Arroz Valenciana (Family Recipe)

The first version of Arroz Valenciana, a festive dish traditionally served during fiestas and made with either sticky rice or regular rice combined with meats and vegetables, was earlier shared on this blog using tomato paste. This time, this is our family recipe version, which instead highlights the warm flavor and color of turmeric powder.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Jasmine rice

1/2 cup malagkit

1/4 cup cooking oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 small chicken fryer, cut in 2-inch pieces or 3 pieces chicken breast, cut into chunks

1 big chorizo de bilbao (optional) 

1 tbsp or more turmeric powder
2 tbsp fish sauce

1 1/2 cup coconut milk

1 1/2 cup chicken broth 
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 medium carrot, cubed (optional)
1/3 cup, raisins
1 can green peas, drained(optional)
1 medium red bell pepper, cubed or julienned  

Procedure:
Combine jasmine rice and malagkit in a bowl, rinse several times until the water runs clear, then drain well. In a wide pan, heat oil and sauté onions until softened. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, followed by the chorizo, frying until it develops color. Season with fish sauce and cook for about two minutes, then stir in the drained rice, toasting it lightly. Pour in the coconut milk, chicken broth, and turmeric powder, then add carrots and potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, before lowering the heat and covering to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the vegetables are fully cooked. Finally, add green peas, raisins, and bell pepper on topped, and cook for another three minutes. Remove from the heat and  let it stand covered for five minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving.

Tapa

Nothing beats eating tapa, sinangag at itlog for breakfast or tapsilog. I added sausage and atsara to make it more special. And here is Lutong Cavite's tapa family recipe.

Ingredients:
1 kilo beef sirloin, thinly sliced
soy sauce
calamansi juice
brown sugar
cooking oil
pepper to taste


Procedure:
Combine soy sauce, calamansi juice, brown sugar, and pepper in a bowl depending how you want it to taste and stir. Add the beef and massage. Keep overnight in the refrigerator or until you are ready to serve it.

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the beef and cooked until lightly brown. You can also add the marinate before browning if you want it to be a bit saucy.

Chocolate Cookies

This is one of our all time fave and easy to make cookie recipes at home.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
chopped walnuts, optional

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Cover a baking tray with baking paper.
In a bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla until well combined.
Stir in flour, baking powder and cocoa.
Roll spoonfuls into balls and press with a fork to slightly flatten.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Leave to cool on the tray then transfer to a cooling rack.

Malabanos

Malabanos is Cavite-style fish adobo dish made of eel (palos) which is meaty like pork. Let us revisit cooking it again this time with better photos.

Ingredients:
Female Malabanos (already bathe in turmeric and sliced thickly)
turmeric (luyang dilaw) if not bathe in it
vinegar
garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Pour enough vinegar into the malabanos. Add minced/chopped garlic. Add some turmeric. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil the way how you normally cooked your adobo. Fry fish until is crispy outside. Add back to the sauce.

Beef Tapa

Tapsilog is an abbreviation for Tapa, Sinangag (Fried Rice), and Itlog (Fried egg).

Ingredients:

1½ lb beef sirloin, thinly sliced

5 tbsps Maggi soy sauce

calamansi juice (depending on taste)

minced garlic

salt and black pepper

Procedure:

In a container, combine and mix well. Add beef and put in a clear ziplock bag or container. 

Refrigerate overnight. In a pan, place 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Add 3 tbsp of cooking oil

Put-in the marinated beef tapa and cook until the water evaporates.

Baked Macaroni

One of my family's all time favorite pasta dish which we learn from my tita who loves to baked.

Ingredients:

1 500 gram pack macaroni

1 bar quickmelt cheese, grated

Meat filling:

1/4 cup oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 kilo ground beef

1/4 kilo sausage or ham, sliced

1 500 ml Spaghetti Sauce Pinoy Style

2 pieces bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

Béchamel Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 big can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Procedure:

Boil macaroni as directed in the package.

Drain then set aside.

Prepare Meat Filling:

In a skillet, heat oil. Saute garlic and onions.

Add pepper and cook until tender. Add ground beef and sausage. Cook until browned.

Add spaghetti sauce. Bring to a boil, lower heat then simmer for a few minutes.

Prepare Bechamel Sauce:

Melt butter then add flour. Stir to remove lumps. Add milk and chicken broth while stirring continuously. Add cream of mushroom soup and cook until smooth and thick.

To assemble:

Add half of meat filling in the cooked macaroni. Mix very well then transfer to baking pan or glass dish. Pour half of the meat filling on top then pour béchamel sauce evenly.

Top with some grated cheese then bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Crispy Milkfish Fillet with Mango Salsa

This is my own milk fish recipe which I paired with mango salsa.

For Crispy Milkfish Fillet

Ingredients:
1 pack Sarangani Bay Prime Bangus Fillet (500 grams)
1 pack Crispy Fry

Procedure:
1. Defrost bangus back fillets and slice into fingers or sticks. Include the skin if desired, but it can also be removed.
2. Dredge fish fingers in Crispy Fry.
3. Fry until crisp and golden brown.
4. Remove and set aside on paper towels to drain off excess oil.


For Mango Salsa

Ingredients:
3 ripe mangoes, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup chopped red onion (optional)
¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 large lime, juiced (about ¼ cup lime juice)
salt to taste

Procedure:
In a serving bowl, combine the prepared mango, bell pepper, onion and cilantro. Drizzle with the juice of one lime and mix well. Season to taste with salt. For best flavor, let the salsa rest for 10 minutes or longer.

Baked Tahong

One of my all time favorite ways to cook and eat tahong.

Ingredients:
Fresh tahong/mussels
handful of garlic, minced
oil
butter
quickmelt cheese

Procedure:
Wash tahong and clean all dirt. Place it in a pan and steam until all shells are almost open (do not overcook) Remove and discard the top shell. Arrange shells with tahong meat in a baking dish. Saute garlic until brown. On each tahong meat place garlic, a dash of butter and quickmelt cheese.

Baked in the oven until cheese is melted. Serve.

Cannelloni

Cannelloni are a cylindrical type of pasta generally served baked with a filling and covered by a sauce in Italian cuisine. This is our version at home using chicken.

Ingredients:

1 box Cannelloni pasta (any brand)
1 bar Magnolia Quickmelt Cheese

Filling:
6-8 pcs chicken breast, boiled and flaked(set aside chicken broth)
250 grams sweet ham, chopped finely
2 tbsp or more liver spread
1/2 cup butter
1 small head garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
Salt and pepper

Bechamel Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can evaporated milk
1 onion, chopped
About 2 cups chicken broth

Procedure:
Melt butter in pan. Add garlic and cook until light brown. Add onion and cook until transparent. Add chicken meat, ham and liver spread. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Melt butter in low heat in another pan. Cook onions until transparent. Add flour and mix well until free from lumps. Slowly add broth and milk. Cook until thick. Season with salt and pepper.

Add some béchamel sauce to the filling mixture. Mix well.


To assemble:

Grease baking dish with butter then pour Bechamel sauce to cover the bottom. Add filling into the cannelloni pasta one by one then line them up in the baking dish until it is filled. Pour sauce just enough to cover the pasta. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 450 F for 20- 30 minutes.

Tamales

“This recipe was selected to be part of the Noche Buena Recipes as part of the Christmas celebration of the educational publisher Twinkl, with the aim of helping Filipinos feel the Christmas spirit wherever they are around the world.”

Tamales is a popular bread filling usually served during festive season like Noche Buena and Media Noche in Caviteñean houses. When I was young I remember tamales can be bought on sari-sari stores just like peanut butter or cheese on ordinary days but gone are the oldies who has the patience of cooking and selling this so most of the time one can have authentic Caviteñean tamales by orders only during festive season.

(Photo of ordinary tamales during ordinary days)

Ingredients:
1 cup powdered rice flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup cooked pork, cut into strips
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced chorizo
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Annatto seed or achuete for color (optional)
Sliced cooked ham
2 red eggs or boiled eggs, sliced

Procedure:

Toast rice flour in moderate heat until golden brown. Remove from the heat and add coconut milk, stirring until smooth. Stir in peanut butter, salt, sugar and pepper. Return mixture in stove and cook on medium heat adding chicken broth, stirring until it turns into a thick paste. Lower heat, stirring for 10 minutes more and taste seasoning. Transfer into a banana leaf and shape into a rectangular form.

Combine ham, pork and chorizo and place on top. Add sliced egg on top. Fold the banana leaf to form a rectangular bundle. Get another banana leaf and fold all over to form another rectangular bundle. Do this two more times so the tamale is wrapped four times in banana leaf. Tie the bundle up so water does not seep inside the tamales. Place in a steamer, and steam for one hour.

NOTE: To make the tops of the tamales colored use annatto seeds or achuete.

Pineapple Upside Down Chiffon Cake

One of our all time fave cakes at home which will surely fill any Noche Buena table with festivity.

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups softasilk flour

1 ¼ cups sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

½ cup oil

¼ cup water

½ cup pineapple juice

6 eggyolks

1 tsp lemon extract

1 cup eggwhites

½ cup sugar

½ tsp cream of tartar

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 325⁰ F.

Arrange the bottom topping of your choice. In this case I use pineapple slices, cherries, raisins, nuts and brown sugar.

Make a well and add in order the oil, eggyolks, pineapple juice, water and lemon extract. Stir with a wooden spoon, pressing mixture against sides of the bowl until smooth. (meanwhile, add cream of tartar to eggwhites).

Beat eggwhites until soft peaks form, aff sugar gradually and beat until stiff.

With rubber scrape, fold the eggyolks mixture into the beaten eggwhites.

 

Pour unto an ungreased 13” x 9” x 2-1/2” rectangular or 10” tube pan.

Bake for 50 minutes at 325⁰ F or on moderate oven until done.

Invert pan to rack and cool off.

 

Potato Chowder

This is my all time favorite home-made chowder who's recipe we got from a cookbook. I love cooking this on special occasions. Just before we change to a brand new year thought of sharing its recipe.


Potato Chowder is a simple soup with potatoes, onions, bell peppers and milk thickened. It can be served with crackers or bread.

Ingredients:

2-3 large potatoes, diced
2 cups boiling water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
half bar quickmelt cheese or cheddar cheese

Procedure:

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain, saving cooking water. Dissolved bouillon cubes in hot liquid.

Melt butter in saucepan. Add onion and bellpepper. Cook while stirring gently for 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour and let bubble. remove from heat. Add milk and potato water. Stir in salt and pepper. return to moderate heat and cook until boiling and smooth, stirring constantly. Turn heat to low and simmer 2 minutes. Add cheese and stir until cheese us melted. Stir in potatoes and heat well. Serve hot.

Carbonara (Pinoy Style)

If you are tired of spaghetti then why not try carbonara. Not all people appreciate this pasta dish since some find it bland and "nakakaumay" but I find this yummy just don't serve it too often.



Ingredients:
500 grams fettuccine, cooked according to package direction
1 can Campbell Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 tetra pack Nestle Cream
1 can of evaporated milk
1/2 cup ham, chopped
1/2 cup button mushrooms, drained and sliced
bacon, fried to crisp and chopped
1 cup grated cheese
5 cloves of garlic,minced
1 medium onion,chopped
1/2 cup of butter
oil
salt pepper to taste

Procedure:
Place the butter with a dash of oil in a skillet then sautee garlic and onion. Add ham and mushroom. Cooked for 30 seconds then pour mushroom soup, cream and milk. Simmer. Salt and pepper to taste.

Place cooked fettuccine in a serving plate then pour sauce. Sprinkle cheese and bacon bits. Serve hot with garlic bread or bread rolls.

Happy Independence Day !

Lumpiang Ubod Prito

I shared before Lumpiang Ubod recipe this time I am sharing it's fried version which I also love.

Ingredients:
2-3 cups ubod (palm heart),sliced into thin strips
1 medium carrot, sliced into thin strips(optional)
sliced cabbage (optional)
1 small chicken breast, boiled and flaked
5 cloves garlic,minced
1 small white onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
lumpia wrappers(spring roll)
cornstarch diluted in water
cooking oil

Dipping Sauce:
vinegar
crushed garlis

Procedure:Saute’ onion and garlic. Add ubod, carrots and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Stir fry and just before ubod is cooked add cabbage. Cool.

Place about two tablespoons of filling mixture on each wrapper. Roll and seal end with cornstarch diluted in water. Deep fry in cooking oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Serve warm with dipping sauce made of vinegar and crushed garlic.

Chicken Macaroni Salad

Chicken Macaroni Salad is a famous Filipino salad made with cooked elbow macaroni prepared with mayonnaise served cold.



Ingredients:
16 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked,rinsed, and drained
1 big boneless chicken breast, boiled and shredded
1 small can pineapple tidbits
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, cut into very small cubes
1/2 cup raisins
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
4-5 pieces of sweet ham chopped
3 tbps pickle relish
2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup cheese, cubed
dash of sugar
dash of vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
Cook the macaroni as directed in the package. Place the macaroni in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients and mix well. Salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar to taste.
Chill overnight inside the refrigerator. Share and enjoy!

Taco Salad

One of our favorite easy to make salad/appetizer at home.

Ingredients:
¼ kilo ground beef
½ pack McCormick taco seasoning mix
1 small head iceberg lettuce or cabbage, sliced
1 box nacho chips
½ bar cheese
2-3 pieces tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup prepared salsa
thousand island dressing or banana ketchup

Directions:
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and drain excess fat. Stir in taco seasoning and simmer until beef is cooked. Set aside.

Toss the nacho chips into serving plate or bowl then line with lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, ground beef. Add your preferred dressing and topped with grated cheese.

Ham and Cheese Mini Bread Rolls

Ingredients:
1 loaf Gardenia white bread
cooked ham, cut into strips
cheese, cut into strips
beaten egg
bread crumbs
butter
oil

Procedure:
Flatten each slice of bread using a meat pounder or rolling pin. Spread butter, arrange a strips of ham and cheese at one side and roll. Freeze for at least an hour. Sliced into 2 or 3 pieces depending on your preference. Deep each roll in the beaten egg then in bread crumbs. Repeat process until all breads are coated.

Heat generous amount of oil in a frying pan. Fry each until just browned. Drain in paper towels. Served with your favorite pasta dish.

Blueberry Cheesecake

One of our all time favorite dessert at home during holidays is this no bake blueberry cheesecake.

Ingredients:

Crust
2 cups graham crackers crumbs
1/2 bar melted butter
2 tbsp sugar

Filling
1 bar Magnolia Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
3 tbsps evaporated milk
1 tetra brick All Purpose cream, chilled
1 cup Blueberries in syrup

Procedure:

For the crust, mix graham crumbs with sugar and butter. Press on a 9″ pie plate or containers of your choice. Chill.

For the filling, beat cream cheese and sugar until light. Over low heat, dissolve unflavored gelatin in milk over low heat and add to cream cheese while its still hot. Beat until well blended. In another bowl, whip cream until stiff and fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour onto crumbs. Top with blueberries. Chill until set.

Haleyang Ube

This is one of my all time favorite dessert although we traditionaly cook this at home during fiesta. The same way it is a staple in Caviteñean household fiesta handaan especially during yester years.



Ingredients:
1 1/2 kilo of purple yum
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
1/2 kilo sugar or more depending to taste
grated cheese
1 egg
butter
vanilla

Procedure:
Cook unpeeled purple yam in boiling water until tender. Peel then grate or mash finely. Place mashed yam in a large wok. Pour in evaporated and condensed milk. Add the sugar. Simmer gently over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, for 30 minutes. Make sure the bottom does not scorch. Just when it is beginning to get thick add whole egg, grated cheese and vanilla. Spoon into clean containers brush with butter and cool. Do not cover containers while yam is still hot as this can spoil it. Serve warm or cold as dessert.

Lechetin

Lechetin is a dessert combination of leche flan and gelatin. This is my version of the dessert.




Ingredients:
2 cups evaporated milk
3 cups water
3-4 eggs
1 pack Mr. Gulaman white or any gelatin powder
white sugar (a cup or more)
dash of vanilla

Caramel syrup:
white sugar
water

Procedure:

Beat eggs and milk. Add sugar, water and gelatin powder. Mixed until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour into desired molds. Let set and cool on the refrigerator.


For caramel syrup:

Heat over low fire sugar and water until brown. Pour on top of the unmolded lechetin.




Nothing beats leche flan but in times of rising prices and when one is on a tight budget this is one of the cheap alternative dessert.