Fried Chicken Kare-Kare

For the kare-kare sauce:
2 tablespoons oil

1/2 tablespoon annatto (achuete) seeds

1/3 cup chopped red onions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 1/2 cups pork or beef broth

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 pack store bought kare-kare mix

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

salt and pepper to taste

4 pieces string beans (sitaw), sliced into 2-inch pieces and blanched

1 (250-gram) piece banana heart, outer covering removed, quartered, and blanched until tender

2 pieces eggplant, sliced into 2-inch pieces and blanched

1 small bundle pechay, blanched

oil for deep-frying

¾ kgs Chicken (8-piece cut, rub with salt, pepper & kalamansi juice)

bagoong, to serve

1. Heat oil in a large wok. Deep-fry chicken until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
2. Make the kare-kare sauce: Heat oil in a medium saucepan until very hot. Add annatto seeds and turn off fire. Stir until oil becomes red. Strain seeds and pour oil back to the pan. Add onions and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
3. Add broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Whisk in peanut butter until sauce becomes smooth. Add kare-kare mix and whisk until thick. Season with fish sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes. Add chicken and the blanched vegetables and mix well.
4. Serve with bagoong.

Ham and Cheese Bread Roll

Ingredients:

10 slices, white loaf bread (Gardenia)

20 strips of cooked ham

20 strips cheddar cheese

20 strips of hotdog (optional)

2 eggs, beaten

2 cup bread crumbs

3 tablespoons condensed milk

cooking oil for deep frying

toothpick

1. Flatten each slice of bread using a roller pin. (I use long rolling pin without handles).
2. Lay flattened bread. Arrange 2 strips of ham, 2 strips of hotdog and 2 strips of cheese at one side and roll. Apply some pressure for a few seconds to hold and maintain the roll in shape. Slot in toothpick on both ends to stick. 
3. Deep the roll in the beaten egg with condensed milk then in the bread crumbs, ensure that the bread is uniformly coated with egg mixture and bread crumbs.
4. Repeat process on the remaining slices of bread, keep aside.
5. Heat generous amount of oil in a big frying pan until it start to smoke, set the stove to moderate to low heat. Carefully place each roll with the seam at the bottom in the frying pan, fry for 1 to 1/2 minutes or until just browned and constantly flipping to maintain uniform cooking.
6. When done remove from pan and drain oil in absorbent papers. To serve you may cut the roll in half crosswise and arrange in a platter.

TIP: Fry at moderate heat use a big frying pan with generous amount of oil. If it’s possible fry the bread roll altogether in one batch. Burnt bread crumbs will be sticking on next batch of bread rolls if fry by cluster/batch.

CHICKEN FRITTERS

For the chicken fritters:

500 gms ground chicken

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten

½ cup minced onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon liquid seasoning

½ tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

Oil for frying

For the barbecue sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

½ teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup bottled barbecue sauce

1. In a bowl combine the ingredients for the chicken fritters. Mix well. Season with some salt and pepper. Chill for about 15 minutes for easier handling.
2. Scoop about 3 tablespoons of the mixture and form into a patty. Put on a floured tray and do the same for the rest of the mixture.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the fritters until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
4. For the sauce. Heat butter in a pan then sauté garlic. Add barbeque sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as needed. Serve with chicken fritters.

Tinolang Native Chicken with Ampalaya (Bitter Melon)

This is an Ilocano version of Tinolang Manok or Chicken Ginger Stew and a recipe that I learned from my tatay. At home, we have our own poultry of native chicken and my tatay directly tend it. He also taught me how to butcher, pluck and dress a chicken that I did enjoy. One of the tips he taught me – never stir the tinola once the ampalaya is added, or else the bitterness of ampalaya will blend with its soup.

1 whole native chicken cut into serving pieces

1 tablespoon bagoong Ilocano (fish sauce)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 thumbed-size fresh ginger root, cut into strips

1 ampalaya medium size

5 cups water

1.  In a pan, heat oil then sauté garlic and ginger. Add chicken and bagoong (fish sauce).  Sauté until chicken turns a little brown and oil is rendered. Add water and let it boil.
2. Simmer for 30 minutes or until native chicken is tender. Season with patis or salt to adjust the taste.
3. Add ampalaya and cover. Simmer for another 3 minutes.
4. Serve hot.

Deep Fry Fish Fingers

Again I have hunted this recipe from YUMMY.PH but instead of baking, I preferred to deep fry it. It's great for pambaon. I seldom bought processed goods at groceries, instead I make my own. The fishy flavour and smell can’t be savour especially when dip in mayo dressing. My kids oftentimes identify it as chicken fingers.


SOURCE: http://www.yummy.ph/recipe/fish-fingers-with-yogurt-mayo-dip


½ kilo cream dory fillet
3 cups Japanese breadcrumbs
¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon calamansi juice
1 beaten egg
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Using paper towels, pat dry the cream dory fillet and cut in finger sizes. Season with salt and pepper. Then add the calamansi juice.
2. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. In other bowl, mix flour, salt, and pepper.
3. Dredged each fish strip on flour mixture, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs. Repeat until done. The secret to a perfect coating is pressing it lightly as you coat and letting it stand for three minutes before frying it.
4. Deep fry until golden brown. Place on a bed of napkins to strain excess oil. 

Best serve with yogurt-mayo dip (1/4 cup plain yogurt; 1/4 cup light mayonnaise; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley. Mix all the dip ingredients together)

Asadong Manok de Carajay

Asado De Carajay is a Spanish cuisine but it has been adopted by most Filipino cooks. I first tried this recipe during my hubby’s birthday last April 06, 2011. I wanted something new to serve up during the dinner and it was mostly liked, that even my Aunt from the US asked for the recipe.

SOURCE: http://www.yummy.ph/recipe/lola-virginia-s-asadong-manok-de-carajay

1 kilo whole chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces
150 grams red onions, chopped
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 piece laurel leaf
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cup water
200 grams cream in can
200 grams canned button mushrooms, drained and sliced
1 cube chicken bouillon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1 Marinate chicken in onions, soy sauce, and laurel leaf for 1 hour. When ready, place cooking oil in a thick pot and fry marinated pieces until golden brown but not fully cooked. Set aside. 

2 Add water and leftover marinade to the pot and boil over low moderate fire. When chicken pieces are tender and cooked, add cream and mushrooms. Add a cube of chicken bouillon. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve warm.