Ube na Kalamay(Kalameng Ube)

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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.

Thai Pineapple Rice

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

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.