 
• Pour-in the coconut milk and fresh milk. Mix or stir for 1 to 2 minutes. 
• Arrange the cut banana leaf on a cake pan. 
• Pour the mixture on the pan. 
• Bake for 15 minutes. 
• Remove from the oven then top with grated cheese (do not turn the oven off). 
• Put back in oven and bake for 15 to 20 min. or until the color of the top turns light to medium brown. 
• Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 
• Brush with butter and sprinkle some sugar and grated coconut on top.

Hot Tip:

• Try using fresh, natural coconut milk instead of the canned coconut milk found in grocery stores.

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My Lechon Paksiw Recipe

Lechon Paksiw is definitely one of my all-time favorites. And this is probably one of the reasons why I love after party left over foods. Lechon Paksiw is a very common and popular dish especially the day after a party or fiesta. It is made from left over chunks of either lechon baboy(roasted pig), lechon kawali, or any other fried pork dish. It is probably the most ingenious way of recycling these foods instead of just reheating it and eating it again.

Preparing Lechon Paksiw is a very easy task. Anyone can do it! All you need to do is steal the pig’s head, legs, pork belly, and some skin and bones. Chop it into bite-sized chunks then throw in some garlic, bay leaf, black peppercorns, vinegar, and liver sauce. Simmer in low heat until its tempting aroma calls your attention. Lechon Paksiw is best served hot with steamed rice.

Here is a simple Lechon Paksiw recipe that I use a lot. Learning to cook this popular dish is fun and exciting. You should try it!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups leftover chunks of lechon
• 1-2 cups Mang Tomas Lechon Sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2-3 pieces bay leaf
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp black peppercorn (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Procedure:

• In a stock pot, heat oil and saute garlic and onion. 
• Pour over leftover meat and stir fry for 3-5 minutes allowing the garlic and onion flavor to be absorbed. 
• Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. 
• Lower heat to simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

Hot Tip:

• If for any reason you can't use Mang Tomas Lechon Sauce or any other liver sauce, then use soy sauce as a substitute.

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Chicken Inasal Recipe

What makes a good chicken inasal recipe? Is it the marinade, the basting sauce, or the grilling method?

The Chicken Inasal or Chicken Barbecue is the most popular dish of the Ilonggos. It is considered to be one of the oldest and most simple dishes.  The Chicken Inasal is everywhere. From the small barbecue stand around the corner to the big city restaurants, it is surely a favorite of the Filipinos. But what makes this simple dish an all-time favorite?

There are many variations of the Chicken Inasal recipe but the most important part is how you prepare your chicken. The marinade will decide its flavor. If you want your Chicken Inasal to stand out and taste better then you should marinate it well. Add some spices and herbs. Experiment with it. With the right marinade ingredients and basting sauce, this simple dish can turn into a very delightful one.

Below is my own version of the Chicken Inasal recipe. It’s a very basic one so securing the ingredients won’t be a problem. Have fun!

Ingredients:

• 4-5 large chicken thighs with the drumsticks

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons garlic- minced
• 3/4 cup lemon grass-chopped
• 1 cup coconut vinegar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice or calamansi juice
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar or 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup lemon soda or Sprite/7-Up
• 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Basting Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons annatto oil (atsuete oil)
• 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or calamansi juice

Cooking Procedure:

• In a large bowl, combine chicken, lemongrass, salt, ground black pepper, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, vinegar, lemon-lime soda, and lemon juice.
• Mix well then add the chicken. Place chicken in chiller and marinate for 1 to 3 hours.
• In a bowl, combine butter or margarine, annatto oil, salt, and lemon juice. Stir and set aside.
• Cook the chicken over hot charcoal grill while basting generous amount of the margarine mixture.
• Serve hot with steamed or Java rice, sinamak, soy sauce with calamansi, and red chili peppers.

Hot Tip:

• Cut several slits on the chicken near the bone to help cook the meat fully. 
• Avoid turning the meat more than twice since it will dry up the juice. 

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Morcon Recipe

The Morcon Recipe is a very popular Filipino beef recipe especially during occasions like fiestas, birthdays, special family gatherings, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve. The Morcon is a Spanish-inspired dish and is actually a Filipino version of the meat roll. It is stuffed with your favorite ingredients like sausages, hotdogs, carrots, hard-boiled eggs, pickles, and cheese. The Morcon is a household favorite on special occasions because of its unique and flavorful taste, and the way it presents itself on the table.

Preparing Morcon is easier than you think. I used to order lots of Morcon every time we have special family gatherings or to celebrate an occasion. But now, I am very proud to say that I already make or cook my own special home-made Morcon. The Morcon Recipe I have prepared below is perhaps one of the easiest and the most basic Morcon Recipe. All you need are some beef sirloin, hotdogs or sausages, eggs, some carrots, sweet pickled cucumber, cheddar cheese, some flour, lemon juice or calamansi juice, and soy sauce.  If you know how to fry and simmer then cooking this holiday dish won’t be a problem.

Here is my Morcon Recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef flank steak cut into 1/2 inch thick large sheets
• 2 pieces beef cubes dissolved in 3 cups boiling water or 3 cups beef stock
• 1 piece lemon or calamansi juice
• 1 piece medium sized carrot, cut into long strips
• 4 pieces hotdogs cut lengthwise
• 2 pieces sweet pickles or sweet pickled cucumber cut lengthwise
• 3 pieces hard boiled eggs sliced
• 3 ounces cheddar cheese cut in strips about 1/2 inch thick
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• pepper
• sugar

Cooking Procedure:

• Marinate the beef sheets in soy sauce and lemon or calamansi juice for at least 30 minutes
• Place the beef sheets in a flat surface and arrange the hotdogs, pickles, carrots, cheese, and eggs
• Roll the beef sheets enclosing the fillings and tie with a cooking string to ensure it will not open-up
• Place cooking oil in a pan and apply heat
• Dredge the rolled beef in flour 
• Fry until the color of the outer part turns medium brown
• Transfer the fried rolled beef in a casserole 
• Pour-in the beef broth then bring to a boil
• Add half of the soy sauce-lemon juice marinade and simmer for an hour or until the meat is tender
• Season with salt, pepper, and sugar
• Remove the strings and slice into serving pieces
• Place in a serving dish and add the sauce.

Hot Tip:

• Cook or heat the left over marinade until it becomes thick or saucy.
• Drizzle it over just before serving and garnish with parsley.

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Bistek Tagalog Recipe

Bistek Tagalog Recipe is a very popular, and one of the best beef recipes of the Filipinos. The word Bistek is a slang Filipino word for “Beef Steak”. In other words, the Bistek Tagalog is actually the Pinoy version of the famous Beef Steak. Bistek Recipes are very common and popular among households because of its simplicity and flavorful taste. The cooking process is so simple and the ingredients are available in most supermarkets.

Cooking Bistek Tagalog is very easy. If you know how to cook Pork Adobo or Chicken Adobo, then this Bistek Tagalog Recipe is definitely a walk in the park. All you need is some beef strips (beef sirloin), soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, garlic, and onions and you’re all set! The difference between the Bistek and the Beef Steak is that when cooking Bistek you have to fry the beef strips first before you simmer it in soy sauce, lemon juice, and water. To top it all off you then garnish it with onion rings and fried potatoes. Then Voila!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb beef sirloin- sliced into strips
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 piece lemon or 3 pieces calamansi
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic-crushed
• 1 large onion-sliced into rings
• 1 large potato- sliced into strips
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• salt to taste

Cooking Procedure:

• Marinade beef in soy sauce, lemon(or calamansi), and ground black pepper for at least 30 minutes
• Heat the cooking oil in a pan then stir fry the onion rings until the texture becomes soft. Then set aside.
• In the same pan fry the potatoes. Then set aside.
• Fry the marinated beef (without the marinade) until color turns brown. Then set aside.
• Put-in the garlic then saute for a few minutes
• Pour the marinade and bring to a boil.
• Put in the fried beef and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until meat is tender. Add water as needed.
• Add the stir-fried onions and some salt to taste.
• Garnish with fried potatoes before serving.

Hot Tip:

• You can also use pork strips instead of beef. Try it!
• You can also garnish it with lemons or stir-fried green peas.

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Pancit Canton Recipe

Pancit Canton is originally a Chinese noodle dish but has now become a household favorite of Filipinos. Pancit Canton Recipes are very easy to follow because this Chinese-inspired dish is so simple and easy to prepare and cook. The ingredients are not hard to find and are readily available in grocery stores and supermarkets. The Pancit Canton Recipe that I have for you below is the one that I use most. Although, there are some few versions of this recipe, most of them are cooked similarly. Some Pancit Cantons are cooked dry and some prefer it to be a bit saucy. You can also add your own favorite ingredients, like instead of chicken meat you can replace it with pork. Or you can also use squid balls instead of fish balls.

Some time ago, the Pancit Canton was only considered a party dish. It was only served during birthdays, and other special occasions. But, today it has now become our second staple dish.

The Pancit Canton is best served with lemon or calamansi and soy sauce.

Here is my Pancit Canton Recipe. Have fun!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp cooking oil 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1 cup chicken breast, thinly sliced 
• 1 cup chicken liver 
• 1/2 cup kikiam 
• 1/2 cup fish ball or squid ball 
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce 
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1 chicken broth cube 
• 1/4 teaspoon msg 
• 1 cup snow pea 
• 1 medium carrots, sliced 
• 8-10 beans chopped 
• 3 cups water 
• 250 grams of dried canton noodles 
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped finely 
• 1/2 cup green and red bell peppers 
• medium cabbage, chopped 

Cooking Procedure:

• In a pan, heat oil then sauté garlic and onion 
• Add chicken breast, chicken liver, kikiam, fish ball and cook until the outer part turns light brown 
• Add the soy sauce, pepper, chicken broth cube, msg, and stir. 
• Put in snow peas, carrots, beans and stir. Add water then bring to boil. 
• Put in dried canton noodles, celery, green and red bell pepper, cabbage and cook until water has been absorbed by the noodles

Hot Tip:

• Try using pork instead of chicken.

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Tinolang Manok Recipe

Tinolang Manok or Chicken Tinola is one of the most popular Filipino Chicken Soup. It can be described as a stew with chicken as the main ingredient complemented with vegetables like the green papaya or chayote, and pepper leaves. My Tinolang Manok Recipe uses the free-range or native chicken and the Hubbard Dressed Chicken (45-day chicken). Tinolang Manok is cooked traditionally by simmering the chicken in low heat until its natural juicy flavor comes out, then topping it off with green papaya and pepper leaves. Some say the native chicken even tastes better than the usual 45-day chicken. The only draw back is that it takes a little longer to tender.

There are also some variations of the Tinolang Manok Recipe like, using chayote instead of green papaya and using “malunggay” instead of pepper leaves. However, the secret to a very delicious and satisfying Tinolang Manok is you should simmer the chicken very well and let its natural juice come out.

Here is my Tinolang Manok Recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken (cut into pieces)
• 1 small size ginger root cut into strips
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 onion (sliced)
• 2 small to medium chayote or green papaya (cut into wedges)
• 1/2 cup pepper leaves
• 1 tbsp Fish Sauce (Patis)
• 3 cups of water
• 1 chicken cube
• 2 tbsp coking oil

Cooking Procedure:

• Saute the garlic, onion & ginger in cooking oil. 
• Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken colors lightly.
• Add fish sauce.
• Pour water and bring to a boil. Simmer until chicken is tender.
• Add the chicken cube and chayote. Continue simmering until chayote is tender.
• Add pepper leaves and salt to taste.
• Remove from heat.

 Hot Tip:

• Add "malunggay" leaves to your Tinolang Manok to make it super-nutritious!

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My Pochero Recipe

Pochero is one of the most popular and favorite stew of many Filipinos. There are actually three variations of the Pochero Recipe: the pork, the beef, and the chicken pochero recipe. They are mostly prepared and cooked the same way and use the same ingredients too, but to make things simple I will be sharing with you more about my Chicken Pochero Recipe.

The first time I tried cooking Chicken Pochero way back in High School was a memorable and learning experience. It was at my third try that I actually learned that my Pochero was missing something. My first Pochero Recipe consisted of just three simple ingredients: the chicken, bokchoy(pechay), and plantain banana(saba). The taste was good but not good enough for me. After several experimentations, I discovered a secret ingredient that made my Chicken Pochero very delicious.

Here is my Chicken Pochero Recipe. Try it and see for yourself!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken cut into pieces (thigh part)
• 1/2 piece cabbage, quartered
• bunch of bokchoy (pechay)
• 1 medium sized potato, cubed
• 2 large plantain(saba) banana
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 medium sized onion, diced
• 2 tbsp whole pepper corn
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 1 cup garbanzos

Cooking Procedure:

• Heat oil and fry the banana until color turns golden brown. Set aside when done.
• Sauté the garlic, onion, and tomato
• Add the Chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes
• Add the fish sauce, tomato sauce, and whole pepper corn and mix well
• Add the water and simmer until chicken is tender
• Put-in the fried banana, potato, and garbanzos and simmer for 7 minutes
• Add the cabbage and simmer for 5 minutes
• Add the bok choy and turn off the heat. Cover the pot for 5 minutes to cook the bokchoy

Hot Tip:

• Instead of regular potatoes, use sweet potato. (This is my secret ingredient)
• Try adding long green beans together with the cabbage.

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