Cooking SINIGANG is such an instant with the help of tamarind soup base which is available in almost all grocery stores. But if you want a natural experience of sinigang, you may use lots of tamarind or kamias or tomatoes. You may also use miso and guavas. But even I am stay-at-home mom, I rather use the instant mix because its convenient and a lot cheaper. You can also cook almost all kinds of meats with sinigang mix like pork, shrimp, beef and chicken.

Sinigang is cooked best with some native vegetables in it like, onions, tomatoes, string beans, kangkong or river spinach, radish, eggplant, and okra. Well, it doesn’t mean you have to dunk all those vegetables in the pot. You may choose about 2-4 combination of vegetables to make it more nutritious. You can also add sliced gabi to make the soup thick, but for me, using gabi for sinigang dish is good for meats and not for seafood sinigang. Some cook their sinigang by sauteing or frying the onions and tomatoes, which I haven’t tried that yet. But for people of Dagupan, where our Bangus is the best tasting in the world, need no to saute to remove the fishy taste, merely boiling our very own Dagupan Bangus with onions and tomatoes will do the trick for having the best tasting Sinigang na Bangus.

Make sure you serve your Sinigang dish while hot as a comforting main dish of Filipinos. Do not put too much water in the pot for Sinigang dish for it will just make your soup taste bland, about a liter for every kilo of meat or seafood is best.

You may also try Sinigang na Baboy, Sinigang na Buto-buto and Nilagang Bangus.

SINIGANG NA BANGUS

1/2 kilo fresh bangus, cleaned, entrails removed and sliced
4-5 cups water or water used to wash rice grains
1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced
3 medium red tomatoes, quartered
1 pack sinigang mix (tamarind soup base)
1 tbsp. patis or fish sauce
3 long green chilis (siling pangsigang)
1 small radish, peeled and sliced
kangkong leaves
6-8 okra

Put water, tomatoes and onions in a pot. Bring to full boil.

Pour in half of sinigang mix and add bangus. Cook for about 7-10 minutes or until bangus turned white.

Lower heat. Add the rest of the sinigang mix, patis, green chilis, radish, kangkong leaves and okra. Adjust flavor by adding patis or water. Slowly simmer until vegetables are half cooked then remove from fire. Don’t worry, vegetables will be fully cooked with its remaining heat.

Serve while hot with steaming hot rice.

We all love fruits! Aside from nutritional benefits fruits give us, they also promote beauty and wellness. Among the hundreds of fruits we have, the following fruits are commonly known and available in the Philippines for our tummy and skin.

APPLES
A is for apple! Everybody loves apples. Not only delicious but nutritious too. Just as what they say, an apple a day, keeps the doctor away. Apples are rich in alpha-hydroxy acids which are best in removing off old skin and helps reveal fresh new skin. It also contains pectins that firms and tightens saggy skin like fine wrinkles. Apples are not only great on skin but also for your teeth and breath. To fight breath problems, you can eat apples before going to bed. It also helps you lessen the oil on your skin.

For an Apple Mask, grate fresh apple and add honey. Apply on your washed face and leave for 10 minutes. Then, rinse with water.

LEMONS or CALAMANSI
You can use either lemons or calamansi if you want a fairer skin. Lemons or calamansi contains enzymes that helps you rub of the dead skin cells. It also helps your freckes disappear. Rather than getting a whitening soap, rub about 2 or 3 calamansi on your body for a natural whiter and fairer complexion. If you have underarm odor problem, you can also rub them on your underarms while showering and leave them for about 1-2 minutes and rinse well. This also works if you have smelly feet. You can also make a lemon scrub by mixing 1/2 cup milk, 1 fresh lemon juice or 5 calamansi juice and 3 tablespoon of oatmeal. Gently rub on skin and rinse off with water. Lemons or calamansi can also help your dandruff problems. Just add lemon juice or calamansi on a water in your dipper, use it as last rinse after washing your hair.

Do not use large amounts of lemon juice or calamansi juice if you have a very sensitive skin. It will cause irritation and redness. Make sure not to expose your body to sun for few hours after using lemon juice or calamansi juice.

BANANA
One of the most nutritious fruits in the world is the Banana. It contains vitamins A, B and E , potassium, iron, iodine and magnesium. For dry and aging skin, try making a Banana Mask. Get a large banana, peel them with the back of the fork then add a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of oatmeal. Apply on washed face. Leave on for 20 minutes and wash face thoroughly with water. It will nourish your face and helps you to have a supple and hydrated skin. Banana mask leftover can also be used on your feet if yours are dry.

STRAWBERRIES
Eating fresh strawberries will not only help whiten your teeth but it can also make your breath fresh. While eating them, leave a handful of straberries for your face. Strawberries are packed with tons of antioxidants that helps prevent premature aging. It contains natural source of salicylic acid which is the most effective cure in fighting acne or pimples. Strawberries are great natural toner and moisturizer to for skin.

Blend together 1 cup of fresh strawberries and 1 tablespoon of sour cream or yoghurt.. Apply the strawberry mask evenly on your skin and leave it to dry for at least 20 minutes. When the mask dries up, wash your fash with water. Do this 3 -5 times a week. You can also use the remaining mask on your feet as a foot scrub. Just add about 3 tablespoon kosher salt and rub on your feet and rinse.

PINEAPPLES
Pineapples are rich in bromelain, which is a natural enzyme that removes dead skin cells, dirt and oil on skin surface. It is also a great as anti-oxidants. It contains vitamin C, B1 and manganese. For Pineapple exfoliating mask, blend 4 slices of fresh pineapples, 2 tbsp honey and 2 tbsp. oatmeal. Apply on skin and rinse well after 20 minutes. Like apples, it helps lessen the plaque on your teeth, and also prevents gum diseases.

PAPAYA
No need to use soaps, shampoos and creams with Papaya. Why not just use fresh papaya for you to have an instant whitening glow on your skin? Papaya is one of the most common beauty remedy for several problems on skin. Like the rest of fruits, it can also be used in minimizing wrinkles and age spots. It is also be used as a remedy on pimples of acne. For your papaya mask, slice a medium piece of papaya, mash them with fork and massage gently on your face and neck. Leave for 10-15 minutes and wash fash with water.

WATERMELON
Loaded with vitamin A that helps minimize the the size of pores on your face. It also helps helps control oil. It promotes collagen production for a younger looking skin. It can also exfoliate your skin to make it radiant and fresh. It also decreases dullness and prevents pimples and acne. For your watermelon skincare, mash pieces of watermelon the apply on face. Leave for 10-12 minutes and wash with water. You can also freeze cubed watermelon and rub them on your skin for a refreshing and cooling effect.

ORANGE
Oranges are rich in vitamin C which are best known for is toning and exfolilating properties. It helps improve the texture and color of skin. It also helps restore the collagen to make your skin firm and to prevent from early eaging. As simply as rubbing a fresh orange on your skin with help tighten and lighten. You can also use it as body scrub. You may also 2 tablespoons of milk with a half cup of orange juice and apply on face for radiant and blemish-free skin.

You may also combine any fruit, mash them, add a little honey and apply on face as mask. Leave for 5-10 minutes and wash with water.

More beauty tips? Let me know.

FRIED ADOBONG BABOY is just a fried version of Royce’s Adobong Baboy. I just only lessen the water and seasonings like soy sauce and vinegar. It is also called Crispy Adobong Baboy. The technique in cooking this recipe is to stir them constantly and cooking it on a very high heat to let the sauce evaporate quickly and to let the meat absorb the sauce easily.

FRIED ADOBONG BABOY

1 tbsp. cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 medium onion, peeled and sliced thinly
1 kilo pork belly, sliced into cubes
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
3 bay leaves (laurel leaves)
black peppercorns (about 8-10 pieces)
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
salt

Heat oil in a medium frying pan. Add garlic and onion. Saute for about 1 minute. Add pork and cook until meat turns light brown, about 5 minutes. Add soy sauce, water, laurel leaves and black peppercorns. Bring to simmer, cook until meat is tender, about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, add vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to full simmer until sauce is being absorbed by meat. You may add little oil so meat may be fried in it. Don’t forget to leave a small amount of the thick sauce for your rice.

Sunday for me is the best time to cook beef since it demands longer cooking time compare to that of pork and chicken. But if you have a pressure cooker at home, it will cut your cooking time in half. There are many ways of cooking PINOY BEEF BRISKET and the best method is to cook them slow and moist to maximize flavor and tenderness. Brisket is a cut of meat from the lower chest or breast of beef. Royce thought that we are expecting some visitors because I was cooking this dish. It was like a big feast for him and Colby indulging the Beef Brisket, and it was too for Caleb, though he only had the sauce of Beef Brisket on his rice. My Pinoy Beef Brisket recipe has a very similar taste to a Pork in Barbecue Sauce, a combination of sweet and salty flavor in a savory tender beef.

PINOY BEEF BRISKET

2 tbsp. cooking oil
1 small ginger, peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium onion, peeled and minced
1 kilo beef brisket, sliced into cubes
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups water
salt
black peppercorns

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic. Then add onion, saute until aromatic. Add beef, saute until beef turns brown. Add water, soy sauce and peppercorns. Bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 1 hour.

Then add, lemon juice, Worcestershire, sugar and salt. Simmer for another 30 minutes or until meat is tender. Adjust the seasoning according to taste by adding salt, sugar or water.

Serve with steaming white rice.

Here is my second version of GINILING NA BABOY. And there will be more variety of Giniling na Baboy recipe that I will be posting. Well, you can do anything with a Giniling na Baboy as long as it has its main ingredients which are ground pork, potatoes and carrots. My first Giniling na Baboy recipe is a party version because it is best to serve that dish for a gathering or a party. But my second version of my Giniling na Baboy is a hushed recipe because it has a mild taste and has no tomato sauce in it, only sauce from annatto seeds or atsuete. If you prefer an easier way of making annatto sauce, you can just simply use atsuete powder and dissolve it in water. This style of Giniling na Baboy is also best with hot pandesal like what we did with our Giniling na Baboy left-over.

GINILING NA BABOY II

3 tbsp. annatto seed (atsuete) soaked in 1/2 cup warm water
cooking oil
1/2 kilo ground lean pork
3 pieces medium potaotes, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
sugar
salt
pepper

In a medium skillet, sautee garlic until light brown. Put onions, stir until transluscent. Add ground pork. Sautee until medium cooked, about 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, squeeze out red color from atsuete by rubbing them with your fingers. Remove seeds from the bowl and pour the red sauce in the pan. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Add potatoes, carrots and red bell pepper. Cook until vegetables are soft, leaving about small amount of sauce.

Season with salt, pepper and sugar.

Serve with steaming white rice or with hot pandesal.

GINISANG REPOLYO (Sauteed Cabbage) is one of the cheapest yet healthiest Filipino vegetable dish. Cabbage is usually added to Pinoy meaty soups like Nilagang Baboy and Beef Bulalo. Many loves cabbage for its anti-cancer properties as it can be a rich source of vitamin C. It also has substantial amount of an amino acid called glutamine to help cure acute inflammation. It is low in calorie and usually incorporated in dieting programs. But some hates this vegetable specially to those who have problems with thyroid glands. Some says it is also causes flatulence and stops milk from a breastfeeding moms. Well, we choose what we eat. But as for me, I love this vegetable.

You may also try Ginisang Sardinas (Sauteed Sardines with Cabbage)

GINISANG REPOLYO

1 tbsp. cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 kilo lean ground pork
1/2 kilo cabbage, core removed, sliced into 1 inch strips
1 small carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
water
ground black pepper
fish sauce (optional)
salt

Boil ground pork in a cup of water and a dash of salt for 10-15 minutes. Separate pork from broth. Set aside. Reserve broth.

Place skillet over medium heat. Pour oil. Saute garlic until golden brown. Add onion, saute until transluscent and aroma merged in oil. Add boiled ground pork, stir-fry, about 5 minutes. Season with fish sauce and ground pepper.

Add sliced carrots and cabbage. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Then add half cup of water. Adjust flavor by adding water or salt. Cook for 5 more minutes or until cabbage is half-cooked. And remove from fire. Don’t worry having it half-cooked because the remaining heat will let the vegetables to be cooked fully.

Serve with hot rice.

ADOBONG PUSIT (SQUID) was my food nightmare when I was a kid. At first sight, it was horror, a black ink soup with creepy tentacles. It seemed like the dish was unsafe to eat or not something to be eaten at all. But my mom was successful to let me chew and swallow ADOBONG PUSIT. And it happened to be one of my favorite squid dish. I would even prefer cooking ADOBONG PUSIT rather than Calamari. One technique I learned from my friend is to cook the ADOBONG PUSIT with Sprite or 7-up for a sweeter and flavorful dish.

ADOBONG PUSIT

1 tbsp. cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
1 kilo pusit, cleaned, washed and sliced
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. vinegar
1/2 cup sprite or 7-up
onion leaves
ground pepper
salt

Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat.

Put oil, then saute garlic and onions, about 2 minutes. Add sliced pusit, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and sprite or 7-up, ground pepper and salt. Cook for 7-10 minutes. Add vinegar. Adjust flavor by adding salt or vinegar according to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add onion leaves. Remove from fire. Do not overcook because they will be tough as though you are eating a rubber.

Serve with steaming white rice.

I met BAKED ZITI when I was in college. It was when a friend invited me to dine at Sbarro. It was also the very moment I fell in love with Italian Pasta. Every bud on my tongue found the sour tomatoes, pungent onion and overpowering flavor of basil and hundreds of herbs irresistable.

Ziti is a 2 inch long tube pasta and is like a traditional macaroni pasta which most Filipinos use. The name ZITI means fiancee and is traditionally served at weddings in Italy. Cooking Baked Ziti is not so famous in the country but good thing Pinoys are now welcoming new tastes and flavors of other cultures’ dishes.

BAKED ZITI

1 kilo ziti pasta
for pasta sauce:
3 tbsp. cooking oil
3 large white onions, minced
1/2 kilo lean ground beef
1/2 kilo ham, sliced
1 kilo spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste, dissolved in 1 cup water
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup water
salt
pepper

for cream cheese:
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

To prepare the Ziti noodles: 

Heat a large pot of 3 liters water. Bring to full simmer. Add 2 tablespoon of salt. Add pasta and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked and firm. Drain the cooked pasta with a colander. wash with running water until pasta is not so warm so as to keep the pasta separated from one another and to reduce the heat to prevent them be starchy. Then, set aside.

NOTE: Do not add oil just what most Pinoys use to do when cooking pasta. Adding oil will let your sauce slip of the pasta, instead of letting the pasta absorb the sauce, leaving it flavorless pasta.

To prepare ziti sauce:

Brown onion and ground beef in oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced ham. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until sides of ham turned light brown.

Add spaghetti sauce, 1 cup water. Bring to slow simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the dissolved tomato paste, stir constantly so that the tomato paste will blend with the sauce. Add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

In a large bowl, put about 2 cups of the sauce and dissolve the cream cheese. After mixing the sauce and cream cheese, transfer the mixture to the pan and stir constantly. Cook for 5 more minutes or until sauce is well-blended with the cheese.

To prepare cream cheese:

In a small pan, put milk, butter, cream cheese and cheddar cheese and bring to slow boil over low heat. Stir constantly until cream cheese and cheddar cheese melt.

To bake the pasta:

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Spread a thin layer of butter in your baking dish. Put a small amount of sauce on your baking dish. Set aside.

Reserve a half cup of pasta sauce.

On a very large bowl, put cooked ziti and pasta sauce. Mix well so sauce will cover all pasta.

Transfer the pasta on your baking dish. Top with reserved pasta sauce and cream cheese.

Bake for about 20 minutes.

Serve while hot.

Mang Inasal is now open in Dagupan City!

Royce and I were so excited we can barely delay to be at Mang Inasal on opening day. Not because we craved for Mang Inasal’s specialty which is the Chicken Inasal, but we just wanted to check how Dagupeños responded to one of the many food stores that opened recently in the city.

Mang Inasal is truly surprising. Though several Chicken Inasal with Unlimited Rice local stores already emerged in the city, still Mang Inasal caught people’s attention as over hundred of people came to dine. As we arrived, we were welcomed with a Dinagyang Festival Dance of Ilo-ilo where the first store was opened. The store was jam-packed and it took us about 20 minutes to be at the counter and have our orders taken. Crowded as it was, the store managed to cope with the flow of the customers as they placed extra tables and chairs outside the store. Again we waited another 20 minutes to grab a table. An added 15 minutes for our meals to be on our tables. It seemed it was a disastrous experience but it surely was a great and successful opening day for Mang Inasal here in Dagupan City.

So if you are tired of gobbling burgers and fries, why not try eating something healthy like Mang Inasal’s charcoal grilled chicken marinated in local spices and herbs with rice wrapped in banana leaves and served with steaming Sinigang Soup. Mang Inasal also offers Bangus Sinigang, Beef Sinigang, Bangus Sisig, Pork Sisig, Pork Barbecue, Boneless Bangus, Lumpia Sardines, Mais Con Yelo, Saging Melt, Sago’t Gulaman and many more. Mang Inasal in Dagupan City is located at Metro Plaza, AB Fernandez Avenue, just infront of Dagupan City Hall.

INIHAW NA BANGUS or Grilled Milkfish is one of the most popular dishes of Filipinos, specially for us Dagupeños, who are proud to have the best tasting Bangus in the whole world. Gladly, bangus industry had a fast recovery from the recent fish kill tragedy in the country.

Inihaw na Bangus is best served with dips of Pangasinan’s Bagoong and Vinegar. Also, to have a best cooked texture of your bangus, be sure that your grill is about 5 inches high from the burning charcoal so as not to over-burn the fish. Remember that the heat should be cooking the fish and not the fire.

But if you don’t want the fuss of preparing the charcoal on your grill, you can enjoy the taste of Turbo Broiled Bangus instead.

INIHAW NA BANGUS (Grilled Milkfish)

1 bangus

1 tomato, sliced, seeds removed
1 onion, peeled and sliced

salt
pepper

Clean Bangus with running water. Carefully remove internal organs and gills by slicing an opening at its tummy part. Wash again then drain.

Combine sliced tomato, onion, salt and pepper. Put the mixture inside the bangus’ tummy.

Rub bangus with salt and pepper.

Burn coals then place fish on the grill.

Grill bangus for about 20-25 minutes on each side.

Serve with calamansi or vinegar and bagoong dip.

And don’t forget the steaming white rice!