"NAPA CABBAGE SALAD WITH GINGER DRESSING"

Whenever we go to our favorite Japanese place along Katella Avenue, we often choose the ginger dressing for our vegetable salad that goes with our Teriyaki plate.

So when I cooked teriyaki pork one time, I thought of making my own ginger dressing for our side salad. It came out as a very light salad, with lots of ginger and sesame flavor! Yummm!

I love cilantro so I added it to my cabbage mix, but you do not have to use it if you do not like the strong flavor of cilantro. I suggest try some other light-flavored herbs, such as parsley or basil. Herbs not only add flavor to your dish, but most herbs are full of anti-oxidants and vitamin boosters too!

Feel free to add more vegetables to your cabbage mix, maybe carrots, celery, sweet onions, cucumber...?

Some friends emailed me, asking if it is okay for them to add more ingredients to the recipe they pick from my website...

of course I told them "by all means do so!" :-)

I even suggest that you my readers add your favorite ingredients to whatever recipes on this website, and feel free to "tweak" it to your liking (as long as you like the taste of the end product ok?).

Isn't is that when we cook, we base the flavors on our taste preferences, and of course sometimes based on our health requirements too? So my recipes are oftentimes low-salt or low-sugar, as we are watching our sugar and our fat intake too, remember?

Have fun cooking, and please do not hesitate to email me for questions and suggestions!

- Chichay

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"Napa Cabbage Salad With Ginger Dressing"

What You Need:

Cabbage Mix:

• 1 pound coarsely shredded napa cabbage
• 1 cup thinly sliced radish
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup (lightly packed) chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
  

Ginger Dressing:

• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1 cup mayonnaise
  

How To:

-Combine the cabbage, radish, green onions (and cilantro, if using) in a large bowl.

-In a separate bowl, whisk together the ginger dressing. Mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding salt and pepper if you wish.

-Refrigerate the two bowls until ready to be used.

-When ready to serve, gently combine the dressing with the cabbage mix.

"PEPPERED HALIBUT STEAK"

If you want a white fish that is meaty, try halibut or sea bass. I bought both in steak cuts yesterday...I want to try and just pair them with simple sauces made of fresh veggies and herbs I got from the farmers market.

The halibut steak here is seasoned with garlic powder, salt and pepper, baked in the oven, and topped with a simple sauce of sliced sweet yellow peppers and onions. You can add any other spices and herbs to the pepper sauce based on your taste preference. You can even add wild mushrooms if they are available.

CHICHAY TIP: If you choose to fry the fish instead of baking it, you can do so, why not. Season the fish well based on this recipe, and then lightly drench the fish in flour before frying (this will avoid sticking to the pan, and will make the fish more crisp).

-CHICHAY
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"PEPPERED HALIBUT STEAK"


What You Need:

• 2 to 4 pieces halibut steak pieces
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• hot sauce (optional)
• 2 tsp olive oil

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 medium bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 each red, yellow and green, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1/2 tbsp dry basil)
• 1 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (or 1/4 cup white wine vinegar)
• 4 pieces cherry tomatoes, cut in half and seeds removed
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

How To:

- Preheat oven at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

- Season well all sides of the steaks with Worcestershire sauce, salt, peppers hot sauce and garlic powder.

- Place the steaks on a baking sheet (sprayed with olive oil), and cover with foil.

- Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.

- Then, remove the foil, and bake for another 10 minutes or until the fish is browned. Set aside.
- In large skillet, heat oil over high heat.

- Add onions and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes.

- Add bell peppers, garlic, parsley, and thyme. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often until onions are tender, about 6 minutes.

- Season with salt and pepper to taste.

- Stir in the white wine (or white wine vinegar), tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper and cook for a couple more minutes.

To serve, top each steak with the vegetable sauce.

"CHICKEN PITA SNACK"

I found these mini pita breads at Vons and they looked like "pan de sal" so I thought of making mini sandwiches with it. Thought of using the leftover roasted chicken and the toppings from the tacos I made the last time. YOu can always replace the chicken with sausage pieces, tuna, or even eggs.
Pita breads are fun to prepare, and even kids like pita sandwiches, because of the plain flavor you can use any fillings.

-CHICHAY

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CHICKEN PITA SNACK

What You Need:

mini pita bread (or regular size, cut in half)

cooked chicken meat, shredded or cut in small pieces

shredded cheese

chopped tomatoes (optional, and if using, get cherry or grape tomatoes or tomatoes with the vines still attached)

honey-mustard mayo*

*whip together 2 tbsp. honey, 1/2 cup mayo, 2 tsps. mustard, salt and pepper

How To:

- spread some of the honey mustard mayo inside the pita bread

-fill with the chicken pieces

-top with tomatoes, and cheese

-you may heat this up in the microwave for 10 seconds, or simply serve at room temperature, with hot sauce on the side.

"MEAT AND TOFU FRITTATA"

A frittata is an Italian omelette that often has fillings such as vegetables, meats, and cheeses.

The difference between a frittata and a regular omelette that we know is that a frittata is prepared in a skillet, partially cooked on a stovetop, then finished under the grill (broiler) and is served open-faced, whereas an omelette is cooked on a stovetop and served folded.

In this recipe, I used ground beef, but feel free to use chicken or turkey instead of beef. The turkey or chicken meat has to be cooked longer, say about 10-12 minutes, in order to brown the meat.

I used tofu as a meat extender in my frittata filling (a friend of mine has been asking me ways to use tofu in different dishes...this one really works), and since tofu mimics the flavor of other ingredients, do not worry that it will taste anything different at all if you use tofu. Fry the tofu in a little bit of olive oil and cut into small thin pieces.

Of course using tofu is optional. If you are not using tofu, simply replace the quantity of tofu I used here with extra meat or other veggies.

On the other hand, this dish can be made meatless as well, so just double the quantity of your tofu to replace the part of the meat in this recipe.

[CHICHAY TIP: The other option I can suggest is that you use potatoes chopped into tiny cubes. Potatoes are an excellent extender in your filling of course. If using potatoes, cook it the same time you will cook the meat. You can use other additional ingredients for your frittata. Just like fried rice, frittata is a good dish in which you can use your leftovers. Just make sure you have enough eggs to use to bind all the ingredients of your frittata together.]

If you do not have an oven-free skillet, simply fold the frittata on the pan ( as soon as partially cooked)...just use this recipe for a really yummy omelette then!

The cheese I used here is Parmesan for the crusty top of the frittata, but if you can get the "QUICKMELT" cheese (available in Filipino and/or Asian stores), you may shred this cheese and use this instead of the Parmesan.

Some people find the frittata quite dry or plain (even if you think you cooked it perfectly), but serving it with Marinara Sauce moistens the dish and gives it that tangy, tomato finish.

Just a thought: the frittata reminds me a lot of the "Tortang Giniling" that my grandma and mom used to cook for our family when I was younger. Instead of broiling it to finish cooking, it is flipped over to cook the other side. I remember it was often served with tomato catsup, and it was a really tasty "ulam"!

-CHICHAY

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"MEAT AND TOFU FRITTATA"

What You Need:

• 7 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup of chopped bell peppers
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 lb ground meat (beef, turkey or chicken)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 3 pcs fried Tofu (optional), cut into small cubes (abt 1/2 cup)

How To:

-Beat the eggs and season with some salt and pepper. Set aside.

-Heat the olive oil in large nonstick skillet (oven-proof) over medium
heat.

-Add the onion and bell peppers, cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring
occasionally until softened.

-Add the beef and brown for about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly.

-Stir in the tomatoes, tofu, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for about 2
minutes.

-Pour the eggs evenly over the meat, tofu and vegetables mix.

-Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until
eggs are set on the edges, but not in the middle.

-Preheat the broiler.

-Sprinkle the top of the frittata with cheese and place under the broiler.

-Cook until the top is set and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or the frittata will become tough.

-Cut into wedges and top with Marinara Sauce.

-This can be served with toast and butter on the side as well.

"MEATLESS LASAGNA"

I am sharing with you my "Meatless Lasagna" recipe that my family truly enjoys! My husband said this lasagna tastes like it has meat in it, and that it has the texture of a regular lasagna. The chunky vegetables do the trick. Try it, and you'll be surprised how good it is.

[CHICHAY TIP: if you wish to add meat in this recipe, replace portions of the vegetables and tofu with the ground meat, and brown the meat and drain it (the fat liquid) first before cooking it with the sauce.]

-CHICHAY
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"MEATLESS LASAGNA"

What You Need:

• 12 lasagna noodles


• 2 teaspoons olive oil


• 1 small onion, finely chopped


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 1 1/2 lbs fresh mushrooms of your choice (assorted or plain mushrooms, try
  portobello, cremini, shiitake, brown, button...), chopped


• 1/2 cup chopped eggplant


• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped


• 2 blocks hard tofu, drained and chopped


• 1 1/2 cups tomato pasta sauce (homemade or store-bought)


• 1/2 cup grated asiago cheese

How To:
-Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Then drain and set aside.
-Heat oil in skillet and saute the garlic, onions and then all the vegetables together for about 5 minutes.

-Stir in the tofu, and cook for another 3 minutes.

-Season with sat and pepper. Set aside.
-Spread the bottom of a 13"x9" inch baking pan (or any baking pan you have)
with 1/4 of the sauce.

-Top with 3 noodles, then 2 tbsp cheese a bed of the cooked vegetables and
some sauce.

-Repeat layers twice.

-Cover with remaining noodles and sauce. Cover with foil.

-Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

-Remove foil, top with the remaining asiago cheese, and bake some more for about 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

-Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

"SALMON STEAK AND SQUASH"

This oven-grilled salmon steak needs only a quick prep. Coming back from the market one time, I only had about 15 minutes to prepare for lunch, and so I came up with this tasty dish of salmon and buttered summer squash as sides.

You can't go wrong with a good salmon steak cut, so make sure you choose well. If you are buying fresh salmon from the market, remember to check the meat:it should be firm. The meat should not smell bad: if it smells like seafood, then good...if it smells like any other foul odor, then try to go find another piece, or even another fish variety which is the freshest that day. Try to befriend your fish monger to get some help. It pays to have a "suki", right?

If you are buying frozen steaks, make sure you cook the fish at room temperature, otherwise your steak will come out really dry.

Feel free to use any combinations of veggies with the summer squash side dish.

I like combining it with long beans, snap peas or sweet peas, or even whole corn kernels.

- CHICHAY

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"SALMON STEAK AND SUMMER SQUASH"

What You Need:

• 2-4 pcs salmon steaks
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• black pepper and salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup squash, cubed
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp water
• black pepper and salt

How To:

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

-In a bowl, whisk together the honey, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and olive oil. Make sure this glaze sauce is enough to cover all the fish. Double the measurement of the sauce if necessary.

-Sprinkle all sides of the fish with salt and pepper

-Lightly oil (with olive oil or canola oil spray) a baking dish that will accommodate the fish steaks

-Lay the fish steaks on the baking dish, and pour the glaze sauce over the fish

-Cover the dish with foil, and cook for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven.

-Remove the foil, and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the fish is browned , but not burned. -In a heated sauce pan, saute the squash and garlic in butter for a few minutes (you can add beans or corn kernels if you want)

-add 2 tbsp water, 1 tbsp honey plus salt and pepper, stir well, and cover for a few minutes, or until the squash is softened.

- Serve the salmon with the squash on the side.

"MUNGGO GUISADO (Sautéed Mung Bean)"

I was inspired to cook "Munggo Guisado" yesterday when I saw the fresh bunch of "malunggay" at the Cerritos Farmers Market! I got so excited, so I went to the Filipno store and got some freshly cooked "chicharon" plus my other ingredients for this dish. 'Could have skipped the chicharon, but this time, I really wanted to make an authentic Munggo Guisado complete with all the ingredients that my mom and grandma used when they cooked this dish for my family when I was still young.
I used "bagoong" (shrimp paste) to season my Munggo, but you can always use "patis" (fish sauce) or even simply 'bouillon' or salt as substitute.

Spinach, "ampalaya" leaves, chilli leaves or even "kangkong" leaves are good substitute for the "malunggay" leaves.

Instead of pork, you can use dried fish or fried fish flakes, and you can also substitute the fresh shrimps I used here with "hibe" (dried salted peeled shrimps).

CHICHAY TIP: Ask your local Filipino or Asian store associate for these traditional Pinoy cooking ingredients if you find it difficult to locate in the store.

-CHICHAY

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"MUNGGO GUISADO (Sautéed Mung Bean)"

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 1 cup munggo (mung beans)
• 3 cups water (for boiling the munggo)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 lb. pork, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 10 pieces medium-sized shrimps, peeled and deveined·
• 2 cups water or broth
• 1 tbsp. cooked bagoong
• 1 cup malunggay leaves
• 1/2 cup chicharon
  

HOW TO:
-Boil mung beans in water until soft and easily mashed. While cooking, check
occasionally and make sure you add more water if you see the beans absorbing all of the water even before it gets soft. Set aside onced cooked.
-In a pan, heat oil. Cook pork until it turns slightly brown.

-Add garlic, onions and tomatoes. Sauté for a minute until tomatoes are wilted.
-Stir in the shrimps and cook until bright orange.
- Add in the boiled mung beans and the bagoong, stir a few times, and add water
(depending on how thick you want your soup to be).
-Bring to boil and let it simmer until thick.
-Stir in the malunggay leaves and the chicharon, cover and remove from
heat. Serve hot.

"CHICKEN STIR-FRY WITH QUAIL EGGS"

This "Chicken Stir-Fry With Quail Eggs" was one of my favorite "ulam" during my college days, when my friend Gloria and I used to go to the restaurant near our university for a quick and cheap lunch. We enjoyed an order of this dish with a cup-and-a-half of steamed rice! Yumm!

Here it is, easy to prepare and yet so delicious. Try to add more vegetables or even substitute the chicken with beef or pork.

You can use either fresh young corn, or just the canned ones.

-CHICHAY

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"CHICKEN STIR-FRY WITH QUAIL EGGS"

What You Need:

• 1/2 lb chicken meat, cut in strips
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small onion (or 2 shallots), chopped
• 1 cup long beans
• 1 medium-sized carrot, chopped
• 12 pieces hard-boiled quail eggs, or as many as you like, shelled
• 1 cup baby corn, cut into bite-sizes
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 tsp of cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tbsp water + 1 tbsp soy sauce
  

How To:

-Place the chicken meat in a bowl, and add the soy sauce, mix and and leave to marinate while you prepare the vegetables.

-In a large saute pan, heat up the oil on high.

-Strain the chicken and add to the hot oil. Stir fry for about a minute.

-Add the garlic and onions, carrots and beans. Keep on stirring for about 2-3 minutes.

-Add the corn and cook for a few more minutes.

-Add the sesame oil, hard-boiled quail eggs and the water and cornstarch mix, lower the heat, stir, cover and let simmer for about 2 minutes.

-Taste and adjust seasoning if you prefer.

-Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper, stir a few more times then turn off the heat.

"TUNA PASTA SALAD"

Here's a refreshing pasta salad that is perfect as a side dish for barbecues! I used tuna as my protein here, but you can always use shredded cooked chicken too.

-Chichay

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Tuna Pasta Salad

What You Need:

• 2 cups cooked pasta noodles
• 1 pouch tuna flakes
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp sugar or half a packet splenda
• 2 stalks of celery, minced
• 1 small carrot, minced (2-3 tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp raisins
• 2 tbsp shredded asiago or parmesan cheese

How To:

-Whip together the mayo, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper.

-In a large bowl, mix together the tuna flakes, celery, carrots, raisins, cheese and the mayo dressing.

-Fold in gently the pasta noodles-Refrigerate for at least an hour.

-Top with some more cheese if desired.

"TACOS"

With the Lakers vs Spurs games lately, I just had to make tacos for my husband and I to have during the games!

Here is a very simple taco recipe we really enjoy. I do not use the store-bought taco mix for the meat filling, but I use different spices instead. The meat filling here is made of ground beef, but you may use other kinds of ground meat that you prefer. Try this, and you'll love it too!

-CHICHAY

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"TACOS"

What You Need:

taco shells

Meat filling :

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 tbsp olive oil(I prefer ground chuck)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
• 1/2 medium-sized bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup of water

Toppings:

• sour cream
• chopped tomatoes and onions (or salsa of your choice)
• shredded lettuce (optional)
• shredded cheddar or asiago cheese (or any cheese you prefer)

How To:
-In a heated large saucepan with olive oil, brown the ground meat and make sure you break the pieces with a wooden spoon, or you can use a potato masher to
make sure the meat will be cooked in big lumps.

-Once the meat is browned, add in the salt, chili power, garlic powder or minced
garlic, cumin, paprika and enough water to cover meat.

-Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil.

-Lower the heat and let simmer for about an hour.

-Stir the meat a bit several times while cooking.

-Add onion, bell pepper, stir well, and continue cooking for 20 or 30 minutes
more.

-Layer the fillings and toppings in the taco shell and serve with Cholula hot sauce for a spicy finish!

"PINEAPPLE RICE"

This Pineapple Rice is a refreshing dish that is perfect especially during these warm days of May!
It is basically similar to regular fried rice, but the pinapple gives it that sweet-tangy twist.
Try having with some grilled chicken or baked fish. But really, I ate this two days in a row, and I still want more!
Kids would enjoy the sweet pineapple taste of this dish too. What a simple way of incorporating fruit in their meal right?

-CHICHAY

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"PINEAPPLE RICE"

What You Need:

• 1 cup sliced or diced pineapple
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)
• 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded or diced carrots

How To:
-Open the can of pineapple and drain juice.
-In a non-stick pan, heat the olive oil.
-Add the eggs and cook without stirring, until set.
-Slide eggs out of the pan to a plate. Cut into short, narrow strips and set aside.
-In the same pan, heat the sesame oil and stir fry the mushrooms, soy sauce,
onions, and carrots for about 2-3 minutes.
-Stir in cooked rice, pineapple, and egg strips.
-Adjust seasoning if necessary by adding salt and pepper.
-Heat until everything is heated through.

[CHICHAY TIP: 1. For more pineapple flavor, you may use the pineapple juice as part of the water to cook the rice with. 2. You can add cooked, chopped meat like chicken or pork if desired, or even chopped tofu as your protein.]

"DAING NA BANGUS (Milkfish)"

My husband's favorite thing to order from a Filipino restaurant is "Daing na Bangus"! Mmmmm!

So I looked for good boneless "bangus" fillets, and finally found good ones at Tambuli. But oh how expensive they are!

Well, I figured it is still worth to make our own "daing"...at least I can control the salt to be added to it, and it surely won't have any MSG!

Baking is an option if you want to use less oil. This is best if you will serve the "daing" right after it's cooked.

-CHICHAY

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"DAING NA BANGUS"

What You Need:

• 2-4 pcs whole boneless bangus (milkfish)

or bangus belly fillets

• olive oil

Marinade:

• 1 cup of low sodium soy sauce
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ cup of white vinegar
• ½ tbsp fresh ground black pepper

Prep:
-Mix together all the marinade ingredients in a deep dish/pan.

-Place the "bangus" skin side up, cover, and set it in the fridge for at least an hour before cooking.

How To:

Frying:

-In a large frying pan heat oil-Season the fish with some salt-Fry the fish skin side up first for a couple of minutes.

-Carefully turn the fish over, and let it cook for 3-5 minutes.

-Next turn it back skin side up and fry for an additional 2 minutes, or until the fish is golden brown.

Baking:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-Lightly spray the roasting rack with olive oil.

-Arrange the fish pieces on the baking sheet, spray each lightly with olive oil, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is golden brown.

"BEEF TAPA"

I asked my mom recently for her recipe of "tocino" and "hamonado"...but I ended up making "Beef Tapa"! I am telling you...I had to eat my "tapa" and "sinangag" Pinoy-style: "nakakamay" (using my hands), with a side of vinegar with garlic, sarap!
I skipped the "sun-drying" of the marinated meat...but it still tasted like the real "tapa". The trick is to sear the meat in a really hot pan!

-CHICHAY

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"BEEF TAPA"

What You Need:

• 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of thinly sliced beef (tender cuts)
• olive oil

Marinade:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Prep:
-Pound the meat slices to make them thinner and flat.
-Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, and marinate/refrigerate the meat for 24 hours.

How To:
-Heat up a pan with oil on high heat.
-Layer the meat pieces on the hot pan (make sure the meat are not overlapping to avoid "sweating" of the meat pieces), and to make sure each piece cooks nicely. Cook in batches if necessary.
-Sear both sides of the meat and transfer to a dish and cover the cooked pieces with foil while cooking the rest of the meat.
-Serve with fried rice and eggs.
Enjoy your Tapsilog!

'HONEY-HOISIN CHICKEN"

It's been quite a long "rest" I took there huh? :-)

I have been having back and shoulder pains lately, so I just decided to take a break from typing for a few days.

'Am back and I hope you like this recipe - am easy dish that I prepared this weekend.

-CHICHAY

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What You Need:

• 1 whole chicken breast, skinless, boneless
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp sliced green onions
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp hot water
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsps olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)

Prep:

-Prepare the "honey-hoisin mixture" by combining the onions, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, water and garlic in a small bowl.

-Pour 1/4 cup honey-hoisin mixture into a large ziploc bag, or a container with a cover (reserve remaining honey mixture for later use).

-Add the chicken to the container or bag, seal, marinate and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally.

How To:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-Remove the chicken from the container, and discard marinade.

-Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.

-Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

-Coat the pan with olive oil.

-Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, browning all sides.

-Brush 1 tablespoon reserved honey mixture over pork, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

-If your skillet is oven proof, place skillet in oven. If not, transfer to a baking dish (sprayed with some olive oil), and bake the chicken at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until your desired degree of doneness.

-Place chicken on a platter; let stand 5 minutes.

-Cut the chicken across the grain into thin slices.

-Drizzle the chicken with the remaining honey mixture and serve with rice or mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.

"GRILLED SHRIMP KEBABS"

These Shrimp Kebabs were a big hit during a party we attended yesterday.

We had the leftovers for lunch today, and paired it with garlicky fried rice! Soooooo good!

-CHICHAY

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Grilled Shrimp Kebabs

What You Need:

• 2/3 cup lite soy sauce
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs large shrimps, cleaned and peeled
• bamboo skewers (soaked in water)
• red, yellow and orange bell peppers, cut into 1-inch cubes

How To:

-Whisk together the soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, ginger and black pepper in a
bowl. Marinate the shrimps for at least 2 hours.

-Thread the shrimps and sweet peppers on the on the skewers and brush or spray each with olive oil.

-Grill the skewers on each side until the shrimps turn orange, and are cooked
through, about 4-6 minutes per side

"GRILLED CHICKEN AND SAUTEED ASPARAGUS"

Been busy lately, sorry haven't been updating as frequently as I used to ha.

Anyway, here's what we had last night... simple, quick and of course tasty.
The chicken, I just marinated with the classic "quick" barbecue mix of soy sauce, sugar(splenda) and lemon juice (ok, kalamansi will always be better), and the asparagus are the leftover stems that some would normally discard after cooking the tips and thinner spears.
I peeled the thicker end of the asparagus spears and cut it into thinner slices, and sauteed it. Still taste good, and it surely feels good not to put them to waste.

-CHICHAY

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"GRILLED CHICKEN"

What You Need:

• 6 pcs of chicken legs

marinade:

• 3 tbsp lemon juice


• 1 tbsp soy sauce


• 2 tsp sugar (or 1 packet of splenda)


• 1 clove garlic, minced


• 2 tbsp olive oil

How To:

-Whisk together the marinade mix in a bowl.

-Marinate the chicken legs for at least 2 hours.

-Drain the marinade from the chicken and grill this over medium-high.

-When the chicken are done, transfer to a dish and cover with foil until ready to be served.

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"Sauteed Asparagus"

What You Need:

• 1 bunch of asparagus stems (use the tips for another dish)
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
• 2 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
  

How To:

-Peel the asparagus stems and cut them into thin sticks. Set aside.

-Saute the garlic in a hot pan with olive oil.

-Add the asparagus sticks and saute for a bout 2-3 minutes.

-Season with salt and pepper.

-Serve the chicken and asparagus with rice or with mashed or baked potatoes.

"STEAK WITH MUSHROOM AND WINE SAUCE"

This "Mushroom and Wine Sauce" is similar to "Marsala Sauce", and the difference is that here I used red Shiraz wine (my favorite) instead of Marsala wine. You can use any wine that you have/like for your sauce.
For the steak, you can use beef steak cuts, or boneless pork chops. You can cook the steak any way you like it: over the stove, on the grill or in the oven (broil). The steak is cooked separately from the sauce anyway. But I suggest you season it witl salt and pepper only, since the Mushroom and wine sauce is tasty enough to add more flavor to your steak.

[CHICHAY TIP: If you do not like using fresh garlic in your sauce, then use garlic powder instead of using the fresh garlic that is in the recipe here. When reducing the sauce, be careful and alert, as the sauce may dry out easily. In the recipe it says 3 minutes, but it really depends on how quick your sauce will reduce.]

-CHICHAY

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"STEAK AND MUSHROOM AND WINE SAUCE"

What You Need:

• 2 pounds steaks, well trimmed
• salt and pepper to taste 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup red wine of your choice ( I use Shiraz.)
• 1/2 cup broth (beef, chicken or vegetable) or water
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms of your choice
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

Prep:

-Heat up a large, heavy skillet over high.
-Season steaks with salt and pepper to taste.

How To:

-Place steaks in the hot skillet, turn down the heat to medium high, and cook this for 3 minutes each side, or depending on your preference on steak doneness.
-Remove steaks from skillet to a platter and cover with aluminum foil.
-Remove skillet from heat. Quickly saute the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes in the skillet using residual heat.
-Return skillet on medium-low heat and stiir in the mushrooms, and cook for about 2-3 minutes
-Add the red wine and broth or water (if using water, add a 1/2 tsp of salt). Stir, and bring this to a boil.
-Once this boils, lower the heat, and let this simmer/reduce for about 3 minutes.
-Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter and rosemary.
-Serve mushroom and wine sauce over steaks.

"STEAK AND MUSHROOMS SALPICAO"

This twist to the "Salpicao" is so delicious...I added a lot of mushrooms and garlic! I remembered having some garlicky button mushrooms at a buffet restaurant, and since then I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I just had to make this garlicky Steak and Mushrooms Salpicao...wonderful with rice and a fried egg!

Try this with recipe with chicken meat cut in cubes and any mushrooms that you can find...you won't miss the great taste.

-CHICHAY

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"STEAK AND MUSHROOMS SALPICAO"

What You Need:

• 1 lb beef tenderloin, cut into 1/2 inch chunks (tender-cut strips are ok too)


• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms of your choice (shiitake, portabello, cremini, oyster...)


• 2 tablespoons olive oil


• 8 cloves garlic, minced (more if you like)


• 1/2 tsp Koshers salt


• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper


• 1/4 tsp paprika


• 1 tsp garlic powder


• 3 tbsp oyster sauce


• 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce


• 2 tbsp juice of lemon


• 3 tbsp unsalted butter


• extra 4 cloves garlic, cut thinly, like strips (optional - for toppings only)

Prep:

-Combine olive oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, the minced garlic, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a bowl.

-Marinate beef chunks in the mixture for a minimum of 2 hours in the fridge.

-Before cooking, add the lemon juice to the marinated beef, mix well, and then strain the marinade from the beef.Now that the marinade is separate from the beef, dilute it with 2 tbsp water and mix well. Set aside.

How To:

- Heat some oil on a pan, and saute the beef pieces.
-Keep stirring for a 2-3 minutes until beef pieces are browned evenly.

- Remove from heat and transfer to another dish, set aside.

-On the same pan, heat up the butter and sautee the thinly sliced garlic until golden brown (not burned), and set aside in a separate container, leaving the garlic

-flavored butter on the pan.

-Sautee the mushrooms on the heated pan, until softened, maybe for about 2-5 minutes.
- Add in the marinade, and simmer for 3-5 minutes
- Stir in the cooked beef for 2 minute and turn off heat, and transfer to the serving dish immediately.
-Top the salpicao with browned garlic strips.
-Serve with rice and fried egg, or a side of sauteed bell pepper and onions.
[CHICHAY TIP : Cooking time should be about 10 minutes or less to keep the beef tender.]

"SAUTEED SWEET PEPPERS-TRIO"

For people like me who love sweets, I suggest you serve sweet peppers - in salads, veggie mix, soups, fried rice, sauteed, or simply as a garnish in skewered meat or shrimps! Even kids will enjoy the colors and the sweet taste.

I like sauteed bell peppers in butter and garlic. I can eat this as an "ulam" with just fried rice. With a sprinkle or two of tabasco sauce...good lunch

-CHICHAY

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"SAUTEED SWEET PEPPERS-TRIO"

What You Need:

• red, range and yellow sweet bell peppers


• butter


• minced garlic


• ground black pepper

How To:

-Cut the peppers into cubes, slices, or any shape you like.
-Saute the garlic and peppers for a few minutes, and season with ground blacl peppers.

"VEGETABLE FIESTA (Toppings for Rice or Chow Mein"

This dish is simply a combination of several organic vegetables that I bought fresh from the farmers market, plus some pieces of marinated meat. This "Vegetable Fiesta" is a delicious toppings for noodles (like chow mein) and rice.
The meat I used here is pork, but you can substitute it any meat of your preference. I suggest use any veggie mix you want to use, or anything that you have in your kitchen. Feel free to try different kinds of vegetables and mushrooms, just so you can discover what your family likes. Listen to what they say, and remember what they like (or do not like). The fun thing about having mixed veggies in dishes like this is that you can have a "compromise" - meaning have what everybody likes in one dish. See, I like bell peppers, but my husband doesn't enjoy it, and so I add zucchini which he likes, plus my bell peppers. We then both have our favorites in one dish!

(Did I say I like garlic and celery? Ok, ok, and he likes cauliflower and spinach so we are even.)

-CHICHAY

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"VEGETABLE FIESTA TOPPINGS"

What You Need:

• 4 cups of chopped vegetables (like zucchini, bell peppers, celery, fresh wild mushrooms, snow peas, spinach, cauliflower, bokchoy, cabbage, lettuce...)
• 1 medium size onions, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup of meat cubes

Sauce mix:

• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp cornstarch

meat marinade:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp sugar (or 1 packet if Splenda)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin (optional)
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp low sodium soy sauce (or patis)
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (or parsley)

Prep:
-Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl, and marinate the meat in this mixture for at least an hour.

How To:
-Drain the marinade from the meat.
-Brown the meat in a heated large skillet. Once browned, add half of the marinade to the meat in the pan, bring to a boil, then lower heat. Let this simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until the sauce is reduced.
-Add in the mixture of sauce ingredients to the pan and let this simmer for a few minutes or until reduced. Stir constantly while simmering.
-Meanwhile, in another heated pan, saute the onion and garlic, then add in the vegetables, stir well and season with salt and pepper.
-Once the vegetetables are almost done, mix it with the meat and sauce.
-Make sure the vegetables are coated well with the sauce.
-Adjust seasoning if necessary, or add some water if the sauce becomes too dry (and let this heat up some more for everything to be blended well).
-Once cooked, use your Vegetable Fiesta as topping for rice or noodles.

"AFRITADA WITH TOFU

I am re-posting here the Afritada recipe, but with Tofu this time (again, for my friends and aunts who love tofu!).

I often say there are no strict rules as to what you add to your dishes...it all depends on what you enjoy eating, and what ingredients are available in your kitchen. Sometimes I even add mushrooms, olives or even leftover sausages to my Afritada. The tomato sauce coats the ingredients well and gives it a uniform flavor once the dish is done, so you do not have to worry about the taste at all. Just do not forget to adjust the seasoning when you add more ingredients to the basic recipe.

-CHICHAY

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"AFRITADA WITH TOFU"

What You Need:

• 2 lbs chicken or pork, cut into serving sizes
• 4 pieces medium sized potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 cup chopped tofu (cubed)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bell pepper, cubed
• 1 medium-sized carrot, chopped
• 1 cup water (or chicken stock)
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons of "patis" (fish sauce - optional, just substitute with salt)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• ground black pepper

How To:

-In a large cooking pot or wok, heat 1 tbsp of oil.
-Sauté the tofu until it is slightly browned on all sides. Remove from heat and
transfer to another container and set aside for later.
-On the same pot, heat up the rest of the oil, then saute the garlic and onions.
-Add chicken or pork and patis (if using) or salt, then saute until slightly brown.
-Pour in the tomato sauce, ground pepper, tofu, and stock or water.
-Bring to a boil, then lower heat, and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the meat is almost cooked.
-Add potatoes, season with some salt, and continue to cook for 20 minutes
more or until the potatoes are cooked.
-Add the bell peppers, stir, cover, and let simmer for about 2-3 minutes
-Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
-Serve hot with a side of rice.

"RICE TOPPINGS: MUSHROOMS AND TOFU"

I recently started posting recipes of 'Rice Toppings', and for this one here, I am using fresh mushrooms and tofu. For me, the flavor and texture of the mushrooms are enough to complete the dish - no need for any meat. But I know my husband would want me to thrown in at least a few pieces of sliced pork or chicken...and so I did.

The mushroom I used here is the Bunapi-shimeji, also known as the White Beech or White Clamshell Mushroom. These mushrooms with long stems and tiny caps are eaten cooked (the raw Beech mushrooms are bitter in taste, but transforms once exposed to heat), and are best for soups or stews or when cooked slowly in butter and garlic. I find the texture of the cooked Beech mushrooms very similar to the texture of cooked squid (yeah, whenever I serve this, people think they are pieces of squid!)...sort of chewy.

It had a sort of earthy/nutty flavor that works really well with seafood mixes and also with vegetable dishes. For those of us living in California: Beech mushrooms are sold at the 99 Ranch store, and also in fresh farmers grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes. I am still trying to find a fine mushroom vendor at the local farmers market I go to (we buy our organic vegetables from the local farmers markets like the one in Cerritos and Long Beach)...I want to get a regular local supplier, as it is really expensive to buy mushrooms from the supermarket.

- CHICHAY

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"RICE TOPPINGS:Mushrooms and Tofu"

What You Need:

• 1 lb fresh mushrooms of your choice (yield: 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sliced)
• 1 large block of extra firm tofu (or 2-3 pcs of "tokwa"), cut into small cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 2 cups of chopped vegetables of your choice (like bokchoy, pechay, lettuce, cabbage...)
• 1/2 cup of sliced meat of your choice (optional)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp corn starch dissolved in 1 tsp water
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• hot sauce or chilli-garlic sauce (optional)
• salt
• ground black pepper

How To:

-Heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
-Saute the tofu pieces until browned a bit on all sides. Transfer to another container and set aside for later.
-Season the sliced meat (if using) with salt and pepper, and saute on the same pan until slightly browned.
[CHICHAY TIP: Remember to saute beef quickly, and remove from heat as soon as slightly cooked, to avoid overcooking. The chicken and pork on the other hand has to be cooked longer. Make sure pork and chicken are browned well.] Once cooked, transfer the meat to another bowl and set aside.
-Add the butter and garlic to the pan, and sautee until the garlic is slightly browned (not burnt).
-Add the mushrooms, season with some salt and cook, stirring constantly for about 3-5 minutes of until softened.
-Stir in the cooked tofu, celery, and cook for a minute or two.
-If using chicken or pork, add it back to the pan at this point (if using beef, add it last).
-Add the cornstarch, water, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce or chilli-garlic sauce (if using) and stir well.
-Add in the chopped vegetables, bring this to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and and let simmer for about 2-3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning by adding soy sauce and pepper if necessary.
-If using beef, add it back to the pan at this point and turn off the heat. Stir for the last time, cover and let this sit for about 2 minutes.
-Serve this on top of cooked rice.

"SHRIMPS AND TOFU WITH PINEAPPLE"

Here's another dish using tofu (for you, Delia and Tita Vi!)...and you'll be surprised how delicious this tastes with the sweet-tangy pinapple-flavored sauce!

You can use fresh pineapple, or any canned ones. I prefer using canned pineapple slices because it comes out really nice and pretty when I serve it together with the srhrimps and tofu.

[CHICHAY TIP: Make sure you do not overcook the shrimps, as it will get really tough. I like adding it last, then turning off the heat quickly after stirring it back into the sauce. If you are keeping left overs, separate the shrimps from the rest of the dish, reheat it without the shimps. Once the sauce and tofu are reheated, stir in the shrimps, and cover this with foil or lid and let the residual heat warm the shrimps. Or, put the cold shrimps in hot water, drain, and add into the reheated tofu with sauce.]

-CHICHAY

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"SHRIMPS AND TOFU WITH PINEAPPLE"

What You Need:

• 1 tsp butter


• 2 tsp olive oil


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 1/2 small onion, chopped


• 1 lb medium shrimp


• 1 block hard tofu (tokwa), drained, cut into


• 1 inch cubes


• 1 cup pineapple slices or chunks


• juice of 1 lemon


• 2 tsp light soy sauce


• 1 tsp sugar or 1/2 tsp Splenda


• 3 tbsp minced fresh cilantro or parsley


• 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Prep:

-Mix together the garlic, soy sauce, pepper and sugar.

-Marinate the shrimps in the mixture for about half an hour.

-Drain the shrimp from the marinade and keep for later.

How To:

-In a large, nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

-Add tofu, and saute until all sides are browned a bit. Transfer the cooked tofu in a bowl, and set aside.

-On the same skillet, saute the shrimps for about a minute, only until the shrimps
are light orange in color. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.

-Add the butter on the skillet and saute the pineapple pieces over low-medium
heat until they are a bit browned.

-Add the reserved marinade and the lemon juice to the skillet, lower the heat,
and let this simmer for about 1 minute.

-Add back the tofu pieces to the pan, stir, cover and simmer for another minute.

-Add back the shrimps to the pan, stir well to coat the shrimps wth the sauce, cook for another minute. Taste and season with salt if needed.

-Stir in the cilantro, and turn off heat.

-Serve over warm rice or chow mein noodles.