CHICKEN CORDON BLEU

If you like ham and cheese and fried chicken then chicken cordon bleu is just the thing for you. It is not as fancy schmancy as the name suggests. It is simply ham and cheese filled crumbed chicken. Nevertheless, it is a dish that is universally likeable, simple yet delicious.

PANCIT PALABOK

When one speaks with flowery words, beating around the bush rather than zeroing in on the point of conversation, one is said to speak with too much "palabok". This Filipino term is also the name of a dish with so many accoutrements: the pancit palabok. The dish, unlike the saying, is outright delicious at the first mouthful.

LECHON KAWALI

The love of pork lies deep in a Filipino's heart. Words like lechon (roast pig or pork joint) and pritong baboy (fried pork) would tug at heartstrings. Lechon kawali would bring a double dose of happiness as it is basically a deep fried version of lechon.

EGGS BENEDICT

The egg is the perfect food. It is the ordinary everyday food, the eat-all-day food, the food to eat when there's nothing else, the food that makes everything special. Why is that? It is the taste of the egg. It has a rich yet simple taste that improves any food that it joins. Eggs makes everything taste and look good.

KIKIAM (FIVE SPICE PORK ROLLS)

Five spice powder is a mixture of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds. The aroma and flavour is quite heady and can taste medicinal if too much is used. In tempered amounts, though, it gives an interesting exotic edge to any dish that it is added to.

CHINESE PORK JERKY (BAKWA)

I have a distinct memory of bakwa from too many years ago. As I crossed a busy road in Singapore, I eyed a bakwa peddler squatting on the city pavement. In front of him was a makeshift charcoal grill made out of a biscuit tin topped with chicken wire to warm his bakwa on. I couldn't resist having a slice. As he waved at the embers with a woven palm leaf fan and deftly turned the pork slice, it turned a glossy beetroot red as it warmed up. I didn't mind the waft of hot air that made the already blistering heat worse. As long as I had my pork treat, I was happy. 

ORANGE CHICKEN WITH BACON

Orange and bacon may scream American breakfast but having it on top of rice with fried chicken pieces makes it Chinese food. American Chinese food that is. While my two children were excited to have a go at Shake Shack's burgers at JFK Airport on a recent trip, I chose to have Panda Express' orange chicken with bacon. I don't normally eat anything oily, if at all, before a flight, but I couldn't help myself. Yes, delicious. But as expected, oily too.

BEEF MORCON

As Christmas approaches, one can't help but feel nostalgic. Though some seek to inject new ideas into their Christmas celebrations, many still yearn for their Christmas past. I for one yearn for the lovely Christmases I had when I was growing up. The wonderful food, the family togetherness and the presents are part of the warm memories I'll always treasure. I also miss not being the one to orchestrate the Christmas preparations.

BACON TOPPED MEATLOAF

Although meatloaf has its origins from Europe, it is not as popular here as it is in the US. I make it fairly regularly because, not only is it delicious, it is also very easy to make. Meatloaf is not a dish that's seen a lot in UK cooking programmes but Nigella Lawson made meatloaf in her show and she draped hers with bacon. Nothing new there but it just caused me to wonder why I do not do that. Maybe that is why I do not look like her yet. 

STUFFED TOFU

It is no surprise that tofu is now appreciated by more people outside Asia. This humble food, although a staple in the eastern countries, remains in the sidelines in the west. While others have grown to appreciate its subtle creamy taste, a lot still query why it should be eaten at all. 

MENUDO CON GARBANZOS

Menudo is as synonymous to Filipino fare as adobo. It is one of the heritage dishes that has remained a classic. It is cooked with regularity in households and served as a staple in carinderias (eateries). 

PICADILLO

Cooking vegetables, Filipino style is not exactly quick and easy. Ginisang gulay or sautéed vegetables is the most common everyday vegetable dish. The process starts with the Filipino trinity of sautéing ingredients: garlic, onions and tomatoes. Cooked pork (usually belly pork) and shrimps also go in. More often than not, glass noodles are also added. The vegetables are more often than not a mix of different kinds. 

When I miss ginisang gulay, I always cook picadillo. Although it follows the same procedure, the meat used is minced pork so it cooks fast. There is only one kind of vegetable used.


Filipinos are not hot on vegetables and I do understand why. If not properly sautéed, the dish can taste pretty bland.

I always say that the finished product depends on how you start the cooking process. I browned the minced pork first before anything else and that single step alone added a richer taste to the dish already. Sautéing the garlic, onions and tomatoes really well gives the base of the dish a good flavour. Each step should be done with the development of the taste in mind. Your nose is your gauge. The dish should have a fragrant aroma at each step. Also, do not add too much water at any given point. I have seen this done almost always and that washes off the flavour that has already developed. A bit of water, gentle heat and a lid would generate enough heat to cook the vegetables yet keep all of the taste in. 

This dish is so simple yet so satisfying. Although vegetables are usually served as a side dish, picadillo is tasty enough to be served on its own with freshly steamed rice and, to complete the Filipino dining experience, offer a bit of fish sauce on the side.

Ingredients:

2 tbsps. olive oil
200 gms. of minced (ground) pork
2 tbsps. fish sauce
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 tbsp. crushed garlic
1 onion, diced
1 c. of chopped tomatoes
6 c. diced marrow, courgettes (zucchini), upo or chou chou (sayote)

Instructions:

Heat up a sauté pan and add the olive oil.

Add in the minced pork, 1 tbsp. of the fish sauce and the black pepper. Sauté until the pork is browned.

Add the crushed garlic and sauté until the garlic is golden brown. 

Add in the onions and sauté until translucent.

Add in the tomatoes, stir and cook until the mixture is reduced. 

Add the marrow and ½ c. of water. Cover, bring to a boil then simmer until the vegetable is cooked. 

Add in the last tbsp. of fish sauce (or more if you prefer).

Transfer to a serving dish. Serve with rice and extra fish sauce on the side.


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SWEET AND SOUR PORK

To most of us, sweet and sour pork is synonymous to Chinese food. I remember how it was always a part of family dinners at our favourite Chinese restaurant. The crispy pork pieces were topped with a perfectly balanced sweet and sour sauce mixed with crisp vegetables. It always comes as we expect it and never fails to satisfy. 

KATSU CURRY

My two kids always order Katsu Curry in Wagamama. The plate comes with a rather large (American) football shaped mound of rice, two crumbed chicken pieces flanking the rice and salad leaves. The brown curry sauce drapes the meat and the rice in a rather unappetising fashion. Nevertheless, the taste speaks for itself and it never fails to satisfy.

HONEY GARLIC PORK MEATBALLS

The love of pork makes me translate a lot of dishes into pork dishes. While meatballs would almost always equate to beef balls, I chose pork this time. The reason for this is that I want to flavour the meatballs with Asian seasonings and there is no better base for that than pork. The flavour of beef would not let the seasonings stand out as much. Having said that, any meat could be used for this dish and it would also work.

GOK WAN'S TWICE COOKED MELTING PORK

Roasts bring a sense of occasion comes once it's brought to the table. The mood changes at the mere sight of it. The anticipation of the first mouthful brings excitement. 

HOMECURED PORK TOCINO

Filipinos take breakfast seriously. While a lot skip this all important meal, we take the saying "eat like a king to start the day" to heart. It has been a long tradition to have a full spread at breakfast. In the olden days, this was made possible by the dutiful wife and her staff. It was deemed necessary then to eat a heavy meal early in the morning before setting off to work.

Nowadays, the venue for breakfast is the silogan. Silogan is a new slang word coined to refer to eateries serving silog: sinangag (garlic fried rice) and itlog (egg, served fried) with a choice of tapa, longganisa or tocino. The name of the dish changes accordingly: tapsilog, longsilog or tocilog.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH PANCETTA AND CHESTNUTS

Alright, those who make fun of brussels sprouts, you may stop now. A lot of people wrinkle their noses at these Lilliputian cabbages but still eat them nevertheless. Brussels sprouts are now officially a trendy vegetable. They always appear at the celebratory table for some reason; they are delicious. 

APRICOT AND ALMOND STUFFING

This is the stuff that great turkeys are made of. The debates are numerous, sometimes big and at times heated. What stuffing goes in the turkey? There are a million and one ideas but not all are good, unfortunately.

MAPO TOFU

If you are not a tofu lover, this dish will turn you into one. It was love at first taste for me.