Halo-halo Filipino Ice Cream

Halo-halo is one of my all-time Filipino desert. I just love the fact that it has everything I really love in one single dessert. This Filipino dessert is a well loved food by many Filipinos because it is a thirst quencher on a really warm summer day.

There are many versions and styles in making your own Halo-halo. Basically the secret in making it is really simple. Just mixed all the fruit you have add an ample amount of ground ice, add sugar and milk. Then top it with ice cream, Ube Jam, and of course Letche Flan. Love it!


If there is one thing I love about summer is not the warm weather but rather the Halo-Halo served in the table during a family lunch time.

Why not make your own version and share it to me... 

Experiencing Panagbenga 2013

Soothingly cold weather. Thick jacket and cold mountain breeze is just what keep people interested in Baguio City. Last February 1, Baguio City has finally open their Month long Festival Celebration popularly known as PANAGBENGA.

2013 will be marked as one of the grandest Panagbenga I should say because there are more participants who was able to join their street dancing and Float parade towards the end of the month long Panagbenga Celebration.

This year, Panagbenga 2013 is themed: "A Blooming Odyssey". This year is a perfect celebration for Baguio's progressive economy through a prosperous farming community. It is also a celebration of hope for the people of Baguio as they were bombarded with last years political issue after the trash crash of Irisan Dump site.

The highlight of the said event was last February 24 and 25 it is basically the last Saturday and Sunday of February where it will be a competitive street dancing and float parade on each day.

Pork Steak Pinoy Style

Steak seems to be known all across the globe. Every country has their own way of preparing it and cooking it. This time around I wanted to share my recipe on how I normally cook the said pork steak.

Here are the Ingredients you need.

• 1 kilo of pork tenderloin - I suggest when you buy the pork in the market have the butcher cut the pork into very thin strips
• 1/2 cup of soy sauce
• 6 cloves of garlic - minced
• 3 medium size onions - sliced into rings
• 1 teaspoon of ground pepper
• 1/2 cup of calamansi extract (lemon extract will do)
• Cooking oil
• 2 tablespoon of Honey

Here's how I cook it:

• In a bowl, combine soy sauce, pepper, garlic, honey and pork. Leave to marinate and refrigerate for 4 hours or an over night would be best.
• After marinating the pork, remove the marinade and drain the pork. (note don't throw away the marinate sauce as you will use that after frying.
• In a pan, heat oil and fry until the pork is cooked.
• Pour into the same pan the marinade and calamansi extract.
• Stir a little and simmer until the sauce is thickened.
• Put in the serving plate.
• Garnish it with spring onions. (optional)

That's how I cook my Pork Style the PINOY way. Share your recipe's too.

Exploring Makati: The Salcedo Village Experience

Makati is one of favorite spot in Metro Manila, most especially along Ayala Avenue. I must say that the place is clean and beautiful. So lets explore Makati and find out what's best they could offer aside from big buildings.

Salcedo Village is by far the best place for me to eat street food and to eat at the park. The food stall are totally awesome. I am sure that everyone would love to see what Salcedo Village Weekend Market could bring! It is a place where it could satisfy my gastronomic taste. They offer wide variety of food selection from local dishes to international foods.

Popular snacks from the south is available at Salcedo Village too like my favorite Piayaya and Chocolate Tablea...

Anywhere you go in the Philippines you would always find barbeque and inihaw na bangus (grilled milk fish) which happens ot be favorite too... I love eating!

The champion amongst the Filipino snacks are of course puto and it would come in different version and style.

Castanias too can be found at Salcedo Village. It would be fresh from their cooking pan when you buy it. So am sure you'll gonna love it as well.

And who wouldn't like ube and  . I always find this 2 whenever I spent Christmas and New Years Eve at my friends house. Well who wouldn't like it... their sweet and their delicious too.

Well you cant just find Filipino dishes everywhere.... you can also find baked macaroni... and some Spanish Food....

Want to know more about Salcedo Village? Here are the links you may want to visit: Click here for Salcedo Village Weekend Market and Salcedo Village Market

Pork Adobo

PORK ADOBO!

Adobo comes in different form and different technique. Each province in the Philippines has their own way of cooking adobo. There are chicken adobo, pork adobo or heart and lungs adobo of either chicken or any 4 legged animals. I would say that adobo is one of the fusion food in the Philippines.

During my growing up years, funny because I technically thought adobo is only served during special occasions because I normally gotta taste it during christmas, new year celebrations and birthday celebrations. I just realized when I started working that adobo is an ordinary food served in many different forms depending on the household.

Of course, nowadays, as playful as I am on foods I eat. I have tried a different way of making my adobo taste good. Well it does taste good to me and to my sister and my friends...

Here's the ingredients:

1/4 kilo pork

1 whole sibuyas or onion bulb (minced or chopped)

3 table spoon of minced garlic

4 pinch of pepper (pisong pamintang durog)

5 pcs of dried bay leaves

6 table spoon of vinegar

6 cups of water

4 cups of soy sauce

2 table spoon honey

Here's how you cook it.

Combine all ingredients except for vinegar and water. (pork, soy sauce, garlic, onion bulb, pepper, bay leaves, honey) and marinate it for at least one to two hour/s. In this way you are letting the pork absorb all the ingredients.

Heat the pot and put the marinated pork.

Add water then bring it to boil until the meat is fully cooked.

Add vinegar and simmer for at least 10 minutes.

SERVE WHILE HOT

******** SHARE THIS AND ENJOY! ******

Pork Sinigang A Famous Filipino Dish

Yummy Pork Sinigang

During rainy season, the most popular comfort food for most Filipinos is the steamy hot soup of sour pork stew commonly called Pork Sinigang by most Filipinos.

I grew up with the said dish and I have encountered different ways on how to cook such pork sinigang and it has become one of my favorite Filipino Dish.

Cooking Pork Sinigang is simple and easy. That is actually one of the characteristics of Filipino food it is simple and easy to cook.

Want to know how to cook it?

Here's what you need:

1 bundle of Kangkong

1 bundle of Alugbati

3 pcs Saba (cardava banana)

1 Radish

2 pcs (med) gabi (taro)

1/4 kilo pork

1½ Packet of Knorr Sinigang Mix

1½ Quarts of water

2 Pcs. Of Siling Mahaba (Finger Peppers)

5 pcs of tamarind - you can use this in place of the Sinigang Mix

3 pcs of tomato

Here's what you need to do:

• First add water into a large pot and made to boil.
• Upon boiling add the 2 pcs of medium taro. Mashed the taro and mix it on the boiling water again. We add taro to add texture and taste on the soup.
• Then add the pork and tamarind.
• Once the pork is cooked add the Knorr Sinigang Mix.
• Add sliced tomato and sliced or diced saba
• Add radish after the tomato and saba are cooked
• Add siling mahaba
• Add all vegetables left.

******Serve while hot*****

Philippines Delicacy - Pinikpikan

Pinikpikan is a dish very much popular in the Northern part of the Philippines. In the Cordillera Region to be exact. Cordillera is the region where the Igorot's thrive.

In the olden time's pinikpikan is served in special occasion such as weddings or rituals for the god's. Until today, pinikpikan is still considered as one of the most important dish to be served during special occasions or when a relative coming from different country or province.

What makes pinikpikan a unique food?

The preparation for pinikpikan is really simple. However, it is how you prepare the chicken that makes it really unique. 

Materials in preparing the chicken:

• Live chicken (of course hehe)
• Wood for the fire
• A piece of stick for beating the chicken
• clean flat surface preferably smooth stainless for dressing the chicken

What you should know about the chicken?

Igorot's preferred the barn chicken and not the broiler. The barn chicken used should be an organic chicken as this kind of chicken provides a different aroma and taste. Personally, it is more tasteful compared to the commercialized chicken. However, in the absence of barn chicken, the commercialized chicken can still be used. Take a note though that the chicken should be alive and not the ready to be cooked chicken.

How to prepare the chicken?

The chicken is prepared by beating the chicken (should be upside down) on the neck until the chicken is killed. The reason for beating the chicken on the neck is for the blood to clot and it is believed that in this way the chicken is more tasteful.

Once the chicken is dead. Start burning its feather starting on its body. Once the chicken's feather is all burned then you can start cleaning the chicken and butchering it. When the chicken is chopped to your desired size you can now start cooking it.

Photo credit

The ingredients that you need:

• A piece of chayote (locally known as sayote)
• ginger (sliced)
• Pechay
• one half kilo os ETAG (Etag is a salted meat of pork, cow, carabao or dear)

How to cook Pinikpikan?

1. Put your cooking pan into heat.
2. Put the sliced ginger
3. Followed by the chicken. Mix it properly, add etag then cover your cooking pan until the natural water stored when washing the chicken comes out including its natural oil.
4. Add water for soup. Make it boil until the chicken is cooked and the etag.
5. Add chayote and then cover it until it is over cooked.
6. Add pechay. Cover it and then turnoff the fire.
7. Serve while hot.

Photo Credit

Hmmm delicious! I suddenly miss my hometown.

In Igorot Mind

Let me open my blog by a very inspiring picture of a boy who dances an Igorot Dance with the Igorot costume. Let me open my blog with the culture I grew up with. The dance I first saw my lolo and lola dances and the costume I love wearing on special occasions.

Photo Credit

I hope to see you on the later days and let us experience, explore, and eat.