Kutsinta

When my mom goes to the market early in the morning, she always buys kutsinta for me. I really like this Filipino delicacy and is one of my favorites. A bit sticky and sweet, and tastes better with some coconut sprinkled on top of it, this is definitely something worth trying to tickle your tastebuds and enjoy any time of the day.
Here is how to make it:

Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
2 cups brown sugar
3 cups water
1 teaspoon lye water (potassium carbonate solution sold in Asian food stores)
Freshly grated coconut

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Pour into muffin pans, until halfway full. Steam in a large pan with a cover; the water should be 2 inches deep. Cook for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Add more water if needed until cooking is done. Remove from the muffin pans and serve with freshly grated coconut. Serves 4.

from: http://asiarecipe.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1794

I hope you enjoy not only the taste of this dish but also making it. My mom always says that if you enjoy cooking, the food you cook will also be enjoyable. So go ahead and enjoy!

image source: http://tastebuds.blog126.fc2.com/page-1.html

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Leche Flan

One of the well-known Filipino delicacies is Leche Flan. This dessert is one of the favorites of Filipinos especially during the Christmas season and some other feasts.
Just like other Filipino delicacies, Leche Flan has many variations also. It may take some time to make this dish that's why people prefer to buy those that are already made rather than making it themselves. Although it make some time, its a simple recipe to make. Here are the ingredients:

10 egg yolks
1 can condensed milk
1/2 can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of water
steamer

Procedure:

For the caramel of the leche flan, use a medium-sized oval shaped container to mix the sugar and water. Caramelize the sugar but be careful not to overcook or else it will be bitter. Let the caramel cool for awhile while make the custard of the leche flan.

For the custard, mix the egg yolks, condensed and evaporated milk, and vanilla extract together. After thoroughly mixing all the ingredients, put it on top of the caramel but don't put until the top of the container.

Then, put aluminum foil on top of the container. Let it steam for around 30-45 minutes or until the leche flan is done.

To serve, run over the side of the container with a sharp knife until the leche flan is a bit loose from the container. Put a plate on top of the container and flip the plate with the container to make leche flan drop on the plate. And, that's it!

Enjoy!

image source: http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157/ToTiKaG/LecheFlan2.jpg

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Turon

Banana wrapped in sweet shanghai wrapper, rolled in brown sugar, and deep fried in boiling cooking oil, is more commonly known as turon.

Filipinos have a natural sweet tooth which leads us not to wonder why they love the turon so much. It is a common and cheap street food sold alongside banana cue, okoy and karioka.

Not only that it is easy to find, but also easy to prepare. The ingredients you’ll need are bananas, or specifically saging na saba, lumpia wrappers, brown sugar, jackfruit (optional) and oil for deep-frying.

Peel and slice the banana in four, lengthwise. Dip the sliced bananas in water then roll them in brown sugar. Line a sugar-coated banana and sliced jackfruit (optional) on a lumpia wrapper. Roll and damp the end of the wrapper to prevent it from opening. You may wish to roll the wrapped banana in brown sugar to add crunchiness and sweetness to the turon. After doing so, deep fry the wrapped banana in boiling cooking oil until golden brown. Remove from the pan and place on a banana leaf or a plate to cool.

You may now enjoy your mouth-watering, sweet and crunchy turon.

Source:
http://www.philsa.org/foods/turon.jpg

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The Filipino's Favorite

The Adobo is a combination of influneces from world's apart. The Adobo is achieved by the mixture of Spanish and Chinese influences.

This Filipino dish is the favorite of most Filipinos. It is so easy to cook and it leaves a distinct taste in your mouth. It is a combination of a salty taste and a sour taste, mixing together to leave that distinction in your mouth.

Cooking it doesn't require much time. It is so easy to cook because you can use basic ingredients to create this dish. Here is one way to cook adobo:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 kilo pork cut in cubes + 1/2 kilo chicken, cut into pieces or
choice of either 1 kilo of pork or 1 kilo of chicken
1 head garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup vinegar
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon paprika
5 laurel leaves (bay leaves)
4 tablespoons of cooking oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons water

Cooking Instructions:

In a big sauce pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil then sauté the minced garlic and onions.
Add the pork and chicken to the pan. Add 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, vinegar, paprika and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or when meat is tender.
Remove the pork and chicken from the sauce pan and on another pan, heat cooking oil and brown the pork and chicken for a few minutes.
Mix the browned pork and chicken back to the sauce and add cornstarch dissolved in water to thicken.
Add salt and/or pepper if desired
Bring to a boil then simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Serve hot with the adobo gravy and plain rice.

-Paolo Tinio

source:http://www.filipinofoodrecipes.net/adobo.htm

http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3Fei%3DUTF-8%26p%3DChicken%2BAdobo%2Bpicture&w=500&h=375&imgurl=static.flickr.com%2F3142%2F2848901925_f1547610d3.jpg&size=158kB&name=2848901925+f1547610d3+jpg&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fpurlyshells%2F2848901925%2F&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fpurlyshells%2F2848901925%2F&p=chicken+adobo&type=jpeg&no=1&tt=2%2C035&oid=d464e8093bfb3c00&fusr=purlyshells&hurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fpurlyshells%2F&tit=Chicken+Adobo&sigr=11k740gq7&sigi=11guelvov&sigb=11vb2b5un&sigh=119h6abib

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Sapin- sapin

Sapin sapin is probably one of the most popular and loved filipino delicacy. The recipe of which originated from one of the northern provinces of the country, Abra. It is made of a number of different layers of rice, with each layer having a different color which makes it a unique food.

Sapin sapin, a sweet and sticky dessert, is one of my favorite filipino delicacies. I remember eating it as a kid and enjoying every multicolored layer as I ate. I even see billboards advertising a brand of paint, using a sapin sapin to show how diverse the colors of their paint is. This kind of shows how special and unique sapin sapin is. Not only does it taste good, but eating it is also a memorable experience.

Now, i'll tell you how to make a sapin sapin and the ingredients needed so that you too can enjoy this wonderful and tasteful filipino delicacy.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups malagkit dough (galapong)
1/2 cup rice galapong
2 1/2 cups white sugar
3 cups cooked ube (mashed)
4 cups thick coconut cream (from 2-3 coconuts)
2 cans (big) condensed milk
food coloring; violet & egg-yellow

Preparation:
1. Blend all ingredients except mashed ube and food coloring.
2. Divide into thee parts.
3. Add mashed ube into one part. To heighten the color of the ube, add a dash of violet food coloring. Mix well.
4. Add egg yellow coloring to the second part. Mix well.
5. Don’t add anything to the 3rd part. This is the plain white layer.
6. Grease a round baking pan lined with banana leaves and grease the leaves.
7. Pour in ube mixture. Spread evenly.
8. Steam for 30 minutes or more, until firm. Note: cover the baking pan with cheese cloth before steaming.
9. Pour 2nd layer on top of the cooked ube. Cover again and steam for 30 minutes.
10. Lastly, pour in 3rd layer or the plain mixture. Again, steam for 30 minutes or until firm.
11. Sprinkle top with “latik”.
12. Cool before slicing.
13. Serve with “budbod” or toasted sweetened coconut.

ENJOY YOUR SAPIN - SAPIN!!

source: http://www.filipinodesserts.net/philippine-recipes/sapin-sapin-steamed-layered-sweet-rice-pie

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Bibingka and Puto Bumbong

Every Christmas season, we always have Christmas trees, decorations, gifts, socks, and colorful lights. The spirit of Christmas has come again, and we can once again hear the Christmas carols. As part of our culture and tradition, we always have Simbang Gabi (church novena), Noche Buena, and Misa de Gallo.

Who can resist the sweet smell of freshly cooked Bibingka (rice cakes) and Puto Bumbong? We can’t live without these during the season. After Misa de Gallo, or Simbang Gabi, Filipinos usually look for these two Christmas specialties which they share with their family and friends. Vendors can be found along the streets or outside the churches, selling Bibingka and Puto Bumbong during the cold mornings and nights of December, starting from the 16^th, until the 24^th, nine days before Christmas day.

Bibingka, a native delicacy, is made from galapong, a glutinous rice that is soaked and grounded on water to form a dough, until it is turned with the perfect texture. Before serving the freshly cooked Bibingka, it wouldn’t be complete without spreading it with butter and sprinkling it with sugar, together with its delicious toppings, itlog na maalat (salted duck eggs) and kesong puti (white cheese). After which, the Bibingka, soft and fluffy, is ready to be served, along with niyog (grated coconut) which adds to its texture and flavor.

Puto Bumbong is a purple-colored Filipino delicacy made of sticky rice. It wrapped in banana leaves to be able to preserve its moist and warmth before it is to be served and eaten. But before doing so, it is sprinkled with sugar, rubbed with margarine, and freshly grated niyog is placed on top of it to add flavor and sweetness to the delicacy.

Christmas season wouldn’t be complete without Bibingka and Puto Bumbong. It will always be part of the rich Filipino culture and tradition.

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