Sinigang sa Buko (Fish Stewed in Tamarind and Tender Coconut)

This is quite an unusual but exciting “sinigang”, the generic term that refers to highly varied Filipino stew flavored with any of the many types of natural souring agents such as tamarind, camias or “calamansi”. The use of young or tender coconut in the dish, both of its nutritious water and soft white kernel, is utterly innovative and truly promising, culinary speaking that is.

The idea is pretty rational too considering the popularity of “sinigang” and the abundance of coconut tree throughout the whole Philippine archipelago. It pretty satisfies the conditions that would make the seemingly special dish actually a practical alternative still falling within the range of the average (a.k.a. tight) budget of most Filipino family.

This type of “sinigang” was first mentioned to me by a friend who visited Mayon Volcano in the Bicol region where he learned and has actually tried the dish. Apparently, there is a restaurant in the region who wittingly concocted this “sinigang sa buko” recipe (a variation) which eventually gained wide acceptance among its guests and soon became the restaurant’s signature dish. In reality, there is no secret to the recipe, just plain ingenious concept that works. Its major difference from a typical “sinigang” lies only on the usage of tender coconut’s sweet and refreshing water as well as its spongy and milky flesh. That’s all. It’s simple but brilliant.

The restaurant usually uses slices of tasty blue marlin for the dish. But of course, wahoo or seer fish (“tanigue”), trevally (“talakitok”), yellow fin tuna and other fish varieties and even pork or beef are also options. For this preparation however, I intend to use slices of the predatory coral fish called grouper or “lapu-lapu”. No, I’m not trying to cheat here. I would admit that with grouper, my “sinigang” is probably one notch more delicious already but what can I do, in this part of the world (in our area at least), “lapu-lapu” is the much cheaper fish and easier to come by. Seriously! Its price is almost the same as the short mackerel or “alumahan”. :-)

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”.

Lumpia or Lumpiang Prito A La Sally (Vegetables Spring Roll)

Every mom (or everyone for that matter), who is truly passionate with foods or cooking, has her own specialty dishes. Select entrees which can be prepared by heart, without the aid of any notes, and almost always a sure delight for diners. These would involve tightly-guarded recipes or food preparation techniques which would come in the form of a secretly passed-on cooking knowledge (usually by parents or love ones) or learned through kitchen experiences or experimentations (intended or accidental) leading to process development and perfection and eventual acquisition of mastery through continued or repeated preparations.

These recipes, if we can only collect from our grandparents, parents, other family members, relatives and friends would represent the pinnacle of tried and tested cooking methods and information available within our reach. It can be considered as the best recipes there are, at least within our clan, extended family and circle of friends. For these reasons, I am deeply thankful and really treasure all the specialty recipes unselfishly shared in this website by families and friends for the noble purpose of spreading culinary knowledge for the benefit of others.

In the same tradition of shared personal recipes such as the widely visited “pork adobo a la Dong”, “cuchinta a la Lalaine”, “siomai a la Jhala”, “kinilaw na tanigue a la Rene”, “igado a la Nanay Consuelo”, “binagoongan a la Lalaine”, “espasol a la Luz” and quite recently the “embutido a la Lalaine”, we are ecstatic to welcome here another golden recipe contribution by a friend whom we call Sally with her signature dish “lumpia” or “pritong lumpia”. While I have already posted here my recipe for the same “lumpiang gulay” dish, this version of Sally is just so good to pass on and really worth every minute of our time checking. That’s a promise Sally’s friend assures me!

Pork Bistek Tagalog (Pork Steak - Filipino Style)

I know I am still yet to feature here the popular beef dish called “bistek”, a type of beef steak prepared the Filipino-style, but I have already shared a fish variation of the entree in my post “bistik na bangus”. While I remained unable to post the real thing, allow me to first share the equally tasty version prepared using pork. Like its mother dish, pork “bistek” is also delicious and a highly preferred all-time viand of most children ……… like our kids ……… most especially when it is my better half who cooks it. :)

Prepared using just a few basic ingredients which you normally have in your pantry, “bistek” is an example of a relatively easy and yet very tasty meat dish. Provided you used the right quality of meat as to tenderness (sirloin, tenderloin or any cut of steak like chuck, flank or skirt for beef and pork loin, tenderloin, pork chop or even the shoulder cut called “kasim” in the Philippines for pork) then a fine “bistek” is half way assured.

Among the various pork types suggested above, my preferred cut is pork loin. It is a cut of meat created from the tissue along the top of the rib cage of a pig. It is usually grilled or baked in the United States where it is very popular. While I usually find pork loins sold fresh in either thin slices or roast cut (called joints or legs in the UK although not really from the leg), they are also sometimes sold soaking in marinade for ready cooking back home. To prepare this version of “bistek” or pork braised in onions, soy sauce and “calamansi” or lemon juice, we settled for these really nice pork loin slices.

Sisig or Kilawing Puso ng Saging (Sauteed Banana Bud/Blossom with Vinegar)

For the month of March, the challenge of Kulinarya Cooking Club (KCC) is centered on the mighty food group called vegetables. While most members including me, a perennial vegetable eater (converted by force :-)), were all deeply pleased and thrilled of the theme, probably my daughter’s and surely most kids’ immediate reaction (upon learning that “gulay” will be the basic ingredients) would be a very long “yaaaaks”. Probably, they would even continue by asking “Won’t you guys ever consider using jumbo hotdogs in your theme?” ……… and they will utter that with matching voice tone and facial expression suggestive of true seriousness. :-)

Those clueless kids! If only they knew the benefits. But then, from the inner faculties of my brain came tiny electrical signals which translate to “just like you when you were their age”. I kept silent for a moment. Not really thinking but then wondering. :) Well, probably that usual scenario (I believe most parents already experienced) could be taken as a compelling reason for the KCC members, and all parents at that, to work hard on the ideals of this challenge. That this is not only our way of somehow showcasing the unique Filipino vegetable dishes to the world through “blog sphere” and internet but effectively stirring interest to the healthy food for the children within the family, our circle of friends and hopefully, the whole community.

So that the proliferation of unusual (also funny) Filipino variations of popular international foods involving the (hold your breath) removal of vegetables in them such as in the case of all-meat “shawarma” (without cucumber, onion or tomato); likewise with the all-meat pizza (almost with neither tomato, bell peppers, onions, mushroom, olives, etc.); also with the plain burger with just the bun and a thin patty (with neither lettuce, tomato, pickles nor onion); and many more food versions which could quite aptly fall into the category of (though I really hate this cliché) “only in the Philippines”. Prompting me to worry that one day we might see a unique Filipino variant of “all-meat Ratatouille”. :-)

Ube Halaya or Halayang Ube (Purple Yam Pudding)

Violet was apparently the “in” color in the Philippines at the time I had my annual vacation last December 2010 to January 2011. Lots of mall rats (shoppers and roamers alike) were seen prominently sporting something in purple like shirts, blouses, bags, shoes, belts, sandals, ties, sleepers, purses and even cell phones and smart phones pouches and cases. I and my lovely better half even received a matching polo shirt-blouse presents from family members in a flashy lavender color which admittedly, I particularly like. It’s been my favorite shirt for the last 3 months. :-)

It is so funny for it was just not too long ago that wearing anything in such a striking color is somewhat untrendy and a no-no in popular culture get-ups. It only shows how fashion trends are evolving ……… that what could be considered as not cool today might eventually resurrect and rule the trend-in-style the next day.

Actually, this post has nothing to do with the above. Neither that I am a fashion guru of sort. That’s remote. I was just reminded of the flamboyant purple-attires of many teens I saw in the mall and other popular hang-out places in Manila when I was preparing this dish. Why? Because this involves an ingredient naturally synonymous with the color violet ……… the yam called “ube” in the Philippines also known as purple yam in English.

By the mere mention of the root crop “ube”, I know that, even without reading the blog title above (which I’m sure you did), you and most Filipinos will almost always think of only one food. The dessert and snack food called “ube halaya” or "halayang ube". I don’t know, but I believe it is but natural that when one sees “ube”, he will instantaneously imagine the luscious pudding made from grated boiled purple yam and cooked with milk (or coconut milk), butter and sugar.

Adobong Pusit (Sauteed Squid or Squid Adobo)

As I have already stated here, Filipino “adobo” with its countless variants and derivatives encompassing major meat commodities such as beef, pork and goat or mutton; poultry such as chicken, duck, geese and turkey; vegetables such as “kangkong” or water spinach or river cabbage and short and long beans; animal entrails such as liver, gizzard, heart and intestines; exotic and other game meat such as frog, rabbit, venison, wild doves and wild boar; and seafood such as fish, crabs, clams and octopus, provides us with numerous options to truly enjoy the regarded Filipino national dish with our family and friends.

In active support of the “adobo” phenomenon, which we can proudly consider as a vibrant and continuously expanding cuisine on its own, allow me to constantly feature here a different version of “adobo”, probably once in a month. While this exercise will be a good learning experience for me and you (if I may say so), it will also serve as our simple way of effectively showcasing the Filipino ingenuity in the field of food preparation ……… utilizing distinct food groups ……… through a potential internationally-acceptable cooking method or technique.

The above is my genuine thought and not a made-up excuse for posting another “adobo” dish. :-) And if you are somewhat overwhelmed with the many types of meat “adobo” posted here (although I personally believe that Filipinos are capable of consuming a version of the dish every week without getting really tired of it), let me share an “adobo” prepared using seafood; the marine predatory mollusk called squid in particular. The savory dish is locally known as “adobong pusit” or squid “adobo” in the Philippines. It is basically squid sautéed in ginger and tomato and then lightly stewed in soy sauce and vinegar.