Ginataang Tabagwang at Puso ng Saging

Ginataang Tabagwang at Puso ng Saging. Tabagwang is susong pilipit in Bicol, it is usually cooked ginataang with pako. I cannot find pako instead I used puso ng saging as an alternative vegetable. I do have a similar dish posted sometime back simply called Ginataang Pilipit na Suso. I though the best alternative should have been malungay leaves, but I already have this shredded puso ng saging. Well the pako and malungay version will have to wait for now.

As I have mentioned in my other similar dish post, the snails should be thoroughly cleaned which include keeping the snails in a pail full of fresh water for several hours to allow the snails to expel all the dirt and sand trapped on their shell, this will also allow the snail to expel most of their excrement. The snails also require a thorough cleaning including brushing the shells and checking the snail guts cutting the shell tip, check also for smelly which should be discarded, then with final wash with running water.



Here is the recipe of my Ginataang Tabagwang at Puso ng Saging.



Ingredients:



1 kilo tabagwang, susong pilipit

1/2 kilo shredded banana blossom

3-4 cups fresh pure coconut milk

1-2 tbsp. bagoong alamang

2-3 thumb size ginger, sliced into slivers

2 medium size onion, sliced

1/2 head garlic, chopped

3-5 long green chilli

2-3 hot red chili, optional

2-3 stalk lemongrass, crushed

salt

ooking oil

Cooking procedure:



Place snails in a plastic container with lid, cover with water and let sit for several hours to allow the snails to expel dirt and discard water, change water frequently wash and drain. Wash each shell using a kitchen brush or scrub, discard the dead ones. Cut off tip of each shell about 2/3 length using a big knife, discard broken shells and remove all visible entrails. Wash several times and drain, set aside. In a large sauce pan boil enough water then add the snails, boil for about 2 to 3 minutes. When done discard the water used for boiling snails, then rinse with fresh water, keep aside. Using the same pan sauté garlic, ginger and onion then stir in the bagoong alamang, continue to stir cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the lemongrass, banana blossom, enough water to cover the vegetables and 3 cups of the coconut milk, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to about half. Add in the remaining coconut milk the snails and chilli, cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until the liquid is reduced to almost oily sauce. Season with salt to taste, serve immediately with a lot of rice.





See other related Ginataang recipe:



Ginataang Kuhol with Kangkong

Ginataang Pitik with Spinach, Slipper Lobster in Coconut Milk with Spinach

Ginataang Alimango with Malungay

Ginataang King Crab, King Crab in Coconut Milk

Ginataang Susong Pilipit with Banana Blossom

Ginataang Puso ng Saging at Saang

Ginataang Puso ng Saging at Hipon

Ginataang Sugpo at Kamias

Ginataang Alimasag at Malungay

Ginataang Tahong, Mussels in Coconut Milk

Ginataang Pitik, Slipper Lobsters

Ginataang Langka na may Alimasag

Ginataang Halaan

Ginataang Kuhol

Ginataang Hipon Tabang at Bulaklak ng Kalabasa

Ginataang Hipon

Green Mussels and Vegetables in Coconut Milk

Kinunot na Alimasag

Read More

Sinigang na Manok with Banana Blossom

Sinigang na Manok with Banana Blossom. More often most Pinoy will cooked chicken as Tinola. Most will not try or attempt to cook chicken as Sinigang for the reason that it might not turn all right or would rather have a tinola instead of sinigang. Sinigang na Manok is as good as Pork Sinigang or Beef Sinigang. There is no special cooking method anyone who have cooked sinigang could cook also Sinigang na Manok. As to most of my Sinigang recipe I do not sauté the ingredients, sinigang is a simple boiled soup dish. For this recipe aside from the usual sinigang vegetable ingredients I also added banana blossom. Banana blossom make the soup milky and add a distinct flavor that complement the sourly taste of the broth.

Here is the recipe on my version of Sinigang na Manok with Banana Blossom, try it.

Ingredients:



1 kilo chicken, cut into serving pieces

1 medium size banana blossom, cut into wedges

1 medium size labanos, skinned, sliced diagonally

2 medium size eggplant, trimmed, sliced diagonally

2 medium size tomato, quartered

2 medium size taro root, cubed

1 medium size onion, quartered

2-3 pcs. green chili

1-2 tbsp tamarind sinigang mix

salt

Cooking procedure:



Wash chicken thoroughly. In a large pot, boil 6 to 8 cups of water, Add in the taro root and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until the taro root start to disintegrate. Now add in the onion, tomato and banana blossom, then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add in chicken and continue simmering for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Remove scum that rises. Season with salt to taste. Add in green chilli, eggplant and labanos, cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are just cooked but firm. Serve hot.

Read More

Puerto Princessa’s Chaolong, Bona’s Chaolong - Palawan Food Trip Part 2

Puerto Princessa’s Chaolong, Bona’s Chaolong - Palawan Food Trip Part 2. Chaolong is Puerto Princessa’s local version of Pho a Vietnamese noodle soup. Chaolong is a misnomer, chaolong is pork innards porridge in Vietnam but the local chaolong is a meat stew soup with noodles. Puerto Princessa is known for Vietnamese restaurant and eateries being a host a processing center for Vietnamese refugees or boat people in the past. Most of the Vietnamese have since left and to those who have opted to stay are in to chaolongan eateries all over Puerto Princessa or are in to Vietnamese Specialty Restaurants.

The more popular of Puerto Princessa’s chaolongan is Bona’s Chaolong, the place is a typical eatery with wooden tables and plastic chairs along the road in an open garage setup. Expect that the place is crowded, it is frequented by locals for the reason their food are cheap. We visited the place early for a breakfast of chaolong with bread, we arrived at the place before it open but there were already several people earlier than us waiting for the place to open.

Bona’s Chaolong is made up of either pork or beef meat, they do have also a buto-buto version made up of pork in bones, and rice noodles in a reddish soup topped with bean sprouts and served with kalamansi and hot chili sauce. Chaolong is best eaten paired with the local version of French bread with a choice of plain or toasted with butter and garlic or cheese. If you are really hungry try their French bread with tuna, longanisa, pork or chicken.

Be warned that you will get splattered with the nuclear red soup while eating those addictive chaolongs, avoid wearing light colored clothes. If you are choosy and not as adventurous and prefer fine dining Vietnamese restaurants this may be not the place for you.



Bona’s Chaolong is located along Manalo Avenue Extension in Puerto Princesa City, just less than five minutes tricycle ride from the airport.

Read More

Looking for Filipino Food in Brisbane?

Best Friends, Kainan sa Valley. Every time I have a change whenever I visited major cities in Australia I tried to find and visit a local Filipino restaurant or similar eating place. My problem is I am always on the go and I would not have enough time and I could only visit one or if I have time to spare perhaps a couple, defending on their location. A couple of months back while I am in Brisbane I finally have time to visit Best Friends, Kainan sa Valley. The place is located in McWhirters Centre Food Court just across the Fortitude Valley Train Station. The train station building is connected by a foot bridge to McWhirters Center, therefore going there was dead easy if you are taking the train.

Best Friends, Kainan sa Valley is an offshoot restaurant outlet of the popular Best Friends Philippine and Asian Food Store, these may be the reason, aside from the easy accessibility, that the place is has become one of more popular eating place of Filipinos in Brisbane. The place is a “Turo Turo” style eatery on a food court set-up, the place is noticeably clean despite the fact that McWhirters Centre is an old shopping center. I was only able to try their Dinuguan and Laing a personal favorite but looking at the food selections, the food are indeed visually appealing and it will definitely make any Pinoy that primarily go to shop for Pinoy goodies hungry. They do also have a large selection of dessert and other Pinoy native delicacies to try.

Adjacent is Café de Manila the coffee shop outlet of Best Friends which offers bakery products and Pinoy baked goodies and Pinoy cakes. It is an alternative option for someone who may not be hungry for a full Pinoy meal, and prefer a piece of Pinoy cake and a cup of coffee.

For the record this is not a paid advertisement, Overseas Pinoy Cooking do not do paid post. OPC do regularly make similar post as part of our information sharing and as guide to our readers who may be looking for a place to eat or dine while visiting the subject place. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Bon de Chavez for giving me permission to take pictures which were used on this post.





Best Friends, Kainan sa Valley and Café de Manila are located at:



McWhirters Centre Food Court

Brunswick Cnr Wickham Streets

Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

PH: (07) 3854 1462

FAX: (07) 3854 1418





Check out these other Pinoy Eating Places in Australia:



Pinoy Food Sydney?

Sydney Chinatown Food Trip

Dahon a Gourmet Tea Lounge in Melbourne

Read More

Cheesy Buko Fruit Salad

Cheesy Buko Fruit Salad. This is my cheesy version of the classic Pinoy Sweet Buko and Fruit Salad. The truth is there is no hard rules on types and quantity of ingredients. Pinoy Fruit Salad main ingredients are assortment of canned fruits usually fruit cocktails, and there are countless canned fruits out there that can be used. Sometimes fresh fruits are also added if available, usually fresh buko or apples and oranges. For added nuttiness kaong and nata de coco are also added. For sweetener, condensed milk is used instead of sugar.

To make the sweet desert creamy an all-purpose cream would do the job. And last to make it cheesy, cheese is added, most Pinoy just use the affordable and readily available cheddar cheese. As I have mentioned earlier there is no hard rules on the ingredients quantity if the mixture lack sweetness just add more condensed milk.

Here is the recipe of my version of Cheesy Buko Fruit Salad.





Ingredients:



2 cups buko meat strips

2 cups fruit cocktail, drained

1 cup sweetened kaong, drained

1 cup red sweetened nata de coco, rinsed, drained

1 cup sweet corn, drained

1/2 block cheddar cheese, cubed

1/2 block cheddar cheese, finely grated

1 cup thick all purpose cream

1 cup condensed milk





Method:



Combine and mix thoroughly all the ingredients in a big bowl. Chill in a refrigerator until ready to serve.





See other sweet dessert recipe:



Buko Melon Salad

Buko Salad

Buko Fruit Salad

Buko Pandan Salad

Fresh Fruit Salad

Almond Jelly, Lychee and Pineapple Salad

Read More

Sugpo at Upo Buridibud

Sugpo at Upo Buridibud. Buridibud is one of my favorite Pinoy vegetables dish, it’s a vegetable dish usually made up of Pinoy vegetables cooked/boiled with sweet potato or kamote and bagoong na isda, and topped with fried or grilled fish or fresh shrimp. When times are hard the vegetables may be just topped with daing na dilis or hibe. Click the links below to see the recipes of some of my Buridibud and dinendeng in the archives.



Dinengdeng with Inihaw na Bangus

Dinengdeng with Inihaw na Tilapia

Buridibud, Dinengdeng a Alukon ken Patani

Dinengdeng with Beef Soured with Tamarind

Dinengdeng

Dinengdeng, Green Leafy Version

Saluyot at Labong

Tabungaw (Upo) nga Buridibud

Malaga ken Marungay, Samaral at Malungay

Cooking your favorite Pinoy vegetable dish is not limited to basic ingredients it would be good to tweak the ingredients to add level to a humble Pinoy vegetable dish and make it special. For my Sugpo at Upo Buridibud I used prawns instead of using small shrimps or dried shrimp. It may be an overkill using prawns on a boiled vegetable dish but I thought I could enjoy more my prawns simply boiled with my favorite vegetables.



Here is the recipe of my Sugpo at Upo Buridibud.





Ingredients:



1/4-1/2 kilo small or medium size prawns

1 medium size upo, skinned, sliced into thin wedges

1 medium size kamote, skinned, diced

1 medium size tomato chopped

1 small size onion, peeled, chopped

2-3 tbsp. bagoong na isda

salt

Cooking procedure:



Dilute bagoong na isda in 2 to 3 cups of water, strain in a sheave and pour solution in a medium size sauce pan, bring to boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, remove all scams that rises. Add in the kamote and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes or until it start to disintegrate. Add in the onion and tomato let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes then add in the upo and prawns, add more water if necessary, continue to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the upo is just cooked and the prawns turned red, do not overcook. Correct saltines if required. Serve hot with a lot of rice.

Read More

Ginisang Alukon with Ampalaya at Talong

Ginisang Alukon with Ampalaya at Talong. For some reason I like this alukon, I just can resist buying some whenever it is available in my favorite supermarket the South Supermarket in Filinvest Alabang. I just buy it and decide later on how to cook it. Ginisang Alukon with Ampalaya at Talong came out as I was thinking on how to cook the alukon that was sitting in the ref for 2 days. It is simple, yes it is not a new dish, but it was the first time that I cooked ginisang gulay with alukon. It would have been best if I had some shrimp but I have to settle with pork to top my Ginisang Alukon with Ampalaya at Talong.

Here is the recipe of my Ginisang Alukon with Ampalaya at Talong.





Ingredients:



100 grams pre-boiled pork, cut into thin strips

2 cups, alukon, trimmed

3 medium sized long eggplant, trimmed, cut into thin strips.

2 medium sized ampalaya, trimmed, deseeded, cut thinly-crosswise

1 medium size tomato, chopped

1 small sized onion, peeled, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed, chopped

2-3 tbsp. cup fish sauce

salt

cooking oil

Cooking procedure:



In a medium size wok heat about 2 to 3 tablespoon cooking oil till it start to smoke. Stir in the garlic then immediately after add in the onion and stir cook for another 1/2 minute then add in the tomatoes, continue to stir cook for about 1 minute. Now add in the pork and continue to stir cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the fish sauce and stir cook for another 1/2 minute. Add in about 1/2 to 3/4 cups of water, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add in the eggplant and ampalaya let cook for about 1 to 2 minutes then add in the alukon and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the vegetables are just cooked. Correct saltines if required. Serve with rice.

Read More