Filipino Desserts: September 2012

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

ARROZ CALDO (Broth/Soup Rice)

Arroz Caldo or Lugaw is a Filipino version of Chinese congee or porridge. Arroz means "rice" while Caldo means "broth or soup" while "hot" in Italian. This dish is perfect in cold weather to keep you warm, soft to eat and is best to people who are ill. There are lots of variation in cooking Arroz caldo, some use tokwa't baboy (tofo and pork) or beef tripe which others call it goto. Other flavors like boiled eggs, scallions, fried brown garlic for topping and calamansi/lemon be added according to taste. Also safflower to add light yellow color of the soup.

ARROZ CALDO (Broth/Soup Rice) recipe:

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken, cut into desired pieces
1 cup uncooked malagkit or plain rice
2 thumb size ginger, cut into strips
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsps. fish sauce
water for broth
salt and pepper to taste
2 stalks of scallions, chopped for garnishing
fried chopped garlic, for garnishing
pinch of safflower (optional)
calamansi or lemon

How to cook ARROZ CALDO (Broth/Soup Rice):

Procedure and cooking instructions:
1. In a casserole, heat oil, saute garlic, onion and ginger. Add chicken pieces, fish sauce, ground pepper and saute until light brown in color then add rice and enough water for broth.
2. Simmer and stirring constantly to make sure ingredients will not stick at the bottom of the casserole, add more water if necessary until the chicken is tender and rice is thickened. Add safflower (optional) to add color of the soup.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with scallions and/or garlic.
4. Serve hot with kalamansi/lemon.

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BUKO FRUIT SALAD (Filipino dessert)

Buko Fruit Salad is always present in the table during Christmas and New Year's eve or when birthdays. There are many variations of fruit salad and one of Filipino's favorite dessert is the Buko salad because of its sweetness. Buko is a young coconut which is shredded or cut into small cubes and mix with fruit cocktail, nata de coco, kaong, cheese, all purpose cream and condensed milk.

BUKO FRUIT SALAD (Filipino dessert) recipe:

Ingredients:

2 packs shredded young coconut
1 can 796 ml. fruit cocktail
2 bottles nata de coco - any color of your choice
2 bottles sweetened kaong - any color of your choice
1 cup cheddar cheese, cut into cubes
2 cans thick all purpose cream
1 cup condensed milk

How to make BUKO FRUIT SALAD (Filipino dessert)

Procedure and cooking instructions:

1. Put fruit cocktail, nata de coco, kaong in a big strainer and drain for at least one hour, also the shredded coconut if comes from the freezer.
2. When fruits are free from any excess syrup, put in a big mixing bowl together with all purpose cream, condensed milk and cheese then mix until all ingredients are well blended.
3. Transfer in another bowl and chill for at least 5 hours or refrigerate overnight before serving.

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Monday, September 17, 2012

LECHE FLAN (Philippine version)

Leche Flan also known as Caramel Custard or Creme Caramel is a world renowned dish and delicacy. This sweet dessert dish is cooked and eaten internationally. The word 'leche' means milk and the word 'flan' means cake or tart. In every continent there are different variations of this famous food. Among these can be slightly different depending on where it is cooked and prepared. This version of Leche Flan is the Philippine version, although in Asia alone, there are so many variants in Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, etc. In Europe, this dish is almost present in any restaurant with their own version too. Other major cooking variations of this dish dessert are those of Latin America, Central America, and North American cuisine.

Leche Flan is one of Filipinos' favorite dessert of all times. It is mainly made of eggs and milk. This dish is always present in most occasions like birthdays, weddings, parties, christening, fiestas, also during Christmas and New Years' eve celebrations. This is cooked frequently even in ordinary home dessert preparation for cooking moms for their children and husband to have tasty snack. It goes very well especially eaten after salty food such as pancit, lechon, adobo, etc. This dessert could take a long shelf life in the fridge. There are basically two ways of cooking this dessert - steaming and baking.
Below is the recipe on how to cook leche flan (Filipino version):

Leche Flan recipe:

Ingredients:

12 pcs. egg (egg yolk only)
1 can condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp. of vanilla
3/4 cup white sugar

Procedure and Cooking Instructions on How to Cook Leche Flan:

1. Put sugar in a small pot over medium heat, wait until the sugar starts to melt and turns into liquid and caramelize then pour at once the caramel evenly into the molds and hardened then set aside.

2. Next is to mix and blend the egg yolks, condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix slowly using whisker or hand blender. Pour the custard into the molds and cover with aluminum foil.

3. If using steamer, put water half level on it and let it boil then put the molds for 40 to 60 minutes. If using oven, preheat it to 350 deg F. Carefully place the molds in a roasting pan half filled with hot water and bake for 40 to 60 minutes.

4. To check when the flan is done, insert the toothpick or fork into the flan and comes out clean. Remove from heat or oven, let it cool at room temperature then run the knife around the mold and turn upside down into the serving platter with the sugar caramel flowing from the top.
This could make 2 molds when using small rectangular disposable aluminum cake pans.

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CASSAVA CAKE (Filipino dessert)

Cassava cake is a Filipino delicacy dessert made mainly of the Cassava root, also called yuca or manioc. Cassava is a tropical shrub grown in the Philippines and its root is very rich in starch and an excellent source of carbohydrates. Cassava cake is a popular Pilipino dessert with macapuno or coconut strips as toppings. Estimated time to bake is 75 minutes.

Cassava Cake Ingredients:

    2 packages (4 cups) grated cassava
    1 can coconut milk
    1 can condensed milk
    1 bottle sweetened macapuno/coconut strips (use 3/4 only)
    2 eggs
    2 teaspoon vanilla
    1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted for baking tray
    1/4 cup sugar (optional)

Toppings Mixture for Cassava Cake:

    1/2 can condensed milk
    1 egg
    1/4 remaining of sweetened macapuno/coconut strips

Mix together in a bowl then put on top of cassava after 45 minutes or when the cassava is already dried on top.

How to bake CASSAVA CAKE (Filipino dessert)

Procedure and Baking Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl except butter or margarine.
2. Add sugar when needed (your preferred taste).
3. Spread the melted butter or margarine evenly in a baking pan.
4. Pour in cassava mixture.
5. Bake in 350 F degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
6. After 45 minutes when the cassava is dried on top pour the Topping Mixture.
7. Return to oven and broil for another 10-15 minutes until the topping becomes brown.

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GINATAANG BILO-BILO (Rice Balls with Coconut Milk)

Ginataang halo-halo or bilo-bilo is a Filipino snack or dessert using Rice Flour cook with coconut milk and mix with sugar and other fruits like ripe banana, jackfruit, taro/eddo (gabi), cassava root (balanghoy), sweet potato or purple yam to add color and tapioca (sago). Ginataan is a dish using coconut milk for cooking and bilo-bilo means cooking of rice balls mix with fruits. There are lots of names of this recipe like in visayan region they call this "Benignet or Tabirak", "Tambong-tambong" for the Ilocanos, "Bilo-bilo" or "halo-halo" (because of its round balls and mix fruits) in Tagalog region and "Kineler" for the Pangasinense. Others call it "palarosdos". This is usually cook during Holy Week, Halloween, death anniversaries, birthdays and sometimes in ordinary days as an afternoon snack. When there is leftover just put in the fridge and reheat the following day which for me is tastier than when freshly cook.
Here is my way of cooking Ginataang bilo-bilo/halo-halo mix with the fruits that I like:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

    1 pack rice flour
    1 cup water
    1 can coconut milk
    1/2 can coconut cream
    5 pcs. ripe banana saba, peeled and cut into cubes
    1 medium size cassava root, peeled and cut into cubes
    1 meduim size purple yam, peeled and cut into cubes
    1 cup jackfruit meat, cut into strips
    1 cup tapioca (sago), boiled
    3-4 cups of water for sauce/broth (add more of your preference)
    1-2 cups sugar
    pinch of salt
    vanilla or anise seeds (optional)

How to cook GINATAANG BILO-BILO (Rice Balls with Coconut Milk):

Procedure:

1. To make bilo-bilo, blend rice flour and water to make a dough like consistency. Not too dry and not too wet for the dough so    its easy when rolling into a small balls using your two hands.
2. When the dough is ready, get 1/4 cup of it and set aside for thickening the sauce. Scoop 1 tsp. of the dough and roll it like    a ball using your hands then put in a big plate.
3. Sprinkle the plate of rice flour powder so that the rice balls won't stick on the plate. Repeat step 1 and 2 until you finish    rolling the dough mixture.

Cooking Instructions:

4. In a big pan, put water, coconut milk, pinch of salt and let it boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Add in diced cassava root and purple yam and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add sugar and stir, then put the banana, tapioca and jackfruit. Simmer for another 5 minutes or until all the fruits are almost cooked.
6. Pour in the rice ball and 1/4 cup of dough dissolve in 1/4 cup of water to thicken the sauce. Keep on stirring to prevent from sticking the rice balls with each other. Add now the coconut cream and stir again.
7. Add more sugar if necessary and vanilla or anise seeds to add the aroma. When the rice balls are floating and soft, that means that your bilo-bilo is cooked.
8. Remove from heat. Put in a bowl and serve! Enjoy eating.

See also:

FILIPINO DESSERTS:

FILIPINO DISHES:

ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF ALL MY BLOGS