Vegetables

Munggo Guisado (Sautéed Mung Beans) 

 

Munggo (mung beans) can be found in any Asian Store. It's one of the staples in most Asian country. Guisado (sautéed) as what we Filipino are calling mostly of our food because of the way we cook it.

Ingredients :

• 1 cup munggo (mung beans)
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/2 lb. pork, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 pcs. Chinese sausage, cubed (optional)
• 2 cups water or broth
• 1 tbsp. patis (fish sauce)
• salt to taste
• 1 cup ampalaya leaves or substitute spinach or watercress

Cooking Procedures :

1. Boil mung beans in water until soft and easily mashed. Set aside.
2. In a pan, heat oil. Cook pork until it turns slightly brown.
3. Add garlic, onions and tomatoes. Sauté for a few seconds until tomatoes wilted.
4. Stir in Chinese sausage (if using) and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes.
5. Pour in water or broth and add boiled mung beans.
6. Season with patis and salt to taste. Bring to boil and let it simmer until thick.
7. Add ampalaya leaves or substitute. Cover and remove from heat. Serve hot.

Helpful Tips
Soak munggo (mung beans) in water at least 1 to 2 hours before boiling for faster cooking.

Chayote Guisado / Sayote Guisado (Sautéed Chayote)

 

 Ingredients:

• 2 to 4 pieces chayote squash, pared, seeded and sliced
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/2 lb. pork, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp. patis (fish sauce)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• water

Cooking Procedures: 

1. In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook pork until it turns slightly brown.
2. Add garlic, onions and tomatoes. Sauté for a few minutes until tomatoes wilted.
3. Add chayote slices. Season with patis, salt and pepper. Stir-fry for few minutes until well blended.
4. Pour in water and bring to boil. Cover, lower the heat and let it simmer until chayote is tender.
5. Correct the seasonings according to your style and liking.
6. Remove from heat. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot.

 

Pinakbet or Pakbet (Meat Vegetable Stew with Shrimp Paste)

 

  

 

Ingredients :

• 1/2 lb. pork, sliced
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 squash, cubed
• 2 cups sliced okra
• 2 cups 1-1/2 inch long cut sitaw (yard long beans)
• 2 eggplants, sliced
• 1 ampalaya (bitter gourd and/or bitter melon), sliced
• 1 to 1-1/2 cup water
• 2 to 3 tbsp. bagoong alamang (salted shrimp paste)

Cooking Procedures :

1. In a large, deep skillet (or casserole), heat oil over medium heat. Cook pork until it turns slightly brown.
2. Stir in garlic, onions and tomatoes. Sauté for a few minutes until tomatoes wilted.
3. Add squash and okra, stir-fry for a minute or two and then add the rest of the vegetables. Gently stir to combine.
4. Pour in water and add the bagoong alamang, and bring to a boil.
5. Lower the heat and simmer covered over low heat until vegetables are tender. Be sure not to overcook it. You may wish to correct the taste by adding a little bit of bagoong alamang. Gently stir to blend.
6. Immediately remove from heat. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot.

 

Chop Suey 

 

Ingredients :

• 1/2 lb. pork, cut into thin strips
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. oyster sauce
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp. cornstarch

• 1 to 1-1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1/2 tsp. sugar

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-1/2 cup baby carrots, halved
• 3 stalks celery, cut diagonally into 1 inch long
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 15 to 20 pieces snow peas, trimmed
• 1 can slice mushroom, drained
• 1 can miniature cut cobs of corn, drained

Cooking Procedures :

1. Cut the pork into thin strips. Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and pepper, and cornstarch. Stir to blend and then add the meat. Marinate for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together broth, cornstarch, oyster sauce and sugar. Stir to blend and then set aside.
3. Heat oil in a wok (or deep skillet) over medium heat. Fry pork for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and onion until soft and translucent. Stir in baby carrots for about a minute. Add the rest of the vegetables, stir-frying for a minute or two after each addition.
4. Add the cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and continue stirring until well blended and sauce thickens. Correct seasonings.
5. Immediately remove from heat after heated through. Transfer to a serving platter. Serve hot the chop suey dish.

Tortang Talong (Eggplant Omelet)

 

 Ingredients :

• 2 to 4 talong (eggplants), average size
• 2 to 3 eggs, beaten
• salt and pepper, to taste
• oil, for frying

Cooking Procedures :

1. Broil eggplants until tender (the skins are charred and blister appears).
2. Once cool, peel off the skins of the eggplant and retain the crown and the stem. Gently flatten its meat by using the back of a fork. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
4. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Dip each eggplant, one at a time into the egg mixture. Gently bring the bowl near the skillet and tip, lowering the eggplant onto the heated oil.
5. Fry until golden brown on one side, then turn and brown the other. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm and serve.

Laing 

 

Ingredients:

25 taro (gabi) leaves; shredded
1/2 kilo pork; diced or thinly sliced
1 tablespoon garlic; minced
1 tablespoon onion; minced
1 tablespoon ginger; chopped
2 tablespoons shrimp paste
3 green chili pepper (siling haba)
1 can coconut milk

Laing Cooking Instructions:

Arrange the taro leaves in a casserole. Spread on top the pork, ginger, garlic, and onion. Add coconut milk but do not stir. Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer until pork is tender. Add more coconut milk when mixture gets too dry or if necessary. Add shrimp paste and chilli pepper. Simmer, then remove from fire when little sauce is left. Serve hot!

Cooking Tip:

Do not stir the ingredients while cooking so that itchiness of the taro will not spread on the dish, otherwise it will cause an itching sensation in your tongue when eating this cuisine. 

Ginataang Puso ng Saging

 

Ingredients 

• 2 banana blossoms (i just used the ones in the can, 10 oz drained)
• 1 cup pure coconut milk
• 2 tbsp vinegar (if using 5% acidity vinegar, try 1:1 vinegar/water)
• ¼ cup sliced tomatoes
• ¼ cup sliced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 dried red chilli (optional if you want this slightly spicy)
• salt and pepper to taste 

Directions

1. If using fresh puso ng saging (banana blossom): remove the tough covering of the blossoms.
2. Slice thin crosswise.
3. Add 2 tbsp salt and squeeze off bitter juice.
4. Rinse in water and squeeze dry.
5. Set aside.
6. If using canned puso ng saging: drain, rinse then drain again.
7. Slice thin crosswise.
8. Set aside.
9. Heat oil in skillet, if using dried red chillies, add them when the oil is hot but not smoking and let the skins darken somewhat before you add the garlic.
10. Saute garlic until light brown.
11. Add onion, fry till translucent, then add tomatoes.
12. Cook for around 3 minutes.
13. Add banana blossom and vinegar/water mixture and then bring to boil without stirring.
14. Simmer for around 3 minutes.
15. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir.
16. Continue to cook until banana blossom is tender.
17. Add pure coconut milk and remove from heat.
18. Let stand for a few minutes to help develop the flavours. 

Ampalaya (bitter melon) With Eggs

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cups ampalaya, sliced thin crosswise
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomatoes, sliced
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons shortening
1/4 cup onion, minced
1/4 cup water
Salt to taste

How to cook:

• Sauté garlic and onion in 2 tablespoons of shortening or oil. Add tomatoes and water, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add sliced ampalaya, cover and cook for 3 more minutes. Season with salt.
• Add the beaten eggs spreading all over the vegetables. Cook over slow heat until the eggs are slightly firm. Add an extra 2 tablespoons of oil if necessary to keep the eggs from sticking.
• Avoid stirring the vegetables as it squeezes more of the bitter flavor of the vegetables and makes the dish unpalatable. Yield: 4 servings