I started to cook at home last month. Before that, it's very rare that I cook meals for the simple reason that twice I was traumatized at seeing the flames rise from the pans while I am in charge of the kitchen. One was when I attempted to fry something. The other was when I tried to make buttered popcorn. I do admit that I am a disaster in the kitchen so I told myself, okay this could be the one thing I will never excel at.
Boy, was I wrong. The first day was like an initiation of some sorts and learned how to properly saute garlic, ginger, and onions. It wasn't that easy for me because I don't like using cooking oil. Tell me to cook rice or make a soup and I will willingly oblige, but NEVER EVER ask me to fry... PLEASE. Unfortunately, one can never escape fried foods... And I am one of those who like eating fatty greasy food (unhealthy I know and so I am controlling what I eat now). And sooner or later I will have to learn how to face those damn frighteningly popping oil which occasionally explodes. (No wonder I always have my shield, the trusted wok cover, to somehow protect me from the evil oily projectiles.)
So now they do trust me to cook vegetables. But really, soup is my specialty since I like mixing ingredients that I fancy and throwing them into a pot of boiling water and then I call it SOUP already. Yesterday while raiding the refrigerator, I happened to see several packs of tomatoes and one basket of really red tomatoes, the kind that makes you think of pasta and salsa... YUM! Seeing that some of the tomatoes are already rotten, I went on a rotten tomato hunt and collected all the still good ones. I told my mom about it and proposed to make TOMATO SOUP (what else?).
So I did a quick research on the Internet but since most of the recipes involve microwave oven to roast the tomatoes for that extra flavor (they said and I do believe them though as of the moment we still haven't found a place for the microwave oven and can therefore not use it yet.) So I relied on what we have--- that is, saute lots of garlic, onions, the add the halved tomatoes. Really nice smell though I could imagine in my mind the smell and flavor of roast tomatoes (DOUBLY YUM!!!)
After that, I shot everything into the blender and made a puree. Then off to the pot again to boil. For added texture (and to make MY tomato soup less boring) I added small carrot cubes and malunggay leaves. Of course, the usual salt and pepper which I have learned, are indispensable in cooking. It's a good thing that my mother reminded me to use herbs and I opted for oregano and basil, which made the soup taste a little like pasta sauce but which I LOVE, so there.
Today for breakfast I had leftover tomato soup with sotanghon. Really nice combination. I suddenly had this idea of putting sardine flakes the next time I get to cook tomato soup. Texture plus a fishy taste... can't wait!!!
(Leftover tomato soup needs to be kept in the freezer since tomatoes easily spoil.)
Now there are a few tomatoes left and they have this beautiful red color so I'm thinking of making salsa since people here were surprised last April when I made my first ever salsa as dip for nachos. They loved it and they couldn't believe I could create something like that. Well, I'm rather good at knowing what goes well with which. All I needed was to look at the ingredients of ready made salsa at the grocery store and the ratio's already up to my taste buds.
Boy, was I wrong. The first day was like an initiation of some sorts and learned how to properly saute garlic, ginger, and onions. It wasn't that easy for me because I don't like using cooking oil. Tell me to cook rice or make a soup and I will willingly oblige, but NEVER EVER ask me to fry... PLEASE. Unfortunately, one can never escape fried foods... And I am one of those who like eating fatty greasy food (unhealthy I know and so I am controlling what I eat now). And sooner or later I will have to learn how to face those damn frighteningly popping oil which occasionally explodes. (No wonder I always have my shield, the trusted wok cover, to somehow protect me from the evil oily projectiles.)
So now they do trust me to cook vegetables. But really, soup is my specialty since I like mixing ingredients that I fancy and throwing them into a pot of boiling water and then I call it SOUP already. Yesterday while raiding the refrigerator, I happened to see several packs of tomatoes and one basket of really red tomatoes, the kind that makes you think of pasta and salsa... YUM! Seeing that some of the tomatoes are already rotten, I went on a rotten tomato hunt and collected all the still good ones. I told my mom about it and proposed to make TOMATO SOUP (what else?).
So I did a quick research on the Internet but since most of the recipes involve microwave oven to roast the tomatoes for that extra flavor (they said and I do believe them though as of the moment we still haven't found a place for the microwave oven and can therefore not use it yet.) So I relied on what we have--- that is, saute lots of garlic, onions, the add the halved tomatoes. Really nice smell though I could imagine in my mind the smell and flavor of roast tomatoes (DOUBLY YUM!!!)
After that, I shot everything into the blender and made a puree. Then off to the pot again to boil. For added texture (and to make MY tomato soup less boring) I added small carrot cubes and malunggay leaves. Of course, the usual salt and pepper which I have learned, are indispensable in cooking. It's a good thing that my mother reminded me to use herbs and I opted for oregano and basil, which made the soup taste a little like pasta sauce but which I LOVE, so there.
Today for breakfast I had leftover tomato soup with sotanghon. Really nice combination. I suddenly had this idea of putting sardine flakes the next time I get to cook tomato soup. Texture plus a fishy taste... can't wait!!!
(Leftover tomato soup needs to be kept in the freezer since tomatoes easily spoil.)
Now there are a few tomatoes left and they have this beautiful red color so I'm thinking of making salsa since people here were surprised last April when I made my first ever salsa as dip for nachos. They loved it and they couldn't believe I could create something like that. Well, I'm rather good at knowing what goes well with which. All I needed was to look at the ingredients of ready made salsa at the grocery store and the ratio's already up to my taste buds.
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