Basmati Rice by Reynoso-Gala family

I never tried Basmati rice for the family but the Reynoso-Gala family of Pampanga gave me an idea to cook this special rice with a twist. They made their own version of cooking Basmati rice by adding pandan leaves, estrellas or star anise and coconut milk to bring out that rich Filipino flavor. “Bas” in Hindi language means “aroma” and “Mati” means “full of”; hence, the word “Basmati” means “full of aroma.”

Ginataang Sigarilyas Recipe (Winged bean in coconut milk)

One of the vegetables I usually cook with coconut milk is sigarilyas or winged bean. It is called the “one species supermarket” because all of the plant is edible. Also, winged bean is a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, iron and other vitamins. Hope you like my own version of it.

Ingredients:

• 2 bundles sigarilyas (remove sidings, wash & sliced diagonally)
• 2 tbsps. cooking oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed finely
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2-½ cups coconut cream (thick)
• 1 small pack sotanghon
• Fish sauce to taste

Cooking procedures:

First, soak sotanghon in water for a while to soften. In a cooking pan, sauté garlic and onion in oil then add coconut cream and sigarilyas. Put few fish sauce then simmer for 5 minutes with continues stirring. Add sotanghon then simmer for another 5 minutes (continuous stirring). Add fish sauce as required. Serve with rice and fried fish.

You can also put some chili to make it a bit spicy and meat, either ground pork or fried cubed pork).

Beef Tapa Recipe

Nowadays that price of commodities and services are rising, people must find ways to cut down their expenses especially the employed individuals. One way to save money when it comes to food is to have a home-made one that you can bring and eat in the office. Beef Tapa is one dish that you can prepare and cook easily when done marinating it. You can store it for 2-3 days.

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo sirloin or other tender beef cuts preferably with fat
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 15 pieces kalamansi, extract juice
• 2 heads garlic, finely crushed
• 1 tsp. salitre
• 1 tbsp. salt
• Powdered pepper

Marinating and cooking procedures:

Slice beef thinly into desired size (preferably across the grain). In a bowl, put the beef and add the remaining ingredients. Mix everything until all ingredients are mix well with the beef. Allow beef to marinate for at least 24 hours in refrigerator. Fry in medium flame so as not to toast the beef and loss the juice. Serve hot with rice, egg and garlic-vinegar dip.

Champorado Recipe (Chocolate Rice Pudding)

My daughter likes Champorado with lots of evaporated milk on top. Sometimes she make request of it for breakfast so if there is no stock or enough time to cook I usually buy it in the neighborhood. My girl is quite picky on the taste. She wants more cocoa and all the rice must be softened plus evaporated milk all over it, LOL.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup glutinous (sweet/sticky) rice
• 1/2 cup (more or less to taste) sugar
  
• 1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 cup (more or less to taste) unsweetened cocoa
  
• 2 1/2 cups water
• evaporated milk for toppings

Cooking procedures:

In a medium sized saucepan, cook glutinous rice with 2 1/2 cups water. Stir continually. When rice appears to be somewhat transparent, add cocoa, sugar and vanilla. Continue stirring for 3 minutes. Serve in bowls with swirls of evaporated milk on top.

Beef Caldereta Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo beef, cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup cooking or olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 green peppers, diced
• 3 red peppers, diced
• 5 onions, minced
• 6 tomatoes, sliced
• 1 medium size carrots, cubed
• 3 pieces potatoes, quartered
  
• 1 big can (350g) liver spread or ground liver
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 4 pieces hot chilli peppers, minced
• 3/4 cup grated cheese
• 2 cups beef stock
• Fish sauce to taste

Cooking procedures:

In a pressure cooker, pressurize the beef for 40-50 minutes or until the meat is tender. Set aside 2 cups of broth for the sauce. In a casserole, sauté garlic, green and red bell peppers and onions in oil. Then add tomatoes and chilli peppers. Add in the beef, beef stock and potatoes plus few of fish sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add carrots, tomato sauce, liver spread and stock. Mix and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add cheese and olives (optional) and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens. Serve hot with plain rice

Igado Recipe

I got a taste of this Ilokano dish a long long time ago in a visit to a dear friend from Baguio. Since I loved to cook and experiment with new recipes I tried this one, my very own version. Also, hubby liked the dish and since he likes chilli food I cooked it based on his preferences.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 k. pork, slice thinly
• 1/4 k. liver, slice thinly
• 1/2 head garlic, chopped
• 1 medium size onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 3 pieces siling labuyo
• 1/2 c. vinegar
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1 cup water
• sugar
• fish sauce

Cooking procedures:

In a casserole, sauté garlic, red bell pepper and onions then add pork and liver with few of fish sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes then add soy sauce, vinegar, water, sugar and siling labuyo. Cook between 10-15 minutes or until pork is tender. Add sugar and fish sauce as desired. Serve hot with rice.

Nilagang Baka Recipe (Beef Stew)

This recipe is one of the favorites in the house especially during rainy season and stormy days. Beef is really great and the soup gives comfort to fight the cold weather.

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo beef, cut into 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" cubes
• 2 large size onions
• 1 bundle onion leaves
• 1 bundle Pechay (Bok choy) cut into 2 pieces
• 1 small cabbage, quartered
• 4 potatoes cut the same size as the beef
• 10 corns of black pepper
• Fish sauce to taste
• Water
  

Cooking procedures:

In a pressure cooker, add the beef, pour with water and boil for 30-45 minutes or until the beef is tender. When done with the beef, remove cover and set the flame low then add potatoes, onions, corns and onion leaves. After 5 minutes, add the cabbage and pechay and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve hot with fish sauce. I usually do not put fish sauce in my cooking. I just serve it separately for this dish.