Home Made Louise Cake

Louise cake……. They said (the kiwi’s or new zealander) that this cake was originated here in NZ, It is a cake made of  thin butter cake base topped with raspberry jam and coconut meringue. Kiwi’s said it is a very old-fashioned cake made by elder people. Once you try a bite of this cake, you will never stop until you finish the whole slice. That’s why my daughter was there waiting for the photo shoot to be finished…………..Did you know that this cake is made with raspberry jam? Raspberry is a very good source of vitamin C and manganese.  This nutrient are both responsible for several crucial body processes, and vitamin C plays a large role in regulating and promoting health immune system malfunction………

Ingredients: makes a tin of 6 x 10 inch

Base:

• 560 grams bakers flour
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 8 pcs egg yolk
• 250 grams melted butter
• 80 grams raw sugar

Filling:

• 1 bottler of Raspberry Jam (about 350 gms)

Topping:

• 8 pcs egg white
• 1 cup dessicated coconut
• 1 cup raw brown sugar
• 1/4 cup for spread on top

Procedures:

• In an electric mixer with stand and bowl, mix butter and sugar then add in egg yolk one at a time. mix well then gradually sift in baker’s flour and baking powder. Texture should be a little dry. Then transfer and lightly press into a baking tin with baking paper. Bake for 15 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius. Let it cool then spread raspberry jam evenly. set aside
• In another bowl, mix egg white until fluffy then fold in sugar and desiccated coconut.  Spread over the cake with raspberry jam then sprinkle remaining desiccated coconut and bake for 20 minutes at 160 degrees celsius.
• Let it cool and slice on your desired size, best with a cup of coffee or tea
• Enjoy!

Ginger Cake

Ginger……. Aside from this is the name of my daughter, It is one of my favourite ingredients too. That is why I named my daughter “ginger”.  Back to the recipe, It is a recipe inspired from a ginger bread. The base is healthy made with oats and the topping is a creamy butter icing. Over all it is simply irresistible, love it!…………..Did you know that ginger  can also be used for reducing toothache and the discomfort which arises due to the infection in the upper respiratory tract due to its antibacterial and antifungal nature. Also used by pregnant women to ward off the morning sickness……

Ingredients: makes a tin of 6 x 10

• 1.5 cup rolled oats
• 1.5 cup bakers flour
• 2 tbp baking powder
• 1.5 cups desiccated coconut
• 1.5 cups white sugar
• 2 tbsp ginger powder
• 400 grams melted margarine

Topping:

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 150 grams butter
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 2 tbsp ginger powder

procedures:

• In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together except margarine. mix well using your hands with gloves. Then pour in melted butter and press into a tin with baking paper. bake for 20 minutes at 160 degrees celcius. set aside.
• IN a thick sauce pan, using low heat settings, stir in topping ingredients. stir very well until melt and smooth consistency. top on ginger bread. Cut in desired size. Best serve chilled.

Spicy Pork with Vegetables (5 dollar meal challenge)

Spicy………..I think I am immune to spicy dishes now. Since I read an article on a book “the more spicy, the more healthy”. I almost cook every dish a bit spicy. Believe it or not, this dish is part of our 5 dollar meal challenge. I will start some calculations for you, 250 grams of pork here in NZ will cost you about $1.50 (6 dollar per kilo of pork if in special prize) and pork liver is maybe 30 cents for 100gms(3.00 dollar per kilo) and all of the ingredients below will cost you below 3 dollars. So in total: It’s a  dollar meal for 3-4 persons. (now I am sharing you some food costing, watch out for more)…………………..Did you know that mix vegetables such as carrots, corn and peas contains a very complete nutrition to provide our body the essential enzymes, vitamins and minerals. And did you know that carrots can boost your sexual dysfunction? It is believed to improve impotence (lower sexual drive) and even help improve night blindness, long-term cough (or call hundred days cough in Chinese medical prescription) besides strengthening kidney and eliminating excessive wind and cold in our body

Ingredients: good for 3-4 persons

• 250 grams pork cut in strips
• 100 grams pork liver
• 1 cup mixed vegetables(corn, carrots, peas)
• 1 tbsp chopped ginger
• 1 small white onions chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp oil
• 3 tbsp siracha hot sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp corn flour dissolve in 3/4 cup water

procedures:

• In a pan, heat oil and saute garlic, onion and ginger. saute well then add in pork and liver and let it brown(saute approx 5-8 minutes). then season with siracha and light soy sauce.
• then add in mixed vegetables and  simmer for another 2 minutes. adjust taste by adding salt & pepper
• Serve hot!!!

Crab in oyster sauce

Crab…………..One of my favourite dish but just can’t eat too much. They said If you eat more that 4 pcs, you might go to hospital for super hi-blood pressure, eat 6 and above maybe strait to cemetery. LOL! I think its true, One of my friend told me that based on his experience, he had a friend who eats 4 crabs in one meal, after a while, he went to the bathroom and do you know what happens next. They called the ambulance and was rushed to the hospital….Ok enough for that horrifying experience, let’s go back to the crab dish. It is a simple Asian inspired dish cooked with oyster sauce served with the crunchiness coming on the river spinach vegetable. Must try! Just remember to eat moderately…………………..Did you know that crab is a good source of heart healthy omega 3′s which help to lower triglycerides and blood pressure along with reducing the risk of heart disease. Omega 3′s are also thought to reduce the inflammation, enhance immune function, and even lower the risk of certain types of cancer.

Ingredients: serves 4 persons

• 4 pcs medium crab
• 2 tbsp oil
• 3 tbsp garlic
• 1 small chopped onions
• 1 stalk chopped onion leeks
• 1 thumb size sliced ginger strips
• 1 bunch kangkong leaves (river spinach)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp corn starch dissolve in 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• salt and pepper

Procedures:

• In a pan with cover, heat oil and saute garlic, onion and ginger. Then add in crab and half cup water and cover. boil for 5 minutes or until crab turns orange color.
• Add in river spinach then combine soy sauce, oyster sauce to dissolved cornstarch with water and pour into crab.
• Cook for a minute and serve hot.

Lugaw with egg (congee with egg)

Lugaw…………Inspired by Chinese cuisines, We Filipinos have our own version of congee (lugaw). Usually plain congee served with variety of side dishes. It can be boiled egg, tokwat baboy(tofu), Utak(pigs brain) and lumpia toge. Back home in Valenzuela. There is a famous small cafe (cafeteria or lugawan) that only serve lugaw(congee). I have watched their business grows as I am an avid fan of their congee. The congee house name is “cornelios lugaw”. They start with a little space or like a small food stall that can only fit 4-6 customers. As months and year pass by, the started adding chairs and table on the side streets as they are very busy during midnight to morning hours. As lugaw in opur place is very popular breakfast and meal for those who has a hangover from night’s party. Then they become bigger and bigger as when the last time I saw the shop, they were a small restaurant that offers variety of meals and open 24 hours. I think from 6 seater food stall they are now catering for at least 60 persons. What a success!!!!……………………….Did you know that congee with egg is a powerful meal during breakfast. It is loaded with carbohydrates plus the fact that I served it with egg. Egg are very cheap source of protein. In combination, this meal can supply all the energy you may need during the day.

ingredients (serves 4-6 persons)

• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 clove garlic minced
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 50 gms ginger sliced
• 1 cup white rice
• 1 /2 cup glutenous rice
• 1.5 liter of water or chicken stock
• salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp kasubha
• slices of onion leeks (for toppings)
• 6 cloves crushed toasted garlic
• 6 pcs boiled eggs

procedures:

• In a large sauce pan, boil white & glutenous rice in one and a half liter of water until cooked. approx 30 minutes.
• In a pan, heat oil and saute garlic, ginger & onion and seasoned with salt and pepper
• Pour saute chicken into the sauce pan of boiling rice. add in kasugba, and seasoned with fish sauce.
• Adjust your desired thickness by adding water.
• Serve hot in a bowl and garnish with toasted garlic & onion leeks
• Enjoy!!!

Menudo (pork casserole)

menudo……………One of the popular dishes in the Philippines especially if you go to provinces celebrating their fiesta. I think almost every house know how to cook this dish. As you can see on my picture, you can eat “mountain of rice” in a serving of my menudo. Now I can say I already complete the “tomato base Philippine casserole”. For recap, I already posted Kalderetang baka(beef), Beef Mechado, and Apritadang Manok (chicken). They almost comes with the same ingredients just have differences on the meat. …………………Did you know that tomato base casserole are very healthy viands. Tomato for instance is very good in providing lycopene sources. Lycopene is also believed to play a role in the prevention of heart disease because it can prevent free radical damage to the LDL-cholesterol in your bloodstream. Lycopene health benefits extend to the prevention and/or treatment of other health conditions as well, including age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and exercise-induced asthma……..

Ingredients: serves 4-6 persons

• 1 kl of pork meat diced
• 200 grams pork liver
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 pcs potatoes (diced)
• 1 pc carrots  (diced)
• 1 pc capsicum (diced)
• 4 pcs tomato chopped
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 med onions (sliced)
• 3 pcs bay leaf
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp fish sauce(patis)
• chillies optional

Procedures:

• In a large sauce pan, place all ingredients except capsicum. bring to a boil using low heat for 45 minutes. (stirring every 5 minutes)
• When almost cook, add in capsicum and cook for a minute. Enjoy!!!

Vegetarian Savoury Muffin

Vegetarian……….The best vegetable muffin I ever invented. It is composed of carrots, kumara and potatoes with yougart, cheese and other flavours with a little surprise of cream cheese inside. Best consumed fresh from the oven with a side of butter and a cup of your favourite coffee or tea. I am hungry! Sounds like I want to eat breakfast now………………..Did you know that this muffin is loaded with vegetables. My favourite vegetable is carrot. Carrot are very healthy vegetable. Carrot has a strong cleansing properties that are effective in detoxifying the liver, so that the overall effective for acne that is caused by toxins from the blood. Carrot is also useful for treating uneven skin tones because of pigmentation. The vitamin A and other nutrients contain in carrot efficiently nourish the skin, prevent dry skin and other skin blemishes…………..

Ingredients: makes 12-15 muffins

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups self raising flour (may need more)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup fresh grated carrots
• 1/2 cup cube potato
• 1/2 cup cube kumara
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• 1/2  cup yougart
• 1/2  cup fresh cream
• 1/2 cup fresh milk
• 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper

Toppings;

• pumpkin seeds
• grated cheese
• sesame seeds

procedures:

• In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients wet ingredients together. mix well then add all ingredients except cream cheese.
• Spray muffin tins/trays and pour in mixture halfway, add in cream cheese and cover with muffin mixtures then top with cheese, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds. repeat procedures for 12 muffins.
• pre heat oven at 170 degrees celsius and baked for 25 minutes.
• Enjoy with a cup of coffee -flat white, latte and cappuccino or hot tea.

Soimai and Misua Soup

Siomai and misua………………..This simple soup is one of made from my leftover siomai. Well, Instead of reheating the leftover food, it is better to create a dish out of it. I check my cup board, I only have to kinds of noodles, spaghetti noodles and misua. I never thought of using spaghetti noodles topped with siomai, so I only have one option, and it is the misua . Well misua alone is might be boring to eat, so why not cook it with my leftover siomai. Believe me, the outcome of the recipe is very good. Just a saute garlic and onion, broth, crack in eggs and misua and topped this siomai. PERFECT!!!…………………………..Did you know that misua is made with a whole wheat flour? The next time a recipe calls for flour, add a little nutrition power by using whole-wheat flour. What’s the benefit? Start with the name: “Whole” means that the flour is not refined, and it contains the bran, germ and endosperm of the grain; “wheat” is the actual grain being used. Whole-wheat flour provides iron, thiamin and niacin, as well as fiber and an earthy taste…………

Ingredients: serves 6-8 persons

• 2 tbsp oil
• 200 grams misua noodles
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 small chopped onions
• 1 thumb size sliced ginger
• 1 liter beef or chicken broth
•  2 pcs fresh eggs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• left over siomai (see recipe of pork and shrimp siomai)
• fish sauce to adjust your taste

Procedures:

• In a large sauce pan, heat oil and saute garlic, onion and ginger. add in broth and bring to boil
• Then add in misua and crack in eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper and adjust taste by adding fish sauce
• While boiling, pour in left over siomai and add in sesame oil. Serve hot!

Lumpiang Hubad

Another version of lumpia, but this one is naked, yes it is naked as it does not have the wrapper. I asked my self, Why do they called this as family of “lumpia” as it does not have a wrapper. Lumpia means the “wrapper”. I searched the google but I did not find any answers. Perhaps, it might be good to call this as naked vegetables. Well back to the dish, It is composed of healthy vegetables such as carrots, sweet potato, green beans, lettuce and many more. It is dressed with a special sauce made of garlic sugar, and vinegar. The sauce is more on the sweet and sour side……………………..Did you know that these bunch of vegetable supplies all the nutrients that our body needs for the day. Eating vegetables has also an anti-aging effect in our body. For example the carrots, this vegetable contain a lot of beta-carotene, which serves as an antioxidant that helps the body to fight the cell damage done to the body with dirt in the bloodstream and even oxygen. It also help slows down the aging of cells and various negative effect associated with aging.

Ingredients: serves 10 persons

• 2 tbsp oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onions chopped
• 100 grams thinly sliced pork
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups bean sprout
• 1 small carrots julienne
• 100 grams green beans
• 1 small sweet potato (kamote) strips
• 1 cup cabbage jullienne
• 1 bunch of lettuce leaves

Procedures:

• In a teflon pan, heat oil and saute garlic and onion then add in pork. saute until brown the seasoned with salt and pepper. add in the rest of the vegetables except the lettuce leaves. then adjust taste by adding fish sauce.
• Set aside.

Sauce:

• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 2 tbsp corn starch dissolve in 1/2 cup water.
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:

• In a small sauce pan, boil water and add in soy sauce, sugar, vinegar then seasoned with salt and pepper. once boiling add in corn starch and remove from heat. (to have a shining effect-do not boil the mixture once you add corn flour) Set aside.

Garnishing:

• 4 cloves garlic minced
• chopped peanuts

Pancit Mahirap

Pancit………………..Well, this is not a typical pancit as I remember before when I was little, I saw a carinderia(small cafeteria) selling pancit or noodles that doesn’t have any ingredients of a typical pancit. It doesn’t have pork, shrimps, cabbages, carrots and many more. But believe me those carinderia are very expert in this cooking pancit dishes without “rekado” or ingredients. How did they do it? Its because the have a very tasty beef broth from their bulalo. Bulalo is a beef soup composed of beef bones particulary the legs and unwanted chop of beef bones seasoned with salt and pepper and onions, ginger, garlic and some spices like seabut. Very tasty soup……………………….Did you know that bottle gourd and coriander are the only vegetables I used in this pancit. Coriander leaves  act as stimulants and tonics. They strengthen the stomach and promote digestion, increase secretion and discharge of urine and reduce fever. They act as an aphrodisiac, and help in the removal of phlegm. …….

Ingredients: serves 6-8 persons

• 3 tbsp oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small onions chopped
• 1 small bottle gourd (upo) sliced
• 1 bunch of coriander chopped
• 500 gms of pancit bihon
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 litre of beef soup stock.
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Procedures:

• In a wok, heat oil and saute garlic and onions, add in bottle gourd and seasoned with salth and pepper. saute for 2 minutes. add in beef broth and soy sauce. bring to boil and add pancit. adjust taste by adding fish sauce.
• When it is nearly cook, add in coriander leaves and lemon juice. serve hot