Turon con Langka Espesyal

Special Banana Springrolls with Sweetened Jackfruit

Turon con Langka Espesyal

Have you been craving for something deliciously sweet lately? Try our version of Turon con Langka Espepyal! (Special Banana Springrolls with Sweetened Jackfruit)

It is a sweet dessert that is famous in the Philippines typically made with banana, brown sugar and spring roll or lumpia wrappers. The variety of banana used for turon is called saba which is very common in the Philippines. If you are not familiar with this banana variety and would like to google it, it is otherwise known as the cooking banana or Cardaba banana. Click HERE for more info on saba banana from Wikipedia. It is usually available at Asian Stores.

Because it is cheap to make and of its good taste, turon are among the popular street foods here in the Philippines. With just 5 pesos, you can already buy 1 roll from street vendors!

If you are a Filipino, I guess you would understand me if I say that street foods are delicious, tipid (frugal) and fun! But one issue that I have to point out though with streetfood is cleanliness. There are a number of illnesses that we can get from improper food preparation and some might land us a trip to the hospital. My point is, be a little cautious when buying.

Anyway, the good news is, turon are very easy to make so if you don't want to buy from street vendors, you can always prepare it yourself. You can even prepare it and store some for another day. I will share a simple tip for better storage, later.

This recipe of turon is my mom's version. I remember how delicious and mouth-watering the turons are from UST canteen and my mom tried to copy them and this is now our version.

INGREDIENTS:
- 20 pcs lumpia (spring roll) wrappers
- 10 pcs saba banana (saging saba)
- brown sugar
- 1 cup raw
jackfruit (langka) cut into 1/2 inch strips
- 1 cup water
- Vanilla extract for flavoring (optional)
- 2 cups cooking oil

STEPS:
1. First things first so we have to cook the jackfruit before everything else. In a small pot, put the water, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 2 drops of vanilla extract and mix well then add in the jackfruit strips. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring occasionally to avoid getting burnt. Let the liquid turn syrupy or slightly thickened and allow the jackfruit to absorb the flavor. Remove from heat and cool down.
2. Cut each banana into halves, lengthwise.
3. Now for the wrapping part, place one banana slice at the center of the lumpia wrapper. Spread 1 teaspoon of brown sugar on top of the banana and add 2 strips of sweetened langka.
4. Fold the wrapper over the banana, tuck in the sides and roll. Close the edge of the wrapper with water.
5. Once done with the wrapping, heat the oil in a deep frying pan.
6. Fry about 4 to 5 banana rolls and wait until slightly brown.
7. Scoop 1 tbsp of brown sugar and pour onto the frying rolls. Do not mix it. Just wait for it to caramelize. Once it turns into a caramel, flip the rolls to let coat them with caramelized sugar.
8. Drain excess oil then they are ready to be served.

Now, earlier I mentioned about a little tip for storage. What we do is to skip the part where we put sugar, during the wrapping (step 3). If you plan to prepare ahead, just do not put sugar on them while wrapping. The problem is that when sugar is added, they will become sticky and destroy the wrappings so skipping that part lets you prepare them beforehand. Then when you want to fry them, just add sugar during this part (step 7).

So I hope you enjoy this and let me know how yours went. Happy eating!

I'd like to hear from you! What do you guys think about my post? Your comments and suggestions are very much welcome and appreciated! Or if you'd like to request a recipe, please let me know. Thanks!


TAGS: Between You and Cherry, Cherry Yutuc, Panlasang Pinoy, Pampanga, Lutong Kapampangan, Budget friendly, Cooking Tips, Pampanga's Best, Recipe, Pampanga Cuisine, Cook from Pampanga, Philippines, Asian Food, Pinoy Food, Streetfood, Dessert, Turon, Langka

Homemade Tacos

Today, I will be sharing how to make homemade, delicious Mexican Tacos.

This is yet again another favorite for me. This is our own version of the famous mexican classic, a delicious Mexican food that is flavorful and spicy that's guaranteed to satisfy your appetite.

The ingredients that we used are pocket-friendly without sacrificing the taste and quality. For example, instead of taco shells that can be bought from the market, we used lumpia wrappers. The lumpia wrappers are cheaper but equally crunchy and good tasting.

What's more is that it's guilt free! You can have big servings of it and you don't need to feel guilty about it. It's low in carbohydrates and high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Good for our health, our tastebuds and our tummy, too! Hope you'll like it!


INGREDIENTS:
- 1 whole cabbage
- 10 pcs slightly ripened tomatoes
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 180g pack cheddar cheese, grated
- 20 pcs lumpia wrapper
- 1/2 cup cooking oil

For the Taco Meat:
- 1/2 kilo ground pork or beef (I only used pork)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 medium onion
- 1 tbsp atsuete powder
- 4 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp taco mix
- salt and pepper, to taste

For the Taco Sauce:
- 500 mL water
- 1/2 cup sweet and spicy banana ketchup (UFC)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- pinch of salt, to taste
- chili powder (optional only and adjust according to desired spiciness)


STEPS:
1. Mix well all the ingredients for the taco sauce in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until thickened. Set aside.
2. Slice the cabbage thinly. The thinner, the better [as shown in the picture at the right]. Set aside. Note: I like the cabbage better than the lettuce because of its taste and crunchiness but you may use lettuce.

3. Dice the cucumbers and tomatoes as displayed in the pictures. Set aside.
4. Next, we will saute the taco meat but first, we need to dissolve the atsuete powder in 4 tbsp water, set aside. In a medium skillet, heat the oil then fry the garlic into golden brown. Add the onions and let it caramelize then add the ground pork, atsuete mix, taco seasoning then add salt and pepper to taste. Stir occasionally until well done. Set aside.
5. In this step, we will fry the lumpia wrappers so that they will resemble the commercially available taco shells. I like to prepare the wrappers at the last part, just before serving the tacos, because I want them really crunchy. In a frying pan, heat about 4 tbsp of oil over low heat only because the wrappers cook very quickly. Using your kitchen tongs, hold half of the wrapper upward while letting the other half fry flattened in the pan, until golden brown. Then turn the wrapper so that you will be holding the fried half and curve it at a 45 degree angle and let the other half fry flat into a golden brown. When done, place in a drying rack to drain excess oil. Continue doing this until you are done with the 20 wrappers.
6. Now, all that's left to do is assemble the tacos! Get one taco shell, put 2 spoonfuls of cabbage at the bottom, 1 tbsp each of cucumber and tomatoes, 2 tbsp of taco meat then top with cheese. Serve with sauce on the side.

Tadaaah! And that is our homemade version of the famous tacos. It's quick, easy on the pocket and delicioso!

So I hope you enjoy this and let me know how yours went. Happy eating!

I'd like to hear from you! What do you guys think about my post? Your comments and suggestions are very much welcome and appreciated! Or if you'd like to request a recipe, please let me know. Thanks!


TAGS: Between You and Cherry, Cherry Yutuc, Panlasang Pinoy, Pampanga, Lutong Kapampangan, Budget friendly, Cooking Tips, Pampanga's Best, Recipe, Pampanga Cuisine, Cook from Pampanga, Philippines, Asian Food, Pinoy Food, Mexican Food, Homemade

Egg-Stuffed Meatballs with Cream Sauce

Hi there! So this recipe that I will share is one of my party favorites. I like to serve them at the buffet table for parties or simple family gatherings because they taste great and look so good on the table. And easy to prepare, too!

If you are planning for a party and you're wondering what to serve, I would definitely recommend this recipe. Or if you are just looking for a new dish to try at home, then this is definitely a must try. This is something different from the meatballs that we normally see or eat. Here goes the recipe and I hope you will like it.


INGREDIENTS:
- 12 Hard-boiled chicken eggs, peeled
- 1/2 kl ground pork
- 1/4 kl shrimp, peeled then finely chopped
- 4 pcs sweet ham, finely chopped
- 1 whole raw chicken egg
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp powdered milk (I like to use Bear Brand but of course, you may use your preferred brand)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp cornstarch or flour, whichever is available
- cooking oil (around 1/2 cup, it mostly depends on the type of skillet you are using)

For Cream Sauce:
- 1 pack Nestle All Purpose Cream (250 ml)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup grated quickmelt cheese (or ordinary cheddar cheese will do)
- 3 tbsp flour
- pinch of salt


STEPS:
1. In a large bowl, put in the ground pork, chopped shrimp, ham, carrots, onion, raw egg, powdered milk, salt and pepper.
2. Add in 2 tbsp of cornstarch (or flour). Using your clean hands, mix the ingredients well. If the mixture is still moist, add in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch at a time until the mixture is sticky enough and can hold their shape once we fry them. What I like to do, just to make sure that they will maintain their shape once fried is to scoop 1 tbsp from the mixture, form into a ball and fry it. If this sample goes well, then you can proceed to the next step. You can also taste it to check if you are already satisfied with the salt and pepper. Then put adjustments as necessary.
3. Once the mixture is ready, divide the mixture into 12 equal parts.
4. Get 1 hard-boiled egg and get 1 part from the meat mixture then wrap the meat around the egg so that it would envelope the egg. Set aside then continue doing this until you are done with the twelve.
5. In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium fire. Now, the amount of oil that you will need depends on the type of pan you have. The idea is to have it around 1 centimeter deep. It is also important to make sure that the oil is hot enough before frying the meatballs so they will not Astick and fall apart.
6. Put the meatballs in, do not over crowd. Fry each side until brown then turn until all sides are done and the meat is brown all over. Place in a draining rack or over a paper towel to drain excess oil. Set aside.
7. Put a saucepan over low heat then add the butter. Toss in the flour and cook, stirring until it has mixed well with the butter.
8. Add in the milk, salt and grated cheese then bring to a boil, stirring constantly to avoid getting burnt under. Continue boiling until the cheese melts.
9. Add in the all purpose cream and let it boil again before removing from heat.

Egg-Stuffed Meatballs with Cream Sauce

And that's it. The egg-stuffed meatballs may be served as it is but I like to slice them into halves because they are more appealing when served this way. Just make sure though that you're slicing them with a sharp knife to avoid ruining their beautiful shape. Arrange on the platter and serve with the Cream Sauce.

So I hope you enjoy this recipe and let me know how it went. Happy eating!

I'd like to hear from you! What do you guys think about my article? Your comments and suggestions are very much welcome! Or if you'd like to request a recipe, please let me know. Thanks!


TAGS: Between You and Cherry, Cherry Yutuc, Panlasang Pinoy, Pampanga, Lutong Kapampangan, Budget friendly, Cooking Tips, Party Ideas, Pampanga's Best, Recipe, Pampanga Cuisine, Cook from Pampanga, Philippines, Asian Food, Pinoy Food, Eggs, Meatball, Fried, Cream Sauce,

Squash and String Beans in Coconut Milk

(Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw )

How are you doing today? If you'll ask me, well my tummy is super happy. I have been craving for ginataang kalabasa and sitaw (Squash and String Beans in Coconut Milk) for days and finally, my craving was satisfied today. Let's just say it was so delicious that I had more than 1 serving of rice and let's not get into further details with that, please. Lol!

Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw 

Let me share the top 3 reasons why I think you should try this recipe. First, it's good for our health. Kalabasa (yellow squash) is rich in beta carotene that helps in repairing cells damaged by free radicals while sitaw (string or snap beans) is high in fiber that helps regulate bowel movements and lower cholesterol. And these are just a few of the many benefits of these vegetables. Coconut milk or gata, on the other hand, is also rich in vitamins and minerals that aid in bone health and prevent anemia. Secondly, this recipe is easy on the pocket because I only used dilis or dried anchovies and shrimp paste instead of pork and shrimp. And last and certainly not the least, is its palatable taste. The rich flavor of the coconut milk and squash mixed together with the saltiness of the anchovies and shrimp paste, all blended well into a sumptuous creamy flavor that just leaves you craving for more. It's just mmm.. mmm.. Gooood!

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, sliced thinly
- 1 to 2 tbsp shrimp paste (please adjust accordingly to taste as some pastes are too salty or )
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup dilis (dried anchovies)
- 2 pcs long chili peppers (siling pang sinigang), cut into 1 cm long
- 1 bunch string beans or sitaw, cut into 2 inches long
- 1/4 kalabasa, cut into 1x1 inch squares
- 1 cup thick coconut milk or gata (pure)
- 1 tsp black pepper, fine ground


STEPS:
1. Heat the large skillet over medium fire and toast the dried anchovies or dilis, stirring frequently until crispy. (Note: Do not put oil). Remove from skillet then set aside.
2. In the same cooking pan, heat the oil then saute the garlic and onion.
3. When the onions are caramelized, add in the shrimp paste and cook well. You may use either sauted shrimp paste or not and please adjust the amount of paste you will use, according to taste.
4. Add in the water and bring to a boil. It is important to let the water boil first before adding the vegetables so that the vegetables will retain their fresh colors.
5. Once boiling, put in the string beans, squash and chili peppers. Add in the ground pepper. Bring to a boil and do not cover. Again, I advice against covering because it destroys the color of the vegetables. Stir occasionally to ensure that the vegetables are all cooked evenly. Let it simmer until the vegetables, specially the string beans, are halfway done.
6. Drop the anchovies in and add the coconut milk. Bring to a boil once more, stirring occasionaly; let it simmer for a minute and then turn off the stove.

Note: I like my string beans cooked just enough so that they are still crunchy and snappy. Keep in mind that even after you remove it from the heat, the vegetables will continue cooking from its steam. But if you'd like yours to be well cooked, you may extend your simmering time accordingly.
And we are done! The best part, of course, is the taste test.

So I hope you enjoy this and let me know how yours went. Happy eating!

I'd like to hear from you! What do you guys think about my post? Your comments and suggestions are very much welcome and appreciated! Or if you'd like to request a recipe, please let me know. Thanks!


TAGS: Between You and Cherry, Cherry Yutuc, Panlasang Pinoy, Pampanga, Lutong Kapampangan, Budget friendly, Cooking Tips, Pampanga's Best, Recipe, Pampanga Cuisine, Cook from Pampanga, Philippines, Asian Food, Pinoy Food

Adobong Alimango sa Gata Recipe

Hello there! So today, I'd like to share a very delicious recipe that I learned from my mom. We prepared this dish for Alex's 1st month celebration and it was a hit! It is so yummy that thinking and writing about it makes me drool already. LOL!

So first, I just wanna share the not-so-secret secret to cooking delicious seafood dishes and that is to cook them fresh--Always! For crabs, when I say fresh, I mean they are still alive and moving until they are on fire or ready to be cooked. When buying crabs, keep in mind to always check EACH crab if they are still alive. Based from experience, if you just let the vendor choose the crabs, sometimes they will sneak in a weak or dead crab, even if you specified for fresh ones, specially if you are not buying from your suki. So just to be sure, check that there are no bad crabs because they can ruin the taste of the dish.

One more thing, if it's possible choose the female ones. They have more fat which are yummier and it just adds more flavor to the sauce. You can distinguish them by the wider flap on their bottom as compared to the thin and pointy one on males.

Another tip that I can share is to choose the ones which are changing their shells, whenever possible. Because of the process that they will undergo to change shells, crabs will eat more so that when they are immobilized, they will still have enough energy to survive. Hence, they have more fats. You can distinguish these crabs because of their soft shells. These soft-shelled crabs are very delicious.

So enough said, here is the recipe and hope you'll like it too! Enjoy!


INGREDIENTS:
- 1 kl fresh crab (alimango)
- 3 tbsp vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup white onions, sliced thinly
- 4 tomatoes, sliced into wedges
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp black pepper (coarsely ground)
- Thick coconut milk from 1 whole coconut (Unang piga or kakang gata)
- 1-2 cups water

STEPS:
1. Clean the crabs well then cut them into halves.
2. Put them in a casserole and add in the vinegar, pepper, salt (to taste), half of the garlic, half of the onions and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium fire.
3. While waiting for it to boil, put the oil and saute the remaining garlic on a separate pan, until slightly brown. Add in the onions and wait until they are transparent and shiny. Put in the tomatoes and let it cook until they are soft enough then mash them onto the pan (to make the tomatoes into a sauce).
5. Add the sauted mixture into the casserole with the crabs, cover and let it simmer until they are cooked and almost done. Add in a little more water, as necessary, so it won't dry. Just enough though because we want our dish to have just enough sauce but not SOUP. :-)
6. Lastly, add in the thick coconut milk and wait for the sauce to boil and thicken then turn off the heat. And then we're done!
I'd like to put an emphasis on puting the coconut milk just before we are done because we don't want it to boil too long or it will start to release its oil (just like in LATIK) and that would release a flavor that we don't want on our dish.

What's great about this recipe is that it's easy to prepare and is not really expensive. If I am not mistaken, a kilo of crab (as of this writing) costs around 200 pesos. You may also add prawns, if you'd like.

This recipe is good for 5-7 persons.

Adobong Alimango sa Gata, our finished product.

So I hope you enjoy this recipe and let me know how it went. Happy eating!

I'd like to hear from you! What do you guys think about my article? Your comments and suggestions are very much welcome! Or if you'd like to request a recipe, please let me know. Thanks!

TAGS: Between You and Cherry, Cherry Yutuc, Panlasang Pinoy, Pampanga, Lutong Kapampangan, Cooking Tips, Pampanga's Best, Recipe, Pampanga Cuisine, Cook from Pampanga, Philippines, Asian Food, Pinoy Food, Coconut Milk, Crab, Seafood, Gata, Lutong Bahay