THAI STYLE ADOBO

THAI STYLE ADOBO

1/2 kilo chicken 
1 handful fresh turmeric, washed and unpeeled
3-5lemon grass stalks, bruised 
1 small red onion, quartered 
1 bulb garlic, peeled and smashed 
Soy sauce (roughly1/4 cup)
Thai fish sauce (to taste)
White vinegar (roughly 1/2 cup)
Salt 
Whole pepper corns 
2-3 green finger peppers, sliced in half (the ones used for sinigang)
2-3 pieces bird’s eye chili, sliced in half (optional ingredient)
1-2 cups Water 
Coconut cream from 1 1/2 coconuts (first extraction), maybe 250-300ml, if using canned 
Banana leaves, washed and cleaned

 Procedure:
1. Clean chicken, remove excess fat (but leave skin on) and pat dry.
2. Combine all ingredients except coconut cream. Top with banana leaf. Simmer on medium heat until the vinegar is cooked (15-20 minutes). DO NOT STIR!
3. Remove banana leaves, add the coconut cream. Return banana leaves on top and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, until sauce is reduced and the coconut cream is oily. 
4. Adjust seasoning, if needed. If using canned coconut cream, the sauce maybe a little sweet, adjust with fish sauce.

The banana leaf is not necessary. It’s just for arte and just adds a little bit of flavor and color. The turmeric will add yellowish color and will “melt” as you cook it. The recipe tastes better the next day, I found out after eating left overs. 

#lessonsforashley

SLOW COOKED BEEF STEW

SLOW COOKED BEEF STEW


Ingredients:
1 kilo beef
Flour for dredging
Olive oil
1 stalks celery, sliced
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cubed
Marble potatoes, washed (you can use any potato, I just have the marbles on hand)
3-4 cups beef broth
1 cup of red wine (maybe more)
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
Laurel leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pack of tomato paste
1 cup of peas, thawed

*vegetables can be adjusted to whatever proportions you prefer

Procedure:
1. Dredge beef with flour and sear on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. In the same pan, sauté garlic, onions, celery, carrots and potatoes together. About 5 minutes.
3. Add beef broth, spices, tomato paste and red wine. Simmer.
4. Add the beef. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 2-2 1/2 hours.
5. Add the green peas and simmer for another half hour.

#lessonsforashley
#beefstew

Mongolian Noodles

Hubby and I enjoy Mongolian bowls. This recipe is as close as I can get like the ones that we eat at a Mongolian place at the food court. I love all kinds of noodles, so this is comfort food for me.

Mongolian  Noodles

2 small packs of vermicelli noodles (sotanghon), soaked in cold water.
Assorted vegetables, cut thinly (I use whatever is left in the crisper - carrots, sayote, Baguio beans etc.)
Choice of meat (sukiyaki cut, chicken fillets, cut in thin strips, squid etc)
Cooking oil
Chopped peanuts (optional, but highly recommended)

Sauce:
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
3/4 cup soy sauce (Kikkoman or any Korean brand)
2/3 cup brown sugar (or adjust to taste)
1 1/4 cup chicken broth (more, if your noodles feel a bit dry)
4 cloves or garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, sliced
Red pepper flakes, optional

Procedure:

1. Mix all the sauce ingredients and set aside. Let marinate for at least 15-20 minutes to infuse the garlic taste in the sauce.
2. In a wok, saute the meat/s in a bit of cooking oil and some of the sauce.
3. Add the vegetables and saute until vegetables are half done. Add the remainder of the sauce and simmer quickly. (I pass the sauce through a strainer, to remove the bits of garlic and ginger)
4. Drain the noodles and add to the pan.
5. Cook the noodles and add chopped peanuts.
6. Serve immediately.

This is nowhere authentic to a real Mongolian bowl,  but this is how we like it.

I've been cooking a lot lately but have not taken any photos of my experiments. I make recipes that are quick easy and with ingredients easy found in supermarkets.

Chicken Teriyaki

This is a recipe that I made recently for Hubby. He liked this version the best. I'm saving this so that it doesn't get lost in my files.

Chicken Teriyaki
2 Chicken fillets (thighs, boneless, skin on)
Cooking oil
Sesame seeds

Sauce:
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (Kikkoman or any Korean brand)
2 Tablespoons mirin
2 Tablespoons Sake
1 Tablespoon white sugar
1/2 inch ginger (sliced or grated, if you like the ginger flavor to be stronger)

Procedure:
1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
2. Using a non-stick pan, pan fry the fillets in cooking oil until slightly browned. Set aside.
3. In the same pan, place the sauce and let boil. Once boiling, add the chicken fillets and swirl around the pan until fully coated on both sides, be careful to keep the skin intact. Simmer for just a minute or two until the sauce thickens a bit. Do not leave for too long, the sauce will caramelize quicky and will leave a mess.
4. Take out of the pan, drizzle sauce ove the chicken and garnish with sesame seeds.

Hubby doesn't enjoy the flavor of spring onions, so I didn't add any but, you can add some on top for color, if you prefer.

I have no picture, but it sure was good. This is my go to recipe for teriyaki sauce from now on. It's easy, affordable and I always have the ingredients handy in my pantry.

West Coast Trip

Hello from California!

Bundles of Joy

This year has been one of my most emotionally challenging ones for me. The saying goes "Catastrophies come in threes.".  I must say that I've met my quota even before the first quarter of this year ended.

However, nothing hurt the most than family calling us worthless simply because of the fact that we are unable to bear biological children of our own. Why is it such a curse? My husband and I have been living a simple, happy, contented and peaceful lives in the 21 years that we've been together. Sure, there were hurdles, some were larger than others but, we've managed to power through. We've been blessed with the life rich in experiences and love, even in the absence of children.

Why is it such a shame to be a childless couple?

Bundles of joy, don't just mean having children.

Bundles of joy can be experienced in countless ways.

I experience joy traveling with my husband.

I experience joy visiting beautiful churches, lighting candles, praying and giving thanks.

I experience joy trying out new things or reading something funny.

Giving, volunteering, spending an afternoon laughing with friends over a cup of coffee.

Cuddled in bed with my husband.

Celebrating milestones together.

I could go on and on about things, people and experiences that bring me joy.

Absence of children doesn't mean, absence of joy.

Joy and happiness can be derived from living a life of peace, contentment and simplicity.

Joy and happiness can be experienced by sharing your love and blessings to other children otherwise neglected by their own parents. Joy and love know no boundaries, it can be shared many times over, it is ever expanding. It is the beauty of being human. Our capacity to love is endless.

Yes, me and my husband will never have children. We have embraced that fact and we are at peace with that. So what? Deal with it.

We are happy, thank you very much.

Chicken Yakitori Recipe

This Chicken Yakitori recipe is one of Hubby's favorites. It takes a few steps, but doable.

Chicken Yakitori

2-3 pcs of quarter cut chicken thighs, deboned, but keep the bones.
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Kikkoman soy sauce 
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup mirin
2-4 tablespoons of brown sugar (dark)
2 inches of ginger, peeled and sliced
5 cloves of garlic, chopped

Preparation:
1. Soak barbecue sticks in water so that they don't burn on the grill.
2. Debone chicken, set aside the skin and cut into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and skewer them on the barbecue sticks. Skewer the chicken skin together on barbecue sticks as well. They're quite tasty.

To make the sauce:
1. Gather all the bones and broil for a few minutes. I broiled mine for around five minutes. Set aside.
2.  Combine Kikkoman, sake, mirin, brown sugar, ginger and garlic in a sauce pan. Mix well until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the chicken bones.
3. Simmer the sauce in medium heat, until reduced in half.
4. Strain and divide the sauce in half. One is for basting, one is for dipping.

Grilling:
1. Grill the chicken over hot coals and baste it with the sauce until chicken is done.
2. Serve with the sauce on the side.

Variation:
1. Wrap okra or asparagus with bacon and skewer them by threes. Grill and baste until bacon is done.