Filipinos around the world love to cook and eat. But no Filipino kitchen can be complete without these basic seasonings that help us achieve that distinct Filipino flavor we have always loved. Here’s a list of the most common seasonings that can be found in a typical Filipino kitchen.

*Photos taken using Instagram.

» Read the rest of this entry «

This recipe is probably an exemption to the not-so-strict rules of this blog. I once mentioned in my introduction that I won’t be using canned sauces on my recipes. Everything would be traditional as much as possible, which means no shortcuts. But for obvious reasons, I cannot apply that rule here. And besides, it’s my food blog — I can always break the rules. Hah!

Seriously, the reason is Filipino Style Spaghetti is always prepared with canned tomato sauces. If I use fresh tomatoes (which I do sometimes with olive oil –> yum!) alone, it won’t be Filipino style anymore. Tomatoes are not naturally sweet, at least that’s not how we acquired the taste; It may be too sour for our palate. Hence, we add some sugar and banana catsup to balance the sweet, sour, and savory flavor. Why? Because that’s how we like it! It’s like Spaghetti Bolognese, but sweeter.

So my brother cooked Filipino Style Spaghetti yesterday, Sunday. I took some pictures, but it’s pretty much my own recipe inspired by my Tita‘s. My Lola was not a huge fan of spaghetti. She would rather eat Chinese noodles. Some credits also go to Joe, a college friend, who told me to add milk to the sauce to make it creamier. And, yes, it’s just so much better! If you have kids, I’m sure they will love this one.

» Read the rest of this entry «

Making gravies for your fried food is not as hard as it may seem. Remember the chicken stock and pork stock from our previous recipes? If you have kept those, you can make a very delicious gravy for your fried dishes. You can also use the gravy as a topping for your rice or mashed potatoes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 slice of bacon (optional), finely chopped
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (or 1 1/2 tbsp of corn starch diluted with the stock)
• 1 cup chicken or pork stock

TIP 9: If you don’t have stocks available, you can instantly make one for yourself. Just dilute 1 chicken or pork cube in 1 cup of hot water.

• salt and pepper

PROCEDURE:

1. On a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Fry the bacon until most of the fat has melted. Add the flour (if this is what you’re using). Using a wire whisk, mix until well-blended to avoid lumps. If you’re using corn starch, mix it with the chicken or pork stock making sure there are no lumps formed.

2. Pour the stock in the saucepan and simmer while constantly whisking until it reaches desired thickness.

Note: The gravy usually thickens further as it cools after removal from heat.

3. Taste the sauce if it needs more salt or pepper before removing from heat.

4. Serve with your favorite fried chicken or pork.