I got this recipe from Rasa Malaysia, an Asian food blog that I’ve been following for quite some time now, really because I consider it one of the best Asian food blogs out there. Bee Yinn Low, the woman behind RM, brings together cuisines from almost every nook and cranny in Asia – even the occasional Filipino delicacy.

Since I’m still building myself up as an amateur cook, it makes perfect sense to try to expand my repertoire with dishes from the Asian neighbors. And today I made my first “almost authentic” Indian dish.

I’ll be the first to admit that since Filipino cooking is not heavy on exotic spices (think cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, cumin…), sometimes the aromas of Indian (and also Muslim) cuisine, because of their lack of subtlety, can be off-putting. But of course, I’m one that enjoys the spice and heat that comes with the territory. In moderation, it’s not really a problem with me.

Most of the Philippines is familiar with Chicken Curry, and Korma is essentially a curry, but according to Rasa Malaysia, “Korma, also spelled as Khurma or Kurma, is a milder form of curry and is distinguished from other curries by its rich gravy and smooth texture, mainly because of its heavy incorporation of yogurt as part of its main ingredients.”

Here in Zamboanga, a virtual melting pot of cultures, predominantly Christian but with a strong Muslim presence (partially because of its proximity to Malaysia) we are familiar with the kulma, and what I made approximates the familiar taste of what we know as curry laden with the trademark spices.

This doesn’t have curry powder because the recipe called for Garam Masala. Because I didn’t check with our local delicatessen if they had it in stock, well, I made my own spice mix thanks to the wonders of the internet. It’s not difficult as long as you have the ingredients on hand. Heck, it’ll be easier to buy it from a generously stocked grocery, but I went the extra mile today because I had to.

I say this a lot with my dishes, but I can really imagine myself making this again because it tastes great. Like estofado, I enjoyed eating the korma knowing that the “soup” or sauce has almost dried out, envelopes the tender chicken pieces and has become almost gravy-like. Well, that’s just me.

“Almost authentic Indian” aptly describes what I made today, and really, you either go big or go home. With my homemade garam masala, I guess I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.

Chicken Korma (Chicken in Rich Yogurt Curry) (serves 4 – 6; adapted from Rasa Malaysia)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 kg chicken leg and thighs, cut into pieces
• 4 tablespoons oil
• a dash of cinnamon
• 4 cardamons
• 4 cloves
• 4 bay leaves
• 8 black peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 – 4 tablespoons liquid seasoning (or more, to taste)
• 2 – 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (optional; that’s why I called it “almost authentic”)
• salt and pepper to taste

Marinade:

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons Garam Masala (recipe follows)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder or paprika
• 1 cup (250ml) plain yogurt, lightly whipped
• 3/4 – 1 cup coconut milk (I had a 200ml tetra pack so I used that)
• 2 large red onions, sliced and fried

Method:

1. Marinate chicken with Marinade ingredients for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Heat up wok with 2 1/2 tablespoons oil, stir-fry the items listed under Ingredients, except liquid seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and let the whole spices to sizzle a bit until fragrant.
3. Toss in the marinated chicken (with the marinade) and continue to stir-fry for 10 minutes. Add the liquid seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Turn heat to medium-low, cover the wok and cook for 40 – 60 minutes, or until the oil slightly separates, chicken is tender enough and you have achieved the gravy consistency that you prefer. You may add water if the sauce dries too quickly and if the chicken is still not cooked through.
5. Season with salt and pepper. When done, remove from heat and serve with rice. Enjoy!

Garam Masala (makes around 1/2 cup)

• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons whole cardamom pods
• 2 tablespoons whole black pepper corns
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. In a skillet or a nonstick pan, over medium low heat, add the whole spices – coriander, cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves. Allow to toast for about 10 minutes until they take on a darker shade. You may stir it occasionally.
2. When done, combine the toasted spices with the ground ones – cinnamon, nutmeg,  cumin in a mortar and pestle. Pound until the whole spices have been crushed and the mixture has become one cohesive powder. You may use a food processor or a coffee grinder.
3. When done, store it in a dry container. You don’t have to put it in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3 months.

If you’re in Zamboanga and you’re thinking of doing this, I bought my cardamom from La Tienda (call them if they have it in stock) and the coriander from the spice and candy store near Mindpro’s grocery entrance, beside Bloomingdale’s. All the other spices can be found in the spice aisle of Mindpro’s grocery. 

March last year was a great month for me. Coinciding with the production of these great cupcakes, I really started to solidify my love for cooking. The last few posts in my old blog were devoted to food. The pictures, though not as great as I wanted it to be, reminded me of the baby steps I was taking.

Last year, I had around two weeks without anything to do after my final exams, so I cooked while waiting for my graduation. Graduating with honors left me with an incomparable high that took time to abate. And I’m glad I had to review for my licensure exam and put my blog on hold because that just made me go into food blogging more determined to put myself out there. I said goodbye to my old blog and here I am, reincarnated so to speak.

And personally, out of all the recipes on my blog, I’m really happy that I get to share this one the most because, well, I love it so much. It has been a long time coming.

No Red Velvet I’ve tasted so far comes close (immodesty aside; hey, I don’t brag a lot). This time, however, after much thought, I decided to not to use Julie’s recipe and use Ginny Roces’ Red Velvet recipe from her book, Bake Me A Cake. There are a few subtle differences between the two recipes, but I just really hoped Ginny’s red velvet recipe would be as good as Julie’s.

The verdict: after increasing the amount of chocolate needed, I’m really pleased with the outcome. For those of you who have tried Julie’s recipe, this is just as good. For those who have yet to make a red velvet, well, this is a perfect recipe to pave way for a fruitful love affair with the little cake flavor that could.

Moist crumb, with the perfect hint of chocolate, this was another crowd pleaser.

You can forego the streusel, but I just think that streusel + cream cheese + red velvet is the one. Everything is done for good measure after all. And seriously, this is something full of good measure.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cheesecake and Streusel Topping (makes around 35 – 36 cupcakes OR two 9-inch round cakes; adapted from Bake Me A Cake by Ginny Roces de Guzman)

Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 cup/ 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cupcakes/Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 3 – 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups butter (I used 1 cup/1 block butter AND 1/2 cup vegetable shortening)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid, like McCormick)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Make the cream cheese filling: In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until creamy and smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Make the streusel: In a bowl, combine the ingredients together and mix well. Using a fork or a pastry cutter, “cut in” the butter pieces into the flour and sugar mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside in the refrigerator.
3. Make the cupcakes: preheat oven to 350 F/180 C. Line a 12-piece cupcake tin with paper cups/liners. If you’re baking cake, line two 9-inch round baking pans with wax or baking paper.
4. Using a fine mesh strainer, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder in a bowl.
5. In a bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add the sugar gradually and continue to beat until light and fluffy, around 5 – 10 minutes. Add the eggs and the egg yolks one at a time, while continuing to beat until well mixed.
6. Combine the evaporated milk, red food color, and vanilla in a bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and milk alternately to the butter mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure the batter is thoroughly mixed.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared tins, until halfway up the sides. Resist the urge to overfill. Using a tablespoon, add the cream cheese mixture on top.
8. Two methods in adding the streusel: Method 1 – You may choose to add it immediately prior to baking. This partially melts the streusel and you are left with a few coarse crumbs on top (which is still pretty good). Put it in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or when a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cupcake.
9. Method 2 - After adding the cream cheese topping, place the pan into the oven and bake for around 5 – 7 minutes, or until the batter is beginning to rise. Remove from oven and sprinkle streusel over the batter. Return it to the oven and bake it for around 15 – 20 minutes more, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cupcake. This will yield cupcakes with a more generous, prominent streusel topping. This is more taxing but if you’re after the streusel, then it’s really worth it.
10. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or cold and enjoy!

First off, I’m partial to a simpler, more traditional adobo – more vinegar than soy sauce, with no sugar. I don’t enjoy eating “sweet adobo” because after a few spoonfuls I lose my appetite. The only way to get me to eat adobo with rice after rice after rice if it’s salty-sour.

Next, pork binagoongan is a recipe that calls for bagoong (shrimp paste) and sometimes even coconut milk. So why would I desecrate my adobo with coconut milk, bagoong and *shudder* sugar?

Then after making said recipe for Valentine’s day, I knew the answer – IT JUST WORKS (!).

Looking back, now I understand why it’s called “Hybrid Adobo” – it blends together adobo and binagoongan, two Filipino favorites in one dish, creating something that plays like an incredibly satisfying tug-of-war in your mouth. This, right here, is delicious and it left the people around here craving for more. The enthusiasm that I get talking about this dish is off the roof!

Now my palate and appreciation for the humble adobo has definitely expanded. Sure, I might crave for the classic salty-sour, even the white (no soy sauce) variety from time to time, but this “hybrid”, is something else entirely.

Because it’s difficult for me to call it a “hybrid” without thinking of a Zebronkey (a cross between a zebra and a donkey), let’s just call it…

Adobong Binagoongang Baboy/ Binagoongan Pork Adobo (serve 6 – 8; adapted from The Philippine Daily Inquirer Lifestyle Section)

1 kg pork shoulder, cut to serving pieces

Marinade:

• ¼ cup vinegar
• 3 tablespoons liquid seasoning or soy sauce (I used 2 tbsp liquid seasoning and 1 tbsp soy sauce)
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 heads garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorn
• 2 pieces bay leaf
• 3 tablespoons shrimp paste
• 1 piece finger chili OR 1 tablespoon chili flakes (plus more for garnish, optional)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 200ml pack coconut cream

1. Marinate pork with vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar for 30 minutes.
2. Sauté garlic in a pan until aromatic. Add peppercorn, bay leaf and shrimp paste.
3. Add pork belly (without the marinade) and cook until it changes color.
4. Add marinade, chili/chili flakes and water. Simmer for an hour or until meat is tender.
5. Add coconut cream and simmer for 15 minutes more. Garnish with chili flakes if desired. Serve hot with lots of steamed rice. Enjoy!

I didn’t have any epiphany that defined and changed the course of my life. What I did have was extremely poor vision. Looking back, I had no idea how I survived grade school with eyes that didn’t work properly. The earliest memory that I had where I began to experience problems was in first grade. Meaning, I went through my whole school-aged life with inconvenience. I was ashamed to tell anybody that there was something wrong because I thought it was inconceivable that a kid has to wear glasses. Glasses are for old people, I told myself.

But after years of struggle, when my parents, among other people, noticed my “squinting” (what I did to see clearer), I finally sought medical attention. It was there in the doctor’s clinic that my mom and I finally knew the real state of my vision. I was 12 years old, and my eyes had a grade of 600 – 700. My mom was in shock.

Flash forward nine years later, and here I am, (a patron of contact lenses) fresh from my optometrist appointment. Apparently my eyesight isn’t getting any better, seeing as it’s now 850. But I learned to live with it. I actually enjoy watching people’s reactions when I tell them the grade of my shoddy eyesight. That I’ve found a way around my problem, found humor in it and moved on is something of an accomplishment.

There’s also always a way to serve up a really simple and delicious dessert. After making panna cotta for a while now, I’ve realized that because of its simplicity, it has become my go-to dish to serve after a filling meal. Even more impressive is its simple presentation – I used little glass tea cups as the mold. Pretty darn fancy.

The name sounds fancy, but it’s just a mixture of egg and cream, held together by unflavored gelatin. There’s nothing complicated about that at all.

Sure, it takes a while for the cream to set, but the end result is really worth it. Spoonful after spoonful of smooth, rich velvety custard hits the spot.

The aftermath of Valentines day left me with one last cup of panna cotta, which only differs from the first recipe I posted in that this one has chocolate in it. I really like the taste of dark chocolate, so this dish left me wanting more. But I know better, so a cup of moderate happiness works for me.

Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta (serves 3 – 4)

• 1 cup all-purpose cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 4 – 5 tablespoons dark chocolate powder (I used Hershey’s)
• 2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin powder
• 4 tablespoons hot milk (I just zapped mine in the microwave for a minute and ten seconds)

1. In a saucepan, combine all-purpose cream, milk, chocolate and white sugar. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and there are little to no more clumps of chocolate.
2. Increase heat slightly and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
3. Whisk gelatin powder in hot milk until dissolved. (Some recipes say to let the gelatin ‘bloom’ in the liquid by leaving it for a few minutes. I didn’t do this but I might as well next time)
4. Stir in gelatin mixture to cream mixture; blend well. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer/sieve and into a bowl to remove the large of clumps of chocolate and gelatin.
5. Divide mixture into 3 ramekins/4 little tea cups. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
6. To serve, either invert molds onto serving plates or serve as is. Serve cold. Enjoy!

Anyway, I did prepare two dishes (one main and dessert) for a “Valentine’s lunch” I had. In the next few days I’ll post the recipes here. Not right now (as in today), because honestly, I’m drained. It was like prepping Christmas lunch all over again. Well, not really, but today left me pretty tired and sleepy.

Plus the whole food blogosphere is probably flooded with red velvet cake recipes (from pancakes to cheesecakes) right now, so I’m not joining the bandwagon. BUT I DO MAKE DARN GOOD RED VELVET (ask my friends!!!), just so you know. Pardon the immodesty.

These red velvet cupcakes are from a local bakeshop called Aunty Nitz. I think I raved about them making pretty amazing egg pie (the filling of which tastes like a Macau egg tart) and their pastries are good as well. But sadly, these cupcakes didn’t deliver. The “hint” of chocolate wasn’t there, and it was pretty dry for my taste. The revel bars weren’t as chewy as I wanted it to be. I think they spent a few more minutes longer in the oven, as it had this crunchy crust that I didn’t like.

Because she requested it, I also made cinnamon rolls for my mom’s officemates. I finally topped it with cream cheese frosting and I have to say, it tasted really good. For better presentation, serve these warm so the frosting melts and drips down the sides by popping it in the microwave for 40 seconds – one minute.

Well, considering how my day went I couldn’t really complain (more than the usual).   I’m hoping for a more recipe-productive week so with that being said I need all the energy I can get from sleep. If there’s something I love aside from food and cooking, it’s sleep. I love sleep (I know I’m being corny but the premise of the holiday permits random declarations of mushy corniness on so many levels, so there.)

Butter/margarine + (cheese * 3)  + bread = lots of calories.

But don’t fret, If you’re like me, you won’t make it to two sandwiches. I surprised even myself. A bite or two will satisfy you, eating a whole sandwich is practically a foodgasm. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that these are pretty good. This isn’t really about a recipe, more of a technique (says Chef John of Food Wishes who I got this from). He calls it an “Inside-and-Out Grilled Cheese Sandwich” because, apart from the melted cheese filling, he goes the extra mile by sprinkling grated cheese on the frying sandwich and it consequently melts to form this really great tangy crust. God, I’m hungry again.

This is the inexpensive (read:cheap) version of his sandwich because it uses three local ingredients: margarine, pan de sal and the run-of-the-mill grocery cheese (like Eden).  Of course, just because the ingredients may have been scaled down to cheaper proportions doesn’t make it any less tasty. By all means, since this is more of a technique, throw caution to the wind and splurge.

I wouldn’t recommend making this a daily habit, but on the day that you do decide to make this (seeing as the ingredients you probably have lying around in your fridge and pantry already), well, consider it a special day.

Inside and Out Grilled Cheese Pandesal Sandwich (adapted from Food Wishes)

• Grated cheese (whatever cheese you have lying around, but Chef John advocates cheddar)
• Pandesal, sliced in half
• A few tablespoons butter or margarine (DO NOT USE STAR MARGARINE, because it’s too salty; use butter/margarine with a more mellow flavor)

1. Heat a few tablespoons of butter in a nonstick (only use nonstick) pan over low to medium heat.
2. Place the pandesal, two cut pieces at a time with cut/inside part facing upward. Flatten it a bit with your spatula.
3. Generously sprinkle grated cheese over one piece. Then top with the other piece.
4. Gently and generously sprinkle additional cheese on top of the sandwich. Add more butter to the pan if needed.
5. Carefully flip the sandwich so the top with the cheese is now frying at the bottom. Flatten it a bit more with your spatula to evenly brown the cheese crust.
6.  Repeat the process of sprinkling with cheese, flipping and frying so the lightly browned crust forms on both sides.
7.  When sufficiently browned, remove from heat and serve immediately. Enjoy!

But I’m attempting to organize my blog a little bit more. I’ve noticed a few hitches here and there – posting schedules, what to post, and tags. The last one I have yet to address, if that only means I have to go through every single one of my 75 posts to tweak the tags, then that can wait (notice my failed logic).

On posting schedules and what to post, I tried to go back to basic pen and paper lists, with days and dates marked with tentative recipes/dishes I might try. I seriously need visual reminders to keep me on track (haha).

Today’s the first day my “list” takes full effect, and I’m pretty happy that I managed to make at least one dish. I tried to break it down into smaller, attainable goals every day with breathing space in between dishes. That simply means in a week, I’ll TRY (and I will, I promise), to post dishes of varying degrees of difficulty to challenge myself and bring in more variety to my blog.

For today, I wanted to make something that uses basic canned items that take up too much space in our pantry. Instead of the usual frying and microwaving, it would be so much better to go the extra mile and make something “special” but still incredibly easy.

Mom woke me up today and told me she’s in the mood for soup, and like it was meant to happen, soup also happened to on my shortlist for today, and I needed to make good use of vienna sausage.

The secret to this hearty soup is using good quality vienna sausage. I was really never a fan of vienna sausage because I thought it tasted funny, and most of the local varieties are exorbitantly salty. But all that changed when I tried Libby’s, an imported brand. And before somebody lectures me about patriotism, let me just put it out there that Libby’s trumps all y’all local cans. Even you, Purefoods. And I really think Libby’s can be found in any major grocery nationwide. Even the largest grocery in Zamboanga has it, so yeah, it’s accessible.

If you think you’ve found a better vienna sausage brand than Libby’s, then please, use it to make your soup more special. And drop me a line, I’d like to hear more about it.

But for now, cheers to great, easy soup on a Saturday morning.

Vienna Sausage Soup (serves 6 – 8)

• 1 large can (around 255 grams) Libby’s Vienna sausage, drained
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 4 shallots or really small red onions, sliced in half (for garnish; optional)
• 1 small potato, sliced into small cubes
• A dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 (a total of 20 grams) chicken bouillon cubes
• 4 cups water
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons flour
• a dash of thyme
• 4 – 6 cabbage leaves, sliced into strips

1. In a medium sized saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Heat until oil glistens or “shines”, an indicator that oil is hot enough. When oil is hot, add garlic and fry for 10 seconds.
2. Add the onions and continue to fry until it starts to go limp. When using shallots/small onions, be careful when stirring so the half pieces do not crumble. At this point, remove the shallots sliced in half and reserve for garnish.
3. Add the potatoes and reduce heat to low. Continue to fry until potatoes are lightly browned and tender, around 3 – 5 minutes.
4. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
5. Add the Vienna sausage and stir to coat it with oil.
6. Add the water and the bouillon cubes. Crank up the heat medium and stir to dissolve the cubes.
7. Add the flour and cornstarch and simmer for about 3 – 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the thyme. Add the cabbage leaves at the last minute.
8.  When desired taste and consistency are achieved, remove from heat, garnish with shallots and serve warm in individual bowls. Enjoy!

It’s a good thing Manila has a burgeoning food scene and a lot of specialty shops and farmers’ markets now offer more variety, but here in Zamboanga…well, that’s another story. Since cookbooks are supposed to be an investment, it’s practical to know what you’e getting yourself into.

That’s why I appreciate bookstores, like Fully Booked, that allow to you scan the contents of books before buying it. Since Zamboanga doesn’t have a real bookstore that doesn’t just sell textbooks, I made the most of my visit to Fully Booked and Powerbooks.

First off, “Bake Me A Cake” by Ginny Roces De Guzman with photography by Neal Oshima (a Fully Booked Publication). Now this is what I call accessible. Because this is a local publication, each and every recipe can easily be done using local ingredients. Even if I haven’t made any of the cakes here yet, I’d like to consider this book as my cake bible simply because you begin with the four basic cakes: sponge, butter, chocolate and meringue wafer and it takes off from there – Calamansi Muffins, Castella, Malacanang Roll, even a cake called “Impossible Cake” which according to the author, I have to try to believe.

Plus I love a cookbook even more if every recipe came with a picture. Neal Oshima is brilliant behind the lens. I like how his aesthetic isn’t “in-your-face” photography and yet he brings out the best of the food through subtle blurs and simple shots. (woah, that was a mouthful)

It can’t get more straightforward than calling your book “Asian Dumplings”. Authored by Andrea Nguyen, who I presume is Vietnamese but resides in the US, this book basically outlines everything you need to know to make basic dumpling dough and the various fillings and methods of cooking it.

Personally, it looks more intimidating than “Bake Me A Cake”, but I bought this book because the response at the back was great. I’d like to believe the information I’ll get from this book is priceless.

Lastly, I got this book from one of my best friends, Jam, a day after my birthday. This was her birthday gift to me because I kinda hinted I’m into collecting cookbooks now. “Great Easy Meals” by The Food Network Magazine, is, alright, an American publication but hey, I got this for free. Though I said I’m wary of cookbooks like this one, I’m glad I managed to peruse it enough to understand that a lot of these recipes can be adapted to suit local tastes.

Every recipe looks simple enough, and I think I can easily make substitutions with some ingredients and methods. Plus, this has a great section on how to cook fish in a lot of ways. I haven’t really posted a lot of seafood recipes on THG, so the possibilities this book can bring really excites me. (Yes Virginia, I am a nerd).

Also this afternoon:

My dad did make this version of bagnet/crispy fried pork from merienda today. Let me just put it out there that we aren’t gluttons. We rarely have merienda and today just happened to be the day we did have merienda, and it was fried pork.

He boiled the pork cubes in water, flavored with vinegar, salt, pepper and seasoning granules. He did that on Monday. I read somewhere that the secret to crispy pig skin is to let it dry. Some hasten the process by using paper towels, but for us we just really forgot about the boiled meat (my fault) and there it was, sitting and drying for 2-3 days inside the fridge.

But crispy, the skin was. We might do this again just to prove that it wasn’t sheer dumb luck, and I’m excited about pairing it with tomatoes and mustasa/mustard greens drizzled with fish bagoong just so it’ll remind us of what we had at Via Mare.

No recipe today, but I’m juggling other ideas that involve non-recipe posts to expand my blog’s reach. If you’re out there, any suggestions?

You might be wondering, what the hell is pilaf and how different is it from risotto and even paella? Well, risotto uses arborio rice, so it’s more temperamental. Proud paella uses malagkit/sticky rice and saffron (or if you’re cheap like me, annatto seeds). Pilaf is the simpler relative, it isn’t high maintenance, and if you’re a hardcore rice eater (hello, my fellow Filipinos), it hits close to home.

The way I see it: replace the water used to cook rice, with broth, add at least two vegetables, season with a herb of your choice, cook it the way you would cook regular rice, and ladies and gents, you have pilaf.

My take on the pilaf is, dare I say it, really accessible (read: anyone can cook this; which is part of my goal as a food blogger after all). The tricky part is the water-to-rice ratio. General consensus is, 1 cup of rice:2 cups of water.

Remember that there are a lot of varieties of white rice out there, but the ratio is almost always consistent. But I would usually reduce the water by 1/8th to 1/4th of a cup because   I always have this perpetual fear that my rice would turn out mushy, but that’s just me.

Recipes online would make use of wild rice, even brown rice for their pilaf. Since we don’t have it here, white rice is here to stay. Instead of the canned chicken broth, I just replaced the cooking liquid with bouillon cubes dissolved in water. I didn’t go crazy with the vegetables because I just used carrots and Baguio beans. Plus, this dish has no meat.

I think this is pretty budget friendly and a great weeknight, quick fix meal.

The pilaf doesn’t overpower whatever main course you have, but it’s still pleasantly flavorful. In my case I had it with estofado, a thick tomato-based pork stew, and I ate mine with gusto. Filipinos have the propensity to look at rice not just as a side dish but really, part of the meal itself. If that’s the case, then the humble pilaf seamlessly and effortlessly joins the party.

Simple White Rice Pilaf (serves 6 – 8)

broth:

• 3 1/2 – 4 cups water
• 1/2 tbsp dried rosemary
• 2 (around 20 grams) chicken bouillon cubes
• a dash of pepper
• a slice of ginger

1. Make the broth: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, broth cubes, rosemary, ginger and pepper. Stir until broth cubes dissolve and liquid is warm but not boiling. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a saucepan large enough to hold the rice with the broth, heat oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and the onions and saute until onions are translucent.
3. Add the carrots and green beans, and stir to coat with the oil.
4. Add the rice and stir to coat with oil. Continue cooking for 1 minute.
5. Add the broth, stir well. Add the lemongrass. Cook for 20 – 25 minutes, covered, over medium heat. Resist the urge to frequently open the lid of the pot, this won’t help cook the rice thoroughly. It helps if the lid is transparent. You may check on it once in a while. 
6. When rice is cooked through, remove heat and remove the lemongrass. “Fluff” the rice using a fork (run a fork through the rice itself as if you’re lightly scraping it; don’t scrape the bottom though!!!) and serve hot with your main course of choice. Enjoy!

The first batch of cinnamon rolls I made a month or two ago, had the texture of day old bread. Suffice to say I was disappointed so that made me lay off making rolls for a while. So maybe starting haphazardly has its disadvantages.

After more than a week of silence (I went on a little trip) I finally went back to the kitchen and baked. I made the mistake of forgetting when the yeast sitting at the back of the fridge was going to expire, so over the next few days and weeks you will hopefully see me churning out yeast inspired magic. Tall order, I know.

I was skeptical at first. I didn’t know if the yeast would froth (the indicator that yeast is still viable). I knew the froth had to resemble copious amounts of beer foam, but the description said as long as the top bubbles, it’s still usable. And bubble it did.

The original recipe called for cream cheese frosting, but I didn’t have any cream cheese on hand. But the first bite into these morsels managed to make me forget all about it. These didn’t taste like day-old bread at all (!).

The verdict: it tastes like how I imagined a great cinnamon roll to taste like – a soft whisper of a crust, giving way to the warm, soft, pillow-y interior. The filling perfectly buttery, with just the right amount of cinnamon. It made perfect sense.

You can add the cream cheese glaze, nuts and raisins, even apples to the filling, but these rolls stand alone perfectly. I’m not sure if it’s the monsoon season here in the Philippines but we have been having rain showers for days now. A batch of warm toasty cinnamon rolls with a cup of hot chocolate would be your best friend on a lazy, cold afternoon.

Cinnamon Rolls (makes 12 – 13 rolls; adapted from yummy.ph)

For the dough

• 1 (1/4-ounce) package OR 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the filling

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 – 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup butter, cubed and softened

1. In the bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. (If you have an electric mixer, you can do this in its bowl). Leave for 5 minutes.
2. Add sugar, butter, and eggs. Using a hand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or the electric mixer), run the mixer on low speed to stir the mixture.
3. Gradually add flour and salt, and knead until mixture forms a smooth, elastic dough, about 20 to 30 minutes. I used the dough hook to “knead” it for a while, then placed it on a floured surface and knead it by hand. It took some time but patience is key.
   
4. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place. Allow dough to rise until double in size; about 1 hour.
5. Punch dough to release air then transfer to a work surface. Roll dough into a rectangle (24-inch – long, 16-inch-wide, about 1/4-inch-thick).
   

   uhm, yeaaah, that looks about right.

6. Make the filling: Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and mix well.
7. Using a spatula, spread softened butter evenly over the dough then sprinkle the surface with the cinnamon-sugar filling.
8. Roll dough tightly into a log. With the seam side down, cut the dough into 2-inch slices. Place on a greased baking pan, or a pan lined with a silicone baking mat, 2 inches apart. Allow dough to rise until double in size, about 30 minutes.
   
9. Bake the rolls in an oven preheated to 375 F/190 C for about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Place on a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm and enjoy!

Completely unrelated:

I came home from Manila with a handful of things to help me out in the kitchen: two nice cookbooks, a brand new silpat (which you can see in the pictures), useful kitchen utensils and, wait for it, placemats. I use these when I’m taking photographs of the food I make and it really helps. Scouring the discount aisles at The Landmark for placemats made me feel like a child again. (haha)