Chicken Inasal

Its barbecue weekend! 

I have marinated the chicken since last night for today's lunch - Chicken Inasal.

Chicken Inasal is a famous barbecued or grilled chicken dish which originates from Negros. The local term "inasal" means grilled or barbecued.

Chicken Inasal is not your usual chicken barbecue. It has a unique taste of blend of herbs and marinade which includes lemongrass, ginger, garlic, pepper, vinegar and calamansi. Unlike other barbecue, the chicken inasal does not require soysauce or catsup as add-ons for the marinade. This is one of Filipino's all time favorite. 

With the right ingredients, you can make your own chicken inasal at home. And i'm pretty sure, you have it in your kitchen right now!

Tara ihaw na tayo!

Chicken Inasal (Pinoy Kitchenette style)

Chicken Inasal

Ingredients:
6 pcs chicken - thigh part or breast cut
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks lemongrass ,   (pound the stalks to release the oil, flavour and aroma - when infused with the
                                   marinade, this gives a nice distinct taste)
1 thumbsized ginger, shredded
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tbsp calamansi juice
1/2 cup lemon soda ( I used 7-up)

for basting:
1/4 cup atsuete oil
2 tbsp margarine , melted
1/4 cup of marinade leftover (from the marinade we had earlier)

for grilling ,you also need:
6 barbeque sticks
charcoal

Cooking preparation:

 > Mix all the marinade mixture in a bowl. Make sure all the chicken pieces are covered evenly with the marinade. Marinate the chicken overnight. Cover. Refrigerate.

> Insert the stick 

  > Grill over charcoal 

> Baste the chicken while grilling. Cook for about 10-15 minutes each side. 

To check if it's well cooked inside, pierce the chicken with a stick

or fork. If the juice that runs out is clear (means no blood)

it's done.

> Serve with your favorite toyo-calamansi condiment.

But with mine, I love it with my homemade sinamak. Enjoy!

Now where's my rice? Rice please!!!

Homemade sinamak

  Happy weekend everyone!

This post is linked to :  eRecipecards ,  Food Trip Friday, Food Friday

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Best Food Forward 2013

The most awaited summer food fair, Best Food Forward is marking their 3rd year this 2013. This gastronomic event will happen on April 20-21,2013 at the NBC tent, Bonifacio Global City, from 10am-8pm. 

It will be a sure delicious, fun and food-filled weekend you shouldn't miss - with various specialty food stalls, cooking demonstations, family attractions, celebrity chef appearances, celebrity guests and many more! Unang Hakbang Foundation, which hosts a weekly feeding program for kids, will again be their beneficiary.

I'm so lucky to have been invited to attend Best Food Forward's sneak peek event last April 6 at the Malayan Plaza. Wow! happy and lucky indeed to be one of the first to taste and experience what's in store for us this year. Thanks to Nuffnang Philippines for inviting me. 

Meet some of the merchants - who made my tummy filled with gusto of their yummy treats! Awesome!!! 

Delicakes - Classic Cakes and Tea-infused Pastries by Joly

It's a promise , Your first bite never lies!

The best macaroons I've ever tasted. 

     Finally , I got "The Big Ohhh" with Eat My GF  - - - -  Ohhh SO YUMMY!

                                                                                       

Eat My GF : The Big Ohhh
50% Beef and 50% Bacon ~ sinfully good!

You'll go nuts with Kalookies' Chocolate Chips with Nutella!

Amazingly good! Soft to bite, almost melt in your mouth Macarons of Mrs. Graham's
They have their famous unique flavored macarons - such as Salty Caramel, Malibu Rum,
Tequila Rose, Inside Out Smores , Cookie Dough and
 their newest Pancake and Maple! 

Refreshing, healthy and thirst-quenching chilled flavored tea by Gold Tea. 

Oh yes, never miss this one --the perfectly concocted Butter Beer 
by Curly Pepita of Pepita's Kitchen

Meet the youngest entrepreneur of the event - 
Little Pepita of Pepita's Kitchen.
She makes these sweet delights such as Speculoos Polvoron
 and Speculoos Shake.

Can't get enough of sweets... French Macarons, Flan Pots 
and Sticky Toffee Pudding by Casa Angeline 

These are perfect for people on the go. Thumbs up for Our Kitchen's ready to heat  food.
These are specialty dishes that are really mouth-watering. I personally liked their Bicol Express
and Seafoods Kare-Kare. These are also available at selected Robinson's supermarket.

Of course, everyone's favorite japanese mayonnaise and salad dressings ,
 Kewpie ~ made sure that we eat our veggies, too! I love their Roasted Sesame dressing.

Whew! What a day! A very endulging day.. What more on the 20th and 21st of April...
I have already invited some of my so-much-willing foodie friends to join me on this food fair
coz I got complimentary tickets, too. Mark your calendar!!! It's a date.
A fair to remember - Best Food Forward 2013.

For more info visit  www.bestfoodforward.com.ph

This event is also partnered with Electrolux, Alaska Milk Corporation, Kewpie,
Flyace Corporation, Jolly and Philipps.

See you there, foodies!

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Green Mango Ice Cream with Bagoong (by Sebastian's)

SUMMER in the Philippines ...
We have so many places to go and enjoy the food and the sun.

Baguio, Tagaytay, Boracay, Cam Sur , malls and more...

But sure enough,when it comes to summer food, what else do you have in mind aside from our tropical fruits,  ice candy and halo-halo ? Oh yes! I scream ------> ICE CREAM!!!

Sebastian's Green Mango Ice Cream with Bagoong

You are missing (definitely, absolutely) half of your life if you haven't had a scoop yet of Sebastian's delightful flavors of sorbet. My favorite of all is the very filipino - Green Mango Ice cream with Bagoong. Oh oh! I know just with  the mention of green mango, now your mouth is watering ...and you can now almost taste the   sweet and salty teasing flavor of the bagoong. Sarap!!!

Sebastian's has really paired up to Filipinos' unique passion for extraordinary flavors. Yes we have thought and joked before of manga't bagoong ice cream (quirky isn't it?) but they have it now, we have it now for real! Thank you Sebastian's! I can't help but keep coming back for more ...

They have a wide array of must try ice cream and frozen novelty flavors - Leche Flan , Hot Pot and Dimsum , Kamias, Manga't Suman, Chili Burger ,etc.

Sapin-Sapin Ice Cream  &  Green Mango Ice Cream with Bagoong

When I ordered for the green mango and bagoong the other day, my husband had the sapin-sapin ice cream.  It was amazingly good as well.

They have just announced a new flavor - Guyabano! I definitely wouldn't miss this. :)

If you happen to drop by MOA, you'll find Sebastian's at the 2nd level near IMAX, then tell us what's your flavor. Enjoy! SUMMER is really more FUN in the Philippines!
       

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Steamed Lapu-Lapu with Tomato Sauce

And so the countdown begins....

Just a few more hours from now and we welcome 2013. A new year to start everything. New hope. New endeavors. New goals. May the force be with us! May the Almighty bless us! May the luck be upon us!

And speaking of good luck, it's been a part of auspicious filipino practice (from chinese influence) to serve whole fish aside from those round and sticky foods during new year - for prosperity. Well, anything that promises and brings success, wealth and happiness - let's attract it all in! But let's not forget to pair it up with hard work too. 

Oh, back to the fish -here's a simple and an easy one you can dish up tonight ...  

Steamed Lapu-Lapu with tomato Sauce

Steamed Lapu-Lapu with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

1 med. size Lapu-Lapu (also known as grouper)
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, finely choped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp grated ginger (1/4 part goes to the fish and the rest to the sauce)
1 green chili, chopped (as garnish)
salt , to taste
ground pepper, to taste
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp hot sauce (optional )

How to prepare:

• Clean fish. Wash.Pat dry. Rub some ginger and little salt and pepper and the sesame oil. 
• Steam fish in your steamer. This cooks fast. about 5 to 10 minutes its done.Set aside. 
• In a pan, heat oil, saute, ginger, onion.add tomato and bell pepper and the rest of the ingredients.
• Simmer and let the tomatoes softened, and the sauce thickened. Add more water if you want it a bit more saucy. Adjust seasoning as preferred. 
• Pour the sauce over the fish. Garnish.
• Enjoy!

Note: Lapu-Lapu can be a bit expensive, no worries - you can use also use Tilapia.

Wishing you Happy and Prosperous 2013 Everyone!!! 

This post is linked to :  eRecipecards ,  Food Trip Friday, Food Friday

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Chicken Relleno {Stuffed Deboned Chicken}

Chicken Relleno (Stuffed Deboned Chicken)

Chicken relleno has always been a feast to the eyes as much as it pleases our "panlasang pinoy". It has become a tradition, a part of our noche buena or Christmas dinner. Some friends has always asked me how do I make my chicken relleno. Well I haven't posted it before either because it's gone in a flash (oh yes! that fast!)  before I'd get a decent photo of the chicken relleno.

Lucky me! This time,I was able to tap some hands who would want to get a pinch for a bite piece of this stuffed chicken :) This is what we had for Christmas dinner.

 Chicken Relleno 

This is really very easy to make. Fresh deboned chicken are available in the supermarket, so no hassle if you don't know how to debone a chicken - just buy a ready one! Then everything is just going to be just mix-stuff-bake/roast.

Chicken Relleno

Chicken Relleno {Stuffed Deboned Chicken}

Ingredients:
1 deboned chicken (about 1 to 1.5 kgs.)
1/4 butter
1 tsp annato seeds (atsuete) *optional

For the chicken marinade:
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp calamansi juice
dash of ground black pepper

For the stuffing:
400 g minced chicken
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 large white onion ,finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 carrot,grated
1 pc chorizo de bilbao, finely chopped
1/8 cup raisins
2 pcs pandesal  (or day old bread), soaked in one cup of milk
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp  fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
2 hard boiled eggs

• How to prepare:

1. In a bowl, mix the marinade.Marinate the chicken for about 30 minutes to an hour.

2. Pre heat oven to 190^oC 

2. Lay the chicken in a flat surface as shown in the photo above.

3. In a bow,mix all for the stuffing except the hard boiled egg. If you would want to know

if the seasoning is just right, get a small piece and fry it in a pan. This way you would know

if you need to adjust the salt. Some recipe would call for pickles, I opted it out, I wanted the celery

and the paprika instead. 

4. Stuff the mixture inside the cavity. In the mid part squeeze in the hard boiled eggs.

Add caption

5.  When done stuffing, seal the cavity with a toothpick or stitch them if you like. 

then tie the legs to keep it close together. After that, rub some butter and ground pepper.

6.  [Sorry no photos, I forgot to took some on this part] Place the chicken in a roasting pan [or a rectangular baking pan], cover with foil. 

7.  Bake for about 45 minutes. Remove the foil cover. Get some of the drippings, place it in a cup,then mix in the annato seeds. The sauce would be reddish. There, we have some basting to do. :) 

Baste the chicken every once in a while to keep from drying. Let the chicken cook for about 45 minutes more or until nice golden brown. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes before slicing. 

8. I love it best with mushroom gravy sauce. Yum!

Happy Holidays!                      

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Sweet and Spicy Pork Ribs (Korean Style)

Korean dramas, K-pop fashion and music .... we've been literally hit by these Korean storm. The latest obviously is Psy's Oppa Gangnam Style. :) Admit it! you know the song. You even tried the galloping moves :) I did!!! shhhhh! It has captured the global audience for several weeks already and still is a craze up to now. You can hear it almost everywhere, and when you do, I bet your hips and feet are moving unconsciously to the beat. And I bet, you're even practicing it for your Christmas party. Come on, don't be shy! Admit it!

Hush now. I can't tell you more about this dance, coz I'm not that so much into dancing. I would want to, but  goodness - parehas kaliwa paa ko! 

Now, let's just go talk about food. Korean food. Come to think of it, I haven't even been to an authentic Korean restaurant (as in authentic!). I have tried bulgogi and kimchi. And  I do know, based from the cooking shows and Korean dramas I've watched - guilty again :), the cuisine is superb when it comes to taste and presentation. Remember Jang Geum of Jewel in the Palace korean drama? It was fascinating how they prepare their cuisine traditionally. 

The closest and perhaps the easiest Korean dish I could think of that I could whip up for our dinner tonight is the Spicy Pork ribs. It so happen also that I found a pack of instant Dweaji Kalbi seasoning mix in the grocery earlier. Now isn't that convenient? Dweaji kalbi (or galbi) means pork ribs.
So come, let's dish up a yummy sweet and spicy pork ribs.

Korean Style: Sweet and Spicy Pork Ribs  (Dweaji Galbi)

Sweet and Spicy Pork Ribs

Ingredients:        

• 1 kilo of pork spare ribs (I had it cut in into 2 to 3 inches)

For the marinade:

• 1 pack of Dwaeji Galbi seasoning mix
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

For basting:

• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp grated ginger
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• dash of black ground pepper
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

How to prepare:

Marinate the pork ribs with Dweaji Kalbi seasoning mix and  sesame oil.

1. Marinate the pork with the Dweaji Kalbi seasoning mix and 1 tbsp sesame oil for about 3 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 190°C.
3. Mix all the ingredients for basting mix in a bowl.
4. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
5. Arrange the meat on the baking sheet. Don't throw away the marinade, mix it with the basting sauce.Set aside.
6. Tightly cover the meat with foil.
7. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil cover. By this time, meat is tender.

There's two way for you finish this off, choose which is more convenient for you, after step #7

• OPTION 1: Set the oven to grill. Pre-heat grill. Grill the ribs for 10-15 minutes. Baste the ribs with the  sauce while grilling. While doing this, you'll notice that the sauce becomes thicker and sticking nicely to the meat.

OR

• OPTION 2: Cook it over charcoal grill. Continuously baste the meat while grilling. Cook it until nicely charred.

Note: I originally planned to cook it charcoal grilled, but then I don't have a stock of charcoal.           So I cooked it in the oven. OPTION 1.

        

Serve it with rice and stir-fry vegetables. Enjoy!

Mashikeh - mogoseyo! Now I'm learning korean language as well- i picked it up from the Korea nobelas, guilty again!          

Korean Style: Sweet & Spicy Pork Ribs (Dweai Galbi)

This post is linked to :  eRecipecards ,  Food Trip Friday, Food Friday

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Pinaputok na Tilapia with Toasted Garlic

Pinaputok na Tilapia with Toasted Garlic

"Pinaputok" is a tagalog word which means bursting or popping or exploding.  "Pinaputok na isda" literally means a fish stuffed with tomatoes,ginger, onions, etc. Sounds tasty, isn't it? Well it holds true to its promise.

This is a very simple and easy fish dish you can make. You can use banana leaves or foil to wrap the fish. Then you can fry it or grill it, whichever you prefer.

To add more flavor, I toasted some garlic as toppings and drizzle the oil used into the fish. And when done? Whoah! You get to enjoy a very tasty dish. 

Oh by the way, I just used my oven toaster in cooking this. It was fast and no mess at all.

Pinaputok na Tilapia with Toasted Garlic

Pinaputok na Tilapia

Ingredients:

1 big Tilapia 

1 big ripe tomato, chopped

1 med.sized red onion, chopped

1 thumbsized ginger, grated

salt and pepper

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp oil

How to prepare:

• Wash and clean the fish. Pat dry. Rub some salt onto the fish.
• In a heated pan, put the garlic and oil. Toast in low heat until golden brown and crisp. Set aside the garlic, do not discard the oil, we will use it for the fish.
• In a bowl, mix the chopped tomatoes,ginger and onion.Add a dash of salt and pepper. Then stuff the mixture into the stomach. 
• Drizzle the fish with the oil used from toasting garlic before wrapping it with the foil.
• Preheat the oven toaster for 5minutes. Then cook the fish for 10 minutes.
• Unwrap the cover, then cook for another 10 minutes to achieve a nice brown tilapia.
• Transfer in a plate, sprinkle with toasted garlic. Add soysauce and calamansi on the side as dipping sauce. yum!
• Enjoy!

Pinaputok na Tilapia with Toasted Garlic

This post is linked to :  eRecipecards ,  Food Trip Friday

Have a great weekend everyone!

Happy cooking!

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Rellenong Pusit (Stuffed Squid)

Rellenong Pusit (Stuffed Squid)

Us Filipinos are fond of relleno dishes. Obviously one of the acquired taste we had from our spanish heritage. Relleno in spanish means stuffed or filling.
Rellenong pusit or Stuffed Squid is one of the easiest dish to make. Though cleaning the squids and removing the inks would be a bit messy, you'll be rewarded afterwards with a tasty treat.
In making Rellenong pusit, you can put any stuffing you prefer - onions, ground meat, tomatoes, peas, potatoes, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, raisins, etc. Then when stuffed- you can have it fried or grilled. Just make sure not to overcook the squid coz once you did, it would be like chewing a rubber (and you wouldn't want that of course!). And with the sauce, well, I wouldn't just settle with a ketchup :) though my daughter pleads so much sooooo... You can make your choice of sauce actually, make one that would compliment the relleno. I have always wanted the sauce some chinese restaurants make with their squid dish, one in particular I like is the one of the Wok-In restaurant in Malate.

Rellenong Pusit (Stuffed Squid)

Rellenong Pusit (Stuffed Squid)

Ingredients:

• 6 pcs medium sized Squids
• 300 gms ground pork
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs 
• 1 red bell pepper , finely chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• green onions, for garnish

     For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Rellenong Pusit (Stuffed Squid)

How to prepare:

1. Clean the squids. Firmly yet gently pull the head away, the ink sac and inner parts will come with it. We won't be throwing away the heads, just remove the ink sac and squeeze out to discard the beak-like that's in the center of the tentacle. 
2. Cut the tentacles about an inch below the eyes, then chop the tentacles (we will include it later for the stuffing)
3. Wash and pat dry the squids with a paper towel. Set aside.
4. In a pan, heat oil, then add onions, then garlic and grate ginger. Toss in ground meat. Season with soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and pepper. Let brown. Add the chopped tentacles, stir then add bread crumbs. Cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside. Let cool.
5. Then stuff the squids with the above mixture. Secure the ends with a toothpicks.
6. In a pan, heat oil then lightly fry the squids for about 3 minutes. Set aside.
7. In the same pan (still with the oil from frying the squids), add the tomato sauce, water and ginger. Season with soy sauce and oyster sauce. Add pepper and salt as needed. Then add sugar. Let simmer in medium heat.
8. Then put back the stuffed squids again in the pan (with the sauce) and the squid heads we set aside earlier. Cover and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Remember: Do not overcook the squid.We want it soft. 
9. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Rellenong Pusit (Stuffed Squid)

This post is linked to :  eRecipecards ,  Food Trip Friday, Food Friday , Recipe Sharing Monday

Have a great weekend everyone!

Happy cooking!

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