Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Ube na Kalamay(Kalameng Ube)

aube
Ubeng Kalamay is usually sold in wet markets in the Philippines. This delicacy is part of the Christmas eve dinner or Noche Buena.

Ingredients:

1 kg ground yam root(purple yam or ube)
1 1/2 cup of glutenous rice flour
4 cups white sugar
2 cans coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp butter
banana leaves
latik (cook coconut milk slowly
until all oil is extracted and latik is formed)


In large wok, mix ube, coconut milk, glutenous rice flour, sugar, vanilla and butter. Keep stirring until mixture is very thick.

Put mixture in baking pan and bake in 350°F oven 10 minutes.

Cool and put latik on top.

Tips:
If you are living in Singapore, you can purchase Yam root in Tekka Market, Little India.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Thai Pineapple Rice

Pineapple 4
During the time when I was still working with my previous company, I always ate pineapple rice with Tom Yum. Yesterday I missed pineapple rice so I decided to try to cook up my own version of it.


Ingredients


1 fresh pineapple (peeled and deveined)


100 grams cooked ham, diced (chicken breast can also be used instead)


3 pcs oriental sausage, sliced




5 pcs mushroom, sliced

4 cups Steamed Rice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic, chopped
2 tbsp raisins, chopped
2 tbsp toasted cashewnuts
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
salt to taste
1 green chilli, chopped (optional)


For the garnishing

pork floss or fish floss or chopped coriander

Cut the pineapple in crosswise almost near the leaves or you can cut lengthwise so you can have 2 shell. Scoop out the flesh with a sharp knife to leave shell with a thin broder of flesh attached. Chop half the pineapple flesh to use in the dish. The remaining half of the flesh is not needed for this recipe.

Heat the butter in a wok, add the onions and garlic and fry till soft. Add the shrimp, ham, chicken broth, chopped pineapple and fish sauce. Add the cooked rice, raisins and cashewnuts and stir until it become dry. Add the sugar, salt and turmeric(optional if you want yellowish color)

Spoon the rice mixture into the empty pineapple shell. Serve hot garnish.

Tips
1. Use a fairly ripe pineapple so as to be able to scoop out the flesh easily.
2. If you want yellow color rice you can add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Pineapple 5

Pineapplerice1 copy

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Halayang Ube

Halayang Ube or Purple Yam Jam is one of Filipinos favorite desserts during Christmas. I used to cook with my Auntie Lhong when I was in elementary school and even until college days. Ube tastes like sweet potatoes but it is usually purple in color. Below is the recipe that I took from FilipinoFood Recipes.net but I made some changes to suit my taste.


1 kilo ube yam root
1 can (14 ounces) evaporated milk or full cream milk
1-2 cans (12 ounces) condensed milk (depending with you desired sweetness)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

On a pot, boil the unpeeled ube yam in water and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and let cool. Peel and finely grate or mashed the ube.

Heat a big wok(preferably non-sticky) in medium heat. Melt butter, add the condensed milk and vanilla flavoring. Mix well.
Add the grated ube yam and adjust the heat to low

Keep on mixing the ingredients for about 30 minutes or until sticky and a bit dry (but still moist).

Add the evaporated milk and continue to mix for another 15 minutes.

Let cool and place on a large platter. Then refrigerate before serving.


Cooking Tips:

Instead of manually grating the ube, you may cut it in cubes and use a blender.

You may spread additional butter or margarine on top of the jam before serving.

Friday, March 12, 2010

BBQ Chicken

City Square Mall
180, #02-21/22, Kitcherner Road,
City Square Mall
Singapore 208539
Tel: 6509 9644 Fax : 6509 9624
Operation Hours
Daily 11am - 10:30pm
(Last Order 10:15pm)

It was last week when Alvin and I tried the promotional of BBQ of 1for1. The brochure looks like they serve nice barbecue chicken.

IMG_1802
Mushroom Chicken Steak S$11.90

IMG_1800
Tomato Chicken Pasta s$10.90

IMG_1794

My Verdict:
My verdict: 1(lowest) to 10(highest)
Ambiance: 10
Food and Beverages: 6
Value: 10(if with promotion of 1for1)
Service: 9

The meat remains juicy while the skin is crisp.



Outets:
Cathay Cineleisure Orchard
8 Grange Road
#B1-04/05
Singapore 239695
Tel: 6887 3638 Fax : 6887 3234
Operation Hours
Sun - Thurs & PH - 11:00am - 10:30pm
Fri - Sat & Eve of PH - 11:00am - 11:30pm


Downtown East (E! Hub)
Pasir Ris Close,
E!Hub Downtown East,
#02-121/122,
Singapore 519599
Tel: 6583 7933 Fax : 6583 6939
Operation Hours
Daily 11am - 10:30pm
(Last Order 10:15pm)


West Coast Plaza
154 West Coast Road,
#02-45,
Singapore 127371
Tel: 6777 8980 Fax :6777 9920
Operation Hours
Daily 11am - 10:00pm
(Last Order 9:45pm)


NorthPoint
930 Yishun Avenue 2,
#B2-17/20,
Singapore 769098
Tel: 6481 3310 Fax : 6481 7780
Operation Hours
Daily 11am - 10:30pm
(Last Order 10:15pm)


Tampines 1
10 Tampines Central 1,
#B1-06, Tampines 1
Singapore 529509
Tel: 6784 4903 Fax : 6784 2637
Operation Hours
Daily 11am - 10:30pm
(Last Order 10:15pm)




Toa Payoh
600, Lorong 4,
#01-05, Toa Payoh,
Singapore 319515
Operation Hours
Daily 11am - 10:30pm
(Last Order 10:15pm)


Orchard Pointnew
160, Orchard Road,
#01-13, OG Orchard Point,
Singapore 238842
Tel: 6235 0933 Fax : 6235 0966
Operation Hours
Daily 10am - 10pm

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Pan De Sal (Pandesal)

pandesal
Pan de sal is very popular breakfast bread for Filipinos which is commonly served with hot coffee.

We've been longing for pan de sal and the only way to satisfy our craving was to bake some as we could not buy it from the bakeries around. It took us months to perfect the recipe that was according to our tastes. It was actually Alvin who really made the effort to make the recipe perfect.

Pan de sal means Salt Bread. This is a popular Filipino breakfast bread. Click WIKI to have more information about pan de sal.



pandesal before baking
Before baking

3 tsp yeast (dry active)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup water (50˚ Celsius)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 cup milk
4-5 cups bread
bread crumbs (fine)


You need to activate yeast by using 1/4 cup water (50˚ degree Celsius) to dissolve 1 tsp sugar and 3 tsp yeast. Wait for 10 minutes.

Heat milk to 50˚ Celsius using microwave then pour to mixer. Pour 1/2 cup sugar the dissolve. Pour butter then mix. Beat egg separately and slowly pour to the mixer while mixing. Add the salt. Add the activated yeast. Mix the flour 1 cup at a time while mixing.

Let the dough rise for about 60-90 minutes. Poke holes using fork. Knead a bit and slice to desired size. Roll on with bread crumbs. Let the bun rise for about 60 to 90 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180˚ Celsius for 15 minutes. Then bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve hot with butter and coffee.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Creamed Veggies

Creamed Vegies

· 1/4 cup butter
· 3 cloves garlic, diced
· 1 onions, diced
· 300g chicken meat, sliced into small pieces
· 200g shrimps peeled
· 1/4 kilo cauliflower, broken to bite size
· 1/4 kilo broccoli, broken to bite size
· 3 cup jícama, diced
· 2 cup young corn, cut into two
· 1 cup snow peas, cut into two
· 2 carrot, diced
· 1 green bell pepper, diced
· 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup of water
· 1 cup water
· Salt & pepper to taste

· 1 cup evaporated milk
· 1 can of campbell cream of mushroom
· 1 can of nestle cream (optional)

In a big pan or wok, melt the butter then sauté garlic, onions then add in the chicken and shrimps. Mix well. Add 1 cup of water, milk cream of mushroom and pinch of salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Add all the vegetables cauliflower, brocolli, jícama and carrots cook for 5 minutes. Add the dissolve cornstarch, nestle cream and mix well. Add the rest fo the vegetables and cook for about 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables are done. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with rice.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

BCW

wrapped chicken

It was our wedding anniversary so I called my mom because I wanted to ask how to cook the chicken cordon bleu. But instead of following cordon bleu recipe, I made some modifications. I wrapped the chicken breasts with bacons instead of the usual bread crumbs before frying.


· 2 chicken breasts, skinned and deboned
· 10 slices bacon
· 4 pieces picnic ham
· 4 stripes of cheese
· salt and pepper

Pound chicken breast thin between 2 plastic bags or simply slice in butterfly style. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Marinate in 15-30 minutes.

Lay the chicken, ham and cheese then roll. Wrap the roll in bacon. Tie it using string.

Deep fry for 5 minutes.

Cinnamon Roll