Fish Cake

A few years ago, I experimented on this recipe using tuna in can. I got tired of using it for tuna sandwich. I want to eat it as 'ulam' for my rice. I grew up eating fried 'dulong' patties and thought why not make tuna into one of those delicious fish cakes. Below is my version of tuna fish cake.

Ingredients

1     can        tuna in can, drained
1     small    onion, chopped
2     cloves   garlic, minced
1     whole   egg
1/2  cup       all purpose flour
1/2  cup       frozen vegetables
1/2  tsp        salt
1/2  tsp        pepper
1     cup       vegetable oil


Procedure

1.  Mix all the ingredients into a bowl. Form into a bowl.

2. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a pan. Fry the tuna mixture untl golden brown.

3. Serve with rice and ketchup.

This recipe is very easy to make. It only takes less than 30 minutes to cook. Very convenient for busy people who wants to eat healthy. The patties can also be eaten as 'burgers', instead of eating it with rice. I hope you can also try this recipe.

Fish Kare-kare

In time for Lenten Season, I'm thinking of experimenting on dishes using fish as meat. As I have mentioned several times about my diet that consists of vegetables, dairy, fruits and fish and chicken only as my source of meat, it is sometimes challenging to come up with a delicious dish. One dish that I love is kare kare. But this dish is best cooked with oxtail and cow's forestomach(tuwalya). I haven't eaten kare kare in years. But I have heard a long time ago that fish can also be used instead of oxtail. It was KC Concepcion who mentioned it when she was studying in Paris, she said she would ask one Filipino there to cook her fish kare kare since she is also a pesco vegetarian. Although I haven't tried it, and had forgotten about it until yesterday. While I was watching Kris TV, Kris and her guests were eating kare kare in a restaurant. That's when I remembered the fish kare kare and decided its about time to make my own version of fish kare kare.

Ingredients

1                  medium size pompano, cut in 3pcs or any fish of your                     preference
2 tbsp         achuete or annato seed (avail in Jewel or any store)
1 cup          vegetable oil
1 cup          peanut butter
1                  medium onion, chopped
1                  small tomato, chopped
3 clove       garlic, minced
1tsp            cornstarch
2 lbs           bok choy
1 lb             string beans or sitaw
2 tbsp         shrimp paste (bagooong alamang)

(You can also add 2pcs medium eggplant)

Procedure

First, you have to make achuete oil. You can do this by boiling the oil and achuete seeds. Once it boiled, and the oil turned red, you can use it for sauteing.  You can multi task when you cook this dish to save time. Put the fish in the oven and broil for 30 minutes at 450°F. In a pot, boil water, this is where you will blanch your vegetables.

Then on a pan, add the achuete oil, saute onion, garlic and tomatoes. Then add peanut butter, 2cups water and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Mix corntarch with 2 tbsp of the sauce before pouring it on the pan. Add salt or fish sauce and pepper to taste. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes.

Some people add the kare kare sauce with the meat and vegetables with alamang on the side. But in my opinion this will make the vegetables soggy. I only mix them on my plate before eating. First I will get the fish, add the vegetables on the side, poor the kare kare sauce generously on top. Add a teaspoon of achuete oil. Then a teaspoon of alamang on the side. And don't forget the rice! This dish needs rice with it.

I hope you guys can also try this dish.  Be creative. Experiment.  Instead of fish, I think we can also use shrimp, crabs and chicken. In fact, I might try shrimp kare kare next time.

Coconut macaroons

Last holiday, I was thinking of what food I will give to relatives and friends. I didn't want to just make cookies. Or leche flan or cassava cake (this was my give away last Mother's Day). I want to give something different. Something that my friends and relatives miss and haven't eaten in months or years. I first tried making pastillas de leche. (It was my holiday give-away decades ago back home). I haven't done it in a long time. It turned out good, but it was hard to make. So then I thought of coconut macaroons. I love coconut and decided I want to experiment on it.  After 3 attempts, I finally made it right. Below is my recipe for coconut macaroons.

Ingredients

400   grams      flake coconut
1/3    cup           sugar
1/2    can           condensed milk
1/2    cup           melted butter
3                         eggs
Cupcake liners

Procedure

1. Combine butter and sugar.
2. Add egg and condensed milk.
3. Then add the coconut flakes. Mix well
4. Place a small scoop of the mixture in small muffin baking pan with small cupcake liners.
5. Bake for 20minutes at 375°F.

Hope you guys can also try this recipe.

Egg Education

I was watching Worst Cook in America where the contestants were tasked to make different ways to cook egg. Scrambled egg, poached egg, sunny side up and boiled egg. Then I remember my conversation with a college friend where she suggested I write about eggs in my blog.  Why not? We eat egg almost everyday. Almost all fridge in a household have eggs in them. It is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snack. It is used for cooking and baking. People have different preferences on the way they want their eggs. Most common egg eaten is chicken egg, although duck egg is also popular in some countries especially in Asia. Quail egg is also sold in the store, although it is hard to find them. Gull egg is common in England and Norway. While guinefowl egg is eaten in Africa.

There are a lot of breeds of chicken used for laying hens. They are called 'Layers' or 'layer chicken'.  Some breed (with white earlobes) lay white eggs, some  breed (with red earlobes) lay brown eggs. Layers produce egg almost everyday, average of 300 eggs a year. Egg, once bought, can be stored for up to 3-5 weeks in the coldest part of the refrigerator, preferably in its original packaging so you can still check the expiration date. It is not advisable to store egg on the fridge door because it is the warmest part of the fridge. How do we know if egg is still safe to eat?  By doing a simple test.  Put egg in a bowl or glass full of water. It it floats, then it is not safe to eat. It is old and has accumulated gas in the air space located at the edge of the egg. If it sinks, then it is still good to eat.

There are several kinds of eggs sold in the store today. There is the commercial white egg, vegetarian egg, free range egg and organic egg. The last three eggs usually has brown shell. There is a difference between free range and organic egg. Free range eggs are eggs produced by layers that are not 'caged' and are free to roam around the farm. It can have antibiotic on its feed. Organic eggs are eggs produced by free range layers that are fed organic feeds. Organic feeds are free of antibiotic and genetically modified products. Vegetarian eggs are produced by layers that are fed vegetarian feeds. Make sure to read the label before you buy.

Egg is considered 'meat' due to its high protein and choline (Vitamin B4) content. It also has the rest of vitamin B complex and minerals like iodine and selenium.  There was a debate on how many eggs one can eat a day due to its high cholesterol level, which is mainly concentrated in the yolk. Clinical studies show that it is safe to eat one whole egg a day. But one can eat as many eggwhite, as long as you are not allergic to it.

Egg allergy is the most common allergy in children, second to milk. The protein that causes allergy is usually in the white part of the egg, the albumen. Some children are also allergic to protein present in the egg yolk. Most common sign of egg allergy is wheezing, coughing, troubled breathing, stomachache, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, itching and anaphylaxis.

Of course I will not let the opportunity pass by asking the question that causes debate for centuries, since the time of Aristotle. Which comes first, chicken or the egg?