Filipino Chicken Macaroni Salad Recipe

Estimated preparation and cooking time: 1 hour

Chicken Macaroni Salad Ingredients:

• 1/5 kilo macaroni noodles
• 2 to 3 pieces, medium sized carrots
• 1 big chicken breast
• 500 ml of mayonnaise
• 1 can (836 g) pineapple chunks or tidbit
• 1 big white onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
• 3 hardboiled eggs, diced
• 1 cup diced cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup raisins
• salt and pepper to taste

Macaroni Salad Cooking Instructions:

    1. Cook macaroni noodles according to package cooking instructions.
    2. In a pot, boil carrots in water for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked.
    3. Drain carrots and let cool. Peal skin then dice.

    4. Boil chicken breast in water with salt.

    5. Drain chicken breast, then shred in 1 inch lengths
    6. Drain pineapple chunks or tidbits.
    7. Combine all ingredients while adding salt and pepper, to taste.
    8. Refrigerate, then serve.

Ratings and About:

Filipino are sweet and the love of sweet delicacies is very obvious with the restaurant around different cities in the PhilippInes. Iloilo City for example has a variety of restaurants that primarily specialized in sweets. From cakes, pastries to even a cup of coffee.

Rating for this is 95%... 

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Estimated cooking time: 1 hour

Leche Flan Ingredients:

• 1 can (390g) evaporated milk
• 1 can (390g) condensed milk
• 10 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or lemon essence

For the caramel:

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• Leche Flan Cooking Instructions:

Here's How to Cook Leche Flan:

    1. In a saucepan, mix the sugar & water. Bring to a boil for a few minutes until the sugar caramelize.

    2. Pour the caramelized sugar into aluminum moulds - you can use any shape: oval, round or square. Spread the caramel on the bottom of the moulds.
    3. Mix well the evaporated milk, condensed milk, egg yolks and vanilla by hand or blender.
    4. Gently pour the mixture on top of the caramel on the aluminum moulds. Fill the moulds to about 1 to  1 1/4 inch thick.
    5. Cover moulds individually with aluminum foil.
    6. Steam for about 20 minutes (the traditional way to make Leche Flan is by open-air steaming on either an open cooking fire or stove top) OR
    7. Bake for about 45 minutes. Before baking the Leche Flan, place the moulds on a larger baking pan half filled with very hot water. Pre-heat oven to about 370 degrees before baking.

    Let cool then refrigerate.

    To serve: run a thin knife around the edges of the mould to loosen the Leche Flan. Place a platter on top of the mould and quickly turn upside down to position the golden brown caramel on top.

Ratings and About:

Leche Flan is a Spanished influence to Filipino delicacies. It's yummy and nutritious ingredients are the reasons why dieticians recommend this food as one of the best dessert.

As a food lover... I give 95% rating for this delicious dessert.

What is Bistek (Beef Steak)?

Bistek is the Filipino beef steak dish. It's usually a lean cut of beef, marinated in Calamansi (a tropical citrus fruit) juice and soy sauce, pan fried and the marinade added at the end.

Bistec, spelled with a c rather than k, actually means Steak in Spanish. Nowadays, you can do this dish using Pork, Fish, particularly Bangus(Milkfish) or Pork Liver.

This steak dish is made with onions cut into rings. The sauce is a little oily and tangy. I substitute lemon juice since calamansi juice is not readily available here. I also use olive oil which is healthier instead of the regular cooking oil because the oil is actually going to be a part of the sauce.

The tangy taste depends on how long it has been marinating in the lemon/soy sauce mixture.



YOUR FILIPINO BEEF STEAK SHOPPING LIST:

    * Lean Beef
    * Whole Lemons or Lemon Juice
    * Olive Oil

IN THE PANTRY:

    * Soy Sauce
    * Onions
    * Ground Black Pepper

Filipino Beef Steak

INGREDIENTS

    * 2 pounds lean beef, cut 1/2" thick
    * 3 medium onions, cut into rings and separated
    * 1/2 cup lemon juice
    * 1/3 cup soy sauce
    * 1/4 cup water
    * 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
    * 1/4 cup olive oil or any cooking oil

HERE'S HOW YO COOK:

PREPARATION TIME : 1 hour

COOKING TIME : 30 minutes

1 Mix the lemon juice and soy sauce. Steep the beef in the mixture and let it marinate for 30 minutes inside the refrigerator.

2 When the beef is ready, wring out the excess liquid and set aside.

3 Heat up the oil in the pan and fry the onions for 2 minutes, it should be half-cooked and not translucent. Remove the onions, and set aside, leaving the oil in the pan.

4 Pan-fry the beef in batches, cooking it for about 2-3 minutes per side. Once they are all done, add in the marinade, water and ground pepper. Let it simmer for 3 minutes.

5 To serve, place the onions on top of the beef like garnish. Perfect with a plate of hot white rice.
(Learn more about COOKING RICE, THE FILIPINO WAY.)

COOK'S TIPS

    * For a more tangy and salty bistek, marinate the beef for up to 4 hours.
    * To easily cut the beef, place it in the freezer it for 2 hours until it is partly frozen. You will be surprised to find how much easier it is to cut.
    * For a more tender Bistek, try to slice the beef on a bias, or diagonally across the grain.
    * If the beef is a little tough, pound it with a mallet or with the back of the knife to make it tender. You must do this before you put the beef in the marinade.


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    * Pata or Ham Hocks

    * Pork Shoulder

    * Dried Banana Blossom(Bulaklak ng Saging)

    * Oregano Flakes

IN THE PANTRY:

    * Vinegar

    * Soy Sauce

    * Bayleaf (Laurel leaf)

    * Brown Sugar

    * Garlic

    * Onion

    * Pepper

    * Salt

    * Cooking Oil

INGREDIENTS

    * 4-5 pieces Ham Hocks or Pata, cut 2 inches thick

    * 1 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2 inch cubes

    * 1/3 cup vinegar

    * 1/4 cup soy sauce

    * 4 cloves garlic, minced

    * 1/4 cup dried banana blossoms(Bulaklak ng Saging)

    * 2 pcs. bayleaf(Laurel leaf)

    * 1/2 teaspoon oregano flakes

    * 1/4 cup brown sugar

    * 5-6 cups of water

    * 3 tablespoons cooking oil

    * 1 medium onion, chopped

    * salt and peppe

PREPARATION TIME : 5 minutes

COOKING TIME : 1 hour 30 minutes

1. Mix the following together in a bowl : vinegar, soy sauce, bayleaf, oregano flakes and brown sugar. Set aside.

2. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the meat. Heat the oil and sear or brown the meat in batches. Separate the Pata from the pork shoulder. Set aside.

3. In the same pot, saute the garlic and onion, then add the mixture from Step 1 and bring to a boil. Do not stir.

4. Put in the seared Pata (without the pork shoulder.)

5. Add enough water to cover the meat, then simmer for half an hour.

6. Put in the seared pork shoulder. Add more water if necessary and simmer for another half hour or until the meats are tender.

7. Season with salt and pepper and finish off by adding the banana blossoms.

My Ratings:

This is kinda strange but if you try it simple the best! 89 is not bad.

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What is Laing ?

Taro Leaves cooked in Coconut Milk!

Laing is a dish indigenous to the Bicol province. Rich and creamy, it's made from dried taro or gabi leaves and coconut milk. 

In the Philippines, we would buy fresh gabi leaves, separate the leaves from the stalks and dry the leaves under the sun for a couple of hours before we can use them.

Drying takes out the uncomfortable palate texture or kati the taro leaves give when you eat them.

The most practical and convenient way to go about this is to buy the packaged dried taro leaves. Available in Asian markets, they're ready to use and just reconstituted with the coconut milk during cooking.
YOUR SHOPPING LIST:

    * Dried Taro Leaves
    * Pork loin or shoulders
    * Coconut Milk
    * Long Chili Peppers

IN THE PANTRY:

    * Garlic
    * Onion
    * Salt
    * Ginger
    * Sauteed Shrimp Paste(Bagoong Alamang)
    * Cooking Oil

WHAT ARE THE NEEDED INGREDIENTS?

    * 4 cups Dried Taro Leaves
    * 1/2 pound Pork loin or shoulders, boiled and cut in strips
    * 2 cans Coconut Milk
    * 1 piece Long Chili Peppers, cut in strips
    * 3 cloves of Garlic, minced
    * 1 medium Onion, chopped
    * 1 teaspoon Salt
    * 1 thumbsize Ginger, cut in strips
    * 2 tablespoons Sauteed Shrimp Paste(Bagoong Alamang)
    * 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil for sauteing

PREPARATION TIME : 10 minutes

COOKING TIME : 20 minutes

1 Saute the garlic, onion and ginger in cooking oil. Add the pork and cook for 2 minutes.

2 Add the rest of the ingredients and let it simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring from time to time.

3 Cook until the taro leaves have fully absorbed the coconut milk and almost rendering fat.

4 Serve with rice.

COOK'S TIPS

    * For those who don't like eating a chunk of ginger can just shred it instead of cutting in strips.
    * When buying coconut milk for cooking a savory dish, look for one with 0(zero) sugar content on its Nutrition label. You would not like the hint of sweetness for savory dishes.
    * You can use peeled shrimps with this dish if you want. Add them during the last couple minutes of cooking so it doesn't get rubbery and tough.

MY RATINGS:
I for once visited Bicol Region in the Philippines! They introduced to me this food and I like it.  It was my first time to eat but I heard this menu several times. For this I give a 92 score.. Exotic yet yummy!

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Kangkong, also known as swamp cabbage, used to be referred to as a poor man's vegetable back home. That's because they are inexpensive and easily grown in swamplands. Unlike spinach, the leaves are quite fragile and easily bruised so it is not best to serve it as salad. The stalks are hollow and edible as well.

I specially like to prepare this dish with meat, like pork or fried fish cooked into the dish. I add a little tapioca starch in the end to make the sauce a little thick and not soup-like consistency.

INGREDIENTS:

    * 1 bunch Kangkong leaves, stalks cut in 2" length and leaves separated
    * 1/2 pound Pork Loin, pre-boiled and cubed
    * 1/2 can Canned Broth, Pork, Chicken or Vegetable
    * 4 cloves Garlic, minced
    * 1 medium Onion, chopped
    * 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
    * 1/4 cup Vinegar
    * 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
    * 2 teaspoon Cornstarch or Tapioca Starch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
    * Cooking Oil for sauteing

PREPARATION TIME : 5 minutes

COOKING TIME : 15 minutes

Here's how to cook:

 
1 Saute the garlic, onion and tomatoes. Add the pork and saute for a minute.
2 Add the soy sauce and vinegar and bring to a boil. Do not stir.
3 Add in the the Kangkong stalks and let it cook for a minute, then mix in the leaves.
4 Thicken the sauce with the starch dissolved in water and bring to a boil.
5 Serve with rice.

COOK'S TIPS

    * The starch for thickening the sauce is optional. It's up to you if you would rather have a thin sauce for this dish.
    * White vinegar is quite strong so do not stir it once added to the pan. Let it cook for a few minutes so the dish will not be too tangy.
    * If you have fried fish or pork leftovers from the day before, you can use them here as long as they're not seasoned with overpowering flavors.

MY RATINGS:

My Mother always cook this menu for us! Truly I love the taste... 98% is worth!

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Ingredients of  Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk:

• 1 Kilo Whole chicken (cut into parts) or choice cuts of breasts, thighs or wings. 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup soysauce
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 1/2 head garlic (roughly chopped)
• 3 pcs. chili pepper 
• 1 cup coconut milk (first squeeze) 
• 2 tablespoons oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon peppercorn

Ingredients:

•  1/2 kilo pork meat cut in medium cubes
•  1/2 carrots cut into cubes
•  2 potatoes cut in cubes
•  2 tbsp. corntstarch (dissolved in 1/2 cup water)
•  1 tsp. ground black pepper
•  3 bay leaves(laurel)
•  salt to taste
•  1 bell pepper cut into cubes
•  1 cup tomato sauce
•  3 cloves garlic minced
•  1/4 onion diced
•  1 pork cubes(optional)
•  1 cup water

Chicken Binakol - Ingredients:

• 6 cloves garlic,crushed
• 1 medium size onion,sliced
• 6 1/2-inch slices ginger
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp salt or patis and pepper to taste
• 1 2 lbs chicken,cut into 1-inch squares or chicken parts of your choice
• 6 cups chicken stock(made from chicken bones)
• 1 cup buko meat
• 2 whole pepper if you prefer your soup a bit spicy
• bunch of scallion
• tanglad

Ingredients of Squid Adobo:

• 1 Kilo squid
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon peppercorn
• 1 pinch of salt 
• head garlic (roughly chopped)
• 1 medium onion (roughly chopped)
• 3 pieces tomatoes (diced)
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar (optional)
• 3 tablespoons oil