Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

My First Sushi Dish Attempt

Every Christmas, I always make sure to create a theme on the food that we're going to prepare. Over the years, I find Spaghetti, Lumpiang Shanghai and Fried Chicken boring every year. We started thinking about themes three years ago.

So our 2011 Christmas food theme is Japanese. I tried to replicate most of Tokyo Tokyo's dishes like the buttered veggies, pork tonkatsu and their sushi (not the maki, though). I was not able to take a photo of the feast table but I have here few photos of my first attempt to create Sushi.

Here are the ingredients on making sushi:
1. Japanese Rice -- this is kinda expensive so I tried to use Jasmin Rice. BUT it is best to use Japanese rice because of its short grains.
2. Rice Vinegar
3. Sushi wraper
4. Kikkoman Soy sauce with lemon
5. fillings - Salmon is expensive that time so I just use ripe mango,  cucumber and fried egg. Yeah, I'm working on a budget!
Wasabi is optional. I don't like it so I did not use it.

There are various websites that offer the right way of making sushi so I suggest that you search on Google  more. I did several trial and errors before I perfected the size. Anyways, here are some photos.



my helpful sushi maker tools. I bought this from CVC supermarket at P54

May not look that professionally made but our visitors told me that it's delicious.

A Taste of City Buffet in Robinson's Ortigas

Just earlier, I was dragged by my sister to try the new concept of Yakimix in City Buffet at Robinson's Place Ortigas. She is one of the suppliers of the resto and was invited to its soft opening.

The food is great and there are lots of seafood. But unlike in Yakimix, no need to grill meats and seafood cuts here. The cuisines are mixed of Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. There's also a touch of Spanish with their Paella and some Indian cooking. Mixed fruits are also in abundance. I also highly recommend their ice cream especially the Pistachio flavor.

If you would like to try the City Buffet, I think the price is Php 499 on weekends and holidays. Not sure if it's included with drinks. Sorry, I was not able to pay attention on the price as I was really enjoying the food. Plus, we're official guests so it's in the house. =).

Here are some of the pics I took earlier.


City Buffet, Robinson's Ortigas
City Buffet, 4th flr Robinson's Ortigas


A taste of City Buffet in Robinsons Ortigas
I so love the cream dory fish with lemon sauce. yummy!
blue iced tea at City Buffet in Robinsons Ortigas
My ever loved blue iced tea!
 
Blueberry Cheesecake and mango pudding.
Blueberry Cheesecake (the not so cheesecake) and mango pudding.
little bakery at City Buffet in Robinsons Ortigas
One of the staff told me that taking photos of the shelf is
prohibited but I can use it as a background only. :P

 
City Buffet in Robinsons Ortigas interior

City Buffet in Robinsons Ortigas interior
City Buffet in Robinsons Ortigas interiors.
And I love the chair.
So sad that I was not able to take a photo of it.

My Own Version of Mango Graham Cake With Cherries

One of the simplest and easiest cake that any person can make is the refrigerated cake. It's also our favorite desert and I love doing it with mango as its flavor.






Ingredients:
fresh fruit mango or other tropical fruits you want
all purpose cream
condense milk
graham biscuits

how to make Graham (Refrigerated) Cake:
1. mix 2 packs of all purpose cream and one can of condense milk. My ratio is always 2:1. You can add more milk as you desire but I love the taste of the cream more than the sweetness of the condense milk.
2. cut the mangoes. I usually crush the mangoes or put it in blender with my mixture in #1. It gives more flavor in between the biscuits.
3. spread the liquid mixture on top of every biscuit layer. I suggest that you spread generously as it will be absorbed by the biscuits eventually. If the put less mixture, your cake will be dry.
4. repeat #3 as long as you want.
5. top with mixture, fresh mangoes and cherries. You can also design it with crushed graham crackers as illustrated in the first image above.
6. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Voila! You now have a tasty Mango Graham Cake with Cherries.

What's for Dinner? It's Pechay Baguio with Oyster Sauce

Yesterday, I was not able to take a shot of my Buttered Garlic Broccoli (which is a little bit salty due to butter I used..okay I learned my lesson now!) so now I see to it that I will not miss the dish I cooked for tonight.

Again, the Pechay Baguio is still one of the veggies I bought from Baguio and Google still played a special role in my cooking today. The dish is simple yet involved a lot of slicing.. hihihi...

The ingredients:
1 bundle of Pechay Baguio
2 pcs of carrots  (julienne)
Oyster sauce
Garlic, Onions and Magic Sarap
Pork

Cooking procedure:
1. Boil the pork with a small amount of water. Let it release its flavor and natural oil.
2. Saute garlic and onion. Then include the pork
3. place the carrots and pour a little amount of water. bring to a little boil.
4. place the sliced pechay baguio

5. put the heat in low and pour osyter sauce as you desired.
6. season it with salt and magic sarap (I love to cook with magic sarap).

here's the finish product
for most people especially those who really cook, this is something usual. But for someone like me who is just learning to cook and would now love to cook for my family, this is an achievement. And guess what, it's not that salty according to them. Oh, sorry for that extra spoon. Everyone's craving for it when I took the picture. They may be hungry after all. LOL.

Google's Recipe => Cool!

My sister (who is always cooking for us) recently got a job. Thus, as one of the girls left in the house, I'm oblige to cook. While it happened only during dinner time since my mom would leave us something to eat during lunch time, I still have to face the reality that I will have to stop my work and cook as soon as the 6PM ticks.

The first week was really devastating for me. I don't know how to cook. Believe it or not, I cannot even perfect the sunny-side-up egg. But as time goes by, I learned to budget my time and consult the net for some easy to do recipes.

I went to Baguio last weekend and got some fresh veggies. Now, I have broccoli to cook which I would like to be buttered. And yet, I don't know the recipe. So I consulted Google a minute ago and it just amazed me to learn how easy it is to prepare Garlic Buttered Broccoli. But what amazed me more is the extremely easy way to find the recipe. Here's what I'm talking about...



See the sidebar? That's it! I just discovered it today and I'm so happy. I think I will love cooking starting today.

Oh so well... while waiting for the rice to simmer, I was able to write this post. How multi-tasking am I now.. gee...

by the way, I also bought some fresh blueberries and I think I will cook it with sugar and have it for pancakes tomorrow...

I would love to post here the photo of my Buttered Garlic Broccoli..

My Very Own Version of Crepes

This year, aside from going to Spas, I promised myself to add more knowledge in cooking. I wanted to make my own versions of desserts. I'm also planning to go to baking school and learn including cake decoration.

Anyways, let's start the course with a dessert - my own version of crepe. I bet you this is very easy to do and the ingredients are all available in the supermarket. They are all canned! o_0



Basic ingredients and How To:

Crepes - Buy a pancake mix (carton), add 2 eggs, 2 tbsp of melted butter and 1 cup of water  for 200grms mix. Sometimes there are also available recipes at the back of the label.


You will only need to cook the crepe. Use a non-stick pan and pour a scoop of mix. No need to add butter or oil on the pan since your mixture already has butter. Just spread the mixture to make the crepe a little thinner.


For fillings and toppings. Anything that you can think of. My personal favorite includes fresh banana and mango or peaches for the filling and ice cream. You can top it with whipping cream, cherries and chocolate syrup. If you don't have cherries, you can also use a little of your available filling for the decoration. 

Just a tip. Fruits from cans are best served when cold. Open it in advanced and placed in the fridge before assembly.

Dulcinea's Seasons Shake...

My boyfriend and I love to eat. We usually scour different places to try some food that will suit our taste buds. And one of our favorite restaurants is Dulcinea. It's a Spanish Restaurant that serves basic Spanish cuisines. Our favorite dishes? Paella Valenciana, Churros and the Dulcinea's signature season's shake!


Looks delicious right? Just wait till you taste it =)
Belated Happy New Year everyone!

The Benefits of Eating Banana

I really love this email forwarded to me by one of my friends. I'm pretty sure that you'll love this too since it has a lot of learning that will be essential to our everyday lives.

After Reading this, you will NEVER look at a banana in the same way  again!

Bananas Contain three natural sugars -  sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.  Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy  for a strenuous 90-minute workout.   No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.  But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit.  It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and  conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst  people suffering from depression, many felt much better after  eating a banana.   This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a  type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel better.

PMS:
Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which  can affect your mood.

Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food  and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to  make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex England ) school were helped through their exams  this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power.  Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to  make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood  sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system..

Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:   
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

Mosquito bites:
Before  reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected  area with the inside of a banana skin.  Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the  nervous system.

Overweight and at work?
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at  5,000 hospital patients,  researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs.  The  report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood  sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft  texture and smoothness.  It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases.  It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of  the stomach.

Temperature control:
Many other cultures see  bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical  and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand,  for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the  natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking:
Bananas can also  help people trying to give up smoking.  The B6 and B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance.  When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels.  These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:
According to research in 'The New  England Journal of Medicine,' eating bananas as part of a  regular diet can cut the risk of death from strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.  When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.  It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.  So maybe its time to change that well-known  phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'

Footnote: 
If your roses are covered with Aphids, drape banana skins over the branches, I'ts amazing, but in a day or less, they are GONE!
I've tried it, and I couldn't believe it, no more aphids, as long as I save my banana skins for the rose bushes!

Addiction to HK Fried Noodles...

I don't know when and where it started but all I know is that it is delicious. When I discovered the HK fried noodles, I thought every cart that I will find have the same tastes. But the sauces make that huge difference. And after tasting 5 different flavors from 5 different carts, I made my choice. My verdict is to stay with Ching's HongKong Style Fried Noodles. It's simply the best when you have a little chili and combination of Korean, oyster and Teriyaki sauce.

hmmm... yummy!





Worth: PHP 27 pesos/order (mixed toppings)
a must try...

One Buco a Day Keeps the Doctor’s Away


Photo by: cushcushgallery.com


The coconut is known as a tree of life. And I totally agree to that. The entire tree, from its roots to the tips of its leaves has their own purpose to serve – to human and the environment.

Each day, I would buy one buko and drink its juice to cleanse my body. Aside from it’s helping me with urination; it’s also helping me in removing my body trash through constant bowel movement. I also noticed that it is giving me energy to cope up for the day’s stress – just an observation.

It also has many uses – cooking, producing coconut oil, lumber and many more. They were all stated in Wikipedia, by the way. You may also want to sing Ryan Cayabyab’s “Da Coconut Nut” and be oriented with its importance. The famous virgin coconut oil is also one of the believed miracles that this tree offers.

The Philippines is the second largest producer of coconut. So why eye for an apple if you have the best fruit in town, readily and reasonably available?
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