Showing posts with label Buhay Bahay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Buhay Bahay. Show all posts
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sleep deprived
What would be ideal is for my new daughter to sleep through the night. But at the moment that is a bit too much to ask. Eia is barely a month old and still settling in. But her sleeping pattern is impacting on us, her parents, negatively.
For the past few weeks my wife and I have been sleep deprived. We are getting a lot less than what’s considered “healthy”. Coincidentally, the results of the study linking the common cold and sleep deprivation came out today (Sleep the Key to Cold Prevention). According to the study 8-hour sleepers are less likely to get sick than those who slept less.
Yesterday, I did not get to bed till 5.30 in the morning. I had to reset my alarm clock to 7.30 to allow me at least two hours of sleep. I still did not get my two hours. And I was also late for work!
My wife is in no better position. Being the mother, she probably slept less (and worked more).
The last thing we want is to get sick! What are we to do?!
I’ve devised a plan that we are trying out for the first time in our career as parents. We’ll be taking shifts in looking after our little angel. The plan is for Cherry to go to bed by 9pm leaving me to look after Eia till about 2am. That’ll give her about 5 hours of rest time. She would then takeover from 2am onwards with the possibility of catching some Z’s during the day. I said possibly because having 3 other children to look after does not normally allow for this.
5 hours is nowhere near ideal but it is still better than 4, or 3, or 2, or 1, or no sleep at all.
For the past few weeks my wife and I have been sleep deprived. We are getting a lot less than what’s considered “healthy”. Coincidentally, the results of the study linking the common cold and sleep deprivation came out today (Sleep the Key to Cold Prevention). According to the study 8-hour sleepers are less likely to get sick than those who slept less.
Yesterday, I did not get to bed till 5.30 in the morning. I had to reset my alarm clock to 7.30 to allow me at least two hours of sleep. I still did not get my two hours. And I was also late for work!
My wife is in no better position. Being the mother, she probably slept less (and worked more).
The last thing we want is to get sick! What are we to do?!
I’ve devised a plan that we are trying out for the first time in our career as parents. We’ll be taking shifts in looking after our little angel. The plan is for Cherry to go to bed by 9pm leaving me to look after Eia till about 2am. That’ll give her about 5 hours of rest time. She would then takeover from 2am onwards with the possibility of catching some Z’s during the day. I said possibly because having 3 other children to look after does not normally allow for this.
5 hours is nowhere near ideal but it is still better than 4, or 3, or 2, or 1, or no sleep at all.
To keep me company during these nights I’ve got a line up of DVDs to watch and a laptop for blogging. I am actually writing this while I’m on my first shift. 
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tinola (Filipino Style Chicken Soup)
If you’ve read my previous post you’ll notice that there were two papayas in the one of the photos. One was already peeled (I used to make Som Tum/Som Tam) while the other was still completely whole which I especially set aside with tinola in mind.
It’s the height of summer in Australia. Some people might think it odd to want soup when temperatures are soaring. But tinola, the Filipino version of the chicken soup, is actually quite soothing and refreshing with its dominant ginger flavour. I add tanglad (lemongrass) to my tinola for added “freshness”.
I would normally use dahon ng sili (chilli leaves) to finish off this dish but over the weekend I was given a fresh bunch of malunggay leaves (Sajin in the Indian subcontinent) which I liberally added to my soup.
Although I said use half a chicken in my recipe what I actually did was save the best parts for a Max’s style friend chicken and whatever is left I used for the soup.
For a refreshing end to the meal I made rock melon drink. Recipe for this one in my next post!
Tinolang Manok (Filipino Style Chicken Soup)
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 large onion chopped
6-8 slices fresh ginger
1 lemongrass sliced
Half a chicken cut into serving pieces
1 small green papaya cut into thick wedges
4 cups of water or chicken stock
1 cup malunggay or spinach leaves
Fish sauce to taste
Salt & black pepper to taste
1. Heat up the oil in a pot. Fry the ginger first. Add the garlic after a minute or so and fry until golden brown.
2. Add the lemongrass and cook for another minute.
3. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent.
4. Add the chicken pieces and cook for about 3 minutes or until the chicken pieces have changed colour but not yet fully cooked.
5. Add the water or stock and bring to the boil.
6. Lower the heat and adjust the taste using salt, pepper and fish sauce. If you’ve used stock you obviously need less salt and fish sauce. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
7. For a clearer soup make sure you skim the soup.
8. Add the papaya and cook until the papaya is done to your liking.
9. Finally add the malunggay leaves. Turn off the heat after about 30 seconds.
10. You can serve this as a complete meal or as a soup to go with your main meal.
It’s the height of summer in Australia. Some people might think it odd to want soup when temperatures are soaring. But tinola, the Filipino version of the chicken soup, is actually quite soothing and refreshing with its dominant ginger flavour. I add tanglad (lemongrass) to my tinola for added “freshness”.
I would normally use dahon ng sili (chilli leaves) to finish off this dish but over the weekend I was given a fresh bunch of malunggay leaves (Sajin in the Indian subcontinent) which I liberally added to my soup.
Although I said use half a chicken in my recipe what I actually did was save the best parts for a Max’s style friend chicken and whatever is left I used for the soup.
For a refreshing end to the meal I made rock melon drink. Recipe for this one in my next post!
Tinolang Manok (Filipino Style Chicken Soup)
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 large onion chopped
6-8 slices fresh ginger
1 lemongrass sliced
Half a chicken cut into serving pieces
1 small green papaya cut into thick wedges
4 cups of water or chicken stock
1 cup malunggay or spinach leaves
Fish sauce to taste
Salt & black pepper to taste
1. Heat up the oil in a pot. Fry the ginger first. Add the garlic after a minute or so and fry until golden brown.
2. Add the lemongrass and cook for another minute.
3. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent.
4. Add the chicken pieces and cook for about 3 minutes or until the chicken pieces have changed colour but not yet fully cooked.
5. Add the water or stock and bring to the boil.
6. Lower the heat and adjust the taste using salt, pepper and fish sauce. If you’ve used stock you obviously need less salt and fish sauce. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
7. For a clearer soup make sure you skim the soup.
8. Add the papaya and cook until the papaya is done to your liking.
9. Finally add the malunggay leaves. Turn off the heat after about 30 seconds.
10. You can serve this as a complete meal or as a soup to go with your main meal.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Som Tam/Som Tum (Thai Green Papaya Salad)
EatingAsia has inspired me to purge my collection of cookbooks/food magazines. You see, my idea of bedtime reading is either a cookbook or a food magazine. Over the years I have accumulated quite a collection as a consequence.
During this purging I stumbled upon a Thai cookery book (Lemongrass & Sweet Basil by Khamtane Signavong) that I bought about a year ago but never read/used. In it was a recipe for Som Tam/Som Tum (Thai Green Papaya Salad) that I’ve been meaning to try to prepare at home.
I was never fond of ripe papaya. I find its green papaya more appealing and full of potential. There's the traditional Filipino green papaya pickle called achara. It is also the preferred ingredient for tinola rather than sayote. And no adobo sa gata (San Pablo, Laguna version using duck or water buffalo meat) would be complete without this versatile ingredient.
Anyway, before I get sidetracked, the focus of this post is Som Tam/Som Tum which I made for the first time a few nights ago. Green papaya is quite difficult to source Down under but thankfully my parents have couple of trees bursting with fruit in their tiny garden. The other ingredients needed for this dish are readily available in the typical Pinoy pantry.
This salad is good as an entree or as a side dish. For dinner that night we had it with lechon kawali (roast pork).
Som Tam/Som Tum - Green Papaya Salad (Lemongrass & Sweet basil – Khamtane Signavong)
3 cloves garlic
3 bird’s eye chillies
30g roasted peanuts
30g dried shrimps
8 cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons palm sugar
4 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
250g sliced green papaya
4 snake beans
1. Using a pestle and mortar, pound the garlic, chillies, peanuts and dried shrimps to a fine paste.
2. Mix the paste with the cherry tomatoes, fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice.
3. Mix well then add the green beans and papaya. Stir to mix without breaking up the papaya.
During this purging I stumbled upon a Thai cookery book (Lemongrass & Sweet Basil by Khamtane Signavong) that I bought about a year ago but never read/used. In it was a recipe for Som Tam/Som Tum (Thai Green Papaya Salad) that I’ve been meaning to try to prepare at home.
I was never fond of ripe papaya. I find its green papaya more appealing and full of potential. There's the traditional Filipino green papaya pickle called achara. It is also the preferred ingredient for tinola rather than sayote. And no adobo sa gata (San Pablo, Laguna version using duck or water buffalo meat) would be complete without this versatile ingredient.
Anyway, before I get sidetracked, the focus of this post is Som Tam/Som Tum which I made for the first time a few nights ago. Green papaya is quite difficult to source Down under but thankfully my parents have couple of trees bursting with fruit in their tiny garden. The other ingredients needed for this dish are readily available in the typical Pinoy pantry.
This salad is good as an entree or as a side dish. For dinner that night we had it with lechon kawali (roast pork).
Som Tam/Som Tum - Green Papaya Salad (Lemongrass & Sweet basil – Khamtane Signavong)
3 cloves garlic
3 bird’s eye chillies
30g roasted peanuts
30g dried shrimps
8 cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons palm sugar
4 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
250g sliced green papaya
4 snake beans
1. Using a pestle and mortar, pound the garlic, chillies, peanuts and dried shrimps to a fine paste.
2. Mix the paste with the cherry tomatoes, fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice.
3. Mix well then add the green beans and papaya. Stir to mix without breaking up the papaya.
4. Serve with some grilled or barbequed meat or fish.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
22 hour long test of endurance
As this was our fourth trip to the delivery room we were quietly confident we knew what to expect.
Personal history tells us that the length of labour was getting shorter and shorter. Our first child took 12 hours, the next one was 8 and the third one was only 6 hours. So naturally, we’ve set ourselves for a shorter labour. 4 hours perhaps. She could even come sooner. I know a friend who almost did not make it to the hospital as hers only lasted 45 minutes.
How wrong were we!
What actually happened was a 22 hour long test of endurance…not for me, but for my dearest wife. I was there the whole time and wished I could somehow take some of the load…but all I could do was just be there.
We never thought we’ll get to the other side but on 16 December 2008, at 6.12am we welcomed our new arrival, Eliyah Cate.
All praises go to God and of course to my lovely wife, who felt it all!
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Proverbs 31:28
Personal history tells us that the length of labour was getting shorter and shorter. Our first child took 12 hours, the next one was 8 and the third one was only 6 hours. So naturally, we’ve set ourselves for a shorter labour. 4 hours perhaps. She could even come sooner. I know a friend who almost did not make it to the hospital as hers only lasted 45 minutes.
How wrong were we!
What actually happened was a 22 hour long test of endurance…not for me, but for my dearest wife. I was there the whole time and wished I could somehow take some of the load…but all I could do was just be there.
We never thought we’ll get to the other side but on 16 December 2008, at 6.12am we welcomed our new arrival, Eliyah Cate.
All praises go to God and of course to my lovely wife, who felt it all!
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Proverbs 31:28
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Loofah Soup (Patola na may Miswa)
Long before loofah became a “beauty product” I’ve always know it as a vegetable. Before it was marketed as a “natural exfoliating scrub” I was consuming it as a soup with some curious noodles called miswa (Extra Thin Flour Vermicelli).
With all the rich food that came with Christmas having this soup is a welcome break. It is light and leaves you feeling quite refreshed. Loofah is a type of melon after all.
I wasn’t really planning on writing a post about this dish that is why I intentionally did not take a photo of the fresh loofah. I have already peeled and sliced my loofah before I realised that some people might actually find this interesting. I found some photos in a blog called Wandering Chopsticks.
Loofah Soup (Patola na may Miswa)
2-3 cloves garlic chopped
1 medium onion chopped
Mince meat of your choice or dried shrimps
1 fresh loofah sliced
1 bunch miswa (Extra thin flour vermicelli)
4-5 cups Water or stock
Fish sauce or sea salt
A bit of black pepper
Oil
1. If you are using dried shrimps make sure it is soaked in warm water for about an hour. If you are using meat heat up some oil in a pot and stir fry the minced meat until cooked. Set it aside.
2. Add a bit more oil in the pot if needed. Fry the garlic until golden brown.
3. Add the onions and cook until translucent.
4. Add the meat back in or the re-hydrated shrimps.
5. Add the sliced fresh loofah and stir fry.
6. Add some of the fish sauce/sea salt.
7. Add the stock/water and bring to a boil.
8. Adjust the taste.
9. Add the miswa noodles. Simmer for about five minutes.
10. Serve hot on its own or with some freshly cooked jasmine rice.
With all the rich food that came with Christmas having this soup is a welcome break. It is light and leaves you feeling quite refreshed. Loofah is a type of melon after all.
I wasn’t really planning on writing a post about this dish that is why I intentionally did not take a photo of the fresh loofah. I have already peeled and sliced my loofah before I realised that some people might actually find this interesting. I found some photos in a blog called Wandering Chopsticks.
Loofah Soup (Patola na may Miswa)
2-3 cloves garlic chopped
1 medium onion chopped
Mince meat of your choice or dried shrimps
1 fresh loofah sliced
1 bunch miswa (Extra thin flour vermicelli)
4-5 cups Water or stock
Fish sauce or sea salt
A bit of black pepper
Oil
1. If you are using dried shrimps make sure it is soaked in warm water for about an hour. If you are using meat heat up some oil in a pot and stir fry the minced meat until cooked. Set it aside.
2. Add a bit more oil in the pot if needed. Fry the garlic until golden brown.
3. Add the onions and cook until translucent.
4. Add the meat back in or the re-hydrated shrimps.
5. Add the sliced fresh loofah and stir fry.
6. Add some of the fish sauce/sea salt.
7. Add the stock/water and bring to a boil.
8. Adjust the taste.
9. Add the miswa noodles. Simmer for about five minutes.
10. Serve hot on its own or with some freshly cooked jasmine rice.
“Fried” (leftover Christmas) Ham Sandwich
I’ve only now just started to breathe again. After so many things have happened to explain my extended absence I am now here, sitting down, and writing a blog.
If there’s one Christmas tradition I could not do without it would have to be the ham. And it cannot just be any kind of ham. It has to be a full leg on the bone! Semi-boned just does not cut it for me. It doesn’t taste as good and does not cook as well.
I normally would glaze the ham with a homemade pineapple preserve and bake it for a couple of hours (depending on the size).
Leftover ham though is even better. Not only is it tasty it is also a lifesaver days after Christmas when the last thing on my mind is to prepare another elaborate meal.
A special treat for breakfast that I prepare using leftover ham is a type of “fried sandwich”. Yup, I said FRIED! Some people prefer to call it a “grilled sandwich” but nothing can be further from the truth. It is fried and there’s no other term for it. It’s not for the “fainthearted” for reasons you’ll find out as you follow my recipe. It’s a bit like French toast, only better.
Fried (leftover Christmas) Ham Sandwich
2 slices white bread
Leftover Christmas ham (as much as you like)
Butter (real butter)
Mayonnaise (not the low fat variety)
Horseradish cream
A slice of Swiss cheese (or leftover Edam cheese from your Noche Buena)
A bit of sunflower oil (you can use butter as well but it burns too quickly)
1 egg
Some milk
1. Beat the egg and add a bit of milk.
2. Heat up a pan. Add a bit of oil and butter.
3. Butter the slices of bread. Followed by the mayonnaise and then the horseradish
4. Layer the slices of ham and then the cheese to make the sandwich.
5. Soak the sandwich in the egg mixture.
6. Fry the sandwich until golden brown on each side.
7. Serve hot straight off the pan!
If there’s one Christmas tradition I could not do without it would have to be the ham. And it cannot just be any kind of ham. It has to be a full leg on the bone! Semi-boned just does not cut it for me. It doesn’t taste as good and does not cook as well.
I normally would glaze the ham with a homemade pineapple preserve and bake it for a couple of hours (depending on the size).
Leftover ham though is even better. Not only is it tasty it is also a lifesaver days after Christmas when the last thing on my mind is to prepare another elaborate meal.
A special treat for breakfast that I prepare using leftover ham is a type of “fried sandwich”. Yup, I said FRIED! Some people prefer to call it a “grilled sandwich” but nothing can be further from the truth. It is fried and there’s no other term for it. It’s not for the “fainthearted” for reasons you’ll find out as you follow my recipe. It’s a bit like French toast, only better.
Fried (leftover Christmas) Ham Sandwich
2 slices white bread
Leftover Christmas ham (as much as you like)
Butter (real butter)
Mayonnaise (not the low fat variety)
Horseradish cream
A slice of Swiss cheese (or leftover Edam cheese from your Noche Buena)
A bit of sunflower oil (you can use butter as well but it burns too quickly)
1 egg
Some milk
1. Beat the egg and add a bit of milk.
2. Heat up a pan. Add a bit of oil and butter.
3. Butter the slices of bread. Followed by the mayonnaise and then the horseradish
4. Layer the slices of ham and then the cheese to make the sandwich.
5. Soak the sandwich in the egg mixture.
6. Fry the sandwich until golden brown on each side.
7. Serve hot straight off the pan!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Who wrote this?
An attribute of good blogs, according to 43 Folders is:
Good blogs have a voice. Who wrote this? What is their name? What can I figure out about who they are that they have never overtly told me? What’s their personality like and what do they have to contribute — even when it’s “just” curation. What tics and foibles fascinate make me about this blog and the person who makes it? Most importantly: what obsesses this person?
In the quest to make mine a reasonably good one I’ve answered some questions that’ll give readers of this blog some idea of who I am. At the risk of defeating the purpose entirely by telling you “overtly” things about me I’ll give it a go anyway:
What I love most about cooking…it is an art form that can literally be consumed.
What I least like about it is…the cleaning up after.
The best meal I’ve ever had was…at Trang’s in West End. The food is always excellent!
The worst meal I’ve ever had was…at the Holiday Inn in Darwin, the worst nasi goreng ever.
My interest in food began…at a very young age. I grew up at my grandparents’ place where everyone cooks.
The first thing I cooked was…lumpiang shanghai (Filipino spring rolls).
The foodies I admire are…Maeve O’Mara (for her highly informative shows and being culturally sensitive), Jamie Oliver (for his passion to get everybody on board), Doreen Fernandez (for shedding light on Filipino cuisine), Marketman (for inspiring me to write my own blog), and Anthony Bourdain (for having No Reservations).
My guiltiest pleasure is…KFC original recipe and Krispy Kreme original glazed donuts.
I'm very bad at…writing down notes.
The word that best describes me is…a learner.
Three things people might not know about me are…1) I don’t mind airline food; 2) I don’t like long drives; 3) I love fashion.
Someone who makes me laugh…is my wife.
Five years from now…I’ll be a father of four kids ages 15, 11, 9 and 5 and a husband to one.
My worst fashion moment…freshman at UP, I wore cycling shorts to class. Yuk!
You would not catch me wearing…crocs! They belong only in hospitals! Ugly things!
If there were five people, living or dead, I could invite to dinner, they would be…Ai AI de las Alas (Filipina comedienne), Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Ennio Morricone, Doreen Fernandez, Marketman (of Marketmanila).
As a child I was…extremely shy.
My first job was…forgettable. I stayed only for a month.
You wouldn’t know it but I’m no good at…doing quick sums without a calculator.
When I was a child, I wanted to be…a doctor. Typical!
The best invention is…TV.
If I were a movie actor, the character I love to have played is…Salvatore in Cinema Paradiso.
I wish I hadn’t…held back.
If only I could…make everybody happy.
The celebrity I most fancy is...Monica Bellucci.
My favourite smell is...freshly baked bread.
My best career decision was...going into mining.
The best advice my parents gave me was...study hard.
The thing that keeps me awake at night is... doesn’t apply. I sleep well.
A book that means a lot to me is...the Holy Bible.
A movie that has stayed with me is...Cinema Paradiso.
A song that resonates for me is...Cinema Paradiso soundtrack. It’s all music but very moving.
My secret skill (that is now no longer a secret is)...I’m very good at parking.
My earliest memory is...being taken to the doctor to get a shot.
I don't like talking about...real estate and the stock market.
At home I cook...all the time.
It's not fashionable but I love...Spam.
What I don't find amusing is...vegetarianism.
I'm always being asked...by other people about what to wear.
At the moment I'm reading...re-reading The Mad Tea Party by Clinton Palanca.
I often wonder...what life would have been like if I have brothers and sisters.
Good blogs have a voice. Who wrote this? What is their name? What can I figure out about who they are that they have never overtly told me? What’s their personality like and what do they have to contribute — even when it’s “just” curation. What tics and foibles fascinate make me about this blog and the person who makes it? Most importantly: what obsesses this person?
In the quest to make mine a reasonably good one I’ve answered some questions that’ll give readers of this blog some idea of who I am. At the risk of defeating the purpose entirely by telling you “overtly” things about me I’ll give it a go anyway:
What I love most about cooking…it is an art form that can literally be consumed.
What I least like about it is…the cleaning up after.
The best meal I’ve ever had was…at Trang’s in West End. The food is always excellent!
The worst meal I’ve ever had was…at the Holiday Inn in Darwin, the worst nasi goreng ever.
My interest in food began…at a very young age. I grew up at my grandparents’ place where everyone cooks.
The first thing I cooked was…lumpiang shanghai (Filipino spring rolls).
The foodies I admire are…Maeve O’Mara (for her highly informative shows and being culturally sensitive), Jamie Oliver (for his passion to get everybody on board), Doreen Fernandez (for shedding light on Filipino cuisine), Marketman (for inspiring me to write my own blog), and Anthony Bourdain (for having No Reservations).
My guiltiest pleasure is…KFC original recipe and Krispy Kreme original glazed donuts.
I'm very bad at…writing down notes.
The word that best describes me is…a learner.
Three things people might not know about me are…1) I don’t mind airline food; 2) I don’t like long drives; 3) I love fashion.
Someone who makes me laugh…is my wife.
Five years from now…I’ll be a father of four kids ages 15, 11, 9 and 5 and a husband to one.
My worst fashion moment…freshman at UP, I wore cycling shorts to class. Yuk!
You would not catch me wearing…crocs! They belong only in hospitals! Ugly things!
If there were five people, living or dead, I could invite to dinner, they would be…Ai AI de las Alas (Filipina comedienne), Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Ennio Morricone, Doreen Fernandez, Marketman (of Marketmanila).
As a child I was…extremely shy.
My first job was…forgettable. I stayed only for a month.
You wouldn’t know it but I’m no good at…doing quick sums without a calculator.
When I was a child, I wanted to be…a doctor. Typical!
The best invention is…TV.
If I were a movie actor, the character I love to have played is…Salvatore in Cinema Paradiso.
I wish I hadn’t…held back.
If only I could…make everybody happy.
The celebrity I most fancy is...Monica Bellucci.
My favourite smell is...freshly baked bread.
My best career decision was...going into mining.
The best advice my parents gave me was...study hard.
The thing that keeps me awake at night is... doesn’t apply. I sleep well.
A book that means a lot to me is...the Holy Bible.
A movie that has stayed with me is...Cinema Paradiso.
A song that resonates for me is...Cinema Paradiso soundtrack. It’s all music but very moving.
My secret skill (that is now no longer a secret is)...I’m very good at parking.
My earliest memory is...being taken to the doctor to get a shot.
I don't like talking about...real estate and the stock market.
At home I cook...all the time.
It's not fashionable but I love...Spam.
What I don't find amusing is...vegetarianism.
I'm always being asked...by other people about what to wear.
At the moment I'm reading...re-reading The Mad Tea Party by Clinton Palanca.
I often wonder...what life would have been like if I have brothers and sisters.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Variation on a Steak
As much as I like steak in a restaurant I love it even better when I cook it at home. I’m yet to encounter my perfect steak meal when dining out. More on that a little bit later.
The closest to perfection in my opinion was the steak I had at Embers in Milton. It was so good there was no need for any sauce or any other accompaniment. But still it fell short.
Although the accompaniment is exactly what it is, an accompaniment it could make or break the deal for me. Steak is not hard to duplicate at home. All you need is your preferred cut of meat, the right equipment (a good grill/barbeque, cast iron plates perhaps) and a bit of cooking skill and voila, you can cook the perfect steak! It just becomes more involved when you try to copy the “other” things that came with your restaurant steak.
I come from a culture that does not consider a meal complete without rice. Rice is present in Filipino gastronomy from breakfast to dinner and anything in between. It is therefore natural that my idea of a perfect steak meal includes rice.
I’ve had steak with the usual suspects (seasonal vegetables and potato – baked/chips/mashed). Other times I’ve had them with more interesting sides like garlic prawns. But I’m not aware of any restaurant that serves steak with rice (in Australia), steaming hot jasmine rice to be more specific.
I like my steak medium rare served on a sizzling plate. It might be horrifying for some but I use supermarket bought sauces. Que horror! purists might say but I just haven’t got the time to make jus for two when we feel like having steak.
Apart from the rice, my preferred side dishes are caramelised carrots and Brussels sprouts (a stuff of nightmares in some cartoon series).
Here’s how I do my steak:
Steak
T-bone (the meat closest to the bone is the tastiest)
A bit of sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Olive oil
1. Put the sizzling pan on the stove (preferably gas)
2. Some say do not salt your steak before cooking. I don’t subscribe to this. If you want to do it my way I suggest you salt the steak at least 10 minutes before cooking.
3. Add some black pepper (to your taste).
4. Cover the steak in olive oil.
5. After 10 minutes of marinating thrown your steak on the sizzling plate. Make sure it’s on high heat to develop a nice colour on your steak.
6. Depending on the thickness of the steak medium rare is about 2 minutes on each side.
7. Pour your preferred sauce onto the steak (while still on the sizzling plate) just before serving.
Brussels Sprouts w/ bacon
8-10 Brussels sprouts cut in half
A slice of bacon chopped (Pancetta if you want to be a bit more fancy)
Butter (not margarine)
Sea salt
1. Boil some salted water.
2. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook about ¾ of the way. Drain then set aside.
3. In a pan melt some butter then fry the bacon pieces.
4. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Caramelised Carrots
1-2 Carrots cut into chip size pieces or mini batons
Sea salt
Butter (not margarine)
Bay leaf
A bit of water
1. Combine all the ingredients together except for the butter. Make sure the water just covers the carrot pieces. Cook over medium heat.
2. Just before all the water has evaporated add the butter.
3. Cook until the pan starts to sizzle and the carrots are starting to caramelise.
The closest to perfection in my opinion was the steak I had at Embers in Milton. It was so good there was no need for any sauce or any other accompaniment. But still it fell short.
Although the accompaniment is exactly what it is, an accompaniment it could make or break the deal for me. Steak is not hard to duplicate at home. All you need is your preferred cut of meat, the right equipment (a good grill/barbeque, cast iron plates perhaps) and a bit of cooking skill and voila, you can cook the perfect steak! It just becomes more involved when you try to copy the “other” things that came with your restaurant steak.
I come from a culture that does not consider a meal complete without rice. Rice is present in Filipino gastronomy from breakfast to dinner and anything in between. It is therefore natural that my idea of a perfect steak meal includes rice.
I’ve had steak with the usual suspects (seasonal vegetables and potato – baked/chips/mashed). Other times I’ve had them with more interesting sides like garlic prawns. But I’m not aware of any restaurant that serves steak with rice (in Australia), steaming hot jasmine rice to be more specific.
I like my steak medium rare served on a sizzling plate. It might be horrifying for some but I use supermarket bought sauces. Que horror! purists might say but I just haven’t got the time to make jus for two when we feel like having steak.
Apart from the rice, my preferred side dishes are caramelised carrots and Brussels sprouts (a stuff of nightmares in some cartoon series).
Here’s how I do my steak:
Steak
T-bone (the meat closest to the bone is the tastiest)
A bit of sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Olive oil
1. Put the sizzling pan on the stove (preferably gas)
2. Some say do not salt your steak before cooking. I don’t subscribe to this. If you want to do it my way I suggest you salt the steak at least 10 minutes before cooking.
3. Add some black pepper (to your taste).
4. Cover the steak in olive oil.
5. After 10 minutes of marinating thrown your steak on the sizzling plate. Make sure it’s on high heat to develop a nice colour on your steak.
6. Depending on the thickness of the steak medium rare is about 2 minutes on each side.
7. Pour your preferred sauce onto the steak (while still on the sizzling plate) just before serving.
Brussels Sprouts w/ bacon
8-10 Brussels sprouts cut in half
A slice of bacon chopped (Pancetta if you want to be a bit more fancy)
Butter (not margarine)
Sea salt
1. Boil some salted water.
2. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook about ¾ of the way. Drain then set aside.
3. In a pan melt some butter then fry the bacon pieces.
4. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Caramelised Carrots
1-2 Carrots cut into chip size pieces or mini batons
Sea salt
Butter (not margarine)
Bay leaf
A bit of water
1. Combine all the ingredients together except for the butter. Make sure the water just covers the carrot pieces. Cook over medium heat.
2. Just before all the water has evaporated add the butter.
3. Cook until the pan starts to sizzle and the carrots are starting to caramelise.
Friday, November 28, 2008
11 years...
It’s times like these when I wish I was a more creative person.
We’ll be married for 11 years tomorrow! Yeheyyyy! All thanks go to God who continues to mould us. And of course, to my longsuffering wife who chooses to stick with me.
How do you say to your spouse that you love them more and more even after 11 years? That is why I am in awe of artists! They are able to express something like love in a hundred different ways. It could be a play of words or a stroke of hand or a choice of colour or whatever else…that somehow heightens the intensity of the message! Bravo to them!
And since I am neither very “handy” nor very “artistic” the next best thing is to “find” the right gift. And it’s times like these that I also thank God for the internet. Searching for the right gift just became easier. The internet has also exponentially increased my borders.
Flowers and chocolates have been done to death. We’ve also had the special dinners and times away from home.
One thing I know though is that Cherry loves cherries. She loves it more than chocolates. So I ended up ordering her some from interstate.
There are lots of sites offering fresh cherries but Cherries Online stood out among the rest and here’s the reason why:
Red Diamond Cherries - our signature brand - “Fresh diamonds you can eat” - an exclusive variety to the Gaudion Family. This is a new, large, luscious Cherry full of delicious flavour. Crunchy and sweet, each Cherry is deep red in appearance and at least 30-32mm in diameter. The beautifully packaged fruit is hand selected and is the perfect gift for that special someone... Red Diamonds are truly the most exquisite Cherries you will taste in the world today.
One gift given one day a year does not even come close to expressing how much I appreciate her... There are more to come but they'll just be between her and me.
Happy Anniversary Sweetheart!
We’ll be married for 11 years tomorrow! Yeheyyyy! All thanks go to God who continues to mould us. And of course, to my longsuffering wife who chooses to stick with me.
How do you say to your spouse that you love them more and more even after 11 years? That is why I am in awe of artists! They are able to express something like love in a hundred different ways. It could be a play of words or a stroke of hand or a choice of colour or whatever else…that somehow heightens the intensity of the message! Bravo to them!
And since I am neither very “handy” nor very “artistic” the next best thing is to “find” the right gift. And it’s times like these that I also thank God for the internet. Searching for the right gift just became easier. The internet has also exponentially increased my borders.
Flowers and chocolates have been done to death. We’ve also had the special dinners and times away from home.
One thing I know though is that Cherry loves cherries. She loves it more than chocolates. So I ended up ordering her some from interstate.
There are lots of sites offering fresh cherries but Cherries Online stood out among the rest and here’s the reason why:
Red Diamond Cherries - our signature brand - “Fresh diamonds you can eat” - an exclusive variety to the Gaudion Family. This is a new, large, luscious Cherry full of delicious flavour. Crunchy and sweet, each Cherry is deep red in appearance and at least 30-32mm in diameter. The beautifully packaged fruit is hand selected and is the perfect gift for that special someone... Red Diamonds are truly the most exquisite Cherries you will taste in the world today.
I think I’ll make this a tradition from now…
One gift given one day a year does not even come close to expressing how much I appreciate her... There are more to come but they'll just be between her and me.
Happy Anniversary Sweetheart!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
At home – Thai Green Curry Fish
Thai curries have become a staple in my household as much as any other Filipino meal not only because of its rich and complex flavours but more so due to its uncomplicatedness in preparation and cooking.
Nothing beats fresh, of course, but when it comes to Thai curries store bought pastes actually do a decent job in creating a pretty authentic meal. What matters more is the freshness of the other ingredients rather than the curry paste.
The recipe below uses fish but you can substitute any meat of your choice. You just have to adjust the cooking time as fish cooks much quicker than meat.
The secret in making this dish is getting the freshest fish you can find. I have been disappointed so many times when buying seafood from the major supermarket chains. I suggest you go to a fishmonger you can trust. Ask them what’s the freshest of the day. Any white fleshed fish would do (snapper, cod, sweet lip, etc.)
Thai Green Curry Fish
A bit of oil
2 tablespoons green curry paste (Mae Ploy tastes best – reduce the amount if you want it less spicy)
3-4 Kaffir lime leaves (you can julienne these if you want but I prefer them whole)
1 can coconut milk (use coconut cream if you want a richer sauce)
Red capsicum
1 Zucchini cut in large wedges
2 fillets of white fleshed fish cut into large chunks
Basil leaves (as much as you like)
Fish sauce to taste
Palm sugar to taste
1. Heat a bit of oil in a pan.
2. Stir fry the green curry paste for about a minute or two until it becomes really fragrant.
3. Add the Kaffir lime leaves and stir fry for another minute.
4. Add the coconut milk and cook until it starts to break (meaning oil separating from the coconut milk).
5. Add the fish sauce and the palm sugar.
6. Lower the heat then add the fish pieces. Cover the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes.
7. Add the zucchini and the capsicum and cook until done to your liking.
8. Add the basil and cook for another minute.
9. Serve with steaming hot jasmine rice.
Nothing beats fresh, of course, but when it comes to Thai curries store bought pastes actually do a decent job in creating a pretty authentic meal. What matters more is the freshness of the other ingredients rather than the curry paste.
The recipe below uses fish but you can substitute any meat of your choice. You just have to adjust the cooking time as fish cooks much quicker than meat.
The secret in making this dish is getting the freshest fish you can find. I have been disappointed so many times when buying seafood from the major supermarket chains. I suggest you go to a fishmonger you can trust. Ask them what’s the freshest of the day. Any white fleshed fish would do (snapper, cod, sweet lip, etc.)
Thai Green Curry Fish
A bit of oil
2 tablespoons green curry paste (Mae Ploy tastes best – reduce the amount if you want it less spicy)
3-4 Kaffir lime leaves (you can julienne these if you want but I prefer them whole)
1 can coconut milk (use coconut cream if you want a richer sauce)
Red capsicum
1 Zucchini cut in large wedges
2 fillets of white fleshed fish cut into large chunks
Basil leaves (as much as you like)
Fish sauce to taste
Palm sugar to taste
1. Heat a bit of oil in a pan.
2. Stir fry the green curry paste for about a minute or two until it becomes really fragrant.
3. Add the Kaffir lime leaves and stir fry for another minute.
4. Add the coconut milk and cook until it starts to break (meaning oil separating from the coconut milk).
5. Add the fish sauce and the palm sugar.
6. Lower the heat then add the fish pieces. Cover the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes.
7. Add the zucchini and the capsicum and cook until done to your liking.
8. Add the basil and cook for another minute.
9. Serve with steaming hot jasmine rice.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Strawberry Fields…forever!
Now that the soccer season is already finished our Saturdays are less full. We are now able to travel a bit further out and not worry about being late for anything.
What we really set out to do was go fruit/vegetable picking (read: any fruit/vegetable other than strawberries). I madly searched the net for places we could visit. Unfortunately though, Google was only coming up with “fruit picking jobs”. I did not really want to go strawberry picking as that seemed so cliché. I also wanted to show my kids how a variety of fruits and vegetables grow and not focus on just one.
As Queensland is nearing summer there are plenty of fruits and vegetables in season. Grapes, melons, passionfruit, apples, avocados, asparagus, mushrooms, beans, potatoes are just some examples.
As it was nearing lunch time already and we still haven’t got anything planned I succumbed to the call of Strawberry Fields. Yup, that’s the name of the strawberry farm we visited! Catchy don’t you think? They must have spent a lot of moolah in their creative department.
The weather forecast that day had a lot to do with the fact that there was barely anybody there when we drove in. A thunderstorm was predicted to occur late in the afternoon (and it did happen as we were driving back home). More for us then, I thought.
What you do is pop in the reception to grab some plastic containers (baskets would have been better, but anyway). You are then assigned a field to pick strawberries from. You then go back to the reception area to weigh your harvest and pay. It was $8/kg that day.
The kids got really excited (myself including) as we got near the field. Each plant was overflowing with fruit! And not mediocre fruit at that. They were big, plump and very sweet! We bought some cream and chocolate sauce and started devouring them right there and then!
Although I had a lot of reservations in the beginning the day turned out to be really good. The main thing was, the kids had a wonderful time and could not wait to go back.
What we really set out to do was go fruit/vegetable picking (read: any fruit/vegetable other than strawberries). I madly searched the net for places we could visit. Unfortunately though, Google was only coming up with “fruit picking jobs”. I did not really want to go strawberry picking as that seemed so cliché. I also wanted to show my kids how a variety of fruits and vegetables grow and not focus on just one.
As Queensland is nearing summer there are plenty of fruits and vegetables in season. Grapes, melons, passionfruit, apples, avocados, asparagus, mushrooms, beans, potatoes are just some examples.
As it was nearing lunch time already and we still haven’t got anything planned I succumbed to the call of Strawberry Fields. Yup, that’s the name of the strawberry farm we visited! Catchy don’t you think? They must have spent a lot of moolah in their creative department.
The weather forecast that day had a lot to do with the fact that there was barely anybody there when we drove in. A thunderstorm was predicted to occur late in the afternoon (and it did happen as we were driving back home). More for us then, I thought.
What you do is pop in the reception to grab some plastic containers (baskets would have been better, but anyway). You are then assigned a field to pick strawberries from. You then go back to the reception area to weigh your harvest and pay. It was $8/kg that day.
The kids got really excited (myself including) as we got near the field. Each plant was overflowing with fruit! And not mediocre fruit at that. They were big, plump and very sweet! We bought some cream and chocolate sauce and started devouring them right there and then!
Although I had a lot of reservations in the beginning the day turned out to be really good. The main thing was, the kids had a wonderful time and could not wait to go back.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Chilli Crab ala Kidpawan
When I’m feeling generous and want a special treat and have loads of time I would cook Chilli Crab. It is not really complicated to make but it does take a long time to prepare and cook… Ok, Ok, it’s quite involved but the reward at the end is worth all the effort.
Chilli Crab is an original Singapore dish. You’ll find lots of variations to this dish on the net. I based mine on the one I found in the Australian Gourmet magazine in the late 90’s. I can still remember my wife, heavily pregnant with our first child, photocopying the magazine for me. I was studying for my final exams at State Library of WA but she decided to tag along to keep me company. I tweaked the recipe a little bit to suit my taste better. It worked then and still works now more than a decade later.
Chilli Crab ala Kidpawan
4 fresh blue swimmer crabs cleaned and quartered
Some flour
4 large onions
2 cloves garlic
6 slices ginger
Chilli flakes/powder to taste
1 large onion chopped (yes, another one)
1 cup tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup stock
Salt to taste
Oil – lots of it
1. First you need to make the chilli paste. Combine the onions, garlic, ginger and chillies in a food processor and blitz until they turn to paste. You can make this as chunky or as fine as you like.
2. Heat up some oil for deep frying.
3. Coat the crab pieces in flour. Shake off excess flour then fry. Set aside fried crab.
4. Heat up a bit of oil the sauté the chopped onion until golden brown.
5. Add the paste and cook for about 10 minutes.
6. Add the tomato ketchup and the sugar. Cook for another 2 minutes.
7. Add the broth.
8. Add the crab pieces. Make sure all the crab is coated well by the mixture.
9. Lower the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes.
10. Serve hot with jasmine rice
Chilli Crab is an original Singapore dish. You’ll find lots of variations to this dish on the net. I based mine on the one I found in the Australian Gourmet magazine in the late 90’s. I can still remember my wife, heavily pregnant with our first child, photocopying the magazine for me. I was studying for my final exams at State Library of WA but she decided to tag along to keep me company. I tweaked the recipe a little bit to suit my taste better. It worked then and still works now more than a decade later.
Chilli Crab ala Kidpawan
4 fresh blue swimmer crabs cleaned and quartered
Some flour
4 large onions
2 cloves garlic
6 slices ginger
Chilli flakes/powder to taste
1 large onion chopped (yes, another one)
1 cup tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup stock
Salt to taste
Oil – lots of it
1. First you need to make the chilli paste. Combine the onions, garlic, ginger and chillies in a food processor and blitz until they turn to paste. You can make this as chunky or as fine as you like.
2. Heat up some oil for deep frying.
3. Coat the crab pieces in flour. Shake off excess flour then fry. Set aside fried crab.
4. Heat up a bit of oil the sauté the chopped onion until golden brown.
5. Add the paste and cook for about 10 minutes.
6. Add the tomato ketchup and the sugar. Cook for another 2 minutes.
7. Add the broth.
8. Add the crab pieces. Make sure all the crab is coated well by the mixture.
9. Lower the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes.
10. Serve hot with jasmine rice
Friday, October 31, 2008
Beef w/ Gai Lan for a double iron hit
We’re now about 34 weeks in the pregnancy. And we recently found out the Cherry is a bit anaemic. She’s now taking iron supplements (and will for the duration of the pregnancy) but we’ve also been advised to eat more red meat. That’s not so hard!
The recipe below does not have a lot of ingredients and is also pretty quick to make (as with most stir fries). And the added bonus, you get a double hit of iron! So, eat up!
Beef w/ Gai Lan (aka Beef w/ Chinese Broccoli)
500g rump steak cut into stir fry pieces
1 bunch gai lan
1 teaspoon ginger
1 clove garlic chopped
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
A bit of oil
¼ cup stock or water
- Marinate the beef using 1 tablespoon of the oyster sauce and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce
- Prepare the gai lan by cutting the vegetable in half separating the stalks from the leaves.
- Heat up the wok in high heat. Add a bit of oil. Stir fry the beef in batches to avoid steaming the meat. Set aside the stir fried beef.
- Add a bit more oil to the same wok. Stir fry the ginger and the garlic for about a minute.
- Add the stalk part of the vegetable and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add a bit of stock/water.
- Add the beef back in and stir fry for another minute.
- Add the leaf part of the gai lan together with the remaining sauces and stir fry until the gai lan has wilted.
- Serve with steaming hot jasmine rice.
Monday, October 20, 2008
At Home – Kai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) with Oyster Sauce
Good food does not need to be complicated. Most times it’s the simple ones that I actually enjoy the most.
One good example of this is the recipe I have below. I’ve listed about 7 ingredients but there are actually only 3 main ones. The other great thing about this recipe is the fact that you can substitute almost any green leafy vegetable that is in season. If Kai Lan is not available Bok Choy or Pak Choy (varieties of Pinoy pechay) are good substitutes.
Kai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) with Oyster Sauce
2 bunches of Kai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
2 cloves of garlic chopped
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
A few drops of sesame oil
Chicken stock or just plain water
A bit of oil
- Prepare the Kai Lan by cutting the bunches in half (crosswise). You should end up with four bunches (2 stem bunches and 2 leaf bunches)
- Boil some water with a bit of salt.
- Blanch the stem bunches first in the boiling water for about 2 minutes. Remove then set aside.
- The leaves should only take about a minute to blanch. Set aside together with stems.
- Heat up a bit of oil in a pan.
- Stir fry the garlic for about a minute. Do not wait for it to turn complete brown.
- Add the oyster sauce and soy sauce.
- Add about ¼ cup of stock.
- Pour over the blanched Kai Lan. Add a few drops of sesame oil.
- Eat on its own or serve with jasmine rice.
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