How to Cook Delicious Food

Yesterday, my husband surprised me with a bar of chocolate! It was a gesture of appreciation he said, for cooking delicious food these past few days.

Wow! That was a compliment! The chocolate was no extra ordinary but the compliment was!

I have been cooking all my 19 years of married life but yesterday was something different for me. I actually have been complimented for my cooking quite a number of times already. But yesterday, i felt there was something different...that made me reflect, what indeed have I done to have cooked those delicious food and thus received such compliment.

In the past, whenever I cook something new from recipes that I have found in books or magazines or have seen over a TV show, and when friends or relatives praised me for them and requested for the recipes, I always give them the same recipes I used myself that earned their praise.

I remember on some occasions when these friends would try cooking the same recipe I've given them, they would tell me that the dish tasted differently from mine. They would insist that I must have a secret to cooking the delicious food and beg me for it. Oftentimes, I would wonder myself what is it. The recipe that I pass on to them is the same recipe that I myself use and follow.

Meanwhile, even in our franchised bakery business, friends and customers will often tell me or my husband that our bread taste more delicious compared with the other franchised branches. This comment usually makes me wonder what makes the difference in the taste since all branches (of our franchised bakery business) are using the same recipe and source and brands of ingredients.



In similar manner, in my own kitchen back in my own home, the recipes that I cook there and the ones i share with relatives and friends (and now here in this webblog) are the same. If there is anything that varies, it probably would be just the salt and pepper.

Now looking back at my own cooking- this week and the last, I realized there is one thing that made all the difference. and that I think is the secret to cooking delicious food. That secret is in...no other than what I call the "cook" factor.

Yes! The "cook" factor- the one cooking. The chef or the baker (for those baked products like the ones in our bakery!).

When the one cooking is happy, and he enjoys what he is doing, it reflects in his food- the one he is cooking. This to me is all that made the difference in my cooking this week and the last.

I realized I was in a very bad mood last week, and it manifested in all the dishes I prepared myself. They were either bland or simply not delicious at all.

This week, however, I'm in a happy mood. Thus, it showed in the food that I have prepared. See? That simple. Just my mood; my disposition. And it showed in my creation- the food I prepared!

Fresh Fruit and a Quick Salad Dressing

My daughters and I have been cooking and baking some sweet goodies for desserts recently. Since we have a lot of fresh fruits available, we've been preparing fruit salad quite regularly.

Actually, we use just about any fruit available- buko (young coconut meat), avocado, pineapple, papaya, banana, etc. When we want more, we sometimes use canned fruit cocktail and add some nata de coco. We just simply mix them up with this quick fruit salad dressing:
All purpose cream and condensed milk mix completely at the ratio of 1:1/2 respectively.

This fruit salad dressing us best used chilled, but just in case your cream just came right from the grocery store, you may mix the salad dressing with the fresh fruits and chill it up before serving.

The fruit salad dressing actually is versatile. you can use it for a lot of other dessert recipes. I personally use the same cream for my Mango Float, Mango and Nata de Coco Delight, and just about anything I can think of for dessert that requires a sweet cream dressing.

Boneless Pata Tim

While browsing over my numerous copies of my favorite Food Magazine, I came across this recipe - Boneless Pata Tim.

While I have already been cooking the regular Pata Tim recipe also from Food Magazine, this boneless version is one that I still have to try in my kitchen. But with the reputation of Food Magazine as one who'll try cooking first any recipe before they feature it, I'm certain that this one would be another excellent one.

Here's the recipe for the BONELESS PATA TIM. This will serve 6.

Ingredients:
1 Pork front leg (pata)
8 cups water
¼ cup Minced garlic, divided
1 medium Onion, sliced, divided
1 tbsp. Peppercorns, divided
1 tsp Salt, divided
¼ cup Soy sauce
¼ cup Cooking oil
3 tbsps sugar
3 tbsps Oyster sauce
1 tbsp. Sesame oil
1 tbsp. Cornstarch dissolved in
¼ cup water

For the Vegetable:
1 tbsp. Vegetable oil
1 medium White onion, sliced
1 medium Carrot, sliced
1 small Bokchoy, sliced

Directions:
1. In a pot, put the pork leg (pata) in water with half of garlic, onions and peppercorns, and salt. Bring to boil. Simmer under low heat for one hour or until pork is tender.
2. Drain pata from the liquid. Set aside liquid.
3. Run a knife inside the pata to loosen the meat from the bone. Discard the bone.
4. Brush pata with soy sauce.
5. In a skillet, heat cooking oil to medium high and fry the pata until golden brown. About 3 minutes on each side.
6. Pour in reserved liquid and add remaining garlic, onions, peppercorns and salt.
7. Stir in sugar, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Simmer over low heat until stock reduces in half. Add dissolved cornstarch in water and bring to boil until sauce thickens slightly. Set aside.
8. Cook the vegetables. In a skillet, heat oil and stir fry onions, carrots and bokchoy about 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender.
9. Serve pata tim with vegetables on the side.


Source: Food Magazine, March 2007

Enjoy cooking and eating!

How To Make Drop Cookies - for kids and first-time bakers

Back when I was still a young mother, I learned how to bake by just following instructions from the cookbook.

Among the first thing that I baked was cookies. Cookies are actually very easy to make and it also brings a lot of satisfaction in me especially when the cookies are appreciated by my little ones ( and the hubby as well!)

Drop cookies are perfect for first-time bakers. Here are some tips on how to make cookies for kids to follow...

1. Have a grown up close by to help.
2. Carefully read the recipe and prepare the necessary baking equipment/utensils and ingredients.
3. Place cookie sheet in the oven one at a time, on the middle oven rack.
4. Check the cookies at the earliest baking time indicated. Remember, cookies get easily overdone when left in the oven even for just a few minutes.
5. Always use potholders or oven mittens to remove cookie sheets from the oven.
6. When using the same cookie sheet, let it cool first before putting the next batch of dough on them.





3 Steps to making the perfect drop cookies

Step 1: In a large mixer bowl, beat brown sugar, sugar, margarine ans shortening until the mixture is light in color and fluffy in texture. Usually this takes 2 to 3 minutes of beating with an electric mixer, and longer if using wooden spoon. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. The flour, baking soda and salt can be mixed in with the electric mixer or stirred in until completely combined. The dough would be quite stiff at this point.

Step 2: Using a wooden spoon, stir in the chopped chocolate and nuts until the pieces are evenly distributed.

Step 3: To bake, drop small amounts of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet by using a regular sized tablespoon to scoop the dough and a spatula to drop the dough into the cookie sheet, in equal sized mounds, about 2 inches apart (note: this is important to give space to the cookies as they spread out during baking).

The above instructions and tips were gathered from my collection of Pillsbury Cookbooks, which until now I still use although they are already worn and tattered ( evidence of their constant use!)

A Taste of Japan- TEMPURA

Here's a dish that is very common in any Japanese Restaurant- Tempura.

Tempura is actually quite easy to prepare. In fact, it is one of the dishes I first learned when I was still a new wife and was still learning how to cook.

Here goes the recipe of Tempura

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo fresh shrimp
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup water
1 egg slightly beaten
1/4 tsp. salt

Tempura Sauce:
1/2 cup hot water
1 pc bouillon cube
2 tbsps. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. vetsin (optional)
1 tsp. ginger, grated
2 tbsps. radish, grated
cooking oil

Procedure:
1. Shell shrimps. Slit the back and open butterfly fashion. Devein and wash. Dry and set aside.
2. In a bowl prepare the batter. Combine water, egg, flour and salt. Stir about 5 times, but still lumpy.
3. Heat oil in pan.
4. Dip shrimps in batter and deep fry.
5. Prepare Tempura Sauce by combining all the ingredients together.
6. Served Tempura hot with sauce.

Got Any Recipe Request?

Yes, dear friends, if you have any recipe request do let me know. I might have it in my collection. Just drop a comment in my Comment Link below.

TURBO CHICKEN with FRESH GARLIC & ROSEMARY

Here's another chicken recipe. I have tried cooking, er I mean baking the dish myself after watching Emeril (Emeril Live) demonstrate it in one of his shows.

I got 2 thumbs up from my children especially from my youngest son, Mat.

At the time I cooked it, I actually did not have an exact measurement of ingredients. I prepared it just based on estimates. Luckily, I saw the recipe from one of my favorite magazines while browsing over it lately.

Here's the recipe:

TURBO CHICKEN with FRESH GARLIC & ROSEMARY
Source: The Best of Food Magazine

Ingredients:

2 whole chicken, split into half- lengthwise
1 head garlic, pounded
1 tbsp. coarse salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
½ tsp. dried rosemary leaves
2 tbsps. olive oil
2 tbsps. fried minced garlic (optional)

Procedures:

1.In a small bowl, mix the garlic, salt and pepper. Rub the chicken pieces with the mixture thoroughly inside out. Put fresh rosemary sprigs inside the cavities.

2.Rub olive oil all over the skin and sprinkle some dried rosemary leaves on top. Allow to stand for 15 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degreesF.

4.Arrange chicken pieces in a pan lined with foil. Bake in oven or turbo broiler for 45 minutes or until done. Turn the chicken pieces every 15 minutes and baste them with the fat and cooking juices that drip on the pan. Alternately, if your time allows for longer cooking, bake the chicken at 325 degrees F for 1 hour on one side, and another hour on the other side, skin side up, basting occasionally with the pan juices for more tender chicken.

5.Arrange chicken pieces on a serving platter and sprinkle fried garlic on top. Pour the pan juices over the chicken just before serving.

HOW TO DEBONE A PORK LEG (PATA)

With the delicious recipe - BONELESS CRISPY PATA I posted earlier, many were asking how to debone the pata or pork leg.

Here are some videos on HOW TO DEBONE A PORK LEG (PATA):

First video:


Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N40NkBoHGSk

and another...


Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJPFoe0KTzs

and one more...


Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RUygXYZ9dc&NR=1

A RECIPE: BONELESS CRISPY PATA

An online friend from the Online Club I'm in asked me how to debone a pata (pork leg) because she wanted to cook Boneless Crispy Pata for her husband, being his favorite dish.

Since I don't know it myself, I decided to research on how a pork leg or pata is deboned and at the same time took the liberty of looking for the recipe of Boneless Crispy Pata.

I'm posting here in my blog both the recipe of Boneless Crispy Pata and videos I found on how to debone a Pork Leg or pata.

First, let me share with you the recipe.

Boneless Crispy Pata

Serves 4 Prep Time 5 minutes Cooking Time 35 minutes, plus 90 minutes boiling time

1 kilogram pork leg
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons rock salt
3 pieces laurel leaves
4 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying

1 Debone and cook the pork leg or pata in boiling water with salt and whole black peppercorn for 1 1/2 hours. Cool.
2 Place pata in a deep pan filled with cooking oil; simmer for 20 minutes on very low heat.
3 Set aside to cool.
4 Place again in cooking oil and simmer for another 10 minutes on very low heat. Then deep-fry for 5 minutes on high heat, or until golden brown and crispy.
5 Slice into thin rounds and serve with soy vinaigrette (see next page) on the side.

Tip: This frying technique–simmer-cool-simmer and deep-fry–is the secret to achieving that extra crispy skin.

Source:http://www.yummy.ph/recipe/Boneless-Crispy-Pata

A Very Easy Fish Recipe You'll Surely Love

Here's a very easy fish recipe I know you'll surely love! It's also healthy! This is similar to the ones we often see served in Chinese restaurants.

I was again in one of my frequent gatherings with my BLD community. The hostess, Tita Malou Leh, prepared a fish dish as her contribution to our potluck dinner.

She was not only gracious to share that delectable fish dish but also shared her recipe.

Here it is:

FISH FILLET IN SOY SAUCE

Ingredients:
2 pcs. fillet of any white meat fish( I recommend the Cream Dory or Lapu-Lapu)
2 tbsp. ginger, minced, divided
water for boiling, enough to cover the fish
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. spring onions,sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce or toyo
1 tbsp. cooking oil or olive oil

Procedure:
1. Boil the fish with some ginger, salt and pepper to taste. Cook just until done.
2. Strain the fish. Set aside in a serving platter.
3. Pour the soy sauce over the fish.
4. Garnish the fish with the remaining ginger and the spring onions.
5. Boil the oil. Pour it over the fish.
6. Serve.

Note:
You may add or reduce the ginger, spring onions and soy sauce according to your taste.

AN EASY CHICKEN RECIPE

Here is an easy chicken recipe that you can turbo broil or bake in your oven.

WHITE BARBECUE CHICKEN

Ingredients:
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tbsp. cane vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 pc. Chicken cut into desired pieces

Procedure:
1. Prepare the marinade by combining all ingredients together except the chicken.
2. Dry the chicken well and marinate it with the mixture above for at least 10 minutes.
3. Bake chicken at 350 degrees F or turbo broil at 300 degrees F for 20 minutes or until fully cooked.

Source:Yummy, June 2007 Issue

Maja Blanca, A Classic Filipino Dessert

A friend has asked me for the recipe of MAJA BLANCA.

MAJA BLANCA is a classic Filipino dessert but it can also be served as a merienda (snacks).

Instead of just sharing the recipe exclusively to my friend, I thought of sharing the recipe to all of you who might be interested. Afterall, Maja Blanca is very easy to prepare.

Try it!

MAJA BLANCA

Ingredients:
1 c. cornstarch
2 c. pure coconut milk, divided
1/4 c. sugar
1 can 418 g (1 1/2 cups+2 tbsp+ 2 1/2 tsp. cream style sweet corn
1 can 300 ml condensed milk
1 can 370 ml evaporated milk

Procedure:
1 Dissolve cornstarch in 1 cup coconut milk.
2 Grease an 8-inch pan. Set aside.
3 In a casserole, combine dissolved cornstarch, sugar, corn,
remaining coconut milk, condensed and evaporated milks.
Mix until sugar is completely dissolved.
4 Cook mixture over medium low heat about 30 minutes, stirring
frequently to avoid scorching at the bottom of the pan.
5 When mixture starts to thicken, cook 5 minutes ore.
6 Pour into prepared pan. Cool and chill well before serving.

Easy Pasta Recipe: Pasta with Hungarian Sausage & Bell Peppers

My children love Italian Food so much especially pasta. At least once every week they expect me to serve them pasta.

I like pasta dishes, too. It is a one-dish meal and very easy to prepare.

My children are not the typical Filipino kids who love to eat the pasta/ spaghetti with the sweet meat-hotdog tomato sauce. No, that's not the kind of pasta they like. They are actually more into the authentic Italian flavors.

I remember one time when most of my kids where still in grade school and I brought Pasta with Pesto Sauce in school for their lunch. I noticed how amazed some of the other kids (and parents, too) were as they look at the green colored spaghetti we were eating!

My kids love pasta and everything Italian, and so do I.

Once in awhile I experiment with anything and everything I have in my kitchen. I actually love creating dishes out of anything. It's a bonus when my family delights in my creation.

Sometimes when I like a certain dish I have tried in a restaurant, I try to recreate it at home in my own kitchen. I just love it when I am able to do something from anything!

However, it becomes a "problem" sometimes when I don't take notes of what I have done. The moment the kids ask for a repeat of the dish, I am at a lost. I am unable to repeat the taste of what I have done previously. But luckily these days, I have learned to take down notes. I am now able to pass on to others, especially to my two older kids my very own recipes.

I find Italian pasta very easy to prepare. Here's one recipe that I want to share with you.

PASTA WITH HUNGARIAN SAUSAGE, BASIL & BELL PEPPERS

Ingredients:

400 g. spaghetti, cooked as directed
1/4 cup olive oil
hungarian sausage, sliced
1/2 head chopped garlic
2 pcs. sliced red onions
3 pcs. bell pepper strips
5 pcs. tomatoes, seeded and cubed
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. fine salt

Procedure:
1. Cook pasta as directed.
2. Saute hungarian sausage until cooked using 1 tbsp olive oil. Darin from oil. Set aside
3. Pour remaining oilive oil with the oil used for the sausage. Cook garlic until light brown in the same oil used for sausage.
4. Add onion. Cook until opaque.
5. Add about a tsp of fine salt.
6. Add sausage, bell peppers. Cook until bell pepper has softened a bit.
7. Add tomatoes and basil. Mix.
8. When ready to serve. Mix cooked pasta with the sauce.
9. Serve with parmesan cheese.

Cooking Tips:
For best taste, do not substitute the olive oil with an ordinary cooking oil. Get the best brand that you can afford.
As much as possible use fresh basil. (I love basil and the flavor and smell it gives!)

Pata Tim

Pata Tim! It's one of those oriental dishes that makes me salivate.Hmmmm...

Long before I stumbled on the perfect Pata Tim recipe I'm about to share with you today (thanks to FOOD magazine!), I thought, whenever I eat this dish in restaurants, that it is probably difficult to prepare. But lo and behold! When I tried preparing this recipe, I found out, it's not difficult at all!

I'll tell you my little cooking secret.

Pata Tim is actually prepared in 4 stages. But I discovered based on my own experience that I can do it one stage at a time according to my convenient schedule.

So, let me give you the recipe and I'll insert my own cooking tips as I go along with the cooking procedure.

PATA TIM

Ingredients:
1 front pata, about 1 kilo
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. ginger extract
2 stems spring onions, chopped
oil for cooking
2 cups water
1 beef broth cube
1 tbsp. rice wine
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp. sesame oil

For the veggies-
1/2 cup butter
chinese pechay, sliced
carrot, cut into your desired design
red bell pepper, sliced
spring onions, sliced

Procedure:
1. Combine soy sauce, ginger extract and spring onions. Rub them on to the pata. Let stand at least for 1 hour.

Cooking Tip: You can do this the night before you plan to cook the Pata Tim.

2. In a wok, fry the pata in hot cooking oil until brown. When done, remove pata from wok and transfer it to a pressure cooker.

Beware: Do not overcook the pata to the point that the meat is already falling off from the bone. Keep it intact yet tender!

Cooking Tip: If you wish to stop here and continue for later, you can do so.

3. Pressure cook your fried pata in 2 cups of water, beef broth cube and rice wine. Cook until the meat is tender. Transfer the pata to a platter and reserve the sauce.

Cooking Tip: In many instances, this is actually the stage where I often "park" my cooking, and wait until we are about to serve the meal before I continue. That way, I always serve my Pata Tim hot, and the vegetables are not overcooked.

4. Dissolve cornstarch in the 1/2 cup water. Add to the reserved sauce of the cooked pata.

5. In a separate pan, combine sugar and sesame oil and heat until sugar is dissolved. Add to the cornstarch mixture. Heat in a saucepan, stirring constantly until smooth and thick.

6. Pour sauce over pata before serving.

7. Cook the vegetables. Stir fry the vegetables over heated butter. Put the carrots first followed by bell pepper, pechay and then the spring onions. Serve as side dish to the Pata Tim.

Cooking Tip: I like serving the vegetables laid underneath the pata and on the sides of the serving plate. Choose a nice serving dish. It would make your Pata Tim look more palatable!

Wheeew! Just sharing this with you makes me crave for Pata Tim!

This recipe yields 6 servings.

Baon Recipes: A Fish Recipe and a Beef Recipe

As a mother, I am meticulous about the food my children eat. So, normally I personally prepare their baon (packed lunch) for school.

However, I don't like sending them baon (packed meal) out of what we have for breakfast. Thus, I always have freshly cooked dish for them everyday.

Of course, the same dish becomes our lunch at home. That saves me time for other things that need to be done in the house since the lunch dish is already cooked early in the morning.

Here are two recipes which I found in a magazine way back in 2000. My kids like them that they have become "regulars" in our menu whether for baon (packed meal) or for regular meal.

BANGUS ALA POBRE
Ingredients:

4 pcs Bangus, daing style cut 1 1/2 tbsps Steak Sauce/ Knorr seasoning
1/2 cup vinegar 4 tbsps Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsps salt
Oil for frying
Salsa:
4 Tomatoes, sliced
1 Onion, diced
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp salt
Pinch of salt

Procedure:

Place fish, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Tie the end and let stand for an hour or so. In a frying pan, fry marinated fish (one at a time) in hot oil over medium heat.

For the salsa: Mix all ingredients until well blended. Serve on the side.


SALPICADO ROYALE

Ingredients:
200g. beef tenderloin, cut into strips
2 tbsps. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 tbsps. Red and green bell pepper, cut into strips
7 button mushrooms, quartered
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tsps. Butter
1 tbsps. Garlic, minced
dash of hot sauce

Procedure:
1. Mix beef, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, red & green bell peppers and mushrooms in a bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Heat oil and butter over medium heat. Saute garlic until fragrant.
3. Add in beef mixture and cook just until beef is done.
4. Season with hot sauce.
5. Serve on a hot plate.

Recipe Source: Family Reader, April 2000 issue

==========
Feel free to add/minus the seasonings according to your taste. For the worcestershire sauce, choose the best brand that you can afford. Quality matters.

Enjoy!

Filipino Breakfast Recipes and Some Business Ideas

Here are two popular Filipino breakfast recipes which we normally buy ready made from the grocery store but these are actually so easy to make.

These Filipino breakfast recipes can also be a source of business income if you wish to earn extra. I'm giving you here volume recipes which you can pack in small batches for resale or for your own consumption.

Here they are:

BEEF TAPA

Ingredients:
4-1/2 kls. beef sirloin, sliced tapa style

Marinade:
1 can 46 oz. Pineapple Juice, unsweetened
1-1/2 tbsp. Sugar
5 heads(125g) garlic, crushed
5 tbsp iodized fine salt
or 1 cup rock salt
2-1/2 tsp pepper

2-1/2 c. oil (for frying)

Procedures:
1. Combine all ingredients for marinade.
2. Marinate beef for 1 hour or overnight.
3. Drain. Fry in oil until cooked.

The recipe above will yield 3.5 Kls cooked tapa. Good for 50 servings.


PORK TOCINO

Ingredients:
4-1/4 kls. pork pigue, sliced according to your desired thickness

Marinade:
2-3/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 tbsp iodized fine salt
or 1-1/2 tbsp rock salt
1 tsp pepper
6-1/2 cups Pineapple juice, unsweetened
1 cup Banana catsup

1/3 cup oil (for frying)

Procedures:
1. Pound the meat to flatten.
2. In a bowl, mix all ingredients for marinade.
3. Marinate pork overnight. Keep in the refrigerator.
4. Drain meat before cooking. Fry in oil.
5. Slice into thin strips. Serve.

This will yield to about 3 kls. cooked tocino or good for 50 servings.

Note: Based on your desired yield, you may reduce or increase the volume of the meat as required in the recipes and the ingredients accordingly.

Prepare the recipe the day before and viola! You have a fresh home-cooked breakfast meal. Your children will love you more for preparing them healthy home-cooked breakfast!

A New Twist to the Pork Barbecue, Pinoy Style = Ala Rack's

I hope you like the Pork Barbecue recipe I shared earlier.

Of course you may always substitute the pork with chicken or any meat of your choice if you don't like pork.

Warning on the use of sugar: It will easily burn your barbecue. So, regulate your fire/stove. In my case, I like cooking my barbecue over charcoal fire. And, I only use half of the sugar in the recipe. Occasionally I substitute sugar with honey.

Please feel free to adjust the seasonings according to your taste. That's the beauty of cooking!

When we were staying in Manila some years ago, I used to love the barbecue of Rack's, a very popular restaurant there. I have often wondered how they prepared their babyback ribs barbecue- so tender and delicious!

With the Pork Barbecue recipe, I tried experimenting with it. This is my version of Rack's tender and delicious babyback ribs barbecue!

Pork Barbecue Ala Rack's (My version!)

1.I usually substitute the pork kasim or lomo with special ribs, cut into my desired size.
2. Wash, and pressure cook the ribs with enough water and some salt just until tender when the meat still sticks with the bone without falling off.
3. Drain and cool.
4. Mix the pressure cooked meat with the marinade sauce. Leave overnight.
5. Grill just until it browns the meat. Brush with the marinade.
6. Serve!

Yummy!!!

For more barbecue recipes, click here.

P.S.
Sometimes, I marinate the ribs first before I pressure cook them. I cook the left over marinade as instructed and brush it on the ribs while grilling them.

Try it and decide which way appeals to you the most. Enjoy cooking!

P.S. 2

If you like my blog, please be a fan. Just look for the Followers label, click on the Follow link found under it and register. Thanks!

Reason For This Blog and a Pork Barbecue Recipe, Pinoy Style

Hi!

I have always wanted to put my collection of recipes in a document but have not actually found the time to do so. Actually, I also did not exactly know how to do it except to write all the recipes I have tried cooking and wanted to try in a notebook and some on index cards. Otherwise, I simply bought some cookbooks and/or food magazines and referred to them whenever I wanted to cook something.

Finally, I have learned how to blog, and have found this avenue a very fitting way of documenting my collection of recipes both Filipino foods and international. I hope you'll find my collection worth referring to.

The recipes I'll be sharing here with you are not necessarily my own. I have learned of them through cookbooks, food magazines, my mom and from other people. But what makes these recipes different perhaps from their sources is my own personal touch whenever I tried cooking them myself.

Through the years I've learned that COOKING is an ART. There is actually no rigid rule in cooking. The only guide you are to follow in cookingis your taste buds and those who's gonna eat what you have cooked, and for you to ensure that your food is safe for eating.

But it's different in baking. Baking requires exact measurement of ingredients. I'll talk about baking in later posts...

By the way, between baking and cooking, I like baking more. But as a mother, cooking is indispensable... Thus, expect that here, I'll also be sharing some recipes and cooking tips on baking.

So... for my initial salvo, let me share with you a recipe for pork barbecue. The Filipinos love their food with a hint of sweetness and saltiness, thus, this barbecue recipe. My family loves this recipe a lot.

PORK BARBECUE (recipe from The Best of FOOD Magazine)

Ingredients:
2 cups white sugar (reduce sugar if you prefer less sweet taste)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 head garlic, chopped
1/2 bottle (320 grams) or about 1/2 cup+2 tbsp. banana catsup
2 tbsp fresh calamansi juice
3/4 cup clear soft drink (ex. Sprite or 7-up)
1 kilo pork kasim or lomo (I personally prefer special ribs), cut into 1-inch pieces

Optional:
2 tbsp. banana catsup

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the pork meat and the optional ingredient. Mix well.
2. Marinate pork pieces in this mixture for at least 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
3.Heat grill to medium-low. Drain pork pieces and reserve marinade.
4. If using kasim or lomo, thread the pork pieces into skewers and cook over grill.
5.In a medium saucepan, heat reserved marinade to boiling. Brush barbecue with marinade when almost cooked.

Note: Extra marinade can be served as sauce. Add the 2 tbsp. banana catsup and reheat. Stir until smooth.

6. Serve. (I like serving my pork barbecue with atchara/pickled papaya.)

Until next post... God bless!