Sisig Pampanga for November Kulinarya Challenge

This month’s Kulinarya Challenge hosted by Frances of Iskandals and Jenn of Storm in my Kitchen is about one of my favorite Kapampangan dishes which, when the family moved to Tarlac City, I learned to eat, love and pray to cook, exactly in that order, is the versatile “sisig”. If you want me to salivate further by the mere mention of the word “sisig” kindly add the word Pampanga at the end to make it not just tasty but deliciously authentic, like the one I already posted before, and it will do the trick. :-)

I have no doubt that one of the culinary pride of the Kapampangan legion of Pampanga, part of Bataan and some part of Tarlac, is the amazing “sisig” – an ingenious and relatively low-cost (but hardly low-fat, lol) tasty food creation made of “inihaw” or grilled pork jowl and liver, fresh onion, calamansi extract and bird’s eye chili mixed altogether on the chopping board while …… hear this out …… while the cook’s knife (usually the wide cleaver-like type) is in “continuous up and down” motion.

Please be careful interpreting much more replicating the last phrase above. Although “sisig” was said to have been invented by accident, we do not want a kitchen accident occurring while preparing the dish. :-) The phrase simply means continuously chopping all the ingredients together (as oppose to individual dicing or mincing), until everything is properly mixed to desired sizes and consistency slightly bonded together by the paste-like substance that will eventually developed from the repeated chopping where minced bits of meat, onion, mashed liver, meat juice and calamansi delicately combine.

This may not be true or acceptable to everyone, but I personally believe that this process, which I observed, sneak peeked and spied on in restaurants, “turo-turo”, canteen, cafeteria, friends’ houses and most especially in roadside eateries (the same place where the dish was said to have originated), is a commonality among the tastiest Kapampangan “sisig” that I have eaten and is for me an important part of the “sisig” preparation technique where all flavors magically blend into pure sumptuousness.

Paigang Adobo sa Gata (Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk)

We are being served with lots of curried dishes lately and as typical Filipinos away from home, we are deeply missing the salty-sourly-savory comforting taste of “adobo”. Particularly the type that has little sauce that remains …… so flavorful that simply slathering the sauce on a pile of steamed rice would create a mound of carb so appealing and delightful. And just when the craving further intensifies …… beyond the threshold of gastronomic sanity, we decided it’s time we commander the kitchen …… ask the crew to move aside ……… chop some meat, crush some garlic, get some vinegar and let our instincts do the rest.

We have many other “adobo” dishes already featured here so we tried another route to the great “adobo” world and decided to prepare a creamy and dry a.k.a. oily variation using coconut milk with longer cooking time until the sauce is fully reduced and coconut milk renders oil. In the Philippine language, this is called “adobo sa gata” ("adobo" in coconut milk} cooked “paiga” (somewhat dry).

Reminder: This dish is sinfully fatty - laden with both animal and vegetable oil, perhaps has high count of calories (per serving), probably have lots of bad (and good) cholesterol, will likely make one eat lots of rice or carbohydrates and yes it’s heavenly delicious. So proceed at your own risk. You have been warned. :) 

We regularly walk about 14 kilometers, making about 20,000 steps and burning an extra 900 calories every other day so the paragraph above have no issues with us (wishful thinking, okay). If it’s any consolation, we will be using the leaner chicken instead of the fatty pork but of course, chicken with skin-on for that “killer” flavor, figuratively of course. Lol.

Arroz Caldo (Filipino Chicken Congee) – iLugaw 4S for Kulinarya Challenge

It’s Kulinarya time once again …… and the November Challenge conceived by Joy of Joy’s Misadventures is up among the (probably) finest Filipino food bloggers around …… exploring an authentic Filipino light meal or snack dish generically referred to as “lugaw” …… a common name which for me is representative of scrumptiousness, self-effacement, simplicity and serenity …… my own concoction of iLugaw 4S. :-)

This month’s theme is “arroz caldo”. A type of Filipino congee or “lugaw” (as referred in the local language) flavored or added with chicken. As you may know, the main component of the dish is rice which in the Spanish language is called …… you guessed it right, “arroz”. Well of course, the other originally Spanish word “caldo” refers to broth or stock …… I know you knew that …… and you need a lot of it to be able to prepare a really tasty rice congee worthy of being called iLugaw 4S.

This modest dish is superb when the climate is cool …… during winter (obviously when living outside the Philippines, like most Kulinaryans are) …… or when it’s windy and rainy. It is believed to possess the ability to perk-up or improve one’s body condition after dining with it …… piping hot of course. It is also considered an ideal comfort food for the sick and elderly as it has a therapeutic effect …… or healing power of sort, if you like.

Apart from my “Goto Arroz Caldo”, I have already posted a recipe for “Arroz Caldo” before (no, it’s not called iLugaw 4). While I am fully satisfied with it, in honor of Kulinarya Cooking Club, I will attempt to make a reboot entrée to offer a fresher approach to the dish …… hopefully to come out with simpler or easier procedure but geared towards accommodating many variations or possibilities …… and probably …… just probably …… we could make serving and eating the humble “lugaw” more fun and exciting. :-)

Adobong Manok Sa Tomato Sauce (Chicken Adobo with Tomato Sauce)

I have three words for this dish – INGENIUS, FABULOUS and DELICIOUS. I kid you not. This is one smart variation of adobo worthy of your time, money, effort and yes, experimentation. :) The improved “adobo” flavor of the dish, which for me transcends way beyond the flavor boundaries of garlic, vinegar and soy sauce, is simply amazing …… a welcome development for a dish extremely popular and widely eaten and that has essentially established itself to be like a cuisine of its own …… that is so dynamic …… continuously evolving …… reinventing …… even as we speak now.

The credit goes to a family friend Michael of Padre Garcia, Batangas (Philippines) from whom we learned the rather brilliant idea. This is basically how he cooks his popular and much-loved (by friends, relatives and guests) pork “adobo” which I tried recreating here in Sri Lanka through the use of the all-time available and very dependable chicken. Okay, okay, I like pork too but we don’t have one at the moment and I can’t wait any longer. :-)

While this technique has similarity with the “adobo” cooked with fresh tomatoes which I myself have prepared several times in the past (though not yet featured here), the use of the richer and fuller-flavored tomato sauce makes for a much improved “adobo” taste, at least according to my humble judgment. This I believe is due to the added hints of balanced sweetness and acidity that is naturally present in tomato sauce. I also thought that the aroma diffuse during cooking is also something very delightful, suggestive of a very good dish in the making …… but don’t just take my words for it …… you have to smell it to believe it …… so try doing it now! :-)

Chicharon Balat ng Manok or Tsitsarong Manok (Crackling Chicken Skin)

Filipinos love “chicharon” (“chicharron” in Spain) or deep fried pork skin so much. Sometimes called crackling in English, the versatile dish is eaten in so many ways: as a snack, morsel, viand, bites or tapas, appetizer, or simply an all-around food which easily beats small hunger while watching movies, TV shows, sports events and games, concerts or while on trips. The common people’s fascination with the dish even paved way into creating equally interesting but quite unique variations some of which I have already featured here such as the “chicharon bituka” or crackling intestines and “chicharon bulaklak” or deep fried pork mesentery.

To further explore the realm of “chicharon”, I decided to move on from just using pork cuts to chicken where there are currently two popular versions in the Philippine cuisine: the “chicharon balat ng manok” or “tsitsarong manok” (deep fried chicken skin) and “chicharong butse” (deep fried chicken crop). If the latter sort of causes your hair to rise as it will surely does to my wife, let’s forget it for a while and concentrate on the crackling chicken skin. :-) Some would probably still say yakkks! …… but not so fast, let’s keep it easy with chicken skin, okay? :)

While advocates of low fat diet and probably your mother and mine will loudly say chicken skin contains too much fat, recent studies reveal that it is actually fine to eat from time to time. It was reported that in-depth nutritional studies shows that the skin part of say a 12-once chicken breast only adds up about 2.5 grams saturated fat and 50 calories to the meat. It seems it is not really too much after all, more so if we will consider the flavors and taste benefits that it will bring into an otherwise most-boring lean meat called chicken breast.

The truth is, a bit of chicken skin now and then won’t really hurt your health and can even supply some healthful fat …… for about 55 percent of the fat in chicken skin is actually monounsaturated. If you don’t have an idea, that’s the heart-healthy kind of fat dieticians alike would want us to have. In addition, majority of the fat in chicken is found under the skin and not in the skin itself. Furthermore, by boiling the chicken skin, which is one of the steps in the preparation, the bulk of the worrisome fat would be released and would end up in the boiled water leaving very little measurable fat contents in the skin, not enough to even worry about.

Chili Chicken, Deliciously Hot

I once read a fellow food blogger’s account about an amazing chili chicken dish being served in one of the restaurants of the world renowned resort island Boracay of the beautiful southern Philippines. The story appeared to have come from a truly satisfied and in fact a repeat customer therefore I assumed the descriptions supplied were quite accurate, balanced and truthful. Since I am fond of innovative, adventurous and exotic, not to mention really spicy foods, the idea of personally re-creating an extremely hot but still palatable and tasty (falling within the not-so-high heat tolerance of common Filipinos) “chili chicken” lingers in my mind.

While the idea is strong it remains incomplete and waiting for some forms of stimuli or crucial information that would finally compel me to trying the unusual but exciting chicken dish. The right moment came just mid of last month while our group was doing our regular shopping for a week’s food supply. There in the fresh meat section of our favorite supermarket (we actually have very few choices), some crews were enthusiastically offering patrons with a free taste of their new marinated meat selection called “miris kukula” or chili chicken which they fried right there inside the supermarket.

Sri Lanka is one country who really loves chilies in their cuisine and we have always known (and tested) Sri Lankan food as very spicy (a.k.a. heavily spiked with chilies) on top of its being usually rich and seriously curried. It turned out, the fried chicken pieces, which they are marketing as both a viand and a bites (“pulutan”), were quite tasty but living up to its name …… it’s really hot.

At that point, I thought all I have to do is gather a little information from the crews who are actually preparing the special marinade and my long planned chili chicken could have a major breakthrough. Quite luckily, the crews, who have always been kind and friendly to us (perhaps because we are light-hearted and always smiling …… okay make that, because we are regularly buying 3-5 carts full of food and grocery items providing them with regular sales), are most willing to share us their secret ingredients. :-)

Chicken Lumpiang Shanghai (Chicken Spring Roll)

Have you heard of the prideful name “Global Filipinos”? Okay that’s quite tough. How about the enterprising brand “Overseas Filipino Investors” or “OFI”? It still doesn’t ring a bell? Or you probably have a hint but not quite sure. Well, the two labels are the same as the most used (and abused) “Overseas Filipino Workers” or “OFW” (I am referring to the word of course). The shortened version is simply known as “Overseas Filipinos”. I bet you now know this. You hear and read about it so often that it could have already involuntarily left a permanent mark in one of the faculties of your mind. It’s in the news, magazines, internet and even books.

The popularity (or infamy) is not surprising though. After all, it represent a rather large but very silent group of Filipino people scattered all over the world with only one thing in mind – to WORK ……… and I mean really WORK HARD at that. Just how big this group is amazing ……… about 10 million ……… more than 10 percent of the entire Filipino population distributed to nearly all major continents of the world. That’s 20 million skilled hands contributing to the world’s economy from the tiny islands collectively called the Philippines.

Culinary speaking, that’s a lot of people missing their native foods back home. I’m one yeah! More so for those who are in countries where there are some levels of prohibition (due to religious affiliation or the likes) to the foods we grew up with like in the case of pork in the Middle East where about 4 million pork-loving “Overseas Filipinos” are working. Or in the far North American or European countries which geographically could not sustain the cultivation or raising of vegetable and foods commonly grown in the tropical Philippines and thereby leaving close to 5 million “Global Filipinos” (such an endearing title) craving for “tawilis”, or “saluyot” or “talangka” or “gatas ng kalabaw” or “talbos ng kamote” or “bulaklak ng katuray”. :-)

Relative to this, I wish to share a variant recipe of the well-loved Filipino meat spring roll called “lumpiang shanghai”. Specifically a type you can easily cook while living in the Middle East where pork, the main ingredient, is not available and chicken fills up most of the areas of the meat section of groceries. Thus, this is chicken meat spring roll ……… your tasty alternative for the crunchy, mouth-watering and pleasurable “lumpiang shanghai”. Did I mention I had a beautiful childhood memory and long standing infatuation with this dish? :)

Chicken and Pork Empanada

Folded pastry around meat and veggie stuffing is probably the most accurate definition of my true Filipino comfort food. It is among the simple gastronomic treat that immediately reconnects me with home ……… family, relatives, childhood friends and everything in between. It is an ordinary snack which every bite for me is capable of educing flashes of happy thoughts, retrieving golden memories and subsequent feeling of divine-like contentment. It could somehow serve as a mother’s tender touch or spouse’s caress that provides warmth, consolation, sense of security and peaceful refuge even when you are actually so far away from home. I am referring to the tasty stuffed bread called “empanada”. :-)

Popular in many countries of Latin America, southern part of Europe and South East Asia particularly the Philippines, empanada refers to the stuffed bread or pastry, either baked or fried, made by folding a rich buttery dough or bread patty around the stuffing. The fillings usually composed of varieties of meats, seafood, vegetables or even sweetened fruits. It can be served as a small meal, a starter before a meal, finger foods in parties, dessert after a meal in case of sweet fruits fillings, morsel while watching TV or movies or sporting events and snack at any time of the day.

There are many international variations. In Argentina, their empanadas are often served at parties and festivals. The fillings are mainly chicken or beef spiced with cumin and paprika. In Brazil, they have fried turnovers filled with seasoned ground meat, shredded chicken, cheese, seasoned ground shrimp, hearts of palm and various other fillings. In Jamaica, they have their Jamaican patty that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture or turmeric. Puerto Rico’s “empanadilla” is a small empanada that uses flour or cassava flour dough and lard. In Spain, empanadas are often made from thin, flexible, but resilient wheat pastry. The variable filling includes tuna, sardines and chorizo in a tomato puree, garlic and onion sauce.

However, the type I will be preparing here is of course the Filipino empanada. It usually contains ground pork or beef or chicken meat or chopped shrimps, diced potato, green peas, chopped onion and raisins in sweetish-buttery dough made from wheat flour or all-purpose flour. The dough can either be doughy or flaky and plain or covered in bread crumbs. The empanada can either be baked or deep fried with the former being my preferred method as it does not involve a degree of oil accumulation to the finish product. The golden brown tasty crust without the hint of fat (from frying) complemented with the sweetish meaty fillings is such a delightful delicacy to me. :-)

Tinausiang Manok (Chicken Cooked in Salted Yellow Beans)

A colleague-friend is coming over and we want to prepare an unusual viand cum “pulutan” or bites made from chicken I have been wanting to cook for the last several days. Already tired of the usual “adobo”, “afritada”, “caldereta”, fried and even barbecued chicken, we thought of preparing a chicken version of the earthy pork dish called “tinausian”. We believe the unique flavor of the pungent-tasting and sweet-spicy-smelling “tausi” or salted/fermented soy beans would also work well with poultry, especially if complimented with the sweet-sour flavor of fresh plum tomatoes or tomato sauce.

Just as I have already prepared almost all of the required ingredients and ready to sauté, I realized I no longer have “tausi”. :) We are in Sri Lanka and the canned “tausi” that we normally use all came back home from the Philippines. Maybe it is available in any of the several Chinese or Korean stores in the Colombo capital but we are yet to find one. I can no longer back off from doing the dish so I thoroughly scoured the cupboard once again. Right there at the back, I found a familiar “Temple” can but my joy is short-lived because the label says “Salted Yellow Beans” instead of “Salted Black Beans” which refers to “tausi”.

But then I thought it might serve the purpose as well, after all, it is made from beans and also salted. A short research from the internet confirmed it is a very similar seasoning ingredient which can be used for the intended dish and thus I have a green light. I found out later that salted yellow beans, also a type of fermented beans like “tausi”, is called “tauco” in Indonesia where it is popular and commonly used in cooking chicken. With that, it seems I’m on the right track.

The fact that I will be using a different condiment in my “tinausiang manok” made the preparation even more exciting. Apart from the dish itself, the opportunity to learn new preparation using the distinct ingredient opens a new horizon to my limited culinary world; that is, granted I really have one. :-) Like “tausi”, I could imagine salted yellow beans can be applied to many braised meat and seafood dishes as well.

Adobong Manok ni Dong (Chicken Adobo A La Dong)

I believe the popularity of “adobo” has already transcended into the subconscious mind of most Filipinos. I can say this because during times when our group can no longer think of a new viand, we would always settle with an “adobo” dish ……… not really as a forced consensus due to absence of options, but rather a form of immediate resolution that is considered fail-proof and almost always acceptable to all members …… and true to our implied expectations, we would always end up satisfied with the meal …… to a level where there is no trace of backlash or regret. That’s on top of the fact that “adobo”, either pork, chicken or combination thereof, is already a regular dish in our weekly menu.

Simply saying, “adobo” is something our group persistently enjoys during meals and there is no indication that we shall come to the point of getting tired of the dish any day soon. Not with our incessant appetite for the dish and quite even more, not with our colleague Dong, of the pork “adobo” a la Dong, around. :-)

Since we have been eating a lot of “adobong pusit” lately, (not that we are complaining for we really like it) I suggested to Dong to prepare his version of chicken “adobo” or “adobong manok” for posting here. Generally, it is for the interest of recipe sharing and at the same time to serve as a follow up for his first posted recipe of “pork adobo”. In addition, this will somehow support the moniker our group has jointly accorded him as our undisputed master of ‘adobo”, at least within the confine of our kitchen and dining rooms.

Gladly, Dong agreed to do his chicken version of “adobo” for all of us. While we may already have similar recipes in our notes, exploring other variants is always a constructive way of improving our own techniques; openly finding alternatives which could better what we already knew or had for furthering our culinary knowledge in respect of the Filipino dish-cuisine called “adobo”.

Deviled Eggs or Eggs Mimosa or Salad Eggs (Rellenong Itlog)

In line with the fast approaching holiday season where parties and gatherings will be regular happenings in most homes, schools, offices, churches, peer groups, etc., I thought of featuring a feast or get-together food which is easy, simple and yet a sure delight and conversation-fare among families, friends, guests and other party attendees – the Deviled Eggs. Also known as eggs mimosa or salad eggs, deviled eggs are hard-boiled eggs cut in half and stuffed with the hard-boiled egg's yolk mixed with various ingredients, seasonings and some spices. They are usually served cold, either as a side dish, an appetizer or even a main meal.

Having originated in ancient Rome, deviled eggs are still popular across Europe until today. They are known as “ceuf mimosa” in France and usually flavored with pepper and parsley. They are also a regular table fare in Hungary where the yolks are mixed with white bread soaked in milk, mustard and parsley. Interestingly, they are called as "Russian eggs" in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany as they are usually filled with caviar and served in remoulade sauce. In Midwestern and Southern parts of the United States they are also called dressed eggs apart from salad eggs. In the Philippines where they have gained wide acceptance as well, they are sometimes referred to as “rellenong itlog”.

I affirmed that the dish is unfussy to make because it does not really involve elaborate preparation and long-time cooking. Basically, cool hard-boiled eggs are peeled, sliced lengthwise and the yolks are removed. The yolks are then mashed and mixed with a wide range of other ingredients such as mayonnaise, mustard or tartar sauce and spices. Other common flavorings are: Worcestershire sauce, diced pickle or pickle relish, chives, ground black pepper, powdered cayenne pepper or chipotle chilies, vinegar, green olives, pimentos, poppy seed, capers, and minced onion, among others. The yolk mixture is then scooped with a spoon or piped with an icing bag and tip into the yolk cavity and dust with paprika for added flavor and garnish.

Adobong Atay at Balunbalunan (Chicken Liver and Gizzard Adobo)

Following the lively discussion that ensued after the “iyasi” post in the Facebook page of this blog where “pulutan” or the Philippines’ answer to Spanish “tapa” or the “bocas” of Central America or the “anju” of Korea, has caused some stirs, I decided to prepare another popular “pulutan” cum viand entrée made from the reliable chicken liver and gizzard called “atay at balunbalunan ng manok” in the Philippines. I’m pretty much sure that you already have an idea what the dish is going to be. Yes, it’s the widely-prepared “adobong atay at balunbalunan”.

The dish is probably the most common Filipino way of cooking the versatile chicken liver and gizzard even beating barbecue. It is quite easy and really simple but extremely tasty. The combined flavors of liver, gizzard and heart (that usually goes with the liver) and their contrasting but complementary textures make the dish exciting. With liver alone it will probably be too overwhelming. With gizzard alone it will be plain and boring. But with the combination of the two, or three with the heart, a distinctly delicious dish with the right amount of flavors and a pronounced appeal is achieved.

In cooking the dish, I joined our group’s “adobo king” himself, my wedding grandson (“inaanak”) Dong of the famed “Pork Adobo a la Dong” post here. Basically following the same procedure in his pork adobo recipe, I helped him cook and document our version of “adobong atay at balunbalunan”. Like “sisig pampanga”, “bopiz”, and “imbaligtad”, this adobo dish is highly regarded as “pulutan” and at the same time widely accepted as “ulam” or viand in a regular Filipino meal. The whole family loves it which goes well with either plain steamed rice or the tastier fried rice.

Chicken Adobo cum Paksiw (Chicken Braised in Vinegar & Sugar)

The adobo fever is still on! Using the same technique employed in preparing the well received “adobong puti”; I decided to try its version using chicken. As we all know, next to pork, chicken is probably the closest contender for the throne of best-ever adobo. In fact, the combination of the two is extremely popular on its own. While this variant is not really new to me as I have been served before with a wonderful chicken adobo that is simply braised in vinegar and salt and cooked in its own juice (alone) until fork tender; that is, without the addition of water. So, we are speaking of a type of adobo with no soy sauce and not aided with any liquid, water or broth, while it tenderize.

With such a limiting requirement you can imagine that this is only good for easy to tenderize meat, hence the use of the chicken. With its relatively tender meat which requires shorter period of cooking, we can be sure to have a fully done dish even by just braising. In addition to “adobong manok sa dilaw”, this is another alternative to uniquely enjoy the tasty chicken in the form of the well-loved Filipino adobo. Call it daring or peculiar but this simply titillates my palates and therefore will be a regular fare in my diet.

You probably noticed that I included the words “cum Paksiw” in the title. Like “adobong puti” this chicken adobo uses almost the same ingredients as the “paksiw na pata” and therefore the resulting dish is expected to have a very strong resemblance with one another, in taste and in depth. Although as I said before, the obvious difference is that the dish is intended to be cooked until somewhat dry or “iga” and served coated with a rather oily residual liquid instead of a rich and thick sauce. Having said that, I believe “chicken adobo cum paksiw” is such a fitting name to this dish.

Tinola or Tinolang Manok (Chicken Stewed with Ginger & Green Papaya)

It has been raining hard for several days. The rivers and streams are swollen. The marshes, grasslands and green fields are inundated with water. The surroundings are dripping wet. The forest canopy is shrouded with mist. The air is overwhelmed with cool wind. Thick clouds abound, shielding the warm sunrays from reaching the land. The atmosphere is cooler by about 4 degrees centigrade. Yes, it’s cold in here! …… and we need a piping hot chicken soup. But since we are Filipinos, the last phrase simply means we want some “tinola” or chicken stewed in ginger. For lunch or dinner, it doesn’t matter. Just serve it fast with a rice platter.

Chicken soup is a classic comfort food that is believed to have healing properties for common colds and flu. It is a soup made by boiling and simmering chicken parts and/or bones in water and added with various vegetables and flavorings. It is typically served consisting of a clear broth with small pieces of chicken or vegetables or with noodles or dumplings. The Philippines’ answer to this classic feel-good soup is its “tinolang manok” or simply “tinola”. A soupy chicken stewed dish flavored with ginger and added with green papaya and chili leaves. The rejuvenating flavor of ginger and the slight kick and peppery flavor of chili leaves make Filipino “tinola” an even better chicken soup alternative……..at least for me.

The dish, regarded as the Filipino chicken soup, is widely accepted among all sectors of the society because it is quite inexpensive, could well satisfy a rather big family or group of diners and can be quickly and easily prepared. While it is believed to have been first invented in the 1800s using the delectable native chicken and referenced in the famous “Noli Me Tangere” novel of Dr. Jose Rizal, it remains extremely popular today. It has withstood the test of time and is continuously evolving. Exciting variants using pork, edible frog, fish and shellfish are regularly seen. In the Visayan Islands of the southern region of the Philippines, there is a version called “binakol” which uniquely includes flesh of tender coconut and coconut water to the dish.

Chicken Caldereta or Kalderetang Manok (Chicken Stewed in Tomato Sauce)

As mentioned several times, “kalderetang baka” or beef stew as called by Filipinos in the West, recently divulged to me as the same dish sometimes referred to as “bakareta” in some parts of the Philippines, is among the signature dishes of this website. Quite evidently, I have prepared and posted the dish twice, here and here. In addition, a similarly popular variant, “kalderetang kambing” or goat meat “caldereta” was also prepared and featured here not too long ago. Simply, it goes without saying that we (me and my colleagues) love “kaldereta” dish so much that like “pork adobo a la Dong”, it has been a regular fare in our weekly menu.

Discussing what to cook the other night, Dong, a colleague and at the same time my “inaanak”, brilliantly suggested I try preparing the usual savory, luscious and moderately spicy “caldereta” using chicken meat in lieu of beef. I immediately welcome the idea which I thought, could well serve as our group’s alternative recipe, for the predominantly chicken dishes (about 60% of our main meals) that we regularly have. Therefore, my version of “kalderetang manok” or chicken sautéed in garlic, lots of onions and spices then stewed in tomato sauce and added with liver spread and cheese was conceived.

Early on, I have a good feeling about the chicken being cooked into “caldereta”. For one, my brother in law on several occasions told me stories about the poor man’s version of the dish that they sometimes cook in the project site using just the cheap chicken feet as the meat. He swears it is so good that they usually ran out of rice during the meal. Well, I find that not really amusing after all. One attributes of a good “caldereta” is the sauce and if you attained a very flavorful sauce, then diners will really consume lots and lots of rice. And if using just the lowly chicken feet could work, then using choice cuts is bound to do even better.

Creamy Chicken Liver Pâté

We are in sandwich-eating mood and we scour our fridge for the available spread that we could use. We have both our all-time favorites’ chicken sandwich and tuna sandwich spreads, several types of sweet jam, some margarine and butter as well as slices of Cheddar, processed and Gouda cheeses. But none of them excites our palates this time. We have been regularly eating them and our taste buds are probably somewhat tired and wanting something different. Not necessarily new, but at least something we have not eaten in a long time.

Then I remembered I have half a kilo of chicken liver which I wanted to prepare into chicken liver pâté ……… and the excitement started to build-up. For most Filipinos who grew up with the country’s popular liver spread (Reno Brand) in their everyday sandwiches, especially with “pandesal” or Filipino bread roll, liver pâté is an expensive but sufficient alternative when living abroad.

In general, pâté is a mixture of ground meat and fat or butter blended into a spreadable paste. Common additions include vegetables, herbs, spices, wine and cream. In French or Belgian cuisine, pâté may be baked in a crust as pie or loaf or baked in a terrine or other mold or earthenware. The most famous pâté is probably “pâté de foie gras”, made from the fattened livers of geese, the tastiest liver for me.

In the European countries of Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Sweden and Austria, some liver pâtés are shaped as a soft, often spreadable sausage, called “leverworst” in Dutch or “Leberwurst” in German. In the United States these are sometimes referred to as "liverwurst", a combination of English and German. Some “liverwurst” can be sliced and used as sandwich filler while others are spreadable, like the type popular in the UK and my father’s favorite. Yes, he keeps a good stock of a certain “liverwurst” product in his room. :-)

Ginataang Manok (Chicken Cooked in Coconut Milk or “Gata”)

There are culinary properties of chicken and coconut cream which when combined together in cookery will result to a rich, flavorful, sometimes oily, but nonetheless truly satisfying dish. This is so true in the case of “ginataang manok” or chicken braised in coconut cream and spices. Like its close cousin “adobong manok sa dilaw”, it is a unique Filipino table fare perfect for its staple food that is steamed rice. The tasty sauce coating the chicken in the dish is just so full of flavors that when slathered on rice and eaten together could make you forget your delayed monthly amortization……. or your pass due credit cards payments…….or your long Christmas shopping list which, sadly, remains unallocated until now.

No, no, no, these are just examples and not really my problems …….true ……. Okay! Okay, the last one is………. but don’t tell my family, relatives and friends. It might trigger extreme panic, chaos and pandemonium. Let them buy their gifts for me first. :-)

Since this is another “ginataan” dish (cooked in coconut milk), one important ingredient of course is “gata” or coconut milk. As explained before in “ginataang alimasag” post, coconut milk is a sweet, creamy, milky white cooking base extracted from the grated meat of a mature coconut. There are two grades of coconut milk namely thick and thin. The thick coconut milk, sometimes referred to as coconut cream, and called “kakang gata” in the Philippines is the first extraction milk collected by directly squeezing grated coconut meat through cheesecloth or in between palms.

Thin coconut milk on the other hand is attained when the squeezed coconut meat is soaked in warm water and squeezed a second or third time to further extract coconut milk. This type is commonly used for general cooking purposes.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce and Chicken Barbecue

I love barbecue. I love grilling. Yeah, I know the blog title says it all. I gain joy while barbecuing. In spite of the process being somewhat messy, it’s fun and rewarding. There is something in it that lightens my spirit. The smoky smell that it generates while the meat cooks. The dripping sauce that causes the familiar barbecue aroma as droplets touches the hot coal. The gorgeous lightly charred skin of the meat. The tender and luscious meat with a combination of sweet, salty, sourly, earthy and many other flavors quite difficult to describe which all-together, encompass that exquisite taste that can only be experienced in a true barbeque. Expectedly, I have been preparing this dish on a regular basis.

Recently, I prepared a chicken barbecue which I marinated overnight but due to heavy rain, I was not able to grill it outdoors over charcoal fire and settled to cooking it inside the oven instead. Remarkably, the chicken came out still very juicy and delicious. The recipe I used there is basically the same as the one I applied in my pork barbeque post long time ago with just slight improvements, particularly on the amount of brown sugar.

Since I am now very pleased with this barbecue recipe, I decided to transform it into the next level; by creating a barbeque sauce which can be prepared early on, keep ready inside the fridge and use any time when the need arises……simply and easy. It will serve as a handy topping or dipping sauce and a marinade at the same time. Pretty much like the usual barbeque sauce we can buy from groceries and supermarkets, except that it is homemade, using all-natural ingredients, no extenders, no added preservatives, no artificial coloring and most importantly, it does not cost a fortune. You can use the huge savings in buying more meat instead. :-)

Chicken Barbecue or Barbeque (Oven Cooked)

Barbeque, also spelled barbecue and usually abbreviated BBQ, Bar-B-Q and Bar-B-Que, is among the common food that I greatly missed here in Sri Lanka. Why? Well, if in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations, barbeque is a very common any-meal food which you can find in almost every corner and junction of the roads in key cities, towns, municipalities, villages and neighborhood, urban centers and all other areas where there is a regular congregation of people, it is the exact opposite here.

That is right; I am yet to see a single barbeque stand or kiosk anywhere on the streets, parks, playground, tourist spots and any recreational areas for over 5 years of my stay here. While Sri Lankan’s also like barbeques, it is just not a common street food item, like “roti”, “kottu”, “appa” etc. :-)

The term barbeque can refer to the meat and cooking process as a food, to the cooking apparatus oftentimes called barbeque grill as an implement and to a party or outdoor activity where such food is the main table fare. Here, we will be talking about barbeque as a food.

Barbeque is a method of cooking meat, seafood and vegetables with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood or hot coals of charcoal, cooking gas or even electricity. The meat or fish or vegetable is usually applied with marinade, spice rub, basting sauce or even simply seasoned with salt and spices or soaked in condiments with citrus extract prior to cooking. Barbecue is fun and exciting because it is usually cooked in an outdoor environment heated by the smoke or direct heat of wood or charcoal. Whew…….now I’m craving.

Suam na Itlog (Egg Drop Soup with Chicken and Mushroom)

I woke up with a heavy head. I had a long and exhausting night before and my physical conditions aren’t quite tuned-in this morning. In such moment when I am not feeling good, I can only think of one breakfast dish to eat in order to perk-up my feelings and at the same time rejuvenate my downed strength. I am referring to the Filipino egg drop soup called “suam” or “suam na itlog” which, in its simplest form, is basically a quick-fix soup made of egg or eggs, beaten or whole, flavored with crushed garlic and seasoned with salt and freshly ground pepper.

This is the same soup that is usually serve to the sick and the elderly who are either too weak to eat solid meal or has lost appetite for food. It is said to have some sort of healing properties and the ability to provide energy to the frail body. With such renewing effects, the same soup was a favorite breakfast dish of people who have drank one too many the previous night and have woken up with severe headache and dizzy feeling due to hang-over. No, this is not from experience. :-)

Generally, egg drop soup is a Chinese soup of wispy beaten eggs in boiled chicken broth. Condiments such as black pepper or white pepper and finely chopped scallions or spring onions, grated corn and tofu are typical additions. The soup is finished by adding a thin stream of beaten eggs to the boiling broth in the final moments of cooking, creating thin, silken strands or flakes of cooked egg that float in the soup. Due to its easy preparation and great taste, egg drop soup popularity has grown and many varieties using different recipes are now common in different European and Asian countries, like the Philippines.