Beef Ampalaya

Simple and easy ampalaya dish.

Ingredients for 5 servings:

1/2 kilo bitter melon (amplaya)

3 cloves garli

1 onion

1/4 kilo beef

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

3/4 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Ampalaya-bitter melon

Procedure:

1. Saute the garlic and onion then add the beef and simmer until the pinkish color is gone.

2. Add the water and simmer the beef until tender, then increase the heat and add the ampalaya, stir until half cooked, then add the oyster sauce and ground pepper, then stir until done. Add salt if necessary.

3. Serve it hot.

Kuih Sagu

Kuih sagu or sago cake is popular in Malaysia and other neighboring countries, this is very easy to make and delicious. Here is my simple way of making it.

Ingredients:
 1/4 kilo any color  sago (cooked according to packaging procedure) drained
1/4 kilo sugar
4 pieces pandan leaves
1/4 kilo grated coconut
1 cup water
pinch of salt

Procedure:
1. In a pot put the water, sugar and pandan leaves then boil until it become syrup, then turn off the heat, remove the pandan leaves then add the cooked sago and stir well until fully mixed.

2. Grease an 8 inches pan then pour the tapioca with syrup and stem for 30 minutes.
3. Mix the grated coconut and salt .
4. When the sago is done let cool and cut into small pieces then roll over the grated coconut.

5. Serve with a smile :-).

Nature's Best Beef Stew

A beef stew cooked with 100 % natural spices, I used fresh tomatoes for this recipe, an excellent flavored stew that you will surely like. Healthy and yummy.

Ingredients for 5 servings:
1/2 kilo beef (tnderloin)
4 cloves garlic
1 onion
3 big tomatoes
2 potatoes
2 carrots
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon atsuete powder ( annatto)
3 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic and onion then add the tomatoes and saute until soften.

2. Add the atsuete powder and stir well, then add the beef and simmer until the pinkish color is gone.
3. Add the water and bring to a boil, then simmer the beef until tender.
4. Add the carrots and potatoes then simmer until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste then the bread crumbs to thicken the sauce and simmer until done.
5. Serve it hot.

Tapioca Pearl Dessert

You can make this dessert as colorful as you can by adding different colors of gelatine or gulaman.
I only have green gelatine  in my pantry, but I can't wait anymore to make this, so here is the simple recipe for this delicious dessert.

Ingredients:
1 sachet green gulaman ( cooked and sliced into cubes)
1/4 kilo Tapioca pearls ( cook the tapioca then drain)
1 1/2 cup condensed milk
1 cup Nestle cream or all purpose cream
1 cup evaporated milk

Procedure :
1. Combine all the ingredients then refrigerate.
2. Serve with a smile :-).

Beef Broccoli

An easy to prepare dish that is great to serve with rice. The oyster sauce made the taste tangy and delicious.

Ingredients for 4 servings:
1/2 kilo broccoli
1/4 kilo beef
1/4 cup oyster sauce
3 cloves garlic
1 onion
1/2 cup water ( add if needed)
salt and pepper  if needed

Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic and onion then add the beef and stir until the pinkish color is gone.
2. Add the water and simmer the beef until tender.
3. Increase the heat, then add the broccoli, give it a good stir and simmer until almost done.
4 Add the oyster sauce and stir it, add salt and pepper if needed then turn off the heat.

5. Serve it hot.

Puto Ube

Craving for an ube flavored puto but there is no ube in my place :(  I just used the ube flavoring, but still the real ube is the best for this.

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
20 ml ube flavor concentrate or 1/4 cup ube powder
2 cups fresh milk or evaporated milk
cheddar cheese for toppings

Procedure:
1.Combine the flour, sugar and baking powder then sift it.
2. In a mixing bowl combine together the sifted ingredients, ube flavor and milk then mix very well until the batter is smooth in texture.
3. Fill the puto molder with the batter around 3/4 full then top the cheese and steam for 20 minutes or until done.
4. Let cool before unmolding it then serve it with a smile :-).

Inihaw na talong

Isang napakadaling ihanda ang inihaw na talong, masarap ito lalo na kung lalagyan ng bagoong, siguraduhing marami ang kanin kapag ganito ang ulam ninyo dahil siguradong matataob ang caldero :-).

Mga sangkap:
talong
bagoong isda
camatis
sili labuyo
calamansi or dayap

Procedure:
1. Ihawin ang talong, balatan ito kapag luto na.
2. Timplahan ng bagoong, calamansi, camatis, at kung anu-ano pang mga pangpasarap na sangkap ang gusto ninyong idagdag
3. Ihain kasama ng pagmamahal :-).

Almondigas

Almondigas simply means meatballs or bola-bola in Tagalog, but the almondigas dish in Philippine cuisine has a vermicilli rice noodles or misua in it, its the distinguishing characteristic of almondigas Filipino style from other countries. 

Ingredients for 5 servings:
1/4 kilo ground beef
1/4 cup flour
1 onion (minced)
5 cups water
70 grams misua
3 cloves garlic
2 tomatoes
spring onion
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Mix very well the ground beef, flour, onion, salt and pepper, then get a portion from the mixturee and form into balls, then fry and set aside.
2.Saute the garlic and onion then add the tomatoes, simmer  until soften then add the water and bring to a boil. Add the almondigas (meatballs) then simmer for 3 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the misua and simmer for 2 minutes or until done, turn off the heat then put the spring onion

4. Serve it hot.

Note: It is also okay if you just drop the almondigas into the soup without frying it.

Ampalaya with bola bola

I will not refuse bitter melon any time, because this vegetable stimulates digestion  which can be helpful in relieving indigestion and constipation problems. This is also good source of Niacin (vitamin B-3), Pantothenic acid (vit.B-5), Pyridoxine (vit.B-6) and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, manganese and magnesium. To those who do not like bitter melon, start eating this now :-).
Ingredients for 4 servings:
1/2 kilo bitter melon (ampalaya) sliced
3 cloves garlic
1/2 piece onion
2 beaten eggs
1/4 kilo ground pork ( made into small balls)
salt and pepper to taste

Bitter melon

Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic and onion then add the meatballs and simmer until cooked.
2. Increase the heat then add the bitter melon and stir until half cooked then add the beaten eggs and give a good stir, add salt and pepper to taste, then turn off the heat.
3. Serve it hot.

Rice Puto

The first puto that I've tasted when I was around 5 years old. Every weekends my older sisters and their bestfriends are always spending time at our house making this puto. That's why it became my favorite, I loved the sweetness and creamy taste in every bite.

Ingredients for 15 Puto:
2 cups rice flour ( giniling na bigas)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
Wilted banana leaves ( cut into circles enough to fit the molder with an overlapping allowance)

Procedure:
1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar, then pour the coconut milk into it and mix well, until the batter is smooth in texture.

 2. Put the banana leaves into the molder properly then pour the batter around 3/4 full.

3.Steam for 30 minutes or until done.
4. Serve anytime you want it.