Bilo-bilo are glutinous rice balls made from powdered glutinous rice and water. Although this might look simple, bilo-bilo is an important ingredient in Filipino desserts such as Ginataang Bilo-bilo, Ginataang Halo-halo, and Baked Bilo-bilo in Coconut Cream sauce.
If you want to make your own Bilo-bilo, here are the ingredients that you need to have and the steps that you need to follow:
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.
Annatto oil is also known as Achiote Oil and Atsuete Oil. This is made by mixing annatto seeds with olive oil; vegetable oil, canola oil, and corn oil can also be used. The main purpose of this red oil is to provide color to different dishes to make it more visually appealing.
Since annatto oil is not always available in grocery stores, learning how to make it will surely be beneficial to you. Annatto seeds, which are one of the ingredients, can be found in Asian stores. If in case the nearest Asian store in your place is not that close, you can head directly to the nearest Mexican store in your area to purchase it (you should be looking for a package labeled “Achiote”).
Making Annatto oil is very simple. Here are the details to get you started.
One quick and easy dinner that you can make for your family is Sweet and Sour Meatballs. As the name suggests, this is a meatball dish with sweet and sour sauce. There are several ways to make the sweet and sour sauce; one example is the recipe that we have for the Sweet and Sour Tilapia while another is the basic Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe that we used for Sweet and Sour Pork – this recipe is entirely different from the rest.
Kids are so picky with their meals. They like fried dishes and they won’t eat any food that they are not familiar with. Since kids love meatballs, this recipe will surely build your kid’s appetite especially when they tasted the pineapple chunk that goes along with the dish.
As for the meatballs, the recipe asks for ground pork but feel free to use ground beef or chicken depending on your preference or availability of ingredients. You might notice that the meatball for this recipe is composed of basic ingredients. If you want to take the meatballs to the next level, you can always use the meatball recipe in our Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe post.
Try this Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe and let us know what you think.
Tofu in Black Bean Sauce is an easy flavorful Asian tofu dish. This recipe is so simple and quick – it just took me less than 20 minutes to complete and serve this dish.
Since tofu is the main ingredient of this dish, it is better to ensure to use the right kind of tofu. I used firm tofu for this recipe. Firm tofu is different from the extra firm tofu which is usually used for tokwa’t baboy. Unlike extra firm tofu, firm tofu does not get crispy right away when fried; it is the ideal texture needed for this dish. As for the salted black beans, make sure that you rinse them first before cooking to decrease the salinity. Placing salted black beans without rinsing will make this dish too salty.
This dish is best for vegetarians and for those who want to get away from meat once in a while.
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!
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:
Pinatisang Manok or chicken cooked in fish sauce is a simple chicken dish that resembles Chicken Tinola in some way. This is one of the traditional Filipino dishes that our grand parents enjoy during their time.
Since this is a very simple recipe, they say that this dish is can be enjoyed more if fresh native chicken is used. I believe that this is true because native chicken is much tastier than the usual chicken sold in the grocery; although you need to add more cooking time to tenderize the meat.
Have you cooked this dish before? To tell you the truth, this is just my fifth time making this dish (as far as I can remember). I usually cook Pinatisang Manok whenever I want to day dream about the countryside and the simple life that it has to offer. Isn’t it better to enjoy a simple life free from stress?
Try this Pinatisang Manok recipe and let me know what you think.
So, you still have that ground pork, beef, or chicken sitting in the fridge for days now. I bet that you either impulsively bought it when you saw the huge sale sticker in the package or that you regularly buy ground meats even if there are no planned menus for it. Don’t worry, it’s normal; I too do the same thing often.
While saving a few bucks for low priced ground meat is not bad at all, waiting for it to become spoiled is different thing. You don’t want those savings to turn into expense, do you? Here are some ground meat recipe ideas that might interest you – while you still have time.
Tom Yum Goong is a soup dish that originated from Southeast Asia. It is made with prawns along with herbs and different spices; it is distinguished by its hot and sour taste.
Thailand and Laos were said to be the starting places of this hot and sour soup dish; however, the version of both countries have noticeable differences in terms of ingredients and preparation method. What we have here is the Thai version.
Tom Yum Goong’s closest Filipino soup dish counterpart is the Sinigang na Hipon. If you were to compare both dishes side by side, you’ll notice that Tom Yum is a little sweeter and spicier. Also, each dish has different vegetable components and souring agents.
If you are a fan of light dishes then you might like Shrimps with Quail Eggs and Green Peas. This light dish is basically a vegetable and seafood dish combined. Depending on your preference, this can either be served as a main dish or as a side dish.
Just like our other recipes, the ingredients for this dish can vary. Some like this with young corn and vegetable broth while others add a little milk to make the sauce richer. As for me, I like it this way – simple yet delish.
Sinamak is Iloilo’s version of spiced vinegar. This condiment derives its appeal and zest from several spices that were combined and soaked in vinegar for several days to several weeks.
This spiced vinegar is a good condiment for grilled and fried foods. Chicken Inasal, one of Iloilo’s famous chicken dishes, is best eaten with Sinamak. Some dishes in our recipe roster can be more enjoyed if eaten with this spiced vinegar too. Here are a few of them:
Pritong Bangus, Pritong Tilapia, Inihaw na Liempo, Grilled Isaw, Pinoy Fried Chicken, Ukoy, Lechon Kawali, Tokwa’t Baboy, Chicharon Bituka, and Inihaw na Pusit.
Maskipaps” is short for “maski papaano” which also means “however”. When I cook something that I have no known name for, I just call it “maskipaps.”
This recipe is actually my mom’s. She uses pork belly so it is even tastier and juicier. Pork belly is not available in our local supermarkets so I used ribs instead.
This quick and easy pork recipe is so appetizing — no wonder my kids love them.
Chicken Sopas is a soup dish filled with diced or shredded boneless chicken meat and elbow macaroni noodles. This chicken soup is a common breakfast or snack food among Filipino families particularly during the rainy season. Since this is a family favorite, most Filipino families have their own treasured Chicken Sopas recipe. I’m guessing that some recipes might even be passed from generation to generation.
The difference of Chicken Sopas from other traditional chicken soups is the use of milk. Fresh or even evaporated milk is added to the soup along with the chicken and different vegetables for a richer flavor. The addition of other meats such as diced hotdogs or luncheon meat in some recipes can also be considered as one of the factors that make this soup dish different from the traditional ones. I, for one, have tried almost all the versions of this dish (I even tried one recipe that makes use of chicken liver) and they were all great.
This particular recipe is one of the simplest recipes that I tried. I shot the video during our 3 day camping adventure at Indiana Dunes. In order to save some time and avoid a lot of mess, I used diced boneless chicken meat and chicken broth rather than deriving stock by boiling bone-in chicken. The taste is pretty much the same but you can save more money if you do it the traditional way: boiling bone-in chicken to make chicken stock and manually removing the meat from the bones.
By the way, the noodles and vegetables may vary depending on the recipe. Feel free to use the appropriate vegetables that you desire.
Can I also request you to share your way of making Chicken Sopas for the benefit of everyone? I am excited to learn from you.
Sotanghon Guisado is a noodle dish made from sotanghon. It is also known as cellophane noodles or Chinese vermicelli. The term “guisado” was derived from the Filipino word “gisa” which means to sauté.
This dish is prepared similarly with other popular Filipino noodle dishes such as Pancit Guisado (or bihon guisado) and Pancit Canton. A good way to make this dish stand-out is by adding lots of minced garlic during the first steps in cooking. The smell of roasted garlic makes the aroma more appealing and the garlicky taste blends well with the sour taste of squeezed calamansi or lemon juice.
As you might have noticed, the recipe suggests the use of annatto water. This has nothing to do with the taste; it is only intended to provide color to the dish for presentation purposes. Annatto water is simple to make; all you need are annatto seeds and water. Simply soak annatto seeds in warm water and for at least 15 minutes then rub the seeds using your fingers to extract the color. Another original ingredient of this recipe that I can’t find is wood ears. These are edible fungus that resembles small mushrooms. These are locally referred to as “tenga ng daga” because of its shape. This dish will be more complete and will taste even better if you can grab hold of it.
Try this Sotanghon Guisado recipe and let me know your thoughts.
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.
Ukoy is the Filipino version of shrimp fritters. Small shrimps (usually with head and shell on) are mixed in a batter and fried until crispy. This is can be an appetizer, a main dish, or a mid afternoon snack. Several variations of this dish exists, the most common ingredients that are mixed with shrimps are mung bean sprouts (togue) and julienned squash. There are also other ukoy variations wherein small fishes such as dulong or dilis are used instead of shrimp.
I learned to eat Ukoy when I was still a kid. Every afternoon, our trusted vendor peddles this dish along with turon, lumpiang prito, and bananaque. I used to have this for meryenda (mid afternoon snack) and I enjoy having it soaked in spicy vinegar such as sinamak or pinakurat.
The secret to a good Ukoy is its texture. You can put any ingredient that you want as long as it is within the norm but it should come out extra crispy. During my first few tries, I was not satisfied with the texture. Although the taste was extremely superb, the texture is a bit soggy. Instead of giving-up, I did several more experiments and finally got the crispy texture that I wanted. How did I do it? I simply changed the flour and cornstarch ratio by adding more cornstarch and decreasing the amount of flour.
If you’ll notice in the video, I used small dried shrimps (the size is bigger than hibi) instead of the fresh small ones. I can’t find the right sized (small variety) fresh or even packaged shrimps in my area. It turned out that the dried shrimps are more flavorful than the fresh shrimps that I usually use.
Are you craving for Ukoy?
Try this recipe and let me know your thoughts.
Chicken Parmesan (also known as Chicken Parmigiana) is a chicken dish composed of chicken breast, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, and marinara sauce. Boneless skinless chicken breasts are flattened by light pounding or pressing. The chicken slices are dredged in flour and breadcrumbs and pan fried in extra virgin olive oil until half done.
Pan frying the chicken does not complete the whole process; you still need to make the marinara sauce, arrange the chicken with the rest of the ingredients, and bake. It would be better if you make your own marinara sauce so that you can control the taste.
This recipe is not complicated at all. It just happened that the steps listed here are a little over than the usual recipes that we publish. This might take some time to prepare but the result will definitely amaze you. You’ll never regret a thing.
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!
Tortang Giniling is a type of Filipino omelet wherein ground meat (beef and pork being the most common) is sautéed with vegetables such as garlic, onions, and tomatoes then mixed directly with beaten eggs.
Unlike traditional omelets where eggs are folded around meats, cheeses, and vegetables; this recipe suggests cooked ground meat to be mixed in the beaten egg mixture before frying. A typical breakfast food, Tortang Giniling is best served with garlic fried rice and banana ketchup. Aside from being a breakfast food, this can also serve as your child’s packed lunch meal at school or your lunch at work – especially when you are always on the go.
I like this dish for three simple reasons: it is easy to prepare, economical (low cost), and delicious.
The only challenge that you might face is flipping the omelet. Since this covers the entire pan, it is quite challenging to flip everything and ensuring that the omelet lands in one piece. If you are having the same issue, try getting a similar sized pan or plate then transfer the omelet there (cooked part facing down). A spatula will be extra helpful to assist you in bringing the uncooked part of the egg back in the hot pan; you may also divide the ingredients into serving sizes and cook each one after the other; through this, flipping the omelet should come with ease.
I know that you have your own versions of this dish. Can you tell us how you do it? We love to learn new cooking styles and techniques. We hope to hear from you soon.
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?
Crispy Spinach is an appetizer dish where in spinach are dipped in a batter and fried until crispy. This is a very simple recipe that takes minimal effort and time to prepare. If you like having Chicharon (pork rinds) then you might want to try this recipe as a healthier alternative – just make sure to line paper towels on the plate to absorb excess oil.
I grew up eating a similar kind of dish: Crispy Kangkong. It goes well as an appetizer for fried dishes.
The key to this recipe is the type of dipping sauce that you will use. Although the texture of fried leaves are good, the taste is close to none. Having a good tasting dipping sauce should make up for the lack of taste of this dish. The Asian Dipping Sauce does a great job in giving life to this crispy fried dish.
Try this Crispy Spinach recipe and let me know what you think.
Pork Asado or Asadong Baboy is a sweet pork dish that was introduced by the Chinese. Unlike Chicken Asado, which is its name counterpart, Pork Asado has contrasting ingredients and method of preparation.
This is one of the dishes wherein slabs of meat are preferred unsliced when cooked – just like the Lechon kawali. You can’t go wrong in preparing this tasty dish since the procedure is simple; all you need to do is marinade the meat in a mixture of spices and seasonings and boil it until tender. If you like easy to prepare oriental tasting dishes then this one is for you.
I began to like this dish when I came across it in a Chinese Fast Food Restaurant in Makati during my elementary days. The restaurant was located within Makati Cinema Square (it was a nice place back then) but I think that they moved to another location since the place is now crowded with DVD stalls and tiangge. It became a family habit to dine-in the restaurant every Saturday after my sisters scheduled voice training at the Ryan Cayabyab music studio in nearby Sunvar plaza (she is a competitive singer, too bad I didn’t have that talent; I can be a good host though ).
If you’ll examine the ingredients closely, you’ll notice an ingredient called five spice powder. It is a powdered spice composed of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and ground fennel seeds. This is an important ingredient of this dish which gives it distinction over Humba and Pork Hamonado.
Got questions? Kindly post it in the comments section and I’ll do my best to get back to you soon.
Try this Pork Asado recipe and let me know what you think.
Pork Giniling is a pork dish that makes use of ground pork as the primary ingredient. Ground pork is stewed in tomato sauce and water to bring out the taste while vegetables such as carrots and potatoes (some also like this with raisins and green peas) are added for additional flavor and nutrition.
This can be considered as a staple dish in the Philippines when ground pork is concerned. I think that it is fair to say that Filipinos are into pork giniling as much as Americans are into chili. I have 2 ways of preparing this dish, this is the first while the other makes use of guisantes or green peas and raisins – boiled eggs are out of the picture.
I like this dish because of its simplicity. As a person, I tend to appreciate the simple things in life. I am not a minimalist; I just find serenity and lesser stress if I stick on to the basics. Don’t get me wrong; going the extra mile is a good thing but if I can accomplish what needs to be done with lesser effort and time then that’s the way that I’m going.
Do you like Pork Giniling? How do like this done? Let’s enjoy life through good food.
Happy cooking!
