Ginger and Soy Chicken Wings

 

Chicken Tomate

The 'Glorified Squash and String Beans'

Although some of us are on a tight budget this Thanksgiving or Christmas, we can still 'glorify' a simple meal using our squash differently.

We Pinoys normally prepare our sitaw and kalabasa with gata, but you can also cook it simply by getting the shrimp head's juice to add that tasty flavor!

Guinataa'ng Dilis at Sitaw

We Pinoys love additional side dishes that will complement our main dish. In this case, the adobo I am complementing ... not supplementing, okay? ... with the Guinataa'ng Dilis and Sitaw (anchovies and long string beans with coconut milk), which is my focus right now.

But honestly, I truly had a tasteful craving to eat the anchovies as the main dish and the adobo - the side dish.  Anchovies have this distinct flavor that makes you savor its unique piquancy even as you merely think about - and tasting it at a certain moment, actually - will just make you feel that 'satisfaction', just like when you are scratching that itchy 'red ant bite', if you know what I mean...

Anyway, I just simmered the anchovies in coconut milk, garlic and onions, then added the string beans and threw in some pepper flakes for the "umph"... no salt, no patis, cause the dried anchovies is salty enough!

ENJOY!!!

Minty Pork Chops! ...if you've never tried them, it's a good new experience! Marinate in light soy (to make sure that the flavor does not overpower the mint) and lemon before saute-ing in minced garlic. When cooked, serve with FRESH mint leaves. Take an itsy bitsy cut of the mint per bite, unless you want your chops more minty!

"InADIN" Bicol Express... I cooked the taro leaves separately from the chicken... when you cut the 'formed' "laing", you will see the chicken inside. (you can use pork, or the traditional "DAING" or anything you want - using "real" coconut milk (not from the can) will give you an HONEST coconut OIL... Note the center of the laing with spicy bagoong alamang. I also wanted to 'present' the laing/bicol express differently... subukan!!

Vegetable Curry and Shrimps ...

Vegetable Curry and Shrimps ...

I would have made 'Shrimp Curry' but the shrimps would have "shrunk" and would not be 'tender' if it is overcooked within the curry sauce when simmered so - I microwaved the raw shrimps with the veggie curry sauce. 

If you have it with rice, just pour the sauce on the rice. You'll be able to enjoy the mild sweetness of the shrimps separately while savoring the curry and the coconut milk blend as well...
add Paprika to give it a little spicy kick!