Gourmet Ham Sandwich

Gourmet sandwiches……………Just want to share you the best selling ham sandwich “to go or takeaway” I’ve ever made. So simple and very healthy loaded with mesclun greens and vegetables complete with egg served in a soy and linseed bread. Great for you snack, morning and afternoon tea or even lunch and breakfast. ………………Did you know that eggs are very good source of protein? By eating 2 pcs eggs a day, it supplies all the protein you need during the day. As we know, protein helps build our muscles and strong bones. And also, eggs are a very cheap source of protein too. Here in NZ, Eggs are priced at 4.90 NZD a tray (30 pcs). How about in your place?…….

Ingredients:

Egg mixture:

• 4 boiled eggs
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Sandwich Recipe:

• 2 pcs soy linseed bread
• mesclun greens
• grated carrots
• grated cheese
• little mayo
• 2 pcs shoulder ham
• 2 pcs tomato
• 2 pcs cucumber
• egg salad
• salt and pepper

Procedures:

• Just using your creative imagination, assemble all ingredients together.
• Best for your lunch box and snack with a cup of coffee or tea.

Pinangat na Salmon Head

Salmon Head………As part of our 5 dollar challenge meal in our house, one of the list is this recipe. It is a fish recipe where in you just place all ingredients and boil it. Yes, it is very easy to cook. Well, you can not be wrong with salmon. Even it is the head part, it is very tasty and full of flavour.”pinangat” means a dish cooked with sour ingredients like vinegar, lemons, calamansi or tamarind. There are wide variety to cooked this dish depending on your taste. Must try!……………………Did you know that salmon is the healthiest food in the planet? Aside from its high content of omega-3 fatty acids, it is also a good source of Vitamin D as well. Vitamin D has been shown to play a crucial role in lowering the risk of several types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer. Salmon contains particularly high levels of vitamin D and selenium, which is also associated with prevention of certain types of cancer, including colorectal cancer.

Ingredients: serves 2-3 persons

• 2 heads of salmon cut into half
• 1 cup water
• 2 medium size tomatoes quartered
• 1 medium size onions sliced
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 bunch bok choy
• 2 pcs dried chillies optional
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup vinegar.

Procedures.

• In a medium wide saucepan, place and arrange everything except bok choy and bring to boil for 2-3 minutes.
• Then add in bok choy and boil for a minute.
• Serve hot with steamed rice and a dipping sauce made of fish sauce and chillies

Inihaw na Porkchop (charcoal grilled porkchop)

Inihaw……..Who can say no to a charcoal grilled pork chop, beef ribs, chicken or even fish. Here in New Zealand, I seldom cook a dish using charcoal. Do you know why? Because I find it expensive. To give you an idea, 1 kilo of pork chop is around 7 to 10 dollars depending if it is on special or discounted price, a kilo of fish is around 3-10 dollars depending on its kind. Do you know that a bag of charcoal approx 1-2 kilos could cost you around 10 dollars? (were speaking of New Zealand dollars). But of course, nothing beats the taste when you cook your barbecue using charcoal. How about in your place? is charcoal cheap or expensive?…………………………..Did you know that by using the method of grilling, barbecue or roasting the pork take off its excessive fat? As we all know, Pork fat is related to several heart problems like rising of blood pressure, heart disease and many more. Well, I think eating pork in moderate consumption will not cause this health problems. For me, life is short, eat what you want!!!

Ingredients: serves 6-8 persons

• 1.5 kilo of pork chop
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 juice from lemon
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• pinch of mix dried herbs (thyme, rosemary and parsley)
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp fish sauce

procedures:

• In a mixing bowl, mix all ingredients together and marinate for a minimum of two hours. Best to cook and grill using charcoal.
• Serve hot!

Dates and Sultana Scones

Scones………..My shift in the morning wont be complete If I don’t make this scone. As part of my routine, baking scones, muffins, rolls, loaf, quiche and other baking staff. I consider this scone making will be your entry-level to the world of baking. The first time I made it, It doesn’t really looks good as the flour did not rise. Because my Pastry Chef told me that if I mix it very well, the scones will not rise. Well, I am a type of person that the motto is “to see is to believe”. So what I did is, I mix it really well. The Chef is right, It did not rise! So from then on, I learn the patience when it comes to baking………………Did you know that dates and sultanas contains fluorine, which is an essential mineral to slow down the process of early tooth decay. Fluorine is also known to keep plaque at bay by strengthening the tooth enamel. However, many people are of the misconception that tooth enamel can magically reverse tooth decay. This is not true. Tooth enamel consists of hydroxyapatites, which when brought in contact with fluorine forms hydroxyfluoroapatites, which is resistant to decay. This clearly means that fluorine helps prevent further tooth decay, but cannot reverse the decay process. …..

Ingredients: makes 8-10 scones depending on your desired size.

• 3 cups self-raising flour (you may need a more)
• 100 grams melted butter
• 100 grams white sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 100 grams dates and 100 grams sultana soaked in 1 cup water for at least 1 hour
• 3/4 cup milk

Procedures:

• In a very wide mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients first them mix well. Pour in flour and salt and fold until mixture are dry and but little bit soft. you may need extra flour.
• Using your hand, mold a circle flour in your palm depending on your size. repeat procedures and this recipe makes 8-10 scones. place into a tray with sprayed oil.
• Bake at 180 degrees at 25 minutes.
• Serve hot with coffee or tea

Adobong Crab at Kangkong

Adobo……….The  first time I had a taste of this dish was I think back in the Philippines, to be specific I think it was in Dampa sa Libis. It is a famous fresh seafood wet market where in you will buy fresh seafoods or meat and let you decide how it will be cooked. It is a clean, great and comfortable place to enjoy your food. It is like a big wet market with restaurants on its vicinity. Now back to the dish, It is a crab cooked in our famous adobo way combined with ginger and kangkong……………………Did you know that crab is a good source of  lean protein, which has high protein which is good for athletes or body builders who doesn’t want to eat fish. Crab are also a good source for  chromium, which along with insulin helps in the metabolism of sugar maintaining the normal blood glucose levels. Also good for diabetic patients. ..

Ingredients: (serves 2-3 persons)

• 2 tbsp oil
• 3 pcs medium crabs
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 medium sliced onions
• 1 thumb size sliced ginger
• 1 bunch of kangkong (river spinach)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 3 pcs dried chillies(optional)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• pinch of salt

Procedures:

• in a pan, heat oil and saute garlic, onions and ginger, add in crab and seasoned with salt & pepper  and add the rest of the ingredients except kangkong and simmer for 3 minutes. add in kangkong and boil for another minute. Do not over cook crab as the fats melts.
• serve hot!!

Curry Fried Chicken

Curry……..I got this recipe from a magazine (forgot the title) while I am waiting for my daughters swimming lesson.  I am very intrigue because usually curry comes with a lots of sauces.  So when I got home, I am very eager to try it since I am planning for a chicken dish. It is really nice, the flavour is compact and  it is best with chips. So I have an instant curry chicken and chips……………..Did you know that curry powder is actually a mixture of many number of spices, one main spice in most curry powders is turmeric. This is the spice that gives curry it’s yellow color and is also responsible, at least in part, for some of the health benefits of curried dishes. They said turmeric is 8 times stronger than vitamin  C and helps boost our immunity, maintains good cholesterol level and lastly, put brakes your aging….

Ingredients: good for 3 to 4 persons

• oil for frying
• 6 pcs chicken thighs
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp mild curry powder
• 1/4 cup coconut cream
• 2 cloves garlic crushed

Procedures:

• in a container, place chicken and rubbed with garlic, salt & pepper, curry powder and coconut cream. marinate for about 1 hour.
• In a frying pan or deep fryer, fry chicken wings until golden brown.
• serve with steamed rice and hot sauce
• enjoy!!

Patatim

Patatim……….Back home I remember near our in-laws house, there is a Chinese restaurant that serve the best Patatim in the vicinity. If I can still recall, The shop name was Luk-foo Chinese Restaurant. The serving was very huge that enough to feed 4 people or even more. It is a whole leg of pork. Because I find it very expensive, I start to replicate the recipe without seeing a cookbook or help of google. (I think computer is not popular during that time). My first patatim was just like an Adobo style with star anise (pork with soy sauce). Then the next time I cook it I add a little chinese ingredients such as hoisin sauce, red bean curd, sesame oil and many more. Later on, because of repeated trials, it turns out to be one of my specialty dish. Must try!!!………………………Did you know that star anise makes the distinctive taste of a patatim recipe? Star anise is a kind of spice which is very popular to chinese cuisines. In traditional Chinese medicine, star anise is prescribed as a digestive aid, promoting health of female reproductive organs and for lactating mothers to increase breast-milk secretion. The anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties of star anise is useful in the treatment of asthma bronchitis and dry cough. For this reason, some cough mixtures contain star anise extract. Star anise can also be used as for its sedating properties to ensure a good sleep……

Ingredients: good for 10 persons

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1.5 kl pork leg and hocks (cut in serving size)
• 1 bunch of bok choy
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 large onions sliced
• 2 cups water
• 5 pcs star anise
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp peppercorn
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp red bean curd
• 1 stalk celery (for boiling) don’t cut
• 1 pc sliced carrots
• 2 thumb size ginger crushed.
• onion leeks for toppings
• 1 tbsp toasted garlic
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• fish sauce for adjusting taste

Procedures:

• In a large pan, boil pork leg and hocks with water, star anise, dark soy sauce, 1 whole stalk celery, vinegar, brown sugar and salt and pepper. boil for 45 minutes or until tender. set aside and let it cool. and place in fridge. This will allow you to remove cold fat from the pork. As pork leg and hocks usually comes with lots of fat. then remove celery
• In a sauce pan, heat oil and saute garlic, onion, ginger and ginger. add in hoisin sauce and red bean curd then pour on the pork mixture. Boil pork for another 5 minutes or until sauce is reduce. then pour in bok choy and cook for a minute. you can adjust your taste by adding fish sauce
• Best serve with rice

Pork Stew with Bottle Gourd

Pork Stew…………..There are thousand of ways to cook a pork stew. Well, I will give you one easy way. A stew of pork and bottle gourd. The flavour is excellent as it is made with ginger,  onions and celery seasoned with salt and pepper. I used my favourite meaty pork bones as it is very nice in cooking stew. The good thing about this dish you can cook it while you are doing something else. Just bring everything to a boil and wait for it. That’s it!…………………Did you know that bottle gourd is  very good for balancing liver function. It is often recommended by Ayurvedic physicians when the liver is inflamed and cannot efficiently process food for maximum nutrition and assimilation. Bottle gourd is also very valuable in treating urinary disorders. It serves as an alkaline mixture for treating burning sensation in urinary passage due to high acidity of urine.A glassful of fresh juice prepared by grating the whole fruit should be mixed with teaspoonful of lime juice and included in daily diet.It carries the potential for breaking calculus (stones) in body.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 kilo of pork meaty bones
• 1 medium sliced onions
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 thumb size ginger sliced
• 1 litre of water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 small bottle gourd sliced

Procedures:

• In a large sauce pan, combine all ingredients together except bottle gourd. Boil for 45 minutes or until pork is tender then pour in bottle gourd slices and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice.

Steamed Kangkong with bagoong(river spinach)

Steamed Kangkong……………..A very simple and healthy way to eat this vegetable. I just want to share you guys how Filipinos enjoy this green leafy vegetable. We usually dip this into a bagoong isda(Philippine anchovies) sauted with onions and tomatoes. You can paired this for fried fish, fried pork or even chicken. The fish on the background is a black snapper, I wish I had a Tilapia (well it looks like tilapia anyway). Believe me, if this dish is on the table, It will be a war of food and my wife(LOL)………………….Did you know that river spinach  contains more than a dozen individual flavonoid compounds, which work together as cancer-fighting antioxidants. These elements neutralize free radicals in the body and thus help to prevent cancer. Some studies for women showed less breast cancer cases among those who ate this type spinach on a regular basis. …. Believe it or not? There is nothing wrong eating this kind of spinach!

Ingredients: Serves 2-3 persons

• 1 bunch of kangkong
• 1 medium onions
• 2 tomatoes quartered
• 1/4 cup bagoong isda
• 1/2 cup water
• Oil for frying

Procedures:

• In a frying pan, heat oil and fry fish on both side. set aside
• In a small teflon pan, heat little oil and saute onions and tomatoes until lightly brown, the pour in bagoong isda and water. set aside
• In a sauce pan of boiling water. Blanch or steam kangkong, serve hot with the sauce and fish.
• Enjoy!