Semi-homemade Salmon Teriyaki

While teriyaki sauce marinades can be easily bought from grocery stores or markets now-a-days, it's always better to put your own twist to these store-bought conveniences. Here, to use for the salmon filets, I enhanced the sauce:

1 cup teriyaki sauce (any brand will do. I used Kikkoman.)

1 T white sugar

1 inch ginger, peeled slices thinly or grated (I sliced)

1 T garlic, finely chopped

3 stalks green onion, sliced thinly

Mix all of the above and marinate the salmon in it for about 1 hour. Turn the salmon midway to ensure even distribution of flavor. Do not marinade too long as the fish will get too salty. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes uncovered. If your salmon is thick, ensure that fish is cooked through. Broil on high for 5 minutes for a smokey flavor on top (optional).

Serve with vegetables for a healthy, easy dinner.

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Chicken Tinola

On cold days, there is nothing better than warm soup for the soul. Last night, my attempt to make Tinola was a success! Again, I always love the way my mom makes it, so for this to come out tasting even half as good is considered a huge success for me.

Here's how I made it:

Needed:

2 lbs chicken, cut into serving pieces

2 inches ginger, peeled and sliced thinly

1 medium onion, chopped

2 T crushed garlic

1 T oil for sauteing

3/4 c patis

4 c water (or rice water)

1 bag spinach, washed

2 medium chayote (sayote) peeled and sliced into 2 in pieces

How to make:

1. In a large pot with lid, saute garlic, onion, & ginger in oil.

2. Add chicken pieces and patis and let chicken cook in its own juices. Stir occasionally to allow even cooking. This will take about 10 minutes.

3. When chicken is no longer raw on the outside, add (rice) water just enough to cover chicken. You may not use all 4 cups. Let chicken cook through. This may take up to 30 minutes over medium heat.

4. Add the chayote to cook with the chicken. The chayote may take up to 10 minutes to become tender. Check the chicken and chayote for cookedness. Taste the broth to check if more patis may be needed. Soemtimes, people want a more patis taste, so adjust to your preference.

5. When chicken and chayote are cooked through, add spinach. Spinach will cook quickly so you can just cover the pot with its lid and let the spinach wilt.

6. Make sure you don't overcook the chicken. Serve with hot rice with patis on the side, if preferred.

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Oven-Baked Catfish with Tomatoes and Celery

This oven-baked catfish is so easy to make, it will literally take you no more than 10 minutes to prepare and an hour for it to bake.

This is good when you don't have time to cook, don't have the energy to think of what to cook, and to eat on cold days (like what we've been having in Daly City lately).

You will need:

2 medium-sized catfish (freshly caught is better)
2 celery sticks, sliced 1/2 inches thick
2 tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste



To make, pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Then:

1. Clean catfish well and lay flat in any oven-proof dish. Make sure the dish is deep enough to allow for the fish and the broth to fit in.

2. In the fish cavities, insert 2-3 celery sticks. By doing this, you ensure flavorful fish inside.

3.  Next, lay the tomatoes on the fish. Then, season the fish with salt and pepper.

4. Pour enough water to cover the fish almost entirely. You don't want the fish buried in the water. Allow for some fish to be "steamed" so the entire fish won't be "swimming" in the water. Pardon the pun. Depending on your dish, you may or may not use all of the water asked for above. You may also need more. Just make sure the fish is covered and a bit of the fish above the water.

5. Bake covered in aluminum foil for approximately 1 hour. You don't need to keep checking on it. The fish will bake and steam in the broth while the tomatoes and celery giving it flavor.

6. Take caution in opening the dish for steam will escape that is quite hot. Serve hot.

Grilled Pork Liempo

Pork "liempo" or pork belly is tricky. It has to be cooked just right and tender enough for it to be considered "delicious" and appreciated. This pork liempo recipe, I marinated the pork in 7-Up soda for 8 hours to ensure tenderness. You can also use this recipe for thin-sliced pork chops.


Here's how I cooked this liempo:

Needed:
2 1/2 lbs pork liempo or pork belly
1 can (regular-sized) can 7-Up soda
1 clove pounded garlic
dash salt and pepper





How to make:
1. As with any meat, rinse the pork and let dry.
2. Lay in a plastic container with a lid. You will marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
3. Add the soda, garlic, salt and pepper. The soda's sweetness will also add flavor, so don't use the "diet" version.

 

4. Let sit in the container in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. This will ensure that all the seasonings have made it into the meat.

5. Best grilled.

6. Depending on the slices of pork, it can take at least 5 to 7 minutes for the pork to cook through on each side. Continue to turn so all sides are fully-cooked. To make sure it is cooked, slice and make sure the inside is no longer pink. For safety reasons, do not serve pink pork.

7. Best served if sliced in bite-size pieces.

8. Optional: serve with dipping sauce of 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/8 cup water, 1 T crushed garlic, salt, and pepper.

When I went to the market last week to purchase the pork, I noticed there were thinner slices of pork belly. I did not buy those. Instead, I went with these, about 1/4 inches thick. In hindsight, I should have gotten the thinner slices, especially since I was grilling them.

These turned out tender enough and not dry at all. I also ensure that the pork was well-cooked. 

Shiaoxing Sauce for Crispy Fried Fish

Over the weekend, I craved for fish. It was going to be some deep fried fish, but I wasn't sure until almost dinner time, that I'd end up making my own version of the soy sauce dipping sauce that most Chinese restaurants use for deep fried fish. It turned out well, so I'm sharing it here for you all to try:

First, make sure to make your fish crispy. Whole fish is best and one way to make this crispy is to ensure that your oil to fry the fish in is piping hot. It's best to coat the fish with cornstarch for extra crispiness.

Then make the sauce.

In a small bowl, mix until well combined:
3 T soy sauce
4 T water
1 T Shiaoxing wine (Chinese rice cooking wine)
dash pepper
1/4 T sesame oil
1 1/2 T sugar

Heat up 1 T cooking oil in a small saucepan. Pour soy sauce mixture and cook only until mixture boils. Transfer to another bowl to use. Pour sparingly over the fried fish and garnish with chopped spring onions.

Enjoy while crispy and hot.

Another version of this sauce can be used for boiled shrimp. I would have to experiment on that because I would like to add jalapeno peppers and ginger. Recipe to follow once perfected!

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

My latest obsession. Haagen-Dazs never fails.

 

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Pork Afritada

I have always wondered how my mom makes her special afritada and now, I know! If you're in the mood for some home-cooked goodness, read on:

I made this batch good for 10 servings, so here's what you'll need:

7 lbs pork rib meat, cubed (or any meat; I'm just partial to pork spare ribs)

1 medium onion, diced

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 cup annatto water (if using atsuete, make enough for 1 cup)

3 cups water or chicken broth (approximate)

1/2 cup white vinegar

2 cups frozen green peas (optional)

1 medium green pepper, sliced

1 medium red pepper, sliced

1 cup quatered potatoes

Salt and pepper to taste.

Patis, if desired

Here's how to make:

1. Using a large pot, saute onions & tomatoes until tomatoes are fully wilted (almost like the consistency of tomato sauce).

2. Add pork until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add annatto water. Mix so that all pork is red. Cover pork with just enough water or chicken broth. The broth makes it more flavorful. You may or may not use all 3 cups. Allow to boil on high heat.

3. When boiling, add vinegar. Cook until pork tenderizes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. It took me approximately 45 minutes for the pork to cook.

4. Add potatoes then add peppers & green peas.

5. Taste to your liking. Add patis, if preferred. Enjoy over hot rice.

 

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Fried Chicken with Angel Hair Pasta

Mommy made this succulent fried chicken and paired it with herbed angel hair pasta (Wolfgang Puck's recipe) Delicious! I hope to someday be able to make both!

 

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Pork Caldereta

Inspired by someone's FB post, I dived into making Pork Caldereta today. I researched recipes online and most just seemed too weird--from pineapple juice to red wine! I know my mom makes a great version, but instead of asking for her secret, I sought Nora Daza's version. So along with my mom's guidance, came my Pork Caldereta that's actually pretty tasty!

Needed:

1 1/2 lbs pork stew meat or spareribs (any cut will do but I prefer ribs for the flavorful bones)

1/2 cup vinegar

10 cloves peppercorns, crushed (you can also used freshly-ground pepper)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 T salt

1 medium-sized onion, sliced

1 large can tomato sauce

1 1/2 cup boiling water

2 pcs bay leaf

Dash hot sauce (like Tabasco)

1 medium green pepper, sliced thinly

1 small can liver spread

Salt and pepper to taste

How to make:

1. Marinate cubed pork in vinegar, peppercorns, salt, and garlic for at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours in the fridge.

2. In a medium-sized pain, saute pork pieces in oil until browned. Add sliced onion. When onion appears transparent, add tomato sauce. Add 1 can (the can from the tomato sauce) of boiling water. This is approximately 2 cups. Add the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Add hot sauce to your liking. Let boil. Then, lower heat to allow pork to tenderize. It took me over an hour for the pork to get soft. Watch that your sauce does not dry up. If it starts to dry up, add more water until pork becomes tender.

3. When the pork is tender, add green pepper and liver spread. The liver spread will thicken the sauce.

4. Season with salt and pepper as necessary.

Serve hot over rice. Enjoy!

 

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Caramel Syrup for Leche Flan

I went through four, yes, four tries of trying to make caramel syrup today for leche flan. Every time I made it, the sugar would crystalize & I would end up throwing it away. I searched the net for ways to make it "right" and on my fourth try, with Mommy by my side, we finally made good caramel!

Here's how it was done:

You will need 1 cup granulated whilte sugar & 1/4 cup water

A lot of patience

Mix the sugar & water together in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Over medium heat, allow to boil. DO NOT STIR. Stirring it will cause to crystalize beyond repair. Once boiling, over low heat, allow the liquid to evaporate.

You will see that the sugar will re-crystalize into clumps of white madness. Do not panic (like I did), in the bottom of the saucepan, the sugar continues to melt and brown. It continues to thicken into caramel syrup! With a wooden spoon, help the sugar along to melt. Once all the sugar has melted and blended into the amber syrup, remove from heat to prevent burning and tasting sour.

Pour immediately in ramekins for leche flan use.

Allow to harden before pouring leche flan batter.

In hindsight, when I chucked previous trials, the syrup was going through what it was supposed to go through...and I was just impatient. Just ask my mom!

 

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Uncle Carlos's Leche Flan

Needed:
10 egg yolks
2 full eggs
2 cans evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
Vanilla extract (optional)

 

Caramelized Sugar:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup hot water

Nora Daza says that to make the caramel that will line the pan, you must melt the sugar first in a pot & when melted, pour in the hot water. This was not how I made my caramel because I did not read the directions. Haha... Instead, I combined both the sugar & hot water and let the water evaporate from the mixture while simmering over medium heat. Once golden brown and syrupy, remove from heat and pour into the leche flan pans. I didn't have the leche flan "llaneras" so I just used small tin pans. Let cool completely until yhe syrup hardens. If you pour the flan mixture before the syrup gets hard, you run the risk of the two mixing together--you don't want this.

Flan Mixture:

Now would be a good time to preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Beat the 10 yolks & 2 full eggs together. Add the sugar, then the milk. Beat well, incorporating air bubbles into the mixture. The air bubbles will give your flan good fluffly consistency. I used a hand beater. If preferred, put a dash of vanilla extract.

Pour the flan mixture over the hardened syrup/caramelized sugar. Bake in a steam bath for approximately 35 to 45 minutes or until the flan is firm. Test by poking with a knife. If the knife comes out try, the flan is ready to be taken out of the oven.

Let cool completely before transferring to a plate upside down. The syrup should run off the top of the flan.
Enjoy within one day. Why? Because I noticed, as with all other flans, the longer it stays in the fridge, the thicker in consistency it becomes that the dessert sicks to the roof of the mouth. You don't want this to happen. Besides, this is so easy and good--it will probably be consumed right away! ;-)

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