bitter melon w/ fried fish (ginisang ampalaya at pritong isda)

I love vegetables and ampalaya (bitter melon) is one of my favorite. Some people dislike it because of bitter taste. But if you try to research about it, ampalaya is full packed of vitamins and nutrients. It has scientific reports to lower blood sugar. Very beneficial for diabetics.

Let me share with you a simple recipe using ampalaya. And for vegetarians, you can skip the fish and stick to button mushrooms for meaty flavor :)

Ingredients

2 bitter melon (cut into halves and strips)

3 cloves garlic (crushed)

1 big onion (chopped)

thumb size ginger (crushed or strips)

2 fried fish (whole, halves or fillet)

2 medium tomatoes (chopped)

half cup mushroom - button or black mushrooms (presoaked and cut into strips)

1 Tbsp Oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp fish sauce (optional)

1 cup of vegetable broth or water.

Procedure

Heat oil in a wok and saute garlic, onion, ginger and tomato for 2 minutes.

Add the mushroom and stir for a minute.

Add the broth or water, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and fish sauce.

Add the fried fish, then the amplaya, cover and simmer for 3 minutes.

Ready to serve with rice.

beef kare kare

Ingredients

1/2 kilo of beef chunks (pressurised to tender)
1/2 cup of peanut butter
5 cups of beef broth
1 onion (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 Tbsp oil
2 pcs of eggplant (chunk)
2 cups of bokchoy (cut into two halves)
1 cup of long beans (cut into 2 inches)
salt & pepper to taste
Cooked Shrimp paste in a bottle (this can be bought in a filipino store)

Procedure

Saute onion and garlic in a casserole.
Add the pre cooked beef chunks and stir for 2 minutes.
Add beef broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil for 10 minutes.
Scoop a small bowl of soup from the casserole and melt the butter in it.
Add the butter in the casserole and keep boiling for 5 more minutes.
Add the vegetables and put off fire after 2 minutes.
Serve with steamed rice and shrimp paste.

macaroni and cheese

Ingredients

400 grms of macaroni (cooked al dente)
3 cups of cheddar cheese (shredded)
4 cups of full cream milk
3 Tbsp of flour
3 Tbsp of butter
1 Tbsp of Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Crisp Bacon for toppings (optional)

Procedure

• Heat oil in a casserole
• Add butter and let it melt.
• Add flour and whisk
• Add milk and whisk for 2 minutes.
• Add the 2 cups of cheese little bit at a time while whisking the milk.
• Add salt and pepper
• Continue whisking until the mixture thickens.
• Top with the remaining cheese and put in an oven pre-heated 270 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Top with bacon
• Ready to serve

fried chicken wings

Ingredients

1/2 kilo of chicken wings
1 cup of full cream milk
Flour for coating
salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying

Procedure

Season chicken wings with salt and pepper and marinade it full cream milk.
Refrigerate for an hour.
Prepare a bowl of flour for coating and ready to fry.
You'll have a crunchy and juicy chicken wings!

Thanks Pearl for the recipe!