Siopao (Meat-stuffed Steamed Bun)

Yummmm!!! I just had 3 (!!!) of these delish buns. Although I didn't make these (my mom did), I will definitely learn how to make siopao soon. The secret's in the dough...

For this particular recipe, ground pork, Chinese sausage and boiled egg were used for the stuffing. 

Maja Blanca

Try this sweet, rich and easy-to-make Filipino dessert. When I made this, I really had no recipe to follow. So I kind of eyeballed everything.

Ingredients:

Cornstarch
Coconut cream/milk
White sugar
Cream of corn
Crushed peanut topping (optional)

Directions:

This is the easy part. Just mix all the ingredients together: cornstarch first (I used a one-lb pack), then the coconut milk (two 14-oz cans in this case), sugar (I'm afraid I didn't keep track of how much I added. I added a half cup at a time and tasted if it was sweet enough) and one can of cream of corn. I added a little bit of whole milk because I thought the mixture was too thick.

Simmer the mixture in low-medium heat, constantly stirring (And I really mean constantly stirring!). This is a good chance to give that arm a workout. haha.

Keep stirring until you reach the right consistency. You'll know you have the right consistency when you take a spoonful and it doesn't drip down.

Transfer the cooked mixture into a heat-proof container and let cool. Sprinkle the crushed peanuts on top, if you want. I like to eat it warm :).

Fresh-squeezed Orange Juice

Just had a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice. It's so, so good!
What you see in the picture is juice from 2 bags of clementines. I didn't want them to go bad so I squeezed them...manually! No wonder my arm is aching. LOL!

 

Orange juice is not only great for drinks; It can be added to many recipes for that extra zest. If you know how to make chiffon cake, you can substitute the soda (7UP or Sprite) with orange juice instead to give it a light orangey taste. For marinades, substitute the lemon with orange juice for a sweeter, less tangy taste.

Lechon...yummm!!!

Anybody want some lechon?

I'm not posting a recipe this time but sharing this delicious crispy lechon (roasted suckling pig) picture. Sorry folks, it's for our eyes only though I'm also wishing for some of that crispy lechon skin right now.

For the uninitiated, here's a short history/description on lechon from Wikipedia.

Lechón is a pork dish in several regions of the world, most specifically Spain and its former colonial possessions throughout the world (like the Philippines). The word lechón originated from the Spanish term leche (milk); thus lechón refers to a suckling pig that is roasted.

In most regions, lechón is prepared throughout the year for any special occasion, during festivals, and the holidays. After seasoning, the pig is cooked by skewering the entire animal, entrails removed, on a large stick and cooking it in a pit filled with charcoal. The pig is placed over the charcoal, and the stick or rod it is attached to is turned in a rotisserie action.

I don't know about you, but I'm really craving some lechon now! :)