Menudo

 

Menudo is another tomato sauce-based stew with almost identical cooking and preparation technique as other Pilipino stews such as Caldereta, Agfritada, Mechado, etc.  This dish should not be mistaken with the traditional Mexican soup of the same name.  Menudo is also a common dish prepared during Fiestas where the preparation (marinating) is done the night before to let the soy sauce and calamansi juice be absorbed by the meat. Some Pilipinos also include Choriso de Bilbao and other type of sausages and raisins.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of pork, diced
• 1 lbs of pork or beef liver,  cubed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 medium size carrots, sliced
• 1 red bell peppers, cut into strips
• 5 calamansi or 1 large lemon or lime
• 1 cup water
• 4 bay leaf
• 1/2 of  soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil

Directions:

• In a large bowl, marinate the pork and liver with 1/2 cup of soy sauce, calamansi juice, ground black pepper, and 1 bay leaf.  Set aside.*
• In large skillet, heat oil and saute the minced garlic until it is lightly brown and add onion. 
• Add pork and liver.  Let the pork turn slightly brown and add the tomato sauce and 2 bay leaves. Stir and add the garbanzo beans, potatoes, and carrots.
• Lower heat to medium and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add red bell peppers, salt, and pepper to taste.

Chicken Adobo

 

by Angelina Ocampo Santos

Chicken Adobo is a very simple dish to cook that most Pilipinos in all walks of life know how to cook it.  Adobo is a Spanish word which means "sauce" or "marinade".  It is cooked in many different ways.  Bicolanos in the  Bicol Region or Bicolandia known for their penchant use of coconut milk,  this ingredient is also added which gives Adobo a rich flavor and a silky texture.  Chili peppers are also used to give it an extra kick.  Brown sugar is also added to give hint of sweetness.But Adobo will never be Adobo if it's missing its two main ingredients:  Vinegar and Soy Sauce.  The concoction of equal parts of vinegar and soy sauce mixed in with the juices of the meat being used and herbs and spices gives this dish its tangy, sour, and salty flavor.  Some Pilipinos eat bananas while eating Adobo to counteract the salty flavor of the soy sauce.

Ingredinets:

• 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) of chicken or pork or both cut into quarters.
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water*
• 1 large potato cut into cubes*
• 5 gloves garlic - minced
• 1 large onion - chopped
• peppercorn
• laurel (bay leaves)
• 3 tablespoons of cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar (optional) 

Directions:

• Boil chicken with vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorn, and laurel in a dutch pan over medium high heat until chicken is tender.  Set aside.
• In a separate sauce pan, heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil and fry the potato cubes until they are soft on the sides but not cooked inside.
• Add garlic and onion with the potatoes until the garlic is golden brown.
• Add the chicken, soy sauce and vinegar mixed.
• Reduce the heat to medium and cover.  Let it simmer for 15 minutes.
• Serve with steamed white rice

*Potatoes and water are optional.  If the amount of soy sauce, vinegar, and water is doubled, potatoes will serve as a thickening base.  

Preparation time:  15 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Food for thought:

Translation of Keywords
Tagalog	Kapampangan	Spanish	English
manok	manok	pollo	chicken
patatas	patatas	patatas	potatoes
sibuyas	sibuyas	cebolla	onion
bawang	bawang	ajo	garlic
suka	aslam	vinagre	vinegar
toyo	toyo	salsa de soja	soy sauce
paminta	paminta	pimienta negro	black pepper

Garlic (Allium sativum)

Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Garlic has been used throughout history for both culinary and medicinal purposes. The garlic plant's bulb is the most commonly used part of the plant. With the exception of the single clove types, the bulb is divided into numerous fleshy sections called cloves. The cloves are used for consumption (raw or cooked), or for medicinal purposes, and have a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking. The leaves, and flowers (bulbils) on the head (spathe) are also edible, and being milder in flavor than the bulbs,[2] they are most often consumed while immature and still tender. Additionally, the immature flower stalks (scapes) of the hardneck and elephant types are sometimes marketed for uses similar to asparagus in stir-fries. The papery, protective layers of "skin" over various parts of the plant are generally discarded during preparation for most culinary uses, though in Korea immature whole heads are sometimes prepared with the tender skins intact.[5] The root cluster attached to the basal plate of the bulb is the only part not typically considered palatable in any form. The sticky juice within the bulb cloves is used as an adhesive in mending glass and porcelain in China. see more...

Caldereta

 

by Rosalina Ocampo Tañedo

Caldereta (Kaldereta) is a popular dish in the Philippines.  It is served hot as a main course.  This hearty dish is a main staple on Barrio Fiestas, Weddings, Christening, and other large gathering events.  

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) beef shank or chuck cut into cubes
• 1 large red or green bell pepper cut into strips
• 1 large carrots cut into cubes
• 1 large potato cut into cubes
• 1 medium size onion - chopped
• 5 cloves garlic - minced or crushed
• 1 cup of peeled garbanzo beans
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 10 ounces (284 G) tomato sauce
• 1 cup liver paté
• 3 tablespoons of cooking oil
• 3 laurel (bay leaves)

Directions:

• Mix beef with vinegar and soy sauce in a dutch pan and boil in medium heat until tender.  Turn of heat and set aside.  
• In a separate sauce pan, heat the 3 table spoons of cooking oil in low heat.  Fry the potatoes and carrots in high heat until they are partially soft on the edges but not all the way cooked inside.  Set aside.
• Using the same sauce pan, sauté the garlic and onion until garlic is golden brown.
• Add the tomato sauce and let simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add beef with vinegar and soy sauce marinade.  Add Bay leaf.  Raise heat to medium high and cover and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add carrots and potatoes.  Cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add garbanzo beans, liver paté, and red bell.  Cover and let it simmer for another 15 minutes in low heat.
• Serve with steamed white rice.

While pork and beef are the preferred meat to use for this dish, Pilipinos also use chicken, goat, duck, and lamb as alternatives.   Cooking needs to be adjusted depending on the meat being used.  Pilipinos like using the bony part of a cut since the marrow adds flavor to the dish and some people also add other garnishes such as olives and green peas. 

Preparation time:  30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Food for thought:

Translation of Keywords
Tagalog	Kapampangan	Spanish	English
karne ng baka	karneng baka	carne de vacuno	beef
patatas	patatas	patatas	potatoes
sibuyas	sibuyas	cebolla	onion
bawang	bawang	ajo	garlic
siling pula	larang malutu	pimiento rojo	red bell pepper
karot	karot	zanahorias	carrots
kamatis	kamatis	salsa de tomate	tomato sauce
tubig	danum	agua	water
garbanso	garbanso	garbanzo	chick peas
tasa	tasa	taza	cup
kutsara	kutsara	cucharada	tablespoons

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