Ingredients:
1 kilo spaghetti noodles
½ kilo ground pork
½ kilo ground beef
5 pieces jumbo hotdog, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, minced
1 large green bell pepper, minced
1 large onion, minced
1 bulb garlic, minced
½ cheddar cheese. grated
500 grams spaghetti sauce
salt
pepper
500 grams banana ketchup (add as needed)
Directions:
1. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package instructions.
2. Boil water on a hot pan.
3. Add ground beef and ground pork. Stir until cooked. Remove any bubbly water. Remove from pan.
4. Sautee garlic until slightly brown. Add minced onions. Stir.
5. Add hotdogs.
6. Add beef and pork. Stir it for 10 minutes over medium heat until lightly brown.
7. Add salt and pepper.
8. Add banana ketchup.
9. Add spaghetti sauce and minced carrots. Stir well.
10. Bring mixture to boil.
11. You can add hot sauce if you want your spaghetti to be spicy.
12. Boil for another 5 minutes. Add green bell peppers.
13. Add grated cheddar cheese. Mix well.
14. Remove from heat.
15. Pour enough amount of spaghetti sauce on a plate of spaghetti noodles.
16. Serve hot.
Ingredients:
several crushed garlic cloves
soy sauce
lemon or calamansi juice extract
dash of white wine or Coca Cola (optional)
lean strips of beef (approximately 1/4 inches in thickness)
cooking oil
Directions:
1. Mix together garlic, soy sauce, lemon juice and soda to form a marinade.
2. You can decide how much of each marinade ingredient you put in.
3. Let beef strips sit in the marinade in the regfrigerator at least overnight.
4. The longer the beef is soaked, the better the flavors will seep in. You can let it sit for 1 to 7 days inside the refrigerator.
5. When marinated, cook beef in hot oil until crunchy.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon oil
½ cup minced shallots
1 cup cubed tomatoes
½ pound ground pork
4 cups water
2 cups diced potatoes
Patis or salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparations:
1. Saute garlic in oil until brown in color.
2. Add shallots and tomatoes and cook until soft.
3. Add ground beef, pork, patis or salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add water and potatoes.
5. Simmer until done. Best served hot.
Amidst news reports bombarding our consciousness of the gloom and doom of the pig flu, good food continues to prevail in the Philippines. Most Filipinos just can’t bear to stay away from a favorite dish called “Lechon” or slowly roasted pig.
“Lechon” is world renowned as American TV chef Anthony Bourdain called it “the holy grail of pork” and Time magazine the “Best Pig” in Asia.
The epicenter of the outbreak, in Mexico there have been 12 confirmed deaths from the illness and 300 others infected, while there have also been infections in Canada, the US and across the globe, but not yet in the Philippines.
The outbreak was formerly known as “swine flu” yet consequently gave a wrong impression that pigs actively carry the virus thus pork should not be eaten at all. To clear out any misconception, the World Health Organization (WHO) is now officially referring to it as Influenza A (H1N1).
The owner of a famous “Lechon” house shares that the business are not affected by it. Lydia De Roca, 62, owner of Lydia’s Lechon emphasizes that none of her 19 branches in the country had experienced a drop in sales. De Roca shares that customers remain to patronize their roast pig joint since they have retain high cleaning standards and pigs are bred to high quality.
Lydia’s Lechon is just one of many restaurants in the area where pigs are slow-roasted over charcoal in full view of diners. The dish is a regular during Filipino celebrations with its golden-brown skin and its juicy white meat adorning the dining table.
The government is also doing its bit to communicate that humans cannot get swine flu by eating pork and although the Philippines produces most of its pork needs, imports from Canada, US and Mexico have been banned just in case. The government had already highlighted the new strain of flu could not be caught from eating pig meat when Health Secretary Francisco Duque said: “You get flu when someone sneezes or coughs on you. Meat does not sneeze or cough on people.”
Nevertheless, pig farmers in many countries have been hit hard and dozens of countries have imposed bans on pork imports. But sellers of the Philippines’ signature dish go on much as before.
Zennaida Correa, owner of “Hiedy’s Lechon”, said she has not suffered a sales drop, saying that previous outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and bird flu fears have done more to scare customers.
“I know about swine flu and I’m very sure you don’t get it by eating roasted pigs,” Myra Valencia said as she accompanied her husband and child to a lechon stall.
“I just wanted to eat lechon,” said another diner, Frederico Bautista. “I have heard about swine flu from the newspapers and television but I don’t know if eating roasted pigs was the source of it.”
The head of the National Federation of Hog Farmers, Eliseo Yu, confirmed that pork prices have fallen recently in Manila public markets but is brought about a seasonal demand cycle and is not at all related to H-1 flu virus.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup diced potatoes
½ cup seedless raisins
½ teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks (plus some egg whites to seal empanadas)
1 clove garlic, minced or ½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 small onion, minced
¼ tsp pepper
Pastry
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup water
4 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup oil
Preparations:
1. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add the ground beef until brown.
2. Place the meat to one side. Sauté garlic until brown then add onion. Mix the meat, garlic and onion then add potatoes.
3. stir and cook until potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper and mix in raisins.
Pastry:
1. Mix and knead all ingredients until dough is soft. Sprinkle flour on a board, roll out 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 4 or 5 inch diameter circles. You can use a wide-mouthed jar or cup to cut circles.
2. put a spoonful of meat filling in the center of each circle. Fold to half moon shape, wet edges with egg whites, press to seal sides.
3. You can either fry or bake the pies. For frying, deep fry until golden brown. For baking, put in oven for 15 to 20 minutes 425 F until golden brown.
Sotanghon noodles is a Filipino name for the bean thread noodles. Bean thread noodles, also known as cellophane noodles or chinese vermicelli noodles, is made from mung beans. It is thin and transparent, smoother and more slippery than most other noodles. It is used not only in soups but also in lumpia or spring rolls and pancit or egg noodles dish.
Ingredients:
200 gm sotanghon (bean thread) noodles
1 cup chopped or flaked cooked chicken meat or left over chicken meat
6 to 7 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp oil
1/2 head minced garlic
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 tbsp patis or fish sauce
4 dried Chinese black mushrooms or shiitake
1 teaspoon chopped green onion leaves
Preparations:
1. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for about 15 minutes. Remove and squeeze out excess water. Cut and discard stems, slice caps into fourths.
2. Heat oil in a pot. Saute garlic and onion in low to medium heat. Be careful not to burn the minced garlic.
3. Add flaked chicken meat, mushrooms and patis or fish sauce. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Add chicken stock and bring to boil.
5. Add the sotanghon noodles in the soup. Simmer for about 3 minutes or until noodles are tender and cooked. You may cut the noodles with scissors to shorten the lengths before you start to cook. The shortened noodles make it more manageable.
6. Garnish with chopped green onions.
7. Serve hot with combined lemon juice and patis on the side.
Filipinos are known to enjoy the average three meals a day plus desserts or “merienda” as most Filipinos call it. One of the qualities that Filipinos possess is their ingenuity to make up almost anything into something new, creative yet cost-sufficient, including food. People of other countries may prefer dining and eating pizzas when hunger pangs strikes. Filipinos on the other hand race to the streets to satisfy their hunger for favorite Pinoy street food for a few pesos.
Everywhere you look, it is common to find people crowding make shift or portable stalls in the streets. These street foods are easy to find outside school gates, churches, parks and even in malls where they offer most exotic delicacies. Let’s take a trip to the streets of Philippines and rediscover Pinoy street food.
Balut or Boiled Pre-hatched Eggs
It is no surprise to hear somebody shouting the word balut in the middle of the night. It is a common and everyday food in some countries such as Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is a fertilized duck or chicken egg with a nearly developed embryo inside, boiled and eaten in its shells. Balut is rich in protein, hearty snack and believed to be an aphrodisiac. This chicken egg can be bought usually from balut vendors who roam around the city at night.
Adidas or Grilled Chicken Feet
When someone hands you Adidas as a food, don’t be surprise to see sticks of chicken feet. Chicken feet are a common delicacy of Filipinos. After the claws and tips of the toes are sliced off, the feet are washed in hot water and tough layer of the skin is scraped off.
Tokneneng and Kwek-kwek
Here’s an inexpensive yet delicious snack. Tokneneng is a boiled chicken egg, dipped in orange colored dough and fried in deep oil. It tastes best when paired with sliced cucumber and vinegar with chili. Kwek kwek is almost the same street food compared to Tokneneng but quail eggs are used instead of chicken eggs.
Isaw or Grilled Chicken Intestines
Who says intestines of chickens should be thrown away? Isaw or grilled chicken intestines can serve as a dessert or a good meal with rice in Philippines. The intestines are prepared with repeated process of being turned inside out and cleaned again and again until it is clear from anything inside it. They are then either boiled then grilled or immediately grilled in barbeque sticks.
(Photo Credit: Larsian Fuente)
Betamax or Dried Chicken Blood
Chicken blood is not spared to be an addition to the list of street foods of Filipinos. Betamax is the term for dried chicken blood served and cut into small cubes resembling the aged Betamax tape. Betamax is served in barbeque sticks which are grilled until cooked.
Walkman or Grilled Pork Ears
Pork ears are so tender that Filipinos made it a street food to hit the local eating scene, in streets. It is dubbed as Walkman as it means ears of the pig. These tender ears are cleaned, seasoned then grilled in bamboo sticks.
Ukoy Ukoy pronounced as Okoy is a batter-based, deep-fried street food in the Philippines. It normally includes bean sprouts and very small shrimps shells and all in the batter. It is commonly dipped in a combination of vinegar and chili.
Fried Squid Balls, Fish Balls and Kikiam
Processed deep fried snacks are also part of the line of Pinoy street food known as squid balls, fish balls and kikiam. They are skewered on bamboo sticks then dipped in a sweet or tasty sauce. These processed snacks are usually sold frozen in markets and peddled by street vendors.
Helmet or Grilled Chicken Head
Chicken heads can be made into street food too. These tiny heads of chickens are grilled to perfection and are widely savored by hungry Filipinos.
One Day Old Chicks
Poultry farms reject one day old male chicks because they only pick female chicks for egg production. One day old male chicks wind its way to streets as one day old chick street food. The baby birds are eaten batter-fried. You eat the whole chick because the bones are so soft. These chicks are usually dipped in vinegar and/or red chili sauce. One-Day Old Chicks are also a popular pulutan (finger food) while drinking Red Horse Extra Strong or San Miguel beer.
The staff of Filipino Foods blog express the warmest Yuletide greetings to all you readers. May your homes be more blessed with nourishing and sumptuous food including Filipino food dishes to fill your dining tables all year round.
Do you want to learn how to cook a spaghetti inspired by the Filipinos’ sweet tooth? Watch this fascinating, funny and educational video on how to cook Filipino version of world famous dish, Spaghetti.
Simbang Gabi is part of the Filipino tradition when observing the season of Christmas. It is one of the longest and most popular traditions in the Philippines. This is a time when Catholic churches across the country open the door shortly before the break of dawn to usher in people to the Simbang Gabi.
Simbang Gabi literally translated means Mass at Dawn observed as a series of nine-day novena to the Blessed Mother Mary. Simbang Gabi is alos known by its famous Spanish name as the Misa de Gallo or “mass of the rooster”. The annual novena starts at December 16 as early as 4 in the morning. It is symbolical to Catholics since it commemorates the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. It is quite traditional to see the “panuluyan” reenacted during the mass as an effort to show how Joseph and Mary found a birthplace.
“Panuluyan” is best illustrated with a “Belen” or the Nativity Scene that counts as a Filipino Christmas decoration. Ii displays the baby Jesus in a manger with Mother Mary and Saint Joseph. The holy family is surrounded with shepherds and farm animals. A complete set of Belen includes three wise men along with their gifts to infant Jesus and the shining star of Bethlehem guiding them in their journey.
Origin of Simbang Gabi
Simbang Gabi was born following its roots in Mexico in 1587. It was when the Pope granted the petition of Fray Diego de Soria, prior of the covenant of San Agustin Acolman, to hold Mass outdoors during Christmas. The Church then could not accommodate the large number of people who were attending the evening mass. The pre-dawn mass is usually announced by the ringing of the church bells during the old times. While in some rural areas, a brass band plays Christmas carols loud enough to be heard all over the town. It was believed that parish priests would go as far as knocking on doors to wake and call all faithful to attend the misa de gallo. Some farmers also pray for a good harvest when they hear the Gospel before going to the sea and fish.
How Simbang Gabi Changes
Up to this modern age, Simbang Gabi is upholded and celebrated in new ways. It continues to be a part of the tradition of Christmas in the Philippines. Christmas is felt everywhere even at churches where lanterns or parols with colorful lights fill every streets and every window. Christmas songs are played everywhere to warm the hearts. Families, friends, lovers and relatives frequent to the nearest local church to attend the nine day novena of Simbang Gabi.
Shortly after the mass, traditional delicacies are sold in stalls outside the church. It is usual to see Filipino favorites like bibingka (rice cake), puto bungbong, suman sa pasko, suman sa ibos served with tea or coffee. Breakfast roll or hot pandesal are also a popular breakfast food among Filipinos. When the last of the nine Misa de Gallo has ended, families hurry home to celebrate Noche Buena and feasts on bountiful Filipino food and delicacies such as queso de bola or edam cheese, tsokolate or hot native chocolate drink jamon en dulce or ham, pancit, barbeque, lechon or suckling pig, Western and native cakes, lumpia, rice among many others.
Importance of Simbang Gabi
Simbang Gabi is more than a mere tradition that is celebrated because we need to do so. Simbang Gabi continues to be a significant moment where it strengthens the relationships among family members and a time to restrengthen our faith in God. This is a special time when we feel the loving presence of our Lord and a spiritual preparation for Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. Most Filipino believes a sincere wish granted when the nine series of masses are completed. It does not matter ,however, when one failed to attend the Simbang Gabi from December 16 up to eve of Christmas. The blessings given by the Lord does not depend on the number of masses attended. What really matters is what lies inside the heart and the sincerity and morale o the person who receives the Lord’s blessing.
