Buko Pandan

Note: I know it's not the yummiest picture you've ever seen but I just snapped that as we were preparing our Christmas feast, so please bear with it.



Ingredients:

• buko (young coconut), cut into strips
  
• all-purpose cream
• condensed milk
• tiny tapioca balls (optional)

*** for the gelatin:

• gelatin powder (if you can find a green-colored one, better)
  
• pandan leaves
• water
• green food color
• sugar (optional)

Procedures:

• Ratio of ingredients - In a mixture of 6 young coconuts and 1 big tray of green gelatin, I used 2 tetra packs of all-purpose cream and 2 cans of condensed milk, the quantity of tapioca balls depends on you, you can put as much or as little as you want.

*** for the gelatin:

• In a cooking pot, mix 7 cups of water and gelatin powder, when it completely dissolves, add a few pandan leaves (be sure to clean the leaves thoroughly) and then cook in medium heat. Add the green food color if you happen to buy a clear gelatin but if you have it in green, just let it be. If you want to add some sugar, you can do so. Simmer for a few minutes and then bring it to a boil, remember to stir from time to time as it might stick in the pot if you don't.
• Pour the gelatin mixture in a shallow tray or baking dish and let it cool. Cut into cubes and set aside.

*** for the actual buko pandan:

• Mix all the ingredients (preferably in a big plastic canister with cover so you can freeze it), buko strips, gelatin cubes, tapioca balls, all-purpose cream, condensed milk.
  
• Taste test and do the necessary alterations if there's any.
• Chill and serve cold.
  

Tip: If you're going to serve your buko pandan frozen, I suggest you leave the tapioca balls out, it is fun to eat when it's gummy but when it's hard, it's kinda unappetizing.


An entry to:

&

Lechon Kawali (Pan-Fry Roasted Pork)

One of my favorite dish in the whole wide world *lol*, I've been eating and requesting for this dish to be in our Noche Buena table since I was a kid, but this year it was my turn to try it. I remember bugging my lola almost every week to cook some Lechon Kawali for me, I saw her do it more than a hundred times but I never got interested in cooking it on my own, hello ayoko kaya matilamsikan ng mantika noh but now that I did, I think I'll get used to making some, and I know that my granny is super proud of me up there in heaven.


Ingredients:

• liempo/pork belly
• water
• salt and peppercorn
• oil
• garlic and laurel leaf (optional)
  

Procedures:

• Boil the pork belly in a mixture of water, salt and peppercorn until the meat (and skin) is tender. You can also add some garlic and laurel leaf if you like.
• Drain, cool and air dry. If you can do it under the sun, that's better.
• Deep fry the slabs of pork belly until crisp or until blisters pop in the skin meat, be sure to submerge the whole thing. And be very careful, blasts of oil missiles are sure to come your way, be prepare grab a shield, a pot cover will do *lol*.
• Drain in a paper towel and cut to serving pieces.
• Serve with a lechon sauce, atchara or any other dip you may prefer.
  

Happy eating!


An entry to:

&

Chicken Pesto Penne

My version of Pizza Hut's Chicken Pesto Penne, I cooked this for our New Year's Eve feast, it was my first time to try it without a concrete recipe to boot but to my amazement it was an instant favorite amongst my family, either luck was on my side or I'm really getting good at this craft *grins*.

And as I am super proud of my work, though I'm sure it won't compare to the recipes of other foodies, I am joining Presto Pasta Nights which is hosted this week by Gay of A Scientist in the Kitchen.


Ingredients:

• penne pasta (500g, San Remo)
• 1 chicken breast (or as much as you like)
  
• 1 big can of evaporated milk
• 1 tetra pack of all-purpose cream
• 1/2 bar of cheddar cheese, cubed or grated
  
• 3-4 tablespoon of Barilla Pesto alla Genovese
• olive oil
• butter
• fish sauce or salt
  
• pepper
• sugar (optional)
  

Procedures:

• Boil the chicken until tender. Cut the meat into cubes (as I did) or you can just shred it. Set aside.
• Cook the penne as instructed on the packaging. Put the chicken bones on the water that you'll use to cook the pasta to add flavor.
• Heat a pan or wok and pour an adequate amount of olive oil for sauteing, add a little amount of butter to enhance its taste.
• Saute 3-4 tablespoons (or as much as you prefer) of pesto.
  
• Add the chicken meat, some salt or fish sauce (I prefer the fish sauce as it adds a little tang to the dish) and a little of ground pepper, and saute some more.
• Add the all purpose cream and the evaporated milk while constantly stirring.
  
• Before it reach its boiling point, drop the cheese, stir and let it simmer for a few minutes or until the cheese have melted, be sure to keep on stirring from time to time.
• Taste the sauce, if the milk didn't give enough sweetness to counter the taste of pesto, you can add a little sugar, just be sure not to over-indulge, you don't want a penne pesto dessert *grins*. If you want it a little spicy add some more pepper, if you want it more salty add some more salt, you know the drill.
• When you're satisfied and all, bring it to a boil and you're done.
• Toss it with the penne pasta and serve.

My first (hopefully not the last) entry for: