Stir-fry Shrimp and Vegetables

Stir-fry…………One of the most common dish we have here in my home. Usually if we wanted a quick way to eat your favorite vegetables, we go for stir-fry. Actually you can cook any vegetable you want, a combination of broccoli, carrots, beans and capsicum plus a shrimp will be heaven. Our rules at home, if we cook a veggie, it should be paired with a fried fish. So I paired this vegetable with a simple fried fish……………….Did you know that vegetables are home for many antioxidants that; firstly, help body protect from oxidant stress, diseases and cancers, and secondly, help body develop capacity to fight against these by boosting immunity……

Ingredients: serves 4-6 persons

• 2 tbsp oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 medium white onions
• 8-10 pcs shrimps
• 1 pc carrots sliced
• 4 pcs mushrooms sliced
• 1 pc chayote
• 10 pcs green beans
• 1 small capsicum cut in strips
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolve in 1.5 cup water
• salt & pepper to taste
• fish sauce to adjust taste

Procedures:

• In a wok,  heat oil and  saute garlic and onions. add in shrimps then saute for 2 minutes then add the rest of the vegetables ingredients.
• In a bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch and water. stir well and pour over to vegetables little by little until you reach your desired sauce thickness.
• Serve hot.

Paksiw na Bangus(milk fish)

Paksiw na Bangus……………I think this dish is one of the favourite meal of my father-in-law. Back home, A weekly cycle menu won’t be completed without having this “bangus dish”. Have you tried milk fish? Well be ready because this fish have lots of small fish bones that is very annoying to eat. But it is complemented by the fish taste. It is very yummy! So if you haven’t try it, I suggest buying the “boneless” one. …………………….Did you know that milk fish is low cholesterol. Saturated fat is one of causes artery blood blocked causing coronary heart disease with routine consuming fish is one of diet way which exactly as preventing coronary heart disease. It’s also contains fat acid of omega-3.  This fat acid could prevent granule blood cells clotting, so reducing risk of arteriosclerosis and prevent coronary heart. Milkfish fat acid has characteristic of hipokolesterolemik which decreasing blood cholesterol level. Able to increasing body immune resistence which important for fetus brain development also neurons system development.

Ingredients: serves 4-6 persons

• 2 pcs medium size milk fish (cut in serving size)
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 150 gms radish slice in serving portions
• 1 pc eggplant sliced into serving sizes
• 10 pcs ocra
• 1 pc medium sliced onions
• 1 thumb size ginger sliced
• 1/2 cup water or rice wash

Procedures:

• In a wide sauce pan, just place and arrange all ingredients together and bring to a boil for about 15 minutes.
• Serve hot with steamed rice!

Restaurant Tour – Love a Duck Chinese Restaurant

Love a duck………..This is another chinese-hongkong style restaurant here in Auckland. This restaurant offers the most tastiest roast duck in Auckland.  Whether you like your duck comes with a two or three course meal, you’ll definitely enjoy their duck style of cooking.  Again, almost all chinese-hongkong restaurant here in auckland offers a very reasonable price and a huge serving size. I remember everytime we dine here with my family, we just spend a minimum of 15 to 30 dollars only. Pictures shwon above is our favourite “roast pork on rice to a value of $9.00 only…………

They have 2 restaurant in Auckland and located at:

Love A Duck

CBD Ground Floor, 18 Beach Road,

Auckland Central, Auckland City

Love a Duck

North cote shopping center

North Shore City, Auckland

Sweet n Chilli Meatballs

Sweet n Chilli Meatballs…………This dish is one of our “yam cha” lunch at home. The meatballs is my leftover from my siomai since I have run-out of siomai wrapper. That day we had steam bok choi, chicken wings in soy bean paste, siomai, chicken feet and some noodles. Yes, we ate all of that. My wife is a good ”eater”, she’s a “buffet woman”(LOL)………………Did you know that chillies are an antioxidant, chilli is also useful in preserving food because this ”spices” were a means of keeping food bacteria-free. On a book I read(Food and Health), It says that the more spicy the chillies, the more healthier. I love chillies………

Ingredients: serves 6-8 persons

Meatballs

• 250 gms lean pork mince
• 1/2 breadcrumbs
• 1 pc fresh egg
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp chopped thyme
• salt and pepper

- combine all ingredients together and form a ball(depending on your desired size)

Sauce:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 pcs chopped garlic
• 1 small chopped onion
• 2 pcs star anise
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp churasca hot sauce
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp corn flour dissolve 1 cup water
• salt and pepper
• 3 pcs fresh chillies(optional)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Procedures:

• In a pan, heat oil and fry meatballs until little brown. set aside
• In another pan, heat oil and saute garlic and onion. pour in water and the rest of the ingredients. Control the the thickness by adding corn flour mix little by little.
• Pour in meatballs and boil for 2 minutes on low heat settings.
• Serve hot!!

Shrimp and Egg Saute’

shrimp and egg saute…………………it is on of our common dish especially when we are lazy to cook. or everything is frozen in the fridge. There is hundred ways to cook and enjoy egg recipe. It is a best side dish to come with your breakfast, might be a sausage or burger patties, or even just a simple toast that will serve as your omelette and even fried fish as we Filipinos love to eat fried dish on breakfast accompanied by a fried rice…………………….Did you know that eggs are rich sources of protein that 2 pcs of eggs to be taken in the morning will be enough to supply all the protein you need for the whole day? and also, it is also very cheap.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 pcs eggs
• 1 large onions sliced
• 1 chopped onion leeks
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 pcs tomatoes quartered

* prawns are optional as this is the best egg side dish for breakfast

Procedures:

• In a pan, heat oil and saute onions and tomatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper and add in leeks. crash eggs and stir until lightly cooked. do not over cook egg
• Serve hot on the side of any fried dishes.

Kid’s Sushi

Kids Sushi……..It is not the traditional sushi you are thinking of, Its my own version of kids sushi specially made for my daughters lunch box at school. The filling is made from our left over food of pork teriyaki. My daughter loves to eat sushi, she is requesting it for her lunch box, but since I am not prepared to have a sushi rice and some salmon, tuna for sushi filling. We just made this left over teriyaki as filling and an ordinary rice as the sushi rice. Try it, your children might love it as well…………………………….Did you know that dried seaweeds sheets or Nori is rich in iodine and iron and quite high in protein. It is also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium and riboflavin(B2). Not only does it have all these nutritional riches, it is also a low-fat food!

Ingredients:

• My ingredients are from my left over pork teriyaki
• 1 cup of rice
• 1 nori or seaweed sheets
• You might need Sushi mat roll and kikoman and wasabe

Procedures:

• Just using your imagination, spread rice on nori sheets and place pork teriyaki. roll over and cut into 8 to 10 pieces. Place in your kids lunch box and that’s it.
• Have fun

Pork Teriyaki

Pork Teriyaki………………….My pork teriyaki is different from other teriyaki dishes. Do you know why? I usually cook the teriyaki sauce separate. By this means, I can control and cook variety of teriyaki dishes. Like when we had a 3 days teriyaki meal at home. I kept the sauce at fridge and cook grilled beef or chicken teriyaki the following day…………………Did you know that Kikkoman’s has little calories compared to other soy sauce, and of those, none come from fat or carbohydrates. There is no cholesterol in this soy sauce. This soy sauce is used primarily in Asian dishes. It can be used as a marinade or as a complimentary condiment to a dish. Most people use it as an additional seasoning to Asian side dishes such as japanese sushi and chinese cuisines. On meat as well; primarily it is used on pork, beef or chicken. It adds a salty flavor to food and only a small quantity impacts a dish…..

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo pork meat cut in strips
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 pc carrots (sliced)
• sesame seeds
• teriyaki sauce(see below recipe)

Procedures:

• In a pan, heat oil and saute pork until golden brown for approx 10 minutes. add in carrots and pour in teriyaki sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes. then pour in sesame seeds upon serving
• Best serve with rice

Teriyaki sauce

• 1/2 cup soy sauce(kikoman)
• 3 cups water
• 100 gms of grilled pork bones (to get that smokey flavor)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch dissolve in 1 cup water
• salt & pepper
• 1 medium onions
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp hondashe (japanese MSG)
• 1 stalk of celery
• carrots & potato peel (optional)

Procedures:

• in a separate pan, heat oil and pan grilled pork bones until darkly cooked. (to get that smokey flavor)
• In a large sauce pan, place all ingredients except cornstarch, sugar and kikoman.. boil for 30 minutes. set aside and strain.
• pour over sugar and kikoman..let it boil and add in cornstarch.. adjust your desired thickness by adding little water. stir well

Chicken Wings in chilli soy bean sauce

Chicken wings…………….How spicy can you go? This chicken wings is very similar to preparation of buffalo wings. If you run out of an idea and want to add a very good starter or appetizer while having a drink of beer, wine or hard drinks. This is a good idea. Just fried the chicken and toss with chilli and soy bean sauce. If you are having a yam cha at home with friends, this is a a quick add-ons to your yam cha menu. We just had a yam cha of steamed bok choy, pork siomai, chicken feet and this chicken wings with chilli soy bean sauce……………………….Did you know that soy bean paste often is used as a vegetable dip like Westerners use with celery and carrot sticks. However, it’s more common uses are as a stock for soups or stews or when mixed with other ingredients like sesame oil and garlic. Some consume this soy bean paste with grilled meat wrapped in a vegetable leaf such as red lettuce. Soy bean paste is one of the most popular korean ingredients.

Ingredients: serves 4-6 persons

• 6 pcs chicken wings (cut into half)
• oil for frying
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup soy bean paste
• 1 tbsp seasoning soy sauce
• dash of sesame oil

Procedures:

• Seasoned chicken with salt and pepper
• In a deep fryer, fry chicken until golden brown. set aside
• In a mixing bowl with cover, stir in soy bean paste, seasoning soy sauce and sesame oil. Add in chicken wings and toss with the sauce. you can cover and shake well.
• Serve with yam cha or as an appetizer.

Steamed Bok Choi and chilli sauce

Steamed bok choi……………..I am not sure if I will be posting this, maybe I just want to give you an idea on how to enjoy simple green leafy steamed vegetables. Consuming alone might not be a good idea but since we are having a yam cha lunch here at home, I decided to add this steamed bok choy with my chilli chicken feet and pork siomai. Well, As I said to my wife, I will be posting every little recipe we will make in our kitchen………………..Did you know that bok choy contains glucosinolates which may be important for your immune system and to help prevent cancer. Chopping bok choy or eating it raw may be best. Enzymes in bok choy that produce the cancer-fighting compounds inside your body are preserved when bok choy is left uncooked. On the other hand, cooking bok choy can improve the absorption of another class of health-promoting compounds. The carotenoids found in bok choy may be better absorbed if you gently cook bok choy first and then serve with a meal that contains some fat. To get all the health benefits of bok choy, eat it raw in salads on some days and on other days, do a quick steam or saute with other vegetables and enjoy……….

Ingredients

• Bunch of bok choy
• Boiling water

Chilli sauce

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup dried chillies
• 1/2 cup fresh chillies
• 3 pcs star anise

- in a small sauce pan, heat oil and fry chillies and star anise in low heat setting. set aside and place into a small bottle with cover.

Procedures:

• In a sauce pan, boil water and blanch bok choy, set aside
• Serve hot with chilli sauce

Daing na Bangus (milk fish)

Daing na bangus or Daingsilog ………… I think if I am not mistaken, this daingsilog will complete my post for the “silog” family. For those who doesn’t know yet, “SILOG” means SI – fried rice and LOG- egg. For recap let us all see the members:

• TAPSILOG - Beef fried rice and egg
• LONGSILOG – sweet pinoy style sausage, fried rice and egg
• CHICKSILOG - chicken fried rice and egg
• SPAMSILOG – Spam, fried rice and egg
• TUYOSILOG - dried fish, fried rice and egg
• TOCILOG - cured pork fried rice and egg

If I missed some, please let me know. I think there are more variations now than before or since I was in the Philippines. The only thing I don’t like with this fish is it has plenty of “tinik” (fish bones) but the best thing about it is you can by boneless nowadays. …………………………Did you know that in-order to prepare a good daing na bangus, you need to have a good cane vinegar. This cane vinegar  is a mild vinegar often used in Filipino cooking and on many islands where sugar cane is grown and harvested. It’s been compared torice vinegar  in its mildness, though there are certainly different grades squeezed from sugar cane. It’s not exactly sweet and instead has a mildly sharp taste that is useful for picking ingredients or making sauces………

Ingredients: for whole milk fish

• 1/4 cup cane vinegar
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 whole milk fish cut into serving size
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• oil for frying

Procedures:

• In a wide container with cover, combine all ingredients except milk fish. mix well then rub fish evenly. marinate for 12 hours or longer.
• In a pan, heat little oil and fry some milk fish
• Best serve with fried rice and fresh egg, cook your way
• Enjoy!