"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.]

"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.

"CHICKEN ADOBO WITH PINEAPPLE""

I used to cook my 'adobo' the traditional way (with garlic, vinegar, soysauce and bay leaf), but when I met my husband, he talked me into trying to put pineapple in my 'adobo' - which he first tasted at a Pinoy friend's house while he was still in elementary school (and it got stuck in his head, or tastebuds since then!). I was hesitant in the beginning because: 1. I used to have an allergic reaction to pineapple when I was still young, and 2. I really wanted to stick to the kind of 'adobo' I grew up with.

Anyway, so I used pineapple but I made sure it's the canned in heavy syrup kind. The pineapple pieces and juice made my 'adobo' sauce thicker, and of course a bit sweeter, and I used the juice to replace part of the vinegar for acidity.

Now I always make my 'adobo' this way at home,and I even add boiled eggs, which goes well with the rich and tasty 'adobo' sauce!

-CHICHAY

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"CHICKEN ADOBO WITH PINEAPPLE"

What You Need:

• 8-10 chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breast cuts, or any mix you like)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 cloves of garlic, mashed
• 1/2 medium-sized onion,chopped
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 6 slices of pineapple (canned, in heavy syrup)
• 1/4 cup pineapple syrup/juice (from the can of pineapple)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 pcs bayleaf

Prep:

- In a pot, add in the olive oil, garlic and onions, chicken pieces

-and at this point,pineapple, bayleaf, water and vinegar.

-Cook in high heat, bring to a boil, uncovered (DO NOT STIR)

-Once the adobo is boiling, lower the heat and and let this simmer (uncovered) for 10 to 20 minutes (do not stir).

-Flip the meat pieces over, cover, add in the pineapple chunks, and then let cook for another 10 minutes or more on low heat, or until the chicken pieces are really tender.

-Taste the sauce at this point and adjust the seasoning (you may add salt and pepper, or add some sugar if the sauce is too sour for your taste.)

-Once cooked, transfer your adobo to a serving dish.

[CHICHAY TIP:Cover with foil and let rest for about 5 minutes before servng. This will make your meat tender and juicy.]

-Serve with hard-boiled eggs (optional), rice and side of veggies if you like!

[CHICHAY TIP: If you are not fond of pineapple, just omit the pineapple and the juice from this recipe and add a little bit more vinegar for acidity, and add some sugar to balance it of.)