Category Archives: Recipes

Corn with coconut milk (Ginataang mais)

 
When this month’s Kulinarya Cooking Club theme was announced, I was incredibly excited. The theme was gata, which is Filipino for coconut milk. Anything made with coconut milk was fair game, and the posts so far have covered both savory and sweet bases. With the wealth of choices available, I expected to be overwhelmed by the task of choosing just one. However, my mind pretty much made itself up for me early on, and despite my attempts to steer it toward more creative lines, it stubbornly held on to its first choice. Continue reading Corn with coconut milk (Ginataang mais)

Achara

 
Filipino cuisine is a colorful blend of Malay, Chinese, Spanish, and even Indian influences. Most meals are served with a wide selection of condiments and dipping sauces, often laid out in little bowls or dishes, so each person can fully customize the meal to his or her heart’s content.

One of my favorite condiments is achara, or Philippine-style pickles. Different regions of the country have their own versions of achara, using different vegetables and slightly different pickling liquids. I prefer the kind of achara served in Aristocrat restaurants—a crunchy, sweet and tangy version using green papaya. And so when my mom mentioned that our family recipe for achara was just like that, I got excited. In fact, I think I might have looked forward to the achara a wee bit more than the Filipino chicken barbecue, because I asked Tom to hunt down a green papaya for me a full two weeks before my planned grilling date. Continue reading Achara

Filipino Chicken Barbecue (Inihaw na Manok)

 
I recently joined the Kulinarya Cooking Club, which consists of a group of bloggers who share a love of Filipino cuisine. What started in Sydney, Australia grew into a truly international bloggerhood, and I’m thrilled to be part of it. A monthly theme is chosen, and for June, it was (appropriately so) barbecue.

When I think of Filipino barbecue, my mind first turns to our wonderful street food classic: barbecued pork in skewers. It’s the kind of food you can’t get enough of, no matter how sticky everything gets: your fingers, lips, mouth, cheeks … then you run out of clean napkins and try to sneakily wipe your grubby hands on your jeans. (Or, if you’re subtle enough, on the jeans of the person standing next to you.) Continue reading Filipino Chicken Barbecue (Inihaw na Manok)

A big batch of biscotti, and a small dose of self-discovery

 
I’ve been making biscotti at home, double batches at a time because they disappear so quickly. Along with classic granola and wickedly delicious mini whole wheat pumpkin muffins, these are so far my favorite healthy breakfast or snack recipes from The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great by the wonderful Pam Anderson. Continue reading A big batch of biscotti, and a small dose of self-discovery

Green Mango Margarita Sorbet

 
Alternate title: Well, Now I’m Just Pushing It, Aren’t I?

Yesterday, I posted my Gin and Tonic Sorbet recipe, enticing anyone who would listen to make it, enjoy it, then inflict it on all your guests. That recipe called for a lime-infused simple syrup, and I only ended up using half of the batch that I made. Which got the wheels turning in my head, wondering what else I can make with it. Continue reading Green Mango Margarita Sorbet