Gearing up for the next GFC...NOT!

Another GFC is apparently threatening. This time around food replaces financial. Global food supplies are on a knife’s edge according to some reports. So, before food security becomes a full blown issue I better start learning how to grow my own.

Honestly though, my intentions have less to do with the looming crisis but more about making the most of my idle garden plots.

In the past couple of weeks I’ve invested time tidying up my garden. I’m less interested in ornamental that’s why I went full blown edibles when deciding what to plant. I figured I can do more with a chilli plant than say geraniums. By the way, did you know that geranium is both a flower and a colour? I digress...

Here’s a snapshot of what I currently have:

Guava - I got a big surprise a couple of years ago to discover a guava tree happily growing in our backyard. Just goes to show that apart from the kitchen I venture very little to other parts of the property. We’ve harvested a decent amount of fruit from this solitary tree. None of them feature on any of my recipes as the rest of my tribe are not so fond of “cooked” guava.

Coriander – an essential to Asian cooking. Not so much in the Philippines but definitely in most parts of Asia. Great for curries.

Chillies – this is the long and thin variety Filipinos use to spice up a sinigang (Filipino hot & sour soup). Also works well as a “hot” addition to condiments.

Pechay (Bok Choy) – a very versatile Asian green perfect for soups and stir fries.

Mustasa (Mustard greens, leaf mustard, Gai Choy) – has got a distinct horseradish/mustard flavour. In the Philippines it is mainly added to soups. In other parts of Asia though, specifically Vietnam, it used as a salad wrap.

Eggplant – no fruit yet obviously. It’s the Lebanese variety. Best served grilled together with barbecued meats and seafood.

Flat leaf parsley – I prefer this to the curly variety. The flavour is more robust. I mainly use this with meatballs and roasts.

Mint – great for salads. Adds freshness to a dish.

Calamansi (Philippine Limes) – last but not the least my favourite citrus variety in the whole world. If you have been following this blog you’ll know I have been quite unsuccessful in growing this. I think my luck has changed as I am now able to mature the fruits. But at the current rate of 1-2 fruit/s per month I still need a lot of help.

I've also got basil and lemon grass and did manage to grow a pineapple. I'll be adding more in the next few weeks time and space permitting.

Mung Bean Soup (Monggo Guisado)

Filipinos are not big on pulses. By that I mean dried beans are not that prominent in Philippine gastronomy. We prefer to use legumes/beans fresh rather than dried. But one common pulse dish that is found all over the country is Monggo Guisado (Mung Bean Soup). Different regions have different versions, of course, and this is mine.

Before we move further I think I need to explain what guisa/gisa/guisado is. It is the Filipino cooking style of sauteing garlic, onion, and/or tomato in oil to form the base of a lot of its dishes. I say "and/or tomato" as it is sometimes not required. Ginger, lemongrass, and chillies are also added to vary the base but most if not 100% of the time garlic and onions are present.





I couldn't help but compare this with the Subcontinent's dal/dahl/dhal. The name refers to both the pulse (dried lentils, peas or beans) and the cooked pulse dish which has very similar qualities to the monggo guisado. With that in mind I use the Indian cooking technique called chaunk or tarka (please follow the link for a detailed explanation) to differentiate my version from the rest. It's more for convenience rather than radical innovation on my part that is why I chose to do it this way.



Mung bean is tough and needs to be boiled in water before it can be used. rather than taking out another large pot to cook my soup I keep the softened mung bean in its original pot and make my Pinoy version of the tarka (sauteed garlic, onion and tomato) in a small frying pan instead. I then pour it in the same pot to simmer for a few more minutes.

I add some home made chicharon and chilli leaves as final touches to this much loved soup.

Monggo Guisado (Mung Bean Soup)

1/2 cup dried mung beans

2 cups water (to soften the beans)

Chicken stock

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 onion chopped

1 tomato chopped

1/2 cup minced meat (chicken or pork) or prawns

Chilli leaves (or some spinach)

Chicharon (pork crackling)

A bit of oil for sauteing

Fish sauce or sea salt to taste

1. Begin by boiling the mung beans in water until they're soft. Add more water as needed.

2. Once you're happy with the softness of the beans add just enough chicken stock to the soup consistency you prefer. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer while you prepare your tarka.

3. If you're using meat brown it in some oil then set aside.

4. Otherwise, start preparing your Pinoy tarka by heating up a bit of oil in a small pan. saute the garlic until golden brown.

5. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent.

6. Add the tomatoes and cook until virtually all the moisture has disappeared.

7. Add the pre-cooked meat or the prawns and cook for another minute or so.

8. Pour the mixture in the pot of the softened mung bean. Simmer for another five minutes. Adjust the taste using fish sauce or salt.

9. Add the chilli leaves and the chicharon.

10. Serve hot with some adobo/fried fish and steamed rice.

Ensaladang Talong ala Beancounter (Asian Style Eggplant Salad)

This was one of the first things I learned to cook as a youngster. I remember being introduced to this by a friend, Nguyen Thi Bich Lieu aka Giao, who is a Vietnamese-Filipino. She was in primary school when her family left Vietnam and settled in the Philippines. After a few years, most of them moved to the west coast of Australia. She chose to stay.

I can recall this was served as a side to inihaw na tulingan (grilled bonito). It’s sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavour was the perfect accompaniment to such a strong flavoured fish.

Thank you very much Giao! I have not forgotten it since. I have modified the recipe slightly but the essence I kept intact.

I don’t think this is “authentic” Vietnamese. Giao’s recipe had to make do with what’s available. That is probably why the herbs which are normally found in Vietnamese cooking are noticeably absent. Mint and coriander were not easy to come by then. Adding them creates another level of flavour.

Ensaladang Talong ala Beancounter

4 -6 Lebanese eggplants (shallow fried or grilled)
1-2 spring onions chopped
1-2 cloves garlic chopped
1-2 siling labuyo sliced (bird’s eye chillies)
2 teaspoons palm sugar (white sugar is an OK substitute)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Juice of one lime (or two calamansi if you have them)
Mint and coriander (optional)


I actually prefer to grill my eggplants for the smoky flavour. You would not get this by frying. But because I needed to get dinner ready fairly quickly frying was the only way to go.

If you’re going to grill your eggplants make sure you keep them whole. Use low to medium fire/heat. Turn your eggplants regularly. The skin will blister and turn black but the insides will remain just right and moist. It’s better to do this outside the house if you can as the aroma lingers.

If you’re not so inclined frying could work just as well sans the smokiness. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise before frying. Fry skin side first. Turn over after a couple of minutes and cook until golden brown.

Whatever method you use you need to remove the skin.

Combine all the salad ingredients together (except for the eggplant). Adjust the taste to your liking. Add the skinned eggplant. Serve with your favourite fish.

Spaghetti with Broccolini

Broccolini looks like a cross between the regular green broccoli and the Chinese vegetable kai lan. The florets are similar to that of broccoli (although much looser) while its slender body is very much akin to kai lan. The three are related but are totally distinct vegetables.

It is currently in season. I use it to make a simple pasta sauce that is healthy (vegetarian almost if you take away the anchovies) and quick to cook. Orecchiette (small ear pasta) is what’s commonly used to make this but I think spaghetti works just as well. And instead of broccolini the Italians prefer rapini which has a similar but stronger flavour than broccolini.

Spaghetti with Broccolini

350g spaghetti (cooked al dente, reduce packet instruction by a minute or so)
1 bunch broccolini
Extra virgin olive oil (lots of it)
2-3 cloves garlic chopped finely
5 anchovy fillets
Chilli flakes (to taste)
Sea salt
Black pepper
Parmesan cheese grated

1. Prepare the broccolini by removing the florets and discarding the woody parts of the stems.
2. Cook the spaghetti al dente. You probably need to reduce packet cooking time instruction by a minute or so.
3. Heat some olive oil in a large pan. Add the garlic, chilli and anchovies. Sauté for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the broccolini. Season to taste.
5. Drain the pasta and add to the pan. Coat the pasta well. Add a bit of the pasta cooking water for a saucier result.
6. Serve with parmesan cheese.

Nanay Pinay’s Gulay na Mais (Grandma Josephine’s Corn Soup)

My grandma (Nanay Pinay [read as Peeenay]/Josephine) from Laguna taught me this simple yet very comforting soup. Aside from the corn cooked in their husks this soup is what she serves us to get an appreciation of the corn harvest season.

I don’t know what it is called but the ideal variety for this recipe is the white kernelled corn rather than the more common yellow sweet corn.

“White” corn is less fibrous but more starchy and just perfect for this dish. It gives the finished soup a creamy consistency sans the fatty cream.

But there was no white corn to be found. I had to settle for what’s available…

Like the Tinola we use ‘chilli leaves’ to finish this dish. The leaves might come from the chilli plant but they’re by no means spicy. Actually, chilli leaves have no taste at all. Spinach is probably a good substitute.

It doesn’t require a lot of ingredients but if you want to make it heartier just add minced chicken or even seafood.

Nanay Pinay’s Gulay na Mais (Grandma Josephine’s Corn Soup)

3 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut from cobs
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 bunch of chilli leaves
3-4 cups stock or water
Salt/fish sauce to taste
A bit of oil

1. Heat up a bit of oil in a pan. Sauté the garlic until golden brown.
2. Add the corn and cook for about a minute
3. Add the stock/water. Let it boil and then simmer for about half an hour. Just adjust the amount of stock to your liking.
4. Adjust the taste by adding fish sauce or salt.
5. Throw in the chilli leaves just before serving.

Inay's Basoy (Chayote with Flour Vermicelli)

As with most Filipino dishes there’s probably a unique name for basoy in other regions of the country. Basoy is what my mother-in-law calls this vegetable dish from her native Nagcarlan, Laguna. It was a staple in my wife’s family home. She eventually learned the recipe from Inay which she then passed on to me. This hearty and comforting soup is especially good on rainy autumn days.



In Brisbane, sayotes (chayote or chokoes) are pretty commonplace. Not in the sense that it has become part of the Australian cuisine but more because one is able to find it at any supermarket. I am extremely grateful to be living in another country that has access to the food I grew up with. Substitutes just don’t seem to cut it most times.



We usually pair this with fried fish like galunggong (scad) or pork chops.


Inay's Basoy

1 medium size sayote cut into tiny batons ( I don’t know the proper term for it, just look at the photos)
2-3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 medium sized onion
6 slices of ginger
1 cup of pork mince or prawns
Sea salt or fish sauce to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
4-6 cups of water or stock (depending on how thick you want your soup to be)
1 bunch of miswa (flour vermicelli)
A bit of oil for sautéing

1. If you are using pork mince you need to pre-cook it. Otherwise go to step 2. In a pot heat up a little bit of oil and stir fry the mince until cooked. Set aside.
2. Add a bit more oil in the same pot if necessary. Sauté the ginger first, then the garlic (till golden brown) followed by the onion.
3. Add the mince back in or the prawns at this stage. Cook for about a minute.
4. Add the sayote and cook for a minute. Start seasoning the dish at this stage by adding the sea salt/fish sauce and black pepper.
5. Add the stock/water and bring it to boil. Lower the heat and simmer the soup for about 5 minutes.
6. Adjust the seasoning at this stage then add the miswa noodles. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
7. Serve on its own or with jasmine rice.

Chop Suey (Mom's Way)

I was very difficult to feed as a child. It’s either logannissa or tocino or I would not eat at all. For a time I only favoured the fat of the tocino rather than the lean meat. Thank God I eventually out grew that.

My kids are not dissimilar to how I was, especially my son. Although I know that he’s inherited it from me it is still a never ending source of frustration when he would not eat the food that I’ve prepared. WARNING: Just in case you’ve invited him for a meal at your place please remember he only likes egg white (if you’re serving eggs, that is).

As a youngster vegetables and me did not get along well. The health benefits of vegetables were not enough to coax me into putting any in my mouth. They taste horrible and the texture very off putting. Remember all those TV ads? Ang malunggay…bow. I thought this just made them look desperate. Thank God, once again, I’ve matured…I think.

But mom, in her very clever way, managed to make me eat a variety of vegies by preparing a Filipino style Chop Suey. I did not put up a fight when mom cooks this. It appealed to me as a child with its variety of colours and the “special” vegetables mom adds to her Chop Suey. Celery, broccoli and cauliflower were a rarity in our kitchen. They were expensive and therefore only for special occasions. Quail eggs were added when she’s feeling a bit more generous. But one ingredient that gives a unique but very tasty addition to the finished dish was chicken liver. Mom’s Chop Suey is not complete without chicken livers. It was one of the first dishes I learned to cook in early ventures in the kitchen.

Chop Suey has a lot of variations depending on which country you are from. The Philippines is no exception in creating its own version with each Filipino household further adding to the diversity of this dish. But basically Chop Suey is a melange of vegetables and meat and or seafood cooked quickly like a stir fry.

I’ve undergone some minor surgery a few days back (reason for the lack of posts) and it made me yearn for the taste of home. So, in my post-op state, I concoct my own chop suey version using what we have in the fridge. There was no cauliflower or capsicum but we have chicken livers.

Mom’s Chop Suey

2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 large onion chopped
1 stalk of celery cut diagonally
Chicken livers chopped (as little or as much as you like)
Chicken/pork/beef/prawns whatever is available
1 carrot
1 broccoli
6 button mushrooms
Half a cauliflower
Half a cabbage
Other vegetables you can add are chokoes (sayote), snow peas, beans etc.
Fish sauce (salt or soy sauce are good substitutes)
Oyster sauce
½ tablespoon of cornstarch (mixed in ½ cup of chicken stock)
Another ½ cup of chicken stock
A bit of oil for sautéing

1. Heat up a bit of oil in a pan. Stir fry the garlic until golden brown.
2. Add the onion and stir fry until translucent.
3. Add the chicken livers and the meat/seafood of your choice.
4. Add the stock and cook the liver and the meat/seafood until done. Season with a bit of fish sauce.
5. Add the vegetable that takes the longest to cook. If you have chokoes they should go in first. 6. Otherwise, the carrots and the celery should be added at this stage.
7. This should be followed by the broccoli and the cauliflower.
8. Add the mushroom and the cabbage while the broccoli is still half done.
9. Adjust the seasoning by adding more fish sauce (or salt or soy sauce) and oyster sauce.
10. Add the cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce and cook for about a minute.
11. Serve with jasmine rice.

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

1. 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)
2. Boil some water with a bit of salt.
3. Blanch the stem bunches first in the boiling water for about 2 minutes. Remove then set aside.
4. The leaves should only take about a minute to blanch. Set aside together with stems.
5. Heat up a bit of oil in a pan.
6. Stir fry the garlic for about a minute. Do not wait for it to turn complete brown.
7. Add the oyster sauce and soy sauce.
8. Add about ¼ cup of stock.
9. Pour over the blanched Kai Lan. Add a few drops of sesame oil.
10. Eat on its own or serve with jasmine rice.

At home - Pinakbet (Asian Vegetables in Shrimp Paste Sauce) & Pork Chops

My idea of the perfect Pinakbet is quite far from what is served outside my home. It seems not a lot of care goes in the preparation of this dish in some households. What should be a wonderful medley of vegetables usually turns out to be some watery ash coloured mash that is barely edible.

The bright green colours of the okra, snake beans and bitter gourd are virtually wiped out.
The pumpkin and the eggplant are obliterated into nothingness pureed together with the rest of the overcooked vegetables.

I never serve Pinakbet on its own. For dinner we also had Pork Chops, my way.
We didn’t have any okra and snake beans so I substituted string beans.


Pinakbet

Garlic chopped (as much as you like)
1 medium sized Onion chopped
1 large tomato chopped
A bit of pork (prawns can be substituted)
2-3 Tablespoons Shrimp paste
Pumpkin
Snake beans
Okra
Eggplant
Bitter gourd
Oil for sautéing
A bit of oyster sauce
Salt or Fish sauce to taste

1. If you’re going to use prawn you can skip this step. Heat up some oil. Stir fry the pork until they’re done. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. In the same pan (with still the oil left in it) sauté the garlic until golden brown.
3. Add the onions and cook until it is translucent.
4. Add the tomatoes together with a bit of salt (or fish sauce), some oyster sauce and the all important shrimp paste.
5. When the tomatoes are cooked add the pork back in (or the fresh prawns) and cook for about a minute or so.
6. Add the pumpkin and the eggplant (as they are the longest to cook). If the mix is too dry add a few tablespoons (not cups of!) of stock or water.
7. Before the eggplant and the pumpkin are completely cooked add the okra and the bitter gourd.
8. To keep the colour of the beans cook them in the microwave for about a minute and immediately refresh in cold water.
9. Add the beans to the mix about a minute before turning the heat off.

Kidpawan’s Easy Pork Chops
Pork Chops
Salt
White Pepper
All purpose flour
Oil for frying

1. Season the pork chops with salt and white pepper.
2. Season the flour with salt and white pepper as well.
3. Heat up the oil in high heat for quick cooking to avoid rubbery pork chops.
4. Coat the pork chops in the seasoned flour shaking off any excess.
5. Fry the pork chops in high heat. They’re done when they’re golden brown.
6. Drain excess oil.
7. Serve with the Pinakbet and some jasmine rice.

At home – Ginataang Kalabasa at Hipon (Pumpkin & Prawns in Coconut Milk)

This is a perennial favourite in my house. There are lots of versions of this dish all over the Philippines but my recipe below is how we do it in Laguna (about 2 hours south of Manila). Coconut is plentiful in the region that is why you’ll find it is almost always present in Laguna recipes from entrées to desserts.

Although prawn is prominent in the name of the dish all you need is the flavour of prawn. This is not supposed to be a luxurious seafood dish but rather a rustic side dish usually paired with grilled or fried fish.

Snake beans (sitaw) are typically included in this dish but I didn’t find any in the shops. I also add mustard greens (mustasa). The slight bitterness of this vegetable adds more dimension to this otherwise plain dish.

Ginataang Kalabasa at Hipon (Pumpkin & Prawns in Coconut Milk)

1 medium onion chopped
6 slices of ginger
4-6 medium prawns
Pumpkin (I don’t know how to quantify this. 1 regular size wedge, I suppose)
1 bunch mustard greens
1 can coconut milk
Fish sauce or sea salt
Oil for sautéing

Heat the oil in a pan.
Sauté the ginger for about a minute then add the onion. Cook until the onion is translucent.
Add the prawns and cook for about a minute.
Add the pumpkin.
Add a bit of fish sauce or sea salt at this stage of the cooking.
Pour in the coconut milk and simmer until the pumpkin is done.
Add more fish sauce or sea salt if necessary.
Add the mustard greens and cook for another minute.
Serve with grilled or fried fish.

Lunch Club - Vegetarian Stir Fry with Tofu

This would have to be the quickest (and probably healthiest) stir fry to make. Not only is it easy it also calls for only a few ingredients.

There’s a long winded version of making this dish but for the purpose of Lunch Club I took a shortcut. If this was to be eaten at home I would have used a different type of tofu. First of all, it would have to be the silken variety. As silken tofu is very delicate it needs a light coating of cornflour before frying. Also, it is only good as soon as it is cooked, not the next day.

I think it was a hit as nothing was left over for our Friday leftover lunch.

Here’s how you make it:

Ingredients
Oil (whatever you prefer but I use Sunflower)
2 cloves of garlic
10 dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked in hot water for about an hour or so then quartered)
3-4 blocks of fried tofu quartered
Broccoli
Snow peas
2 tablespoon Oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Light soy sauce
Sesame oil
A bit of water

You can actually modify this dish quite easily by using your favourite vegetables or whatever is in season.

Procedure

1. Heat up the oil then add the garlic.
2. Add the mushrooms and stir fry for about a minute or so. Add a bit of water to cook the mushrooms further.
3. Just before all the water evaporates add the vegetables. Stir fry for a few seconds then add the oyster sauce and the soy sauce.
4. Add the fried tofu. Wait for the vegetables to get cooked.
5. Take it off the heat then add a few drops of sesame oil.
6. Serve hot with a steaming bowl of jasmine rice.