Main Dish Recipes

Pesang Isda Recipe

Pesang Isda or Fish in Ginger Stew is one of the dishes that make me consume more steamed rice than the usual. This delightful dish involves cooking medium to large sized fish in a broth that are mainly composed of rice washing and ginger; vegetables such as bok choy or pechay are also included for added flavor and nutrition. It has been a common practice to use “dalag” (mudfish) for this recipe, but feel free to use any medium to large size fish that you desire.

When skimming the recipe, you’ll notice that I first fried the fish before cooking it with the rest of the ingredients. This is not the traditional method in making Pesang Isda but rather a technique that I learned from my mom. This method makes the fish taste better and provides a more stable texture that prevents flaking when cooked in water for a long time. Rice washing, on the other hand, makes the soup richer and thicker. I usually add this to ginger stews such as this and Tinolang Manok.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Fried chicken has always been a top favorite. I like fried chicken and I want to try the best fried chicken recipes around. My mission is to try all the fried chicken recipes that claim to be the best and share them with you, our loyal followers and friends.

A good fried chicken should be juicy and tender in the inside while crispy in the outside, at least for me. This Buttermilk Fried Chicken recipe has all the three characteristics that I am looking for plus it is less greasy.

This recipe makes use of buttermilk which, in my opinion, does a great job in tenderizing the chicken and keeping its juices. Buttermilk is a low fat fermented dairy product made from cow’s milk. This has a sour taste brought about by the lactic acid bacteria that it holds.

We all know that fried chicken is cooked by frying the chicken in oil (that’s how it got its name in the first place). You might find this recipe a little unusual because the process also involves baking. You see, baking the chicken after frying for a short time makes it crispy in the outside and maintains all the juice inside while it cooks; it also lets excess oil drip.

Check out this Buttermilk Fried Chicken recipe and send me your feedback.

Chicken Teriyaki Recipe

Chicken Teriyaki is a well known Japanese Chicken dish that is also a lunch staple in Japan. This dish has become very famous as evidenced by the different styles in making it.

Although this is a foreign dish, Filipinos learned to love and enjoy it. Currently, there are several restaurants in the Philippines serving their own versions of this dish.

I am a fan of this dish because of its good taste and easy preparation. Although some ingredients may not be readily available, I make sure that I always have them (sake, mirin etc.) in the pantry in case the need arises.

This recipe is a grilled version of Chicken Teriyaki. I find it that a little smoky flavor helps make this dish taste better.

Try this Chicken Teriyaki recipe and let me know what you think.

Chicken Inasal Recipe

Chicken Inasal is a grilled chicken dish and one of the well known Ilonggo dishes. This is done by marinating chicken pieces in a unique blend of spices and grilling them until done. Sounds like a simple grilled chicken recipe, isn’t it? Well, it might sound like one; however, the special marinade and basting sauce makes this Ilonggo version of the grilled chicken extra special.

Who amongst you in the Philippines haven’t heard of this dish? I will be surprised if a huge number of people will say that they haven’t. Chicken Inasal is all over the place. In fact, several restaurant chains that specialize in this dish are in full swing branching-out to dominate its presence in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces. Chicken Inasal and all you can eat rice, doesn’t this sound familiar?

I’ve been to several restaurants and grills serving this special grilled chicken dish and they were all good. The main question is: Who serves the best Chicken Inasal in the Philippines? In Metro Manila, there is a good place somewhere in New Manila, Quezon City that is owned by a famous actor. The Chicken Inasal served by the newly emerging brand is not bad too. There should also be many good restaurants and grills in Iloilo and Bacolod where this dish originated.

Egg Foo Young Recipe

Egg Foo Young is an American-Chinese omelet dish that fits the Filipino Palate. Just like other omelet dishes; this dish is composed of different ingredients forming a flavorful concoction.

This particular recipe is the restaurant version of Egg Foo Young. Unlike the ordinary versions, this recipe involves deep frying which is the typical cooking method in Chinese restaurants.

I love this dish and I like it better when eaten with fried rice. Of course, making the best fried rice is another matter. Good thing we have some tips on how to make the best fried rice for your guidance.

Happy cooking!

Country Fried Breaded Pork Chop Recipe

One way to dress-up pork chops and make them more appealing is to fry them country style. They might look simple; it is because they really are. Aside from being simple, here are some of the reasons why you should try Country Fried Breaded Pork Chops:

Halabos na Alimasag Recipe

Care for some fresh crabs? These are the freshest crabs that I had since I learned to eat one. How fresh are these? Let’s just say that they were cooked immediately right after being harvested from the ocean. Sounds brutal, isn’t it? But cooking seafood right after being caught or harvested ensures you that you are having them on their freshest state.

The crabs were cooked in their own juice with the help of a little water and salt. This cooking method is called “Halabos” in Filipino. It is a simple cooking method wherein seafood such as crabs and shrimps are directly placed in an empty hot pan and cooked with their own juices. A little water and salt can also be added depending on your preference. Cooking these crabs using this method brought out its natural sweet taste that is often over powered by other ingredients.

Sizzling Gambas Recipe

Sizzling Gambas is a shrimp dish that is considered to be both an appetizer and a main dish. Although the term “Gambas” in Spanish pertain to prawns, this dish often uses medium to large sized shrimps (compared to jumbo and colossal prawns) because of price and quantity reasons. On the other hand, the “sizzling” adjective refers to the manner on how the shrimps are presented. A hot metal plate known as a sizzling plate (or fajita plate) is used to serve the dish to make it more appealing and exciting to eat.

I like this dish not only for its presentation but for its taste as well. I like having this very spicy so I put a lot of chilies and hot sauce to make it fiery. Some bars and restaurants in the Philippines serve good Gambas too. However, the shrimps are often small and few; you have to dig through the vegetables to find the shrimps. They should call it sizzling vegetables with hibi (small shrimps) instead 

This same recipe was featured in my interview on Adobo Nation. I figured that some of you might want to have the exact amount of ingredients and the written cooking procedure, so here it is.

And yes… you can always drop a comment if you have questions and clarifications.

Have a good day, everyone!

Adobong Sitaw Recipe

Adobong Sitaw is a vegetable dish composed of string beans cooked adobo style. As you might have noticed, almost all ingredients can be cooked using the famous adobo style – be it meat or vegetables. Chicken Adobo, Pork Adobo, Adobong Kambing, and Adobong Pusit are just few of the adobo dishes that we have featured – so far

Using pork in this recipe is optional. If you are one of our vegan friends, you can still enjoy this dish even when pork is not around. I only included pork in this recipe to add a little meaty taste to it, since I am a certified carnivore – as you might have known by now.

I like this healthy vegetable recipe not just by its nutritional value, making adobo out of string beans brings out this vegetable’s natural flavor which is often over powered by other vegetables and ingredients in dishes such as Pakbet Tagalog, Pakbet Ilocano, Kare Kare, and Sinigang.

Are string beans one of your favorite vegetables? What other string bean dishes do you like?

Sinigang na Panga ng Tuna Recipe (Tuna jaw cooked in sour broth)

Sinigang na Panga ng Tuna is another variation the famous soup dish of the Philippines, Sinigang. Almost any meat or seafood can be used in making sinigang while the sour component is not limited to tamarind alone (tamarind is the main component of the commercialized sinigang mix pouches): guava, bilimbi (kamias), and green mangoes are just a few of the sour fruits that can be used to make this dish.

The seafood used in cooking seafood sinigang usually depends on the most abundant catch of the region. In places wherein tuna (or bariles) is abundant, “sinigang na panga ng tuna” and “sinigang na tuna belly” is more likely to be in the menu.

What are the other seafood sinigang that you’ve tried? What is the most unusual seafood sinigang that you have had so far?

Try this Sinigang na Panga ng Tuna recipe and let us know your thoughts by commenting.

Ginataang Langka Recipe

Ginataang Langka refers to unripe jackfruit cooked in coconut milk. Although jackfruits are considered fruits, unripe ones have the same attributes as vegetables; this was the reason why jackfruit in this recipe is treated as such. As for the flavor, much of it comes from the salted dried fish (locally known as daing); I also like using shrimp cube to add more taste to this dish.

I am not a big fan of jackfruit and anything cooked in coconut milk when I was a child. However, things changed when this dish was introduced to me during our vacation in Romblon (which is the hometown of my parents). Electricity is a luxury during those days and having dinner means eating by the candle light. I tried all the dishes served on the table because the dark did not give me the option to visually qualify the food in front of me. After trying this dish, I immediately loved it; it wasn’t until when my plate was all cleaned-up when I learned that the delicious dish that I enjoyed is called “utan nga langka”.

After doing some experimentation later on, I learned that using toasted anchovies (sinangag na dilis) also works well for this dish.

Try this Ginataang Langka recipe and let me know what you think.

Adobong Kambing Recipe (Goat Meat Adobo)

Adobong Kambing is goat dish wherein goat meat is tenderized and cooked using the popular Filipino Adobo style. Soy sauce and vinegar are the core components of adobo; this means that any meat or seafood can be cooked using this style as long as the core ingredients are present.

This goat dish, in particular, is often consumed as an appetizer or “pulutan”. In the Philippines, there are specialty restaurants or eateries called “kambingan” that specialize mainly in goat dishes.

Goat meat is not for everyone; there are people who do not want goat meat because of its overpowering smell. Removal of the unwanted odor still remains to be the toughest challenge when preparing goat dishes. However, there are some proven techniques that we can apply to lessen (if not neutralize) the strong odor.

As detailed in this post, boiling the meat with ginger and onions helps lessen the odor of goat meat. You may also soak the meat in vinegar before cooking as shown in the Kalderetang Kambing post.

Do you like eating goat meat? What techniques do you apply in removing the strong odor of the meat?

Try this Adobong Kambing recipe and let me know what you think.

Kung Pao Shrimp

Kung Pao Shrimp is a spicy Chinese shrimp dish made from prawns or medium size shrimps. This dish is similar to the famed Kung Pao Chicken although some cooking procedure varies. The Kung Pao sauce gives life and flavor to this dish. Ingredients such as soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, and water are necessary for you to be able to make your own homemade Kung Pao sauce.

This is one of my favorite Asian dishes because of its unique flavor and spice. I like the kick of the dried chilies and the crunchy texture of the peanuts. In my opinion, these ingredients bring more value to the dish.

The best way to eat this dish is to top it over hot steamed rice. The rice help reduce the spice and it also balances the flavor. If you are looking for more taste and texture, eating this with fried rice would be a good idea. Before making your fried rice, make sure to check out some of our tips for best results.

Try this Kung Pao Shrimp Recipe and let us know what you think.

Sarciadong Isda Recipe

Sarciadong Isda is literally translated as “Fish with sauce”. Fried fish is simmered in a sauce that is usually composed of tomatoes and onions; some seasonings are also added to enhance the flavor.

In my opinion, this simple and healthy recipe also works well with leftover fried fish. You can still transform your leftover fried fish that you had last night for dinner into a very tasty and hearty lunch meal.

I used tilapia for this demonstration because it’s the only fresh fish available in the nearest market. I don’t hate tilapia (in fact I use it in most of our fish recipes) but I still feel that using saltwater fish for this particular recipe is better. I guess that this is one of the disadvantages when you live in the Midwest where the ocean is hundreds of miles away. This is just my view; there are no specific types of fish required for this recipe so feel free to use whatever suits you best.

Try this Sarciadong Isda recipe

Baked Pork Chops with Italian Seasoning

Baked Pork Chops with Italian Seasoning sounds like a complicated dish – but it is not. This is one of my favorite easy pork chop recipes that I usually make for dinner. I like this dish because preparation doesn’t take a lot of effort and it tastes good too.

Although pork chops are required in this recipe, you may use other pig parts such as loin and ham provided that they are thinly sliced; you may also try this recipe using boneless chicken breasts.

The ingredients required in this recipe are pretty basic. However, some might not be familiar with the Italian seasoning – allow me to give you a little information about it. Italian seasoning is a consolidation of dried herbs that includes rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, basil, red pepper, and marjoram. It is usually packaged in small shakers and can be found in the spices section of your favorite grocery store.

Humba Recipe

Humba is a dish of tender pork, salted black beans, and an assortment of spices. With its deep flavor palate and numerous ingredients, it is the perfect combination of sweet and savory –– two such flavors that Filipinos adore. Chinese-Filipino cuisine has been a part of our culture for decades. Since pre-colonial times when traders…

Read On →

Camaron Rebosado Recipe

Camaron Reboasado (translated in English as Overflowed Shrimp) is an easy seafood dish that makes use of shrimps as the primary component. Shelled shrimps are marinated in lemon juice and dipped in a batter before deep frying.

This style of cooking shrimp nearly resembles the Japanese tempura and shrimp croquettes; however, some ingredients and preparation steps vary.

Fried dishes are often regarded as bland or having a very mild taste. This is one of the reasons why a rich and flavorful sauce should be paired with such dishes. For this simple shrimp recipe, an easy to make sweet and sour sauce is the solution.

Try this Camaron Rebosado recipe.

Baked King Crab Legs with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce

Baked King Crab Legs with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce is a simple recipe that uses the legs of King Crabs or Stone Crabs. These variety of crabs are found in deep cold seas and are highly priced because of their size and the rich taste of their meat. There is a legal duration to fish for King Crabs (referred to as the crab-fishing months or the crab-fishing season) and currently this lasts for 2 to 4 weeks. Another factor that contributed to the high price of this type of crab is the extreme danger that the fishermen (or crabmen) faces in the cold deep seas. A real-life documentary was produced by Original Productions for the Discovery Channel called Deadliest catch which documents the events aboard fishing boats in the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and Opilio crab fishing seasons.

This recipe is very easy to follow and does not require a lot of time. All you need are thawed pre-cooked King Crab Legs (groceries usually sell frozen pre-cooked crab legs to extend their shelf life), lemon, butter, EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil as Rachel Ray always say) and some 18 to 20 minutes of your time. We served this delicious meal during Christmas Dinner (Noche Buena) and it was a huge favorite.

Try this King Crab Legs with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce recipe

Morcon Recipe

Morcon is a Filipino meat roll stuffed with sausage or hotdogs, carrots, pickles, cheese, and egg. This is considered as a holiday dish and is usually served during Christmas (Noche Buena) and New Year’s eve (Media Noche).

In our family, we make sure that Morcon is always present in our Media Noche because of our belief that serving round shaped foods can help make one’s life prosperous in the coming year . Christmas is about to come and New Year is just around the corner. I want to personally greet you an advanced Merry and Blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year. I hope that this recipe can be of help in your holiday menu planning. Stay Healthy everyone and keep on cooking!!!

Try this Morcon Recipe

Ginataang Manok Recipe

As many might have noticed, coconut milk plays a huge part in Filipino cuisine. Different Filipino or Pinoy recipes require the use of coconut milk and coconut juice. I think that this is a good thing because we are making the most out of what is abundant to us but let’s keep in mind that there are some people that still need to develop their taste buds for these types of dishes. Don’t be afraid to try if you are one of those people. It just takes a few baby steps to get there; it’s time to experience the great taste that you are missing.

Try this Ginataang Manok recipe.

Chili Crab Recipe

Chili Crab is a seafood dish that originated from Singapore. This dish is composed of crab (Mud Crab is originally used) cooked in sweet and spicy sauce.

I had my first taste of this dish in the original dampa in Paranaque (a city in the Philippines). I found this to be real good and the three servings of rice can attest to that. Imagine the meaty claws of the alimango topped with sweet and spicy sauce …now that makes me really craving for more. Wouldn’t you want to try some or perhaps cook your own chili crab? If your answer is yes, then we have the solution right here.

Try this Chili Crab recipe.

Easy Steamed Fish Recipe

Steamed Lapu-Lapu is Steamed fish (particularly Grouper fish) stuffed with lemon and ginger with sweet lemon-ginger sauce.

Though simple, this recipe is beneficial to your health. Fish is a low calorie food that is also low in fat. Recent studies also concluded that eating fish regularly can cut the risk of death from heart disease by a third. There were even studies claiming that eating fish can lessen the risk of Prostate Cancer, Depression, and Inflamation (Omega 3 fatty acids are regarded on this).

Try this Steamed Lapu-Lapu recipe.

Max’s style Fried Chicken

Max’s style Fried Chicken is a recipe close to the very popular and delicious Fried Chicken dish served by Max’s Restaurant.

This Fried Chicken dish is served with fried kamote (sweet potato) and best eaten with Jufran banana catsup or worcestershire sauce. To make your dining experience more realistic, you can serve Lumpiang Sariwa and Pancit Canton along with it.

Try this Max’s style Fried Chicken recipe.

Lumpiang Sariwa (Fresh Spring Rolls Recipe)

Lumpiang Sariwa or Fresh Spring Roll is a vegetable dish composed of different vegetables with a soft (unfried) wrapper garnished with sweet sauce and crushed peanuts. Some popular variations of this dish are lumpiang ubod (made with heart of palm) and lumpiang hubad (Unwrapped lumpiang sariwa).

Tasting this dish makes me remember the Lumpiang Sariwa that my mom makes.

Try this delactable Lumpiang Sariwa recipe.

Main Dish Recipes

Footer