Mahiwagang Tahong

The ultimate Tortang Tahong (Fried Mussels Cake). I remember when we made this at school, and we planned to serve it on its shells. A classmate, she knows who she is, threw the shells in the garbage, but our menu said tortang tahong on shells so we have no choice but to wash the shells and use it, mmmm, yummy. No case of gastroenteritis.
Tahong (Mussels) is usually purchased by the "tabo" or gallon. We can usually buy tahong here in Bataan for only P10.00/gallon. I don't know the price range on other parts of the country though.

Fried Mussels Cake Ingredients:

oil

250 g tahong meat

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 potato, chopped finely

salt, pepper and MSG to taste

2 eggs, beaten

2 tbsp. flour


Procedure:

1. Saute onions, garlic, bell pepper and tahong in a little oil.

2. Add potatoes and cook until tender.

3. Season with salt, pepper and MSG. Set aside.

4. Add flour to eggs and mix well with the tahong mixture.

5. Heat a little oil in a frying pan. Drop mixture by spoonfuls, and flatten gently. Cook until brown on both sides.

Korean Barbecue Recipe

There's a sudden Korean craze here in the Philippines. First, there are the Korean students looking for colleges or universities, then investors, businessmen, their wives and kids, the boyfriend materials, the Koreanovelas, Korean stores, and Korean food. I haven't eaten in a Korean Restaurant; I don't know the taste of Kimchee either. The only claim I have about Korean food is the Korean Barbecue, which is not really Korean (my version, at least).

I altered the recipe and omitted some ingredients because I don't have this and I don't have that. Basically there are two types of Korean Barbecue Sauce, the one is Miso-based and the other is Soy sauce-based. I tried the latter one (because I don't have miso). The recipe originally asked for mirin, a kind of sweetened rice wine, but of course, I don't have mirin so I substituted 7-up. Then there's the chopped apple,which the very unfortunate me don't have.

So, here's The Not-So-Korean Barbecue recipe from a poor man's pantry:

For every 1.5 kilogram of thinly sliced pork loin pieces we'll need:

30 grams ginger root, finely chopped (about P3-5.00 at your suking tindahan)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup fish sauce

8 oz 7up or Sprite

4 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 packet tomato ketchup (courtesy of McDonald's or Jollibee, about 2 tsp.)

2 Tbsp. roasted sesame seeds (optional)

PROCEDURE:

1. Combine all ingredients and marinate for at least an hour.

2. Preheat grill and cook meat.

3. Serve with rice or grilled vegetables.

Note: You can use bamboo skewers if you like but it'll take a lot of time (and sometimes blood, ouch!) for the newbies.

Love to eat, Love to cook

I gathered recipes of the dishes and desserts that I love.

You'll notice that some recipes are altered and are using different ingredients from the original version. I used substitutes because: you can't easily find some ingredients here in the Philippines and some authentic recipes just don't suit Filipino taste.

I always say that cooking is just plain common sense. So prove that you have the sense, haha, and start creating these gastronomical treats.

Here's a recipe of Eggplant and Lasagna Bake. My friends love this, but unfortunately, they just love the act of eating, but the mere thought of preparing this dish scares them.

Ingredients:

375 grams Lasagna sheets, cooked according to package directions

2 tsp. oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

500 grams ground beef

3 eggplants, sliced diagonally,grilled with a little oil

1 250 gram pouch Italian Style Spaghetti Sauce

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 chicken boullion cube,dissolved in 1/2 cup water

salt, pepper and sugar to taste

CHEESE SAUCE:

3 cups milk

1/3 cup flour

100 grams grated cheese

Procedure:

1. Heat oil, saute onion, garlic and beef, cook until beef is brown.

2. Add spaghetti sauce and boullion water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thick, about 20 minutes. Season to taste.

3. Preheat oven to 180C. Spread a little of the meat sauce into the base of a 9x12 inch oven proof dish. Arrange a layer of lasagna sheets in the dish. Then top with eggplants and cover with meat sauce. Repeat layers, making sure it'll end with meat sauce layer.

4. To make cheese sauce, mix ingredients for sauce with a wire whisk. Cook over very low heat and continue stirring until cheese is melted. Cook until thick.

5. Spread cheese sauce over lasagna and bake for45 minutes to an hour.


Note:
Check the Lasagna after 25 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, cover with nonstick baking paper or foil. Leave the Lasagna for 15 minutes before slicing.