Cooking Adventure and Tips

CHILLI BEEF STIR-FRY

2008-11-23T02:57:00.002+08:00

If you are a spice lover, try this recipe which I've learned from my culinary class last week.

750 grams piece beef eye-fillet
2 tbsp. oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, sliced
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small fresh red chilli, chopped
2 teaspoons fiash sauce
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 red pepper, sliced
440 grams can baby corn, drained
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1. Cut beef into strips. Combine beef, oil garlic, onion, garam masala, cumin, chilli, sauce and ginger in bowl, Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
2. Stir-fry beef mixture on hot barbecue plate until lightly browned. Add pepper, corn, juice and coriander, stir-fry until beef is tender.

Note: Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.

Quick Teriyaki Pork Steak ( Serves 4)

2008-11-23T02:52:00.001+08:00

Ingredients:
4 slices porkloin steaks (½ inch thick)
¼ cup cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. rice wine
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp. ginger juice
2 tbsp. canola oil

Procedure:
1. Combine soy sauce , rice wine, honey , sesame oil and giner juice in a bowl. Add porkloin steak and toss to coat.
2. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
3. Heat Teflon skillet over medium heat.
4. Add the oil and cook pork steaks until golden brown on both sides and juices run clear.
5. Serve with choice of sidings and vegetables.

Sidings:
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. garlic minced
150 grams bean sprout, ( blanched in hot water for 1 minute)
150 grams snow peas ( chicharo) blanched in hot water for 1 minute
¼ tsp. salt.

Ham and Potato Casserole

2008-11-02T16:47:00.001+08:00

Ingredients:

6 pcs. potatoes, medium, peeled and sliced
2 pcs. Knorr beef broth cube
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. All purpose flour
3/4 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup water
3/4 cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup cooked ham, cube

Procedure:

1. Put sliced potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Add 1 pc. knorr beef broth cube and cook for 10 minutes until partially cooked. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, make the white sauce . Melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly add milk, water and 1 pc. Knorr beef broth cube stirring constantly to remove lumps. Return to boil. Add the cheese and cook until melted.
3. Mix together the white sauce , potatoes and ham and pour in baking dish,
4. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Sweet and Sour fish Balls

2008-08-29T23:40:00.005+08:00

I learned this from my culinary class. I like the out come so I took a photo. I find it yummy. Very simple to prepare and good for any party =) try it!

Ingredients:

400 grams Fish ( Tuna meat)
1 thumb size ginger ( crushed)
1 medium carrot (chopped)
2 small kamote boiled and mashed
3 stalks green onions ( chopped)
1 egg beaten
1/3 cup bread crumbs

Procedure:

1. Boil Fish with ginger in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes.
2. Drain then flake meat and discard bones.
3. Season with 1 tsp. iodized salt ( 1 tbsp. rock salt) and 3/4 tsp. pepper. Blend well with the rest of other ingredients.
4. Form every tbsp. of mixture into a ball.

Sauce Ingredients:

1 can (439 grams) del monte pineapple tidbits.
6 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. del monte original blend ketchup.
2 tbsp. cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1 medium bell pepper cut into strips
4 stalks green onions, cut into 1 long pieces.

Kare-Kareng Manok

2008-08-29T22:55:00.006+08:00

I never thoughth we can also make kare-kare using chicken. It's good for people who watch their diet and who don't eat beef. Now we can enjoy kare2x using chicken =) Yehey! Thanks to Aimee for making some cute garnish. Makes the viand looks more attractive. You rock girl!

Ingredients :

1/3 cup anato seed
4 tbsp. Ginger ( strips)
1 1/8 Alamang ( bagoong)
1/2 kilo chicken breast or thigh
100 grams onion
1 head garlic ( cut into serving sizes)
1 cup peanut butter
200 grams tomato sauce
1 1/4 Banana heart, trimmed and sliced
4 pcs. medium size eggplants
2 cup evaporated milk or coconut milk
15 heads pechay
1/2 cup cooking oil

Procedure:

1. Heat oil. Add anato seeds. Stir until color is extracted. remove seed. ( You may also used anato powder)
2. In the same oil, saute garlic, onions, ginger, bagoong alamang and chicken. Cook for 15 minutes. Add 3 cups water, peanut butter, tomato sauce, banana heart and eggplant. Cook for 15 minutes.
3. Add coconut milk or evaporated milk, pechay. Simmer until pechay is cooked.

White Puto

2008-08-29T22:35:00.004+08:00

Ingredients :

12 cups cake flour
2 cups evaporated milk
4 cups white sugar
1 cup cooking oil
2 cups margarine
4 tbsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. salt (optional) iodized
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups water
2 cups eggwhite (12 pcs.)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Procedure:

1. Mix all dry ingredients
2. Make a hole at the center
3. At the center put all the liquid ingredients.
4. Mix gradually start at the center with the use of wooden spoon.

"eggwhite"

1. Put the cream of tartar in the eggwhite
2. beat add sugar gradually
3. beat the eggwhite until stiff.
4. pour the eggwhite to mixture and fold.
5.Put in baking tins and steam for about 15 minutes.

Note: eggwhite, sugar and cream of tartar - Mix and beat in one direction until stiff.

Chicken Roll

2008-08-24T17:36:00.006+08:00

Ingredients:

1 kl. Chicken breast ( debone) Thin slice
1/2 kl. hotdog cut into strips
1/4 kl. whole pickle-cut into 4 strips
1/2 bar cheese- cut into strips
1 cup flour
3 pcs. egg
1 cup bread crumbs
oil for frying
toothpick

Procedure:

1. Slice chicken breast into thin slices.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper . set aside.
3. Flatten the Chicken on the plate.
4. put hotdog, pickle, and cheese. Then roll.
5. Secure with toothpick.
6. Dridge in flour dip in eggwhite.
7. Roll in bread crumbs then deep fry. Remove toothpick before serving.

Rellenong Bangus ( Stuffed Milk Fish) Recipe

2008-08-24T16:27:00.007+08:00

Ingredients:

1 Big Fresh Bangus ( milkfish)
3 cloves garlic
1 medium onions chopped
1 small carrot chopped
1 cup cooked green peas
1/8 cup raisins
1 pc. egg ( beaten)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste.

Procedure:

1. Scale and remove the intestines of the bangus from the head.
2. With a very sharp knife, slowly remove the meat of the fish from the skin through the opening cavity below the head. Remove the spine by snapping off the bone at the base of the tail and head. Use a long spoon to scrape all the meat from the skin.
3. Marinate the head and skin in lemon juice, soy sauce and pepper.
4. Boil in 1/2 cup of water the bangus meat with some salt for 5 minutes.Drain, remove bones from the flakes of the meat. Set Aside.
5. Sauté the garlic and onions until slightly brown then add carrots until tender.
6. Add the cooked peas, raisins and the bangus meat to the mixture. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Add a beaten egg to the sauté and mix well.
8. Stuff the mixture inside the bangus skin and head. Sew the cavity if needed. Sprinkle or roll with flour.
9. Fry in oil until golden brown.
10. slice slightly diagonal (1 1/2 inch thick) and serve with del monte ketchup.

Stuffed Shrimps

2008-08-24T16:17:00.004+08:00

Ingredients:

12 pcs. or 1 kilo Big shrimps
12 tbsp. ground pork
1 tbsp. chopped green onion
1/2 tbsp. garlic
12 pcs. bacon (or more) or lumpia wrapper (alternative)
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Remove the shells of the shrimps. Leaving the tails intack.
2. Mix ground pork, green onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Open the back of each and fill opening with finely chop pork. (procedure no. 2)
4. Wrap in bacon and fry.

Brownies

2008-08-22T00:14:00.002+08:00

1 bar butter or 1/2 cup margarine
2 cups white sugar
2 1/2 cups All purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa benz dorp ( any brand you desired)
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/8 iodized salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
5 pcs. eggs
4 tbsp. powdered milk
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Procedure:

1. Cream butter or margarine and sugar together. Then add eggs and vanilla, mix.
2. Sift together dry ingredients ( All purpose flour, milk, cocoa, salt and baking powder) then mix.. Add to procedure no. 1.
3. Stir with chopped nuts and baked in greased square pan.
4. Cool then cut in square size.
5. Wrap with paper glaze or glacin paper.

Nuttty fruity Cookies

2008-08-21T23:43:00.003+08:00

3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. iodized salt
3/4 cup butter, slightly softened
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pc. egg
1 can fruit cocktail ( small)
1/4 cup roasted cashew nuts coarsely chopped

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven 350^oF. Sift flour and baking soda then mix. Set Aside.
2. Cream together butter and brown sugar. After creaming add fruit cocktail and vanilla.
3. Beat egg then add to dry ingredients ( flour and baking soda). Mix in fruit cocktail , butter , brown sugar, iodized salt and cashew nuts.
4. Put a tablespoon of butter on greased cookie sheet. Two inch apart when putting ingredients on a sheet. Bake in 20 minutes. For crispier cookie, bake the other side.

Chocolate Cake

2008-08-19T00:12:00.002+08:00

2 1/2 Sugar
pinch salt
2 cup Shortening (Lard) or butter
1/2 cup Milk Powder ( non-fat)
1 cup Cocoa Powder
1 tbsp. Baking Soda
8 pcs. Eggs

1 1/2 Water
1 tbsp. Vanilla
5 cups Cake Flour
1 1/2 Baking Powder
1/4 Ovalet ( Optional)

Procedure:

1. Cream together in a mixing bowl the sugar, salt, shortening and milk powder.
2. Add ovalet to the creaming method.
2. After creaming, add cocoa powder and baking soda. Continue creaming.
3. Followed by 8 eggs, mixed again.
4. Sift the cake flour and baking soda. Then add to the creaming ingredient by stage.
5. Add vanilla and water by stage to the creaming ingredients.
6.Deposit into the loaf pan or muffin pan with paper line greased with oil. Bake until done.

Baking Failure and Causes

2008-08-18T18:23:00.000+08:00

Sticking to pan
- Insufficient greasing of pan.
- Underbaking.
- Poor Volume
- Wrong baking temperature.
- Not enough leavening agents.
- Too much liquid or fat.
- Wrong pan size
- Undermixing

For Sponge and Chiffon Cakes
- Overfolding
- Insufficient baking of eggs
- Underbaking

Cracked or peaked Top
- Oven too hot.
- Too much flour

Coarse, dry crumb
– Too much leavening agent.
– Too much flour
– Too little liquid or sugar
– Overbaking

Tough Texture
- Overmixing
- Too little Fat or sugar.
- Overbaking.

Crumbly Cake
– Too much fat or sugar.
– Undermixing

Large holes / tunnels
- Overbeating
- Too much leavening agents.

Oven Do's and Don'ts when Baking

2008-08-18T17:55:00.000+08:00

Do preheat the oven 10 minutes before baking.
Do put the oven rack at the center of the oven for proper heat distribution .
Don’t let the pans touch the sides of the oven or touch each other .
Don’t put the pans one on top of the other when baking with two racks . Stagger them so heat will circulate.
Don’t open the oven door until at least half of the baking time has passed.

Meats and Poultry Kitchen Tips

2008-08-11T13:53:00.000+08:00

After roasting Monterey Meats and Magnolia Chicken, let them rest for at least 15 minutes to allow the juices to be redistributed into their flesh.

When sautéing vegetables and Monterey Meats, cut ingredients into small pieces or thin slices to cook quickly. Do not overcrowd the pan to allow food to brown properly.

When grilling Monterey New York Cuts, do not forget to pre-heat your griller and clean it with a steel brush and rolled up towel dipped in Magnolia Nutri-Oil. Do not forget to use tongs to hold the towel to avoid burns.

To marinate Magnolia Chicken Cut-ups, score your chicken to incorporate marinade in the flesh. Place in a Glad Zipper Bag for easier storage in the refrigerator

Seafood and Fish Kitchen Tips

2008-08-11T13:51:00.001+08:00

Store prawns and shrimps in the freezer submerged in the water used for washing rice. This will keep the shells from wilting and from getting soft for 2 weeks.

When keeping dark fleshed fish fillets, wrap them with paper towels before freezing them, sealed with Glad Cling Wrap. This will ensure that your fillet will not be soaked in its blood and liquid juices.

Fruits and Vegetables Kitchen Tips

2008-08-11T13:49:00.000+08:00

To maximize the flavor of lemon grass, remember to pound the white parts of the stem before stuffing in Magnolia Chicken or incorporating in broths.

To add more character to your dishes with bell peppers, roast the bell peppers on a stovetop then scrape off peel and seeds.

Use the rim of a glass to take out the mango flesh from its skin. This will get you a beautifully shaped and smooth mango slice without the stringy veins on the surface

Dairy Products Kitchen Tips

2008-08-11T13:44:00.000+08:00

If you forget to allow enough time for your eggs and Magnolia Gold Butter to reach room temperature, submerge cold eggs in warm water for 10 minutes. Make sure water is not hot so as not to cook the eggs. Soften Magnolia Gold Butter in the microwave on a lower setting; make sure it does not melt.

Grease your grater before grating cheese with some Magnolia Nutri-Oil to avoid the cheese from sticking to the grater resulting to lumps of cheese.

When measuring sticky ingredients like honey, corn syrup and peanut butter, it is best to lightly coat the measuring spoon or cups with Magnolia Nutri-Oil.

Stop running after your chopping board when you are chopping. Line a ply or two of wet tissue or even the ends of your white bread under your board to keep it in place

Tuna Croquettes with Sesame Seeds

2008-08-03T19:02:00.000+08:00

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh tuna flakes
1/4 tbsp. olive oil
4 tbsp. all purpose flour ( 1 tbsp. for sauce)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground pork
1 pc. egg
50 grams bread crumbs
50 grams sesame seeds
oil for frying, pepper

Procedure:

For sauce: Heat the oil in pan then add the flour and cook until it became light golden color. Stir well, gradually add the milk into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Shape the mixture as desired then coat with flour, egg then bread crumbs and sprinkle it sesame seeds. heat the oil in pan. Deep fry until golden brown.

Chicken Wings Relleno

2008-08-03T18:43:00.000+08:00

1 kilo chicken wings cut into two debone
1/2 kl. ground pork or ground chicken
1 cup carrot, minced
1 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. onion minced
1 cup flour/ bread crumbs
cooking oil for deep frying
2 pcs. egg
bell pepper, soy sauce and salt to taste

Procedure:
1. Debone chicken wings, sprinkle with salt, pepper and soy sauce. Set Aside.
2.mix all together the remaining ingredients.
3. Stuffed chicken wings with the mixture.
4. Deep in flour next into eggwhite, then roll in bread crumbs
5. Deep fry.

Kare-Kare

2008-08-03T18:10:00.000+08:00

Ingrediemts

1/2 kilo beef (round or sirloin cut) cut into cubes (for a more traditional kare kare, use cleaned beef tripe instead of beef)
1/2 kilo oxtail, cut 2 inch long
3 cups of peanut butter
1/4 cup grounded toasted rice
1/2 cup cooked bagoong alamang (anchovies)
2 pieces onions, diced
2 heads of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons atsuete oil
4 pieces eggplant, sliced 1 inch thick
1 bundle Pechay (Bok choy) cut into 2 pieces
1 bundle of sitaw (string beans) cut to 2" long
1 banana bud, cut similar to eggplant slices, blanch in boiling water
1/2 cup oil
8 cups of water
Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a stock pot, boil beef and oxtails in water for an hour or until cooked. Strain and keep the stock.

2. Heat oil and atsuete oil in a big pan or wok.

3. Sauté garlic, onions until golden brown, then add the stock, toasted rice, beef, oxtail and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Salt to taste.

4. Add the eggplant, string beans, pechay and banana bud. Cook the vegetables for a few minutes. Do not overcook the vegetables.

5. You can have the option to serve with bagoong on the side and hot plain rice.

Filipino Sinigang na Baka Recipe

2008-08-03T18:08:00.000+08:00

Ingredients

1 kilo beef [for stewing, cut into cubes]
12 pcs sampaloc [tamarind]
2 onions [diced]
6 tomatoes [quartered]
2 pcs radish [sliced diagonally]
4 pieces gabi [yam, peeled and cubed]
2 pieces eggplant [sliced diagonally]
1 bundle sitaw [stringbeans, cut into 2? length]
1 bundle kangkong leaves
4 pieces green sili
6 cups water
Salt and Patis to taste

Method:

Boil tamarind to soften. Pound and strain all juices and set aside.

In a large pot, bring beef to a boil, lower fire and simmer for an hour or two until beef is tender. Take out all scum that rises to the surface.

Add onions, tomatoes and tamarind juice, followed by gabi, and cook for a few minutes. Add in eggplant, sitaw and green sili.

Season with salt and patis to taste. Add in kangkong leaves. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Culinary Tricks

2008-08-03T17:53:00.000+08:00

1. To keep parsley crisp and fresh, place a bunch upright in a wide mouthed jar with airtight lid. Add just enough water to the jar to cover the stems without it touching the leaves. Store in the refrigerator.
2. Wash a bunch of green onions. Cut off roots. Pat dry with a paper towel and mince. Store in tightly covered plastic containers in the refrigerator. Keeps better and longer than when left in the crisper.
3. Cut off about half an inch from both ends of cucumbers to remove bitterness. To bring out their taste, slice them ahead of time, sprinkte with a little salt and refrigerate until ready for use.
4. To avoid tears when cutting onions, leave them in the refrigerator for a few days before using them.(Or peel and cut them in half under cold running water. Keep under running water for about a minute or let soak in cold water for a time before slicing.)
5. Roll lemon with palm over a hard surface or heat lemons before squeezing to get more juice from thenru
6. Scale fish under water to keep scales from flying around.
7. Frozen raw meats defrost faster when submerged in cold water rather than when left standing at room temperature.
8. For fluffier and higher pancakes, double the number of eggs called for in the recipe. Put yolks in the batter, beat the whites separately until stiff and gently fold in the batter.
9. When preparing sauces, add flour to melted butter off the heat for a smoother mixture. When adding any liquid to a sauce base, stir it in off the heat also. Add hot sauce to cold sauce two tbsp. at a time so the cold sauce warms up gradually and does not curdle.
10. If a recipe calls for a covered casserole or skillet and none is available, use a piece of aluminum foil as a lid.
11. Marinate meat in clear plastic bags. Close tightly and press occasionally to distribute fluid.
12. To coat meats or chicken pieces, measure seasoned flour into a paper bag, drop in a few pieces at a time and' gently shake bag.
13. To keep open boxes of raisins and prunes, keep them in tightly covered jars. Hard dried out prunes and raisins may be revived by dropping them in boiling water for 2 or 3 minutes. Drain and dry and they will be tender again.
14. Store peeled ginger root in a plastic bag in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator and they will not dry up. When a recipe calls for ginger root, simply grate frozen root.
15. To center gelatin mold on serving plate, smooth a few drops of water on plate with fingers; unmold gelatin.

Odor Removers

2008-08-03T17:50:00.001+08:00

1. Boil a little vinegar on the stove to eliminate unpleasant cooking odors. However, cooking foods with vinegar like adobo and paArs/wdoes not help because the combination of vinegar with other foods like garlic creates odors
2. To eliminate fishy odor, rub fish inside and out with a slice of lemon.
3. To keep raw fish fillets fresh and odorless in the refrigerator, rinse\in a solution of 1 tbsp. lemon juice and 1 cup water, dry thoroughly, wrap and refrigerate.
4. Put orange peelings on the oven racks when you preheat the oven; gives the house a delicious smell. Take out the peelings when you use the oven because burnt peelings have too strong a smell. Return peelings to the oven as soon as you turn it off and the remaining heat will be just enough to bring out the sweet orangey smell.
5. To remove the smell of garlic from the fingers, rub them with a cut ripe tomato.
6. A little vinegar added to the water in which cabbage or beets are boiled will help them keep their colors and cut down the cooking odors.
7. When cooking foods with strong odors, close all doors to other rooms in the house; if possible, open kitchen window and allow air to cross ventilate by opening a door to the outside. If a lot of cooking with garlic is done in the wintertime, ventilate the house once in a while when the temperature is mild (30°F. and above). Lower thermostat 5 degrees. Open the front and back doors and allow the air to cut through the house for at least 5 minutes. On a windy day 5 minutes is more than enough.
8. Lighting up the fireplace doesn't only give a warmth and a glow to the house, it also provides a draft which clears the air of cooking odors.

Disasters and Remedies

2008-08-03T17:48:00.001+08:00

1. If a dish is too salty, slices of raw pared potato added to it while cooking will absorb excess saltiness. When cooking adobo and it turns out too sour, add sugar.
2. If a pan of grease catches fire, sprinkle baking soda or salt over it to stop fire and smoke. Do not use water or flour.
3. To save burned food, immediately set burned pot containing the food in a larger container with cold water. Do not stir the food. Leave uncovered until cooled. Then pour contents into another pan. Do not scrape the bottom. Scorched food will adhere to the bottom and can be discarded thus eliminating the burnt taste from the rest of the food.
4. When boiling rice and the water has completely evaporated but the rice is not yet cooked, soak a double layer of paper towel with water and put it on top of the rice. Cover pot and keep on low heat. This way the rice will cook evenly and the bottom will not be soggy or burned.
5. To correct a too thick sauce: heat until simmering, then beat in, a spoonful at a time, a little cream or stock until of right consistency. Use a wooden spoon, spatula or wire whisk and scrape over bottom of pan as you stir.
6. To correct a too thin hot sauce: blend a tsp. of flour with a tsp. of
soft butter, or more as needed, always in equal amount. Beat into hot sauce,
away from the heat, until smooth. Simmer a minute or two. to remove any
raw taste of flour. .
7. To correct a lumpy sauce, strain or beat with a whisk until smooth.