Seafood Balls and Veggies Hotpot (Steamboat)

Hot pot style of preparing and eating food is not only satisfying but also fun and fulfilling. Apart from the fact that hot pot is a truly tasty stew and soup dishes combined into one which, due to increased level of excitement in the preparation, could cause diners to somehow over-eat and feel really full afterwards, it is also a source of personal fulfillment and pride. The participation of the diners with the associated form of control in the cooking process somehow provides a feeling of accomplishment or achievement of sort, both in the dish and in the meal.

Hot pot or steamboat refers to several varieties of stew in a metal pot prepared at the center of the dining table. It consists of a simmering broth or stock and many other ingredients cook right on top of the table. While the hot pot is simmering, typical hot pot dishes such as thinly sliced meat, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg, dumplings, noodles, seafood and various types of Chinese balls are placed into the pot and cooked through and then eaten with a dipping sauce.

This is among our favorite Chinese food and usual orders whenever we are dining in a Chinese seafood restaurant, either in the Philippines, here in Sri Lanka or elsewhere in Asia. On several occasions, we have also tried this at the comfort of our home using electric rice cooker and even conventional pot and single burner stove. This is quite easy to do and a constant hit to families and friends. This is worth doing whenever you have time especially during the rainy and cool season when piping hot soup is the preferred meal by everyone.

Mechado (Beef Stew in Tomato Sauce)

Like “caldereta” or “kaldereta”, “mechado” is a beef stew dish from the Philippines with obvious Spanish influences, from its name to the use of ingredients and to the slow stewing process. Although the current use of typical Filipino ingredients such as soy sauce and “calamansi” extracts in many of its variations is giving its distinct Filipino character, the key ingredients and texture of the dish remain a showcase of the rich Spanish cuisine’s characteristics.

The name “mechado” originates from the traditional use of Spanish culinary practice of threading strips of pork fatback through thick pieces of the lean beef to render them more tender and juicy. The strip of fatback which basically serves as a wick is called “mecha” in Spanish, hence the name “mechado” to the dish.

In its common form, the larded pieces of beef are then marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, “calamansi” extract, crushed garlic, black pepper and bay leaf, browned quickly on all sides in hot oil or lard and then slowly braised in its marinade with the addition of soup stock, onion slices and tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes until tender and the liquid is reduced to a thick flavorful gravy.

However, my own variation is more of the Spanish side; cooking it more like “beef caldereta” with no quick-frying of the meat and not involving the use of soy sauce and “calamansi” in the marinade. I also prefer beef cuts with some fat layers, ligaments and tendons if possible to avoid the use of pork fatback strips which my wife and kids do not particularly like in stew dishes.

Kutsinta or Cuchinta a la Lalaine (Filipino Brown Rice Cake)

This is a HIT! I kid you not. This is “kutsinta” or Filipino brown rice cake at its best. We are so lucky that a very good childhood and family friend, my younger sister’s classmate, is sharing this wonderful recipe which she developed and perfected over a rather long period of repeated preparations, for everyone reading this blog to enjoy. Amazingly, this traditional snack dish is quite easy to prepare………at least a lot easier than I thought. It also requires a few ordinary ingredients which most of you almost certainly have them already in your pantry except probably for two.

“Kutsinta” is a traditional snack food of the Philippines that belongs to the wide-ranging group of Filipino native delicacies called “kakanin”, a Filipino language which literally means snacks. “Turon” and “minatamis na saging” which I featured earlier are also considered as native “kakanin”. As most “kakanin” are, “kutsinta” is basically made from ground rice locally called “galapong” or in the modern world rice flour, and among the several variations of the highly regarded Filipino rice cakes where “puto” and “kutsinta” are the most prominent.

I believe that every Filipino has a childhood memory of this delicious food. This used to be among the widely served and eaten snacks in every Filipino home. While modernization and necessary contacts with the outside world have brought a new set of exciting snacks from all over the world such as hamburgers, pizzas, spaghetti, to name just a few, “kutsinta (and “puto”) has maintained an enduring niche in the market. It continues to serve loyal patrons which prefer the healthy and tasty traditional food over the proliferating trendy but calorie-laden snacks.

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.

Adobong Batangas (Pork, Beef and Liver Adobo - Batangas Style)

The versatility of the Filipino adobo dish transcends many boundaries. From the use of different main ingredients to the incorporation of various condiments, flavorings, sauces and spices, adobo has evolved into becoming a major food tree that comprises many branches and sub-branches. In fact, it is still actively growing and many other variations and kinds are probably being created as we speak.

In addition to the several adobo recipes that I have already shared here like pork adobo version 1 and version 2, beef adobo, chicken adobo in turmeric, fish adobo in coconut milk and even mixed-meat adobo using ox tongue and chicken neck, there is another exciting type of the dish being prepared in the Batangas province of the Southern Luzon Region (Philippines) called “Adobong Batangas”.

Like the “adobong manok sa dilaw”, this variation is quite unique for it does not contain or use soy sauce, a now very basic ingredient in a typical everyday adobo. “Adobong Batangas” is likewise rather unusual for it utilizes a combination of meats; pork, beef and liver as its main ingredients and “atsuete” or annatto seed extract to provide a mild earthy flavor and darker color which the soy sauce usually provides.

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.

Humba (Braised Pork with Black Beans and Palm Sugar)

I have already posted my southern Philippines style “humba” during the early stage of this blog. But since it is a personal favourite and a regular fare in my monthly menu, I decided to feature it once again. Basically using the same recipe as before, however I experimented and omitted the banana blossoms or “bulaklak ng saging” which some of our group mates want to avoid and the “shaoxing” wine (or red wine that I sometimes substitute) which I believe could have not been part of the old-fashioned “humba” our ancestors used to prepare.

“Humba” is a Filipino dish very similar in appearance with the famous “adobo”. Actually the ingredients are also very similar between the two except with the use of sugar or palm sugar or jaggery and banana blossom, a type of aromatic dried lily buds. Like the widely regarded Filipino national dish “adobo”, “humba” is also a traditional way of preserving or extending the shelf life of the meat during the times when refrigerators, and supply of electricity for that matter, are still not very common or readily available, especially in far-flung provinces and many rural areas.

While I have yet to post the “Capampangan” (Pampanga, Philippines) version of “humba” which I really love and long wanted to prepare but continuously being constrained by the unavailability (here in Sri Lanka) of some really important ingredients, let us first settle with this Visayan (Philippines) version which is also remarkably good, exquisite and tasty.