Chicken Tiyula Itum

The day before Christmas, he finally fulfilled his promise to cook for me. (He had promised this many times, even on my birthday but that didn't materialize.) I wasn't in the know as to what he would prepare, but I had a strong feeling it would be chicken curry. We both love chicken and we both love spicy foods, including curry. (And somehow whenever I eat curry, I will always remember him...)

We went grocery-shopping together. We were supposed to buy the ingredients at the wet market but it was already noontime, too late. I chopped garlic and onions, sliced green bell peppers, and peeled and cut potatoes, while he marinated the chicken in charcoaled coconut and added spices like turmeric powder, pepper, Spanish paprika. Then he went out to but fresh coconut milk. I'm not too keen on using the one in can because I am too sensitive to tastes and canned coconut milk tastes like metal. So it was a good thing we were able to use the fresh one.

He first sauteed the garlic and onions in coconut oil and later on added olive oil which he found lying somewhere. LOL. It smelled really good. It's been a while since I last cooked at home because of my busy schedule and one of  my faves is the smell of sauteed onions and garlic. Yum!!! Enough to make me drool.

Once onions are caramelized, he put in the chicken and left it to simmer over medium heat.

Then, put in coconut milk. He told me that one has to keep on stirring when the coconut milk is poured in lest the milk coagulate.

He then added a knotted bunch of lemongrass. I instantly thought of tom yum. AT THIS POINT, I COULDN'T WAIT TO EAT!!! But then we had to wait until the meat is tender then we put in the potatoes and the sliced peppers. And wait some more. My stomach was already grumbling.

We had this simple meal of chicken tiyula itum and brown rice at around 2PM. YUM YUM YUM!!!

Notes:

1. Research where to buy burnt coconut meat. Then again, maybe I can do it on my own.

2. He says that when you cook, you must put in the right amount of salt. Because a bland cook is a bad spouse. (Which caused me to fantasize about being married to this guy who most times breaks my heart but then those few times he does things for me, I feel loved.)

3. To cook brown rice properly, rice to water ratio should be 1:1.5. That worked well because we got nicely cooked brown rice, not the extra dry one my sister makes because she wouldn't listen when I tell her she needs to put it more water. Hmp. @.@ (Okay, he really surprised me there. I thought he was just trying to impress when he told me before that he was a good cook. I, the [delusional] Cooking Master Girl, do not even know that [golden] ratio.)

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I wish we could do this more often instead of dining out which can really drain our wallets. This first time he cooked for me, just when I was feeling lonely because nobody fetched me at the airport when I came back from Thailand, I felt special for once, like I can be hopeful again that there's a future for the two of us. [But I dare not bring up the topic because he might just feel pressured again. So I will just write about my feelings. :( ]I was surprised to feel that way, because I have been travelling  by myself for years and I am used to going to the airport and coming home all by myself with no need of people to fetch me. But then, when you arrive in Manila on a December day, you will see other passengers being fetched by families. It's the holiday season, I forgot. I'm just not so into the season because I see it as just another marketing ploy towards consumerism. Mental note to self: never travel by plane in December.

Pesto Pasta

Because I chanced upon packed basil leaves in the grocery store last week, I made sure to make pesto sauce and leave it in the freezer for longer shelf life.

Earlier, I asked one officemate whose pesto pasta rivals those in restos for a simple recipe. I wasn't able to dutifully follow it though because as always, my being a drifter took over and one day upon arriving home from work, I had the urge to make pesto even without having nuts around.

What I did is just put the washed basil leaves, garlic, salt and pepper, few slices of pimiento cheese, and olive oil all into the blender and have everything pureed. Then I transferred the mixture to a plastic container and in it went straight to the freezer.

Today I cooked my fiber-rich corkscrew pasta and used pesto for my sauce. That, plus squid rings.

I'm sad to say I am lightyears away from achieving the perfect pesto pasta. Sigh! Will have to do it again tomorrow...

Aligue Pasta and Tuyo Pasta

Yesterday I successfully cooked tuyo pasta. I didn't make it spicy even though recently I just bought Lee Kum Kee chili oil and packs of various pasta types to last me at least five months since I will be embarking on a major project soon and I need to have tighter grip on my moolah.

The day before, I had aligue pasta. For both dishes I used angel hair pasta, which I have been wanting to do for a long time now. Angel hair pasta easily cooks and the sauce sticks easily because of its very small diameter. Thing is, I seldom see angel hair pasta in grocery stores.

Aligue Pasta:

Sautée garlic and add a spoon of aligue. I got mine bottled, taken home by my sister. Then add pasta. Mix a little and then you're good to go.

A piece of porkchop, leftover from dinner the night before, accompanied my pasta. It was from Tasty Dumplings because just last Sunday we had early dinner there after mass.

Tuyo Pasta:

Sautée garlic in extra virgin olive oil. Add the tuyo flakes and chopped tomatoes. (Good thing we have two leftover from Saturday breakfast.) Toss in cooked angel hair pasta. Add more olive oil as needed, to make sure that the noodles are well-oiled. Mix.

I topped this with a few pieces of pork tocino which we had for breakfast.

I have stopped eating breakfast again because I'd rather have longer sleeping time. It sucks not to have househelp. Sigh.

Whole Day Cooking 11292015

Yesterday was such a tiring day. I was supposed to coop up at home and finish submitting articles which I promised for a month-long project. But then on a Sunday with the boys at home, pity the girl brought up in a family that believes in gendered activities. (So I grow up thinking it sucks to have been born a girl. Tsk.)

With suddenly no househelp around, only the four of us females are doing household chores. I wonder why mom adamantly sticks to that distorted view that house chores are for girls only. Despite my repeated impromptu speeches on gender equality, she will only end up with a sigh and say that's the fate of a woman, to be a servant to men. No wonder the world is full of chauvinistic males! As if these males can be relied upon in difficult times. Bah!

So anyway, enough of the rants. I woke up early to cook potato soup with macaroni. What you'll need to make life a bit easier is to have a pack of Nestlé Professional mashed potatoes around, a carrot to be diced, onions to be chopped, garlic to be minced, a 100 g pack of macaroni to be boiled and you´re good to go. Plus, salt and pepper, and a few dashes of McCormick´s Italian Seasoning. Big bonus is if you have chicken stock stocked around (pun intended), which we did, for the extra flavor. No need for meat since the veggies and the chicken broth will do the trick.

Ingredients:

• 1 carrot in small cubes
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• 2 onions, minced
• 100 g macaroni
• 1 cup Nestlé Professional mashed potatoes
• McCormick´s Italian Seasoning
• salt and pepper
• chicken broth

Boil around 5 liters of water. But just before water boils, you know, that moment when bubbles are just forming, add salt and pepper and garlic and onions. I don't know if it's just me but I do believe this way, flavor is enhanced. Then just add everything and bring everything to boil. You'll have a creamy macaroni soup. Yum! (I forgot the leeks... Sigh!)

Note: I heard my brother looking for leftover soup today. Okay, that says a lot. :)

Then off to writing. Come 11:59AM (and good thing I happened to glance at the clock), I ran down to the kitchen to fry the daing the bangus which mom had left on the table to defrost. It was my first time to fry daing and I cringed at the thought of destroying such beautiful fish which my sister did when she cooked bangus once. Anyway, suffering from oily projectiles even though armed with my trusty wok cover, I succeeded in producing wonderfully fried daing na bangus. I just hope I can do it again in the future. Probably just beginner's luck.

Off to writing again. Then it was past 1PM when my sisters arrived. So I took a quick bath and had quick lunch and dashed out of the house to go on a date (just a friendly date with a boy whom I first met in the mountains). 

Upon arriving home at 7PM, I immediately pulled out the things I need to cook spaghetti. When we're at our wits' end to think of what to prepare for dinner, I would always volunteer to cook pasta. This time, we have Dole Sweet Italian sauce which at first I was hesitant to use but there was no other alternative. Turns out to be one blessing with thick tomato sauce. YUM!!!

Ingredients for the spaghetti (which reminded me of the pomodoro I recently enjoyed somewhere):

• 2 minced onions
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• McCormick Italian Seasoning
• 1 kg spaghetti, cooked al dente (except with Royal I don't know how to achieve this...)
• half a cup of shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 3 pieces hotdogs, sliced (because we had no ground meat in the freezer... #drifterasalways)
• 2 tablespoons black olives, sliced (which fortunately I bought from a grocery store on my way home)
• 1 kg Dole Sweet Italian pasta sauce (I'm an instant fan)

Caramelize onions, then put in garlic and tomatoes. Add salt. For some reason, I believe that flavor is better when you add salt at this stage. Put in the hotdogs. Then pasta sauce. Did I mention to have hot water ready? Yes, pour hot water in. Add McCormick Italian Seasoning, just a few dashes will do. Then mushrooms. Serve separate from the pasta.

Mexico Misadventures Part 2

When I finally arrived in Constitucion to reunite with my German friend, I was happy to be introduced to a local archaeologist there who is from Merida. I gave them a pack of chicharron and chocnut.

Since they haven't had lunch yet, I cooked for them. It was a simple meal of rice and mixed veggies in spicy salsa, pretty much like what I often cook at home. Later on, I would help them clean bone remains. I still cannot see myself learning how to identify bones but at least I learned there how to clean bones. Basically you mix 1 part water with 1 part 96% alcohol (which I initially mistook as sonething they drink LOL) and use a swab of cotton and a toothpick to eliminate the sediments covering the bones. It was a boring task but I had nothing better to do plus it's a good training for when I go back to school.

At 6PM we drove to the rolling pastures to catch the sunset. We were toured by a man who partly owns the land and were directed to where post holes are located. Awesome! The whole field is a potential archaeological site! We savored the breeze and waited until dark to gaze for some time at the stars. Beautiful!

At night we slept on hammocks, my second night to do so. It was comfortable. In fact I was thinking then of installing one at home.

The next day we went to the reserva de la biósfera Calakmul to see the pyramids and other ruins. There were 5 major pyramids which we climbed and minor ones. It was a tiring activity considering the heat.

Calakmul ruins

part of a pyramid in Calakmul

Now Calakmul is difficult to get to. I am just lucky that my friend knows how to drive. Problem is she underestimated it and refused to load gas. So we were stuck for some time there. Since I had to go to the bus terminal to be able to take the night bus back to the Federal District, I gambled my life again and asked a group of four burly men to take me to Xpujil since they were going to that direction, too.

each pyramid has varying number of steps and we climbed each and every one of them!

Isn´t it beautiful? A silent witness to a magnificent past

While in the car, I was surprised to find myself calm despite being with four male strangers. They were a fun bunch and the friendliest of them talked to me and made sure I was comfortable. I even fell asleep out of exhaustion. Upon arriving at Xpujil, they even dropped me right at ADO bus terminal. I was so embarrassed not to have anything with me to give them but they said it was okay and bid me good luck.

I have to note how awed I was at the sight of the sky so blue. It was just so beautiful. I never liked summer because of the heat but while on the road looking at the sky, I felt the urge to draw and paint but of course I didn't do that because I did not have any materials with me.

In Xpujil I had a hard time with the lady selling bus tickets there. She doesn't seem to care about bus passengers much and was not helpful when I was inquiring about routes and fares. Since I had 4 hours to go before bus departure, I looked for a place with free wifi and found it in a hotel. The lady attendant was nice and gave me the password. Then I went to church to attend mass.

While inside the church I became aware of how hot it was in the area. I realized I badly needed a bath and yet I didn't want to spend for a hotel room just to bathe. So after mass I approached a woman to ask if I could bathe at her home and she directed me to the doctor who gladly accepted me. She was delighted to hear I was from the Philippines because she studied in a school named República de Filipinas in the Federal District.

So I was able to take a bath and converse with the good doctor who told me a lot about food in Mexico. When I left her house, she told me never ever to tell anyone I was traveling alone and wished me good luck.

The world still has hope. I can continue praying for a world to be inhabited by conscious, sensitive, sensible, and kindhearted souls.

Food Inventions Part 1

So I finally decided to chronicle my food inventions from hereon. People are often curious as to what I cook so I might as well share some of these. Just so happens that both involve mangoes.

panna cotta topped with mango slices

 Mango panna cotta was made with Nestlé Docello panna cotta mix. Okay I cheat a bit! Since I´m not one to follow cooking instructions, ratios are just approximated by yours truly. I got a liter of fresh milk to mix with the powder and have it boil. Let cool then top with mango slices then refrigerate.

fish fillet in spicy mango sauce

Fish fillet in spicy mango sauce has a funny anecdote to it. One night I was about to go to sleep when I suddenly remembered I haven´t prepared anything for the following day. So I got up, thawed the fish and cut it up, searched the fridge for "anything" and saw mangoes. I was reminded of the spicy mango vinaigrette I created last year with the lettuce I bought in Baguio. This time, what hit me was to cook something with mangoes for a change.

It's simple actually. Just prepare mango cubes. Sautée minced garlic in cooking oil, add fish and sear for some time then add the mango cubes. Add chili sauce as desired. The sweet and spicy tastes will leave one asking for more. YUM!

2014 Hong Kong Trip

Warning: This is a very lengthy post … Links to important places will be up soon.

Last year was the first time I was lucky to get a piso fare promo from Cebu Pacific. A highschool friend and I planned to go to Hong Kong and shop during the summer season since discounts are big in summer, she says. She has been to HK countless times, having relatives living there. I, too, have relatives who are HK residents but I’m not close to my relatives in general and besides, I’m quite afraid that visits to relatives will eat up my time which is intended for exploring HK really well this time. The last time I was in HK was just a year ago and the four day trip was just enough for me to learn about the subway system but sadly I grew restless from that trip because I discovered that HK has a lot to offer in terms of nature trips!

This year, my 7D7N trip has been a mix of ups and downs. I don’t think I got the most of this trip because of my relatives who kept on insisting in tagging along with me. Not that I’m complaining, I find it rather sweet of them to want to spend time with me but a solitary wanderer like me needs ample “me- time” most especially when exploring a new place. However theirs is a culture of late risers so my trips with them start at around 11 am onwards. Being an early riser when travelling, that was something that really tried my patience.

As before, the first thing I did upon arrival at the Hong Kong International Airport was to buy an Octopus card. I took few brochures since I brought with me the old maps I got last year which I have studied well prior to my visit this time. Then I waited for Third Aunt who was to pick me up from the airport. It was drizzling on the way to her flat and it was already late at night. So basically my first night is just to ensure I get enough sleep for a week’s activities.

The second day was spent at another aunt’s house. I was instructed on what bus to take and alight at which stop. Problem was, Fourth Aunt left the Philippines when I think I was yet to be born so I really did not know her until that day. It didn’t help that my other aunt told me she looks like a famous Filipino singer and actress so I guess I was expecting that. Who would have thought that the semblance was years ago! Fail!

So I stayed at her house for hours listening to her stories and getting to know her children--- my cousins. In the afternoon, after some three hours of napping, my aunt and one of my cousins (the youngest and is very pretty) took me to Kowloon Walled CityPark. It’s a very big park with the fragrant smell of juniper trees which reminds me of Baguio. I wish we had very big parks in Metro Manila, too. (But the government officials are corrupted to the core and they seem to want to sell the whole PH to private entities. I so hate them but that’s another story.)

I helped Fourth Aunt prepare dinner since I saw that her children cannot be relied upon to do house chores, being too busy with computers and smartphones. She was a terrific cook! She cooked 6 different dishes in just a little over an hour! Simply amazing! And as I blog tonight I cannot help but remember her grilled chicken. It was just the best chicken I have ever tasted! The tender meat, the marinade… it rivals that of RoyalBellagio Hotel's The Filling Station!

The third day was my only me time. I accompanied Third Aunt to her office in Central and then took off from there to walk. There never was a happy walker that time as I. I marvelled at the tall buildings bearing names of famous brands. I took lots of photos of the beautiful modern architecture alongside colonial-styled ones. The streets are clean, unlike in Metro Manila where people throw their garbage just about anywhere and get away with it when supposedly they should be fined.

I was able to visit the HongKong Museum of Medical Sciences, HongKong University Museum and Art Gallery, and the Hong Kong Maritime Museum. One whole day of walking that much was tiring but I got a treat from Third Aunt when we ate at a vegetarian restaurant at North Point. But because I had late lunch I wasn't able to eat a lot that time. We then visited an uncle and his wife who live in separate houses.

Back in my younger years, I remember my uncle who was a big man who often smelled of cigarettes, being a chain smoker. I didn't like him then because I hate cigarettes and he was always smoking the whole time he was at our house talking with my dad for hours on end. That time, he visited PH to attend my godfather’s wedding.

This year I was glad to learn he no longer smokes and suddenly he didn't seem so big to me anymore. He asked me to write down my name and I did, using the traditional writing system since I never liked the simplified version. (Sorry for being elitist, I guess when you’re serious about languages you tend to have a high disregard and intolerance for distortions and vulgar evolutions.) Anyway, he was surprised to find that my handwriting was quite good and told me that I am a courageous and daring individual for still preferring to write the old fashioned way. While his perception of me is quite the same as that of my close circle of friends who see me as a warrior, I do not think that I am worthy to be called courageous. Daring yes, but courage is something far nobler and is one of the values I always pursue but I guess the times are few when I can truly say I have had courage.

At my uncle’s wife house I was served with too many cups of tea and it was already late. My aunt was very warm and welcoming and I wondered why she lived away from my uncle. Anyway, she was surprised to find that I speak Fookien. (Is Chinese education in PH that bad that the Chinese are always surprised to find huaqiao who can speak fluent Chinese???) I also met a niece, the daughter of my cousin who was then in China so I never got to meet him.

The fourth day, Third Aunt and I woke up early and fetched my niece. We went hiking in Shek O County. I had been fantasizing about hiking in Dragon’s Back and I was happy when my aunt agreed to go with me. Unfortunately it wasn't the type of hiking that she prefers, being used to “hiking” (her term) cemented grounds. So I really didn't get to enjoy much because she was complaining about how dangerous it is to hike in such a place etc. when in fact, it’s a fairly easy hike. Felt like a walk in the park. Earlier I told her I love long hikes and that I am accustomed to doing mountain treks and she said she also hikes from time to time. Who would have thought her definition of hiking is actually “walking on paved grounds”! I guess it was also my fault for not clarifying or probing on what kind of “mountains” she had hiked to in the past.

We had to stop midway and go back to the city at noon for lunch. We were to meet Second Cousin’s wife and her kids there and then go to Golden Beach in New Territories afterwards. I was of course very sad since I love the mountains more than the beach. Besides, summer at the beach doesn't appeal to me. The very hot weather makes it hard for me to enjoy. And, beaches in PH are far more beautiful than in HK!!!

We had a wonderful dinner at my uncle’s house. It was a feast and I greatly enjoyed the yellow chicken (ginger chicken) and the fish (fried fish fillet and fish in low sodium say sauce--- simple but I love fish of any kind so just imagine how happy this kid was), the vegetables (squash and leafy veggies which I LOVE)… Oh what a spread they prepared! I was relieved to find that the only pork dish is Chinese style pork chop which is somewhat like asado.

The fifth day was spent with Fourth Aunt again. It was Kowloon walled city park part 2. Fourth Aunt prepared ramen noodles with dumplings for lunch. Awesome! I just love noodles! Then we went to Wong Tai Sin Temple. I wanted to weep with joy. The temple is just so grand and I wanted to explore its every corner but unfortunately there were too many people and I’m afraid my aunt and cousin might be bored with it already. Mental note to go back there on my next HK trip.

At night I was taken to my cousin’s house. This cousin of mine was my playmate when we were small. She was very naughty back then and she would always throw tantrums. My nanny recounts that my brothers would always bully her for being such and I was always the one to defend her from them. I also remember being put in charge of bathing her whenever she comes to visit our house without her nanny. Then one day she went to HK to join her family and it was only last year I think when we got in touch again through Facebook. It was she whom I informed of my intent to visit HK.

Third Aunt also took me to Big Aunt’s place. It was only when we were grown ups when we knew we had another aunt and that she was the eldest so Third Aunt is supposed to be Fourth Aunt and Fourth Aunt Fifth Aunt. But because we have grown accustomed, we never really practice the new calling system. Anyway, Big Aunt is a fragile woman and I like the feel of her very homey home where she lives with her son and grandchildren. I would have loved to spend more time with them but I guess there really isn’t much to talk about. I also found my nieces (her grandkids) lively and cute. I wish they could come over to PH when they’re a bit older and  I’ll show them around, probably to the beaches.

The sixth day was spent in Tsim Sha Tsui. Oh the memories of last year’s visit! TST will always be memorable because there are just so many beautiful attractions there especially near the pier. I was to meet up with my other uncle and his wife so I left Third Aunt’s house early and went to Hong Kong Science Museum. Then I joined my uncle and aunt for lunch where they treated me to a Japanese restaurant in Silvercourt. I AM JUST SOOOOO HAPPY!!!

A bit of shopping and it’s a good thing they brought me there since left alone, I wouldn't have bought anything during this trip. Shopping is not my forte, unless it’s shopping for food hehe. And because of them I knew that I got good value for my money having bought branded clothes at huge discounts. Awesome!

We parted ways shortly after and I was instructed how to go to their house for dinner and where I would stay for the night. They left me to wander in TST alone much to my brimming happiness!!! And so off to the Hong Kong Cultural Center I went with a plan to watch a concert but I promised to be at my uncle’s place before 7pm for dinner and it would be rude to be late and to make them worry. So instead I went to Hong Kong Art Museum which I never got to explore last year because it was closed during the Chinese New Year.

I did find my way to their house and spent the night there. My cousin to whom I was close to in my childhood days was already working and she came in when I was already asleep so we didn't get to talk.

The seventh day, my two cousins who are both girls, went out with me. We went to Lai Chi Kok Park first, also a very beautiful park. HK people are really lucky to have such well maintained parks within the neighborhood, unlike here in PH where you will have to travel far to have a breath of fresh air. Then off to the Hong Kong Space Museum where we watched a short movie about astronomy and space scientists. Next time I’ll be watching other films.

Next we went around Mongkok and Temple Street to shop. I bought only a few things being an inexperienced shopper and a miserly one at that. My cousins took me to a Chinese restaurant where we had yamcha (literally means “to drink tea” but it has come to mean having dimsum and tea). Fourth Aunt’s daughters also joined us. Because there is a Chinese resto of the same name in Manila, I thought at first that I am finally gonna experience the main branch LOL!

That night, I slept with Fourth Aunt’s eldest daughter and we chatted a bit before drifting off to sleep. She says she wants to visit the beaches in PH someday. I told her if ever she comes to visit, she should let me know so I can accompany her and show her around. Of course that means more reasons to travel! And I’m more than eager to spend time with my cousins who showed me what hospitality is and taught me what family and kinship mean.

The following day, Fourth Aunt woke me up very early in the morning. We went to meet with her friend and together we headed to Paktamchung where I got to see the reservoir. Also, it was my second hike and I was glad to take in HK’s natural beauty. It was tiring yet fun. What a day it was! Good thing the wind was refreshingly cool despite the summer heat.

In the afternoon, Fourth Aunt accompanied me to Big Uncle’s house to pick up some foodstuff I was to deliver back home. In the evening, Third Aunt and I had dinner at Fairlane Restaurant where I treated her for the first time in my life. We then went to my dear cousins’ house to deliver mooncakes I bought for them.

The next morning, I stopped by Fourth Aunt’s house for a surprise visit and to give her some mooncakes as my token of gratitude for the warm hospitality they extended to me. Boy was she surprised to see me! I already knew how to commute by bus! Yay!!!

For lunch, I went out with Big Uncle’s granddaughter (that makes her my niece) who treated me to a Japanese restaurant near Third Aunt’s place. She, together with Fourth Aunt, helped me with my bags as I boarded the bus to the airport. I got four huge bags with me and looking back I still couldn’t believe how I was able to survive with all that baggage, being used to just a backpack and a small bag when travelling.

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Note: At the time of writing, internet at home was down so I composed this on Word. This line is already in the fifth page. LOL

Cinemalaya 2014 Part 2

Having watched three movies during the first week of August, just last Saturday (Aug. 9), I sneaked out of the house and went out to watch more. Initially I planned to watch two more of Cinemalaya's offerings: Children's Story and Separados but because I arrived at Trinoma at exactly 1:30PM and there was a VERY long line at the ticket booth, I decided to just watch Lucy which was showing at 1:45PM. But it should come to pass that it was already 1:52PM when my turn to buy tickets came. So I opted for Guardians of the Galaxy instead, which is showing in three minutes, and luckily I was still able to grab a seat out of the two left. Whew!

Guardians of the Galaxy is a fun movie about lesser known Marvel heroes. Misfits would be the more apt term. But whatever differences these criminals turned heroes have, they sure did a great job in protecting the galaxy from evil. Truth be told though, this isn't something I would normally shell out money for. But anyway, going on a self-date is fun and I wanted to watch two movies that day.

After that, I headed straight to the next cinema to watch Separados. The movie comprises of mini stories of characters who are in one way or another connected or related to each other. The main story focuses on a man who can't satisfy his wife thus ending their marriage in an annulment. The man meets a lovely girl whom he later on marries. As the church wedding is going on, the mini stories are shown like flashbacks. The common theme is failed marriage: a wife battering her husband, a husband who cheats on his wife, a wife who cheated on her husband thus leading to the husband being an alcoholic, a husband who admits that he is actually gay after 26 years of married life, a young man who wants to break free from his wife who taught to use drugs... (did I miss anything?)

For me, the movie is a statement against the rampant movies they churn out these days about married people having extramarital affairs. There is this one Sunday column I read in PDI and usually the letters are about husbands and wives alike cheating on their partners. It's just sad to think how we have all these cool technology and we're supposed to be civilized and yet we succumb to our base nature to feed our licentiousness.

Since I was on a self-date that day, I was more than pensive as I walked out of the theater. Is this fated, that I should watch this movie to glimpse of the many possible things that can happen if ever I were to get married? I'd like to go back to being an innocent kid who believes in fairy tales but I guess I've read and heard enough true stories about infidelity to make me be 100% sure of marriage.

On the happy side, I finally gave in to my cravings. For a month, I've been wanting to sink my teeth in those Bon Chon chicken which looked yummy when I laid eyes on them last month in Shangrila Mall. I was utterly disappointed that the flavor was only on the skin and did not sink down to the tender meat. JUJUJU!

Upon arriving home, I cooked smoked salmon in oilve oil... for the first time. It lacked character and mom says it was bland. I put in sliced black olives though I don't think people here appreciated it. I guess I'll have to do more research...

Cinemalaya 2014 Part 1

Soba with Bacon Soup

The moment I woke up this morning, I looked for my sister's screwdriver collection for a suitable screwdriver to remove the covering of our electric fan. I have been meaning to clean our fan the past few weeks but I got busy and kept putting it off. After cleaning I went downstairs for a bite but to my disappointment, no breakfast was waiting for me.

So I looked into my food stash and saw a pack of buckwheat noodles which I bought months earlier. Being a ramen lover makes me want to cook different kinds of noodles, too. Since it was raining this morning, I thought it would be the perfect time to have a hot noodle soup.

And because this is an impromptu cooking activity, I had to make do with available ingredients at home. [At least the ones I can touch lest I incur the wrath of my mother.] I remembered I still have bacon strips left.

1. Submerge frozen bacon in hot water. Remove a few strips.

2. Do not throw away the water used. Set aside for use as soup base. The flavor from processed bacon will give your noodle soup a nice taste.

3. Boil soba noodles for 5 minutes.

4. Drain and rinse noodles with cold running water.

5. Pour water used to thaw bacon in pan. Bring to boil then add bacon strips.

6. Add more water as desired.

7. The fun part: Mix in your favorite condiments. In my case, I put a few dashed of McCormick Italian plus a bit of Thai chili sauce (this chili sauce is super hot even in very small quantity!)

Who would have thought that bacon can be fun even when not fried? Happy eating!
Note: I still prefer those sinfully greasy yet crunchy bacon strips...

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While enjoying this successful experiment, I cannot help but ruminate about how I was able to combine my exposure to Western liberalism and individualism and to Eastern mysticism. I think, having read a lot of Western literature and having experienced the wonders of the East, I was able to become a synthesizer that I am today, an eclectic who can adopt ideas and techniques as situations see fit.

Batanes 05102014 Day 3

Day 3 was spent both in Sabtang Island and Batan Island. Since we slept very late due to the summer heat, we weren't able to catch the sunrise in Sabtang. I myself forgot to set my alarm. When we woke up at 6AM, the sun was already up. THAT. EARLY. hmph.

We hired a tricycle to get us back to Nakabuang beach to fully enjoy the place all by ourselves. It was the best thing we did during the whole trip because it wasn't that hot yet and we took a lot of photos of ourselves. I did get some sexy pose ideas from my buddy. It seems she's an expert in that.

Since I prefer to savor the beach lying on the sands under a shade, I lay down under the arch and just watched the clouds go by. Moments like this, when you don't think about anything and just appreciate the beauty of nature, are far too precious for me because I'm always living on the highway. Cloud-watching has become a sort of stress-reliever as I contemplate on my being a drifter, on adopting the way of the white cloud. (see  bottom of this post)

lunch at Nakabuang Beach part 2

 On the way back to the town, we passed by a construction site. Curious, I went down and asked around about the construction, hoping to gain insights on the Ivatans' modern construction process. I was able to chat with the owner and she said that they're building an inn for tourists. Awesome!

a new inn in Sabtang is already in the works. Can't  wait for this!

 Our last stop before we went back to our host's house was Sabtang lighthouse. The area where it stood is already considered private property so we had to pay P50 to enter. It breaks one's heart to see the walls of the structure vandalized. :(

Sabtang lighthouse

 We did some shopping when we got back to Batan. Prices are shockingly high but this is because it's hard to transport goods to Batanes. We decided to cook dinner for ourselves that night.

little kid got extra excited upon seeing colorful fishes. YUM!

 And we explored more of Batan, ending up near Batan port. We checked out the artsy store below where I bought my only souvenir for this trip: an artist's map rendition of Batanes (P200). Sadly, since the approach is artistic, the map was not scaled. What I liked about it though is that the paper is used is water proof

 I forgot the name of the fish that we bought but I chose it because of its size and color. I'm quite adventurous when it comes to food and colorful ones attract me. (Mental note: stay away from colorful mushrooms since these are most probably poisonous.)

We didn't find any ginger in the house so what I did was to just boil the fish in hot water twice to ensure that there would be less smell. I also rubbed it with salt and pepper. (I really don't know what I was doing but we needed to eat and well, rubbing fish with salt makes me feel like a chef...)

My buddy, on the other hand, cooked pinakbet. We forgot to buy rice but I was able to find uncooked spaghetti in the cupboards. Pinakbet pasta below:

The Way of the White Clouds

-Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

 “Just before Buddha died somebody asked him:

When a Buddha dies where does he go—

does he survive, or simply disappear into nothingness?

Buddha is reported to have said:

‘Just like a white cloud disappearing’.

A white cloud is a mystery—

the coming, the going, the very being of it.

A white cloud exists without any roots—

it is an unrooted phenomenon, grounded nowhere,

or grounded in the nowhere.

But it still exists.

A white cloud really has no way of his own.

It drifts. It has nowhere to reach, no destination,

no destiny to be fulfilled, no end.

You cannot frustrate a white cloud

because wherever it reaches is the goal.

Hence, I call my way The Way of the White Clouds.”

Batanes Day 1
Batanes Day 2
Batanes Day 4
Batanes Day 5 

The Poor Foodie

A friend shared an article on Facebook about a middle-class foodie. The article is written by a self-confessed middle-class diner who has come to discover the joys of cooking as well as the practical advantages this gives as compared to dining out.

I can very well relate to Lars Roxas, the guy behind the article. As a student perpetually struggling with financial difficulties, I found it very hard to sustain my food-tripping hobby. I relied on special occasions to get the chance to eat at classy restaurants. When my sisters entered the workforce, I would often ask them to eat out but they'd be the ones to foot the bill. (I am very grateful to them for being understanding in my plight as a poor student with a big appetite.)

In college, I decided to try my hand at cooking. I think being exposed to different cuisines awakened in me that desire to experiment with food. Always known to be eclectic (since I rarely think that things are mutually exclusive) and quite the adventurous one, I never cook the simple way. But this has always been a trial-and-error thing since I usually just envision the resulting flavors in my head instead of creating small samples to taste and adopt them to big batches when found to be satisfactory. So everytime I volunteer to cook, people at home would tremble in fear out of either my awesomeness to blend flavors or a terrifying taste that will lead them to boycott my concoctions and for a time, ban me from the kitchen.

Most times though, my family are happy with my cooking. There were occasions when I would feel guilty because no one would eat the food I cook but these are isolated cases. Most times, too, I forgot to add in important ingredients but at least the next time around I am sure to remember and learn from my mistakes.

What helps me greatly in deciding what to cook are TV cooking shows and recipe books at home. My relatives on my mother's side are certified foodies and all my aunts are wonderful cooks, probably because my maternal grandmother is also one of the best cooks ever. Of course, exposure to restaurant foods also is a great factor, especially fusion cuisines since I learn a lot on what goes well with what.

Now employed and earning my own money, I still find myself a poor foodie. But compared to my student days, I have the means to treat myself out to dinner relatively more times a month. Still I do not forget my humble past and I still find the same enthusiasm in trying out even the ubiquitous carinderias, small cantetens and food stalls. It's a wonderful experience especially when shared with a friend who cooks, too. We would discuss different cooking techniques, and speculate on how to cook the dishes we order at the restaurant. We assess the food we eat based on serving size, flavor, and texture--- all these correlated to price and we then evaluate on the whole. Ultimately we ask ourselves, will we come back to this restaurant? 

Siomai 08112013

Last Sunday, August 11, I was suddenly tasked to make siomai for lunch. The night before, I suggested that we make siomai for dinner but because my suggestion came too late it didn't push through.

Our househelp helped me in chopping up all the ingredients. Since I was busy, all I did was mix all the ingredients, wrap them in the siomai wrapper, and put them in the steamer.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg. ground pork

1 pc. medium-sized carrot, grated

half a bulb garlic, minced

oyster sauce

sesame oil

black pepper

After wrapping, they went straight to the steamer. Our househelp asked me how long should we steam these and I was stumped for an answer. I had to run and ask mom (LOL). She said 10 minutes will do for small ones so I decided to have it 15 minutes since my siomai were a bit big. I was able to make 19 pieces and look how lovely they were:

Of course the real test is not just in how the siomai looks but in the taste as well. When my mom cut a piece in half, she was disappointed to find the filling not holding together. She asked me why I didn't add double A powder and I was like... OOOOOPS my bad!!!

When she tasted it, she told me it lacked flavor. And then I realized I forgot to put in salt! Another OOOOOPS!

And yes, it lacked flavor. I guess I should make siomai again and make sure to perfect it the next time around.

Lumpiang Shanghai 07212013

Last July 21, I woke up early on a Sunday morning despite a headache from the night before. I was to accompany my mom to the wet market to buy vegetables in bulk for the death anniversary of my maternal grandfather.

I have mixed feelings about the wet market. The revolting smell that pervades the whole place is sickening. I hate seeing the garbage being thrown indiscriminately around. I hate the wet floors which may cause one to slip and fall on the ground. Despite all these, I love seeing the produce and fish. My imagination is on the works whenever I see fish of different types still jumping in buckets of water. My mouth drools when I see fresh squid, crabs, and shrimps, and my mind automatically conjures recipes. This ecstasy from wild fantasies are experienced in such a stinky place, leaving almost no room for romance as one grapples with the reality that one will stink soon afterwards.

On the way out of the market, we passed by stalls making and selling fresh lumpia wrapper. I just couldn't resist and begged my mom to buy half a pack so we can make lumpiang shanghai at home for lunch. Lumpiang shanghai is my favorite lunch dish at the office. we're lucky to have a small food canteen nearby which sells decent lumpiang shanghai at affordable prices. And I have been dreaming of making these myself at home with other condiments and seasonings. I was thinking of making taco-flavored lumpia.

But alas, I forgot about the cumin powder which earlier this month I have used up. I turned to my newly bought seasonings instead: McCormick's Italian Seasonings which is composed of 5 different herbs. I put it in with the 3/4 kg of ground pork, grated carrots (1pc.), minced garlic (half a bulb) and onions (2 small ones), sesame oil (approx. 2 tablespoons), and soy sauce (approx. 2 tablespoons). I don't know if they really put in sesame oil but I'm so addicted to its aroma so I put it in. And yes, people at home are always hesitant to taste my cooking because I'm known to have wild experiments. (But so far I only have one major blunder which caused everyone to boycott and for a time, I was banned from the kitchen. LOL)

As for the frying part, I always have to enlist the help of my sous chef, I mean, nanny. Yes, I'm such a loser at frying because I get frightened whenever I hear the oil sizzle. Anyway, my nanny just gave me the go signal to start frying and the rest was history. And after that, I came up with these wonderful babies:

Personally, sauces are not necessary because the lumpia are already loaded with flavors. But then I discovered spicy UFC banana ketchup and used it as a dip, too. Really nice.

Before 2012 Ends

Before 2012 ends, there are lots of things I have yet to do. Out of graduate school and I find myself leaning more towards movies and J-dramas, and spending less time with books. In just a few months I think I have become a screensucker and I find myself thanking the internet for classics I can read online.

When I finished my course in archaeology, I told myself that I would start leafing through the pages of my books as I have accumulated more than 300 books and am now having problems concerning space since I share a bedroom with my sisters and it disgusts them to see books everywhere from my so-called Garbage Island to my bed.

After years of focusing on too much non-fiction, I developed a short-lived thirst for fiction and so I planned to read all of Margaret Atwood and Robertson Davies' books in my collection, especially after reading the first's Lady Oracle and the second's The Papers of Samuel Marchbanks. Both authors are Canadians and I guess theirs would have to be my introduction to Canadian literature.

Other books I plan to read before 2012 ends are:

R. Davies' The Cunning Man, What's Bred in the Bone, The Lyre of Orpheus, The Deptford Trilogy, Leaven of Malice, A Mixture of Frailties

M. Atwood's Handmaid's Tale, Life before Men, The Robber Bride, The Edible Woman

Because this year 2012 is a special year in that the Phantom of the Opera will be staged in Manila, I also plan to read Gaston Leroux's novel of the same title from which the musical is based.

In addition, because  The Hobbit will be shown in theaters this December, I also told myself to read the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and if I were lucky enough to find a cheap copy of The Hobbit I would also gladly read it. All these before watching the movie.

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) will have its opening concert on September 21 (Friday) at the Philamlife Auditorium. (Click here and here for more information) To show my support for our own wonderful musicians, I have made it a point to attend at least the opening concert. (And also because I just miss Philamlife Auditorium that much.)

If I still have money and time, then I would no doubt go see The Seagull (Ang Tagak) (Sept. 19-Oct. 7), a play by Anton Chekov, staged by Dulaang UP and directed by the great Tony Mabesa, with Filipino translation by Rolando Tinio.

On my birthday this December, I would love to cook for my family. This is to showcase my cooking skills (if indeed I gained any... LOL). Menu would be a mix of Italian and Mexican. There will be nachos and home-made salsa. I will also prepare a new pasta dish never been tasted by the world (yes, it will be a new invention by yours truly). If chance permits, I would buy salmon and grill it. For dessert I would just ask my sisters to buy a cake from Conti's. (Thinking about all these make me drool...)

And of course, I'd like to go out more with my close friends since it's been a long time since we did something meaningful together. Eating out would be the best option. Or perhaps we can go hang out at some karaoke bar and goof around as in the old days, this time by trying hard to be wonderful music artists, or in my case, being a rockstar wannabe.

Concerning travels, I would love to go to the Visayan region and visit the lovely beaches which I hear seem like paradise on earth.

Last but not the least, I would be very happy if I were to be able to take the JLPT this year. I shall only allow myself IF AND ONLY IF I can finish studying my materials. As of the present, I am stuck with Japanese for Today with six more lessons to go. At this rate, I doubt if I will be able to study my other materials. Maybe I'll just take the exam next year at the latest.

Less than 130 days to go...

Chicken Liver Adobo

Yesterday I accompanied my mom to the wet market, acting as her PA and also as adviser on what to buy. While buying chicken breast, I saw chicken liver and asked her to buy some and she did. So upon arriving home, when she asked me what we'll be having for dinner, I promptly replied, "Chicken liver adobo!"

Now to be honest, I never liked chicken liver in my younger days and it used to be included in my list of disgusting foods. That is, until one day I tried it out just for the sake of seeing if maybe I can give it a chance. And well, I liked the texture and the taste and the rest is history.

How to cook chicken liver adobo (or adobong atay ng manok)? Basically I sauteed a few thin ginger slices and one whole garlic bulb (pounded of course) in a cooking pan. When golden brown, I put in half a kilo of chicken liver. When the liver was slightly cooked, I added soy sauce, cane vinegar, some laurel leaves, and slightly pounded peppercorns for that wonderful aroma. Now I don't use any measuring tools, I am the kind of cook who uses her taste buds to adjust the amount of condiments.

Put in a little water, approximately 2 cups. Cover the pan. You have to check once in a while if the sauce is already at an acceptable level. I turned off the stove once I see that some liver melted into the sauce and personally, I like this a lot since it gives an extra flavor to the sauce.

Chicken liver is actually healthy. In fact, animal livers are healthy because they are rich in Iron and it's good for people who are anemic. Other nutritional benefits that one may get from chicken liver include Vitamins A, B2, B6, B9, B12, Niacin, and essential amino acids. The only downside is that chicken liver is high in cholesterol content and people at risk for heart diseases should control the amount of chicken liver they eat.

References:

10 Health Benefits of Chicken Liver

Nutrition of Chicken Liver

On Cooking and TOMATO SOUP

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.