Who said Pinoy "Almusal" can never be gourmet??? (Well we can at least TRY!! LOL!) ...You have all tried Kang kong with Bagoong!! This one is smoked TINAPA FLAKES with Tomatoes and onions. As you steam/or blanch the Kangkong - you can use chicken stock instead of plain water (or beef, shrimp or pork if you will) add the tomatoes filled with Tinapa flakes. Scoop the tomato meat and chop to mix with tinapa flakes. Cover as it boils shortly, just enough to cook the kangkong right. Before serving, 'cut' the veggies to serve (with style). See that the tinapa flavor will add a smoky taste to the veggies too. To eat, cut the tomato to bite sizes with the tinapa flakes and mix with the fresh onions and basil. This was our brunch with brown rice!! Subukan pang almusal para ma-IBA naman!

New Labels

Four new labels to add to my previous 'apat na sikat', soon to be sold at the PAK KAIN, when we re-open for the new location (same buiding, same floor - TBA). See you soon!!!

SIMPLE SALMON

After a sumptuous array of festive bounties to celebrate and anticipate the New Year's grand entrance, a simple canned Salmon is in order, just to 'counter' the taste of that lechon n' sauce, mouth watering menudo, lumpiang shanghai, embotido or morcon, sweet leche flan or buko pandan salad!

Here is a different way to serve our canned 'taste bubs neutralizer'.

I am showing you a step by step plating, just to encourage a little bit of 'art' in bringing SIMPLE SALMON to a throne of carbs and carotene!

Make sure you work on the potatoes fast to avoid from its oxidation (turning brownish) so make sure you have cut, shredded and minced everything first and do the potatoes LAST.

Meantime, when you open your canned salmon, position the meats without breaking them as they are very delicately tender. Pour the liquid on the sides of the plate so that it oozes to the 'bottom'. Your intention here is to steam the carrots and potatoes when you microwave the plate for about 5 minutes (or depending on how 'cooked' you want your carrots to be). Add water if you want your dish to be less 'fishy'.

The tomato, I cut diagonally - and spoon out the meats to mix with the cilantro, onions, ginger, raw garlic, salt, pepper and add balsamic vinegar and add a tiny, little bit of sugar.

Finally, top your creation with some of the cilantro stalks and slices of onions for your tomato 'cup' side ensalada. Re-garnish the whole plate with fresh cilantro and firm onions rings!

With or without rice is good!!!

Happy New Year!

8 FRUITS for the New Year!

We have this old tradition: that we HAVE TO EAT eight fruits as we greet the New Year!! ...some say it's for prosperity, some even specified "round fruits" to symbolize -coin 'money'. Well, GOLD can be molded to different shapes, right?

True or not, it wont hurt to eat my favorites. There are other traditions that suggests eating something sweet to greet the new year, to make life "sweeter" for us. Well, what can be sweeter than sugar.

On the side, I have the dark brown sugar syrup - 'panutsa' flavor to dip the strawberries in or the banana and the orange too. Try juicing the orange and drink it instead of eating it with its meat and pulp bits if you prefer that too and sweeten it with the syrup.

However you have it, have fun plating it the way I did!

TWICE the flavor gravy!!!

2 types of gravy poured on tender beef. First the beef marinade simmered to gravy and then walnut oil and soy sauce... sesame seeds and some other spices to garnish.

Chi-Mex Chicken barbecue

...marinated in the spicy 'Chipotle' flavor coated and barbecued with the oriental oyster sauce... puede pasar... or in the wise words of my very good chinese friend..."OKI Lan"!