Filipino Blogging Day #30: Mango

Mango (mangga) is the Philippines' national fruit. It is eaten either raw or ripe. Philippine mangoes are known worldwide for their unbeatable quality and are known as the "Fruit of the Gods". Ripe (yellow) mangoes are very sweet, juicy, and soft. They are usually eaten alone, in desserts, or sometimes even with rice and ulam! Raw (green) mangoes are harder than ripe ones and are less juicy. It is eaten alone or with bagoong (fish / shrimp paste). These mangoes are Philippine MUST-TRIES (yes, with a capital letters), so don't leave without trying it!

*The photo above doesn't belong to me.

Filipino Blogging Day #29: Halo-Halo

Halo-halo is one of the most well-known Filipino desserts ever. In English, halo-halo is translated as "mix mix" because of all the various ingredients mixed into it. Kidney beans, sugar palm fruit, coconut sport (macapuno), jackfruit (langka), corn, gelatine (gulaman), tapioca, and coconut jelly (nata de coco) are the basic foods that make up this flavorful dessert. It is then completed with toppings like leche flan, purple yam (ube), and ice cream! Halo-halo is a refreshing summer treat you don't want to miss!

Filipino Blogging Day #28: Iced Candy

Iced candy is a typical easy-to-make Filipino food product. It's so hot in the Philippines, so usually, what they do is simply pour juice, flavored milk, or cola into a thin plastic bag like the one above, and put it in the freezer until it hardens. That's it. Sometimes though, it is put into real molds for better presentation. Even though these iced candies are one of the most basic desserts to make EVER, they are still small special treats that you can enjoy with yourself or with others!

*The photo above doesn't belong to me.

Filipino Blogging Day #27: Arroz Caldo

Arroz caldo is a kind of congee (lugaw) that originated in China. The Spaniards gave it its name. This dish is made of rice, crispy garlic, scallions, ginger, and pepper. Some people add calamansi for more sour flavor. Arroz caldo is one of many Filipino favorites!

*The photo above doesn't belong to me.

Filipino Blogging Day #26: Sinigang

Sinigang is a famous native Filipino soup. It is sour and its main ingredients could either be beef, pork, chicken, fish, or shrimp. Tamarind, guava, tomato, mango, and pineapple are the foods that give sinigang its mouthwatering sour flavor and sensation. If you are Filipino, you have at least tried this ONCE.

*The photo above doesn't belong to me.

Filipino Blogging Day #25: Sapin-Sapin

Sapin-sapin (layers in Tagalog) is a layered glutinous rice dessert that originated in the Philippines. It is made of rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, water, and coloring. Coconut flakes are placed on top. A salu-salu would be incomplete without this dessert! I have loved sapin-sapin ever since I was little. It is a classic pasalubong almost all Filipinos enjoy!

*This photo does not belong to me.

Filipino Blogging Day #24: Buko-Pandan Salad

Coconut-Pandan salad (commonly known as buko-pandan) is a tropical Filipino dessert usually served at salu-salo buffets. It is made of young coconut meat, pandan jelly, coconut jelly (nata de coco), and small tapioca pearls (sago). This salad is usually mistaken for coconut (buko) salad, but buko-pandan has the heavenly sweet taste of pandan and doesn't contain fruit cocktail.


*The photo above doesn't belong to me.

*This recipe isn't mine either.
source: http://panlasangpinoy.com/2010/03/30/buko-pandan-dessert-recipe/

Recipe: Buko Pandan

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup young coconut strips (Buko)
• 5 ounces condensed milk
• 8 ounces Table cream or all-purpose cream
• 3 ounces powdered gelatin
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 6 drops Buko Pandan flavoring
• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream (optional)
• 1/2 cup small tapioca pearls, cooked (optional)

Cooking Procedure

1. Combine water and powdered gelatin then stir using a spoon.
2. Add Buko Pandan flavoring then stir until everything is evenly distributed.
3. Heat a saucepan and pour-in the mixture. Bring to a boil while continuously stirring.
4. Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to a mold. Allow the temperature to cool. The texture of the mixture should be firm once cooled. You may also place this inside the refrigerator for faster results (allow the temperature to go down before putting-in the refrigerator).
5. Combine condensed milk, table cream, tapioca pearls, and young coconut then mix well. Allow the texture to thicken by chilling in the refrigerator or freezer for a few hours.
6. Slice the firm gelatin into 1 inch cubes then combine with the condensed milk-cream-young coconut-tapioca mixture.
7. Transfer to individual serving platters or cups then top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.
8. Serve for dessert. Share and enjoy!

Number of servings (yield): 4

Filipino Blogging Day #23: Kutsinta

Kutsinta is another kind of traditional Philippine rice cake made of rice flour, brown sugar and achuete. It can either be brown or orange and its texture is soft, chewy, but unlike the puto, is not cake-like. Coconut shavings are added for a little crunchy texture. This Filipino food is eaten for breakfast (almusal) and snack-time (merienda). Kutsinta is sold in almost every Philippine specialty store.

*The photo above does not belong to me.

Filipino Blogging Day #22: Puto

Puto (Philippine rice cake) a very well-known Filipino food. It has a soft, moist, sweet texture. Cheese is usually placed on top of the puto for a sweet and salty flavor. Puto can have different flavors such as ube, pandan, coconut. There are also different varieties such as puto bumbong, puto mamon, and puto maya. It is traditionally served on a banana / palm leaves. On holidays, Filipinos usually have puto in their salu-salo's.

*The photo above does not belong to me.

Filipino Blogging Day #21: Philippine Eagle

The Philippine Eagle (a.k.a. the Monkey-Eating Eagle because it is believed to eat monkeys) is the Philippines' national animal due to its size and rarity. It is endemic to the Philippines, which means that it cannot be found anywhere else. This eagle is currently critically endangered, but many wildlife conservation societies are breeding it to save it from extinction. A Philippine eagle couple stays together for the rest of their lives. If one of them dies, the other will find a new mate to replace the deceased one. Its diet is composed of monkeys, smaller birds, flying foxes, snakes, and lizards.

*The photo above does not belong to me.

Filipino Blogging Day #20: Carabao (Kalabaw)

Carabaos or kalabaw, is a domestic animal found in the Philippines, Guam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. These animals look like cows and bulls mixed together. They can either be grey or black in color. Both male and female carabaos have huge horns to protect themselves. They don't have sweat glands, so they bathe in mud or water to keep cool. The dried mud also keeps away insects. In the Philippines, they assist farmers in the provinces to plow fields, carry their harvest to the market (palengke) or are simply used for transportation.

DID YOU KNOW that carabaos weigh 700 to 800 kilograms (almost 2,000 pounds)?

Filipino Blogging Day #19: Anahaw

Anahaw is a round-leaf fountain palm from the Philippines. It is a common landscaping plant that grows in humid, tropical areas. Its leaves can also be used for weaving and food-wrapping. The anahaw tree usually reaches a height of 15-20 meters and 25 centimeters in diameter.

DID YOU KNOW that if anahaw leaves are over-harvested, their leaves grow smaller?

Filipino Blogging Day #18: Atis

Atis is a fruit native to tropical Americans and is a common fruit grown in the Philippines, Pakistan, and India. It may seem really gross with its bumpy green skin, black spots and all, but it is really quite good! It's one of my favorite fruits. Atis, when ripe, is soft and can be opened very easily with your hands. Inside, you would see white, chewy fruit flesh surrounding numerous seeds. There is not much meat inside one atis because it is mostly composed of seeds. It is a little more tiring to eat than other fruits because you have to eat around the seed.

NOTE: I recommend you don't eat atis fruit one seed at a time, or else it's going to take you a billion years to eat one. (I'm just exaggerating)

Filipino Blogging Day #17: Tuyo

Tuyo is a dry, salty fish. It undergoes a process of drying and salting, which preserves the fish. It is quite smelly, but has a mouthwatering flavour! Pinoys usually eat tuyo with egg, garlic rice and dip it in vinegar. It is a classic Filipino breakfast favorite that almost everyone enjoys.

I would love to have tuyo for breakfast!

Filipino Blogging Day #16: Slippers (Tsinelas)

Slippers or tsinelas are one of the most common and most functional kinds of footwear worn in the Philippines. It is not only used as footwear, but also used for games like tumbang-preso, where slippers are needed to hit a can inside a circle on the floor. There is even a Tsinelas Festival in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija that displays the tsinelas industry which makes 500-600 million pesos (currency in the Philippines).

Note: The picture above is not a Philippine brand. Oh well!

Filipino Blogging Day #15: Pastillas

Pastillas are one of many classic Philippine treats loved by many Filipinos around the world. They are composed of powdered milk, condensed milk (condensada), and sugar (for coating) and are wrapped in      cellophane or Japanese paper. There are many kinds of pastillas that are chewy, crispy, nutty, and all sorts of other flavors. These sweet snacks are one of my favorite Filipino foods!


Here is a simple Pastillas de Leche recipe from
http://www.yummy.ph/recipe/no-cook-pastillas-de-leche

No-cook Pastillas de Leche

Makes about 40 pieces

2 1/2 cups powdered milk
1 (200-ml) can condensed milk
sugar for coating
parchment or greaseproof paper
colored Japanese paper for wrapping

1   In a bowl, mix powdered milk and condensed milk.

2  Take about 1 tablespoon of mixture, coat with sugar, and roll into 2-inch-long tubes.

3  Wrap in parchment paper followed by a sheet of Japanese paper.

Crispy tip: Make it chewy and crunchy! To add some bite to your pastillas, just mix 1/2 cup rice krispies, chopped nuts, or crushed cornflakes into the milk mixture.

Filipino Blogging Day #14: Rice (Bigas)

Rice, or bigas in Tagalog, is probably the most famous food in all of the Philippines. You are OBVIOUSLY NOT A FILIPINO if you haven't eaten this yet. Rice is the Philippines' most common staple food and is eaten with almost any kind of food or ulam, including fruits, nuts, and so much more (I know, right?)! Also, nearly every morning, afternoon or evening meal would have rice being served on the table. It is truly a must have in any Filipino's home.

Filipino Blogging Day #13: Pineapple (Pina)

Pineapples or pina (pin-yah) in Tagalog, are common juicy, nutritious fruits found in the Philippines. There are lots of ways to use these fruits. They have a flavor that is both sweet and sour and can be eaten fresh, processed, sugared, or in desserts. Pineapple juice is another product. Pineapple leaves can even be turned into fiber for wallpaper, furnishings, and more! They can be used in so many different ways!

Filipino Blogging Day #12: Dried Mangoes

Dried mangoes are one of the Philippines' specialty products. They are popular luscious, chewy tropical snacks and are very healthy and nutritious. This product is a simple pasulubong (gift) that Filipinos indulge in. Dried mangoes are commonly found in local supermarkets. It is also exported abroad to other countries to enjoy, too!

I am now craving dried mangoes.

Filipino Blogging Day #11: Rambutan

Rambutan is a sweet, juicy, red fruit originating from Southeast Asia. It has "spines" on its skin, but they're harmless. It gets its name from the Malay word for hair called "rambut", because of the spines. Rambutan fruit can be used in jam, drinks, and even salads!

Filipino Blogging Day #10: Cassava Cake

Cassava cake is a classic Filipino dessert. It is made of grated cassava, coconut milk, eggs, and sugar or condensada or condensed milk. It can either be soft and chewy or firm. This cake is usually found in Pinoy salu-salos or parties.



~ Recipe for Cassava Cake (Soft and Chewy version) ~
source: http://angsarap.net/2012/03/23/cassava-cake-moms-version/

Ingredients (Cassava Cake)

1kg grated cassava
1 1/2 large can coconut milk
1 large can evaporated milk
1/2 can condensed milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup brown sugar
1 bottle macapuno (Coconut Sport)

Ingredients (Topping)

1/2 large can coconut milk
1/2 can condensed milk
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 egg yolks, beaten

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl combine all Cassava Cake ingredients; mix thoroughly until even in consistency.
2. Pour cassava mix in a greased baking tray, spread macapuno on top then bake in a 180C preheated oven for 45 minutes.
3. While baking in a sauce pan mix together topping ingredients, mix thoroughly until even in consistency. Cook in low heat until sauce thickens.
4. Remove cassava cake from oven then pour sauce on top, distribute evenly then place back in the oven and bake at 220C for 15 more minutes or until top turns golden brown.

Filipino Blogging Day #9: Calamansi

Calamansi is a very small and sour citrus fruit from the Philippines. It is juiced and added to Filipino dishes like pancit (noodles), or arroz caldo. It is also an important ingredient in sauces like toyomansi (a blend of soy sauce and calamansi juice). You can even add calamansi to water and drinks to make calamansi juice (which can heal colds) or sour-tasting iced tea. Calamansi can also be used for medicinal treatment. It can be used for treating itchy scalp, acne / pimples, insect bites, and more.

Filipino Blogging Day #8: Tulingan

Tulingan or mackerel tuna, is a fish that is usually grilled and eaten with dipping sauces in the Philippines. Its meat is flavourful and oily. It is a staple dish in Batangas because of its availability in that area.


Since I don't really know what else to say about tulingan, I'll put this instead! Some information on buying fresh fish. Enjoy!



~ Tips on Buying Whole Fresh Fish ~
source- http://fishcooking.about.com/od/howtochoosefreshfish/bb/buyingfish.htm

1. Look for bright, clear eyes. Do not buy fish with dull, discolored ones.
2. Look at the fish. Is it metallic and clean?
3. Look at the gills. Are they a rich red?
4. Smell it. Does it smell like clean water?

Filipino Blogging Day #7: Pako

Edible ferns, or pako in Tagalog, are eaten with other fruits and vegetables in the Philippines. Vinaigrette and seasonings can also be added to fern salads for more taste. Only very little species of ferns can be eaten, so the Filipinos in the mountains have to be careful to pick which ferns they put in their dishes.

Filipino Blogging Day #6: Suman

Suman is the Philippine version of rice cake. It is made out of sticky rice cooked in coconut milk and is wrapped in young palm / banana leaves. It is eaten with sugar to add to the flavor. There are many varieties of suman. Some of them are suman sa binuo, suman sa ibus, suman sa inantala, sumang kamoteng kahoy, and suman wilmacale.

Filipino Blogging Day #5: Liempo

Liempo is an all-time Filipino favorite. This dish is actually just grilled pork usually eaten with vinegar. Liempo is usually prepared when there are outdoor activities like camping, barbecue parties, and more. Filipinos like eating it with their hands (kamayan). They enjoy eating their food like that. Though simple and cheap, liempo has a heavenly, appetizing flavor and aroma.

Filipino Blogging Day #4: Pinakbet

Pinakbet is a Ilocano dish known throughout the Philippine archipelago. It consists of vegetables like snake beans (sitaw), bittermelon (ampalaya), okra, squash and eggplant with shrimp paste (bagoong). It is also cooked with beef, pork, chicken or shrimp. It is a healthy and delicious dish, so it is eaten by many Filipinos nationwide.

Filipino Blogging Day #3: Chicharon

Chicharon is a crunchy, salty, fried Philippine treat. It is normally made of pork skin, but can be made of chicken, fish and carabao skin, too. Filipinos like dipping chicharon in vinegar with chopped onions and chili peppers. Even though it is delicious, it is also very unhealthy. Don't eat too much. It's bad for your heart!

Filipino Blogging Day #2: Adobo

Adobo is a common Philippine dish known throughout the archipelago. Adobo is usually made of beef, chicken or pork. There are many unique versions. It can be cooked in soy sauce, coconut milk, and more. It is so popular in the Philippines that it is even sold in sari-sari stores in plastic bags! It is a cheap but flavorful dish loved by Filipinos everywhere, no matter where they are.

Filipino Blogging Day #1: Sago't Gulaman

Sago't gulaman is a very popular drink from the Philippines made of water with caramelized sugar, sago, and gulaman (as the name suggests). It can be either a beverage or a dessert. In local sari-sari stores, vendors usually put the sago't gulaman in a plastic bag with a straw. On the other hand, in restaurants, it is placed in a glass with a spoon.

My Favorite Things