Spanish Sardines with Pasta

Spanish Style Sardines is a different variant of cooking sardines where fish is pressure cooked in oil, other methods known is cooking in brine or tomato sauce.  This food item is known for its preserved or canned versions which are easily available in supermarkets and even convenience store so it is seldom prepared at home.  But for this post we will make our own home made version of the Spanish Style sardines.  In fact the title is a bit misleading as sardines is a type of fish and that’s not the fish I will be using for this recipe, but since it is a popular term in Philippines to use sardines as the dish rather than the fish I will be using it otherwise.

When I was a child I remember my mom always cook this dish as it has a longer shelf life and I must say they taste better than tinned counterparts, she always uses the small sized milkfish (bangus) which is not available here in New Zealand, so I will opt in for the larger version we will just slice it up, they are the same fish anyways the only difference is the size.  The fish is filled with bones everywhere that’s why I guess it never became popular for use in Western cuisines even it has a really good taste, deboning the fish will be a nightmare as the bones don’t just reside in the central part it is also evenly distributed in the meat, they are also as thin as a hair strand but still tough that it can prick your tongue.  That’s why I guess this is the most appropriate cooking method for this fish as when you pressure cook it, the bones will just melt when you start to eat it.  So if you want to enjoy the taste of a better sardine, try this at home.

Turon with a Twist

Turon (Tagalog pronunciation: [tuˈɾɔn]; Spanish: turrón de banana or turrón de plátano), also known as lumpiyang saging (Filipino for banana lumpia), is a Philippinesnack made of thinly sliced bananas (preferably saba or Cardaba bananas) and a slice of jackfruit, dusted with brown sugar, rolled in a spring roll wrapper and fried. Other fillings can also be used, including sweet potato, mango, cheddar cheese and coconut.

Turrón is a popular snack and street food amongst Filipinos.^[1] These are usually sold along streets with banana cue,^[2] camote cue, and maruya.

In Malabon, the term "turrón" instead refers to a fried, lumpia-wrapper-enveloped dessert filled with sweet mung bean, while valencia is used for the banana-filled variety.^{[citation needed]}

Maruya with Choco Peanut Dip

Maruya (Tagalog: [mɐɾuˈjaʔ]) is a type of fritter from the Philippines. It is usually made from saba bananas. The most common variant is prepared by coating thinly sliced and "fanned" bananas in batter and deep frying them. They are then sprinkled with sugar.^[1][2] Though not traditional, they may also be served with slices of jackfruit preserved in syrup or ice cream.^[3]

A variant of maruya may also use dessert bananas, which are usually just mashed before mixing them with batter.^[4] They can also be made from sweet potatoes.^[5]

In the Bicol Region, it is also known as sinapot or baduya in the Bikol languages. Although this version does not "fan" the bananas. They are instead simply sliced lengthwise before frying in batter.^[6] It is also known as kumbo in the Western Visayas region.

Maruya are commonly sold as street food though they are also popular as home-made merienda snacks among Filipinos.^[6]

Easy Champorado Hack

Champorado is a sweet chocolate rice porridge that uses sweet glutinous rice (locally known as malagkit) but instead,we used cooked rice and cocoa powder as main ingredients. but instead we used flat tops A more traditional approach would be using tableya (pure cocoa blocks) instead of cocoa powder

Champorado or tsampurado^[1] (Spanish: champurrado)^[1] is a sweet chocolate rice porridge in Philippine cuisine.

Ingredients

It is traditionally made by boiling sticky rice with cocoa powder, giving it a distinctly brown color and usually with milk and sugar to make it taste sweeter. However, dry champorado mixes are prepared by just adding boiling water. It can be served hot or cold and with milk and sugar to taste. It is served usually at "merienda" or tea or snack time in the afternoon and sometimes together with salty dried fish locally known as tuyo. The pudding becomes very thick and the lighter milk helps to "loosen" it. It can be eaten as breakfast or dessert as well.

Tinughong is another variant of champorado in Visayan-speaking regions which do not necessarily include chocolate. It's usually made from old cooked rice boiled again with sugar, resulting in a sweet gruel. Coffee or milk may sometimes be added.^[2][3]

History

Its history can be traced back from Mexico. During the galleon trade between Mexico and the Philippines, there were Mexican traders who stayed in the Philippines and brought with them the knowledge of making champorado (this is also the reason why there is Tuba in Mexico). Through the years, the recipe changed; Filipinos eventually found ways to make the Mexican champurrado a Philippine champorado by adding rice.^[4]

Sautéed Munggo Beans with a Twist!

The most famous Mung bean dish is the “Ginisang Munggo” (Sauteed Mung Bean). This dish makes use of Mung beans as the main ingredient complimented by different flavors from meat, seafood, and vegetables. A very healthy and satisfying dish that is friendly on the budget.

You will need:

• 1/4 kilo munggo (green mung beans), soaked in water overnight
• 1/3 kilo pork rind or pork belly, cut into small cubes
• water to make pork broth
• 1 pc pork bouillon cube
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 pc medium-sized tomato
• 1 pc medium-sized onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/4 kilo medium-sized shrimps, peeled and deveined, set the heads and shells aside
• 1 pc tinapang galunggong (smoked fish)
• 1 cup malunggay (moringa), chili leaves, or spinach

How to prepare:

1. Place pork in a pot of water, season with bouillon cube, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until meat is tender. Set the pork broth aside.
2. Render pork meat in vegetable oil over medium heat until the pieces turn into cracklings. When rendering pork, keep the pan covered as the oil splatters a lot, but stir the pork meat occasionally to avoid burning. Set pork cracklings aside.
3. On the same pan, reduce the oil to about 1 tbsp. Sauté onion, tomato, garlic, and shrimp. Add drained munggo beans. Cook while stirring for about 5 minutes.
4. Add pork broth and fish sauce and bring to a boil.
5. In a bowl, add some hot broth to the shrimp shells and pound them gently using a mortar & pestle until the juices come out. Using a strainer, add the shrimp extract to the soup.
6. Simmer while stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes or until the munggo beans are mushy in texture. Add more water and seasoning, if necessary.
7. Add the leaves, tinapa, and pork cracklings. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
8. Serve with rice.

Soon to Serve Home-made ricey recipe!

Ricey recipe made at home coming right up!

SOON TO SERVE YOU HOME-MADE RICEY RECIPE!