Chicken Curry

Curry is a traditional Indian dish, however, its popularity has caused other countries to assimilate it in their cuisine and make their own versions of it. Here is the Filipino approach to curry.

Ingredients

• 1 chicken
  
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
  
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
  
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 2 tbsp margarine
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

1. Clean chicken and cut into serving pieces.
   
2. Brown onion in margarine then saute chicken.
   
3. Add curry powder and coconut milk.
   
4. Cook until chicken is fully done and sauce thickens.
   
5. Season with salt and pepper.
   

Pork Tapa

Tapa is the process of curing meat in spices then drying under the sun. Beef is one of the most popular tapa meats but pork can be prepared for tapa, too.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. pork, sliced thinly
  
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
  
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
  
• salt
  

1. Massage into sliced pork the garlic, vinegar and salt.
   
2. Let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
   
3. Dry in the sun before frying.
   

Menudo

Not to be confused with the Mexican soup Menudo, Filipino Menudo consists of stewed pork, liver, potatoes and garbanzos.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups diced pork tenderloin
  
• 1 cup diced liver
  
• 3 potatoes, cubed
  
• 1 small can skinned garbanzos
  
• 1 medium sized tomato, diced
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
  
• 1 tsp paprika
  
• salt
  

1. Boil pork until tender.
   
2. Saute garlic, onion and tomatoes.
   
3. Add pork and liver, then cook for about 5 minutes.
   
4. Add water, salt and paprika.
   
5. Add potatoes and garbanzos.
   
6. Cook until potatoes are done.
   

Mechado

A popular stew of beef cooked in potatoes, mechado was traditionally prepared as a roll of beef with a strip of pork fat in the center. The pork fat looked like a mitsa or candle wick in the middle of the beef "candle," giving it the name mitsa-do.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. beef round
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1 onion, sliced
  
• 2 medium-sized potatoes, quartered
  
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  
• 8 peppercorns
  
• 1 small can tomato sauce
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 2 cups water
  
• 1 lemon's worth of lemon juice
  
• salt and pepper
  

1. Slice beef in serving pieces. Brown in a little cooking oil, then set aside.
   
2. In a saucepan, saute garlic, onion and tomato sauce.
   
3. Stir in meat and let it simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
   
4. Add lemon juice, soy sauce, peppercorns, potatoes, bay leaf and salt.
   
5. Continue cooking until meat is tender and liquid has evaporated.
   

Embutido

Embutido is the Filipino answer to meat loaf. A log of ground pork rolled with chorizos, raisins and eggs, the embutido is a welcome addition to any fiesta.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground pork
  
• 1/2 cup milk
  
• 2 Chorizos de bilbao, ground
  
• 2 eggs, beaten
  
• 3 tbsp pickle relish
  
• 1 small pack seedless raisins
  
• salt and white pepper
  

1. Mix all ingredients.
   
2. Mold into a large, sausage-like log.
   
3. Wrap tightly in untosinsal or leaflard. If unavailable, wrap your embutido log in foil instead.
   
4. Place in saucepan with just enough water to cover.
   
5. Bring to boil and simmer until done.
   
6. Slice and serve.
   

Banana Fritters / Maruya

Maruya or banana fritters is a classic Filipino snack food. Serve it fresh for a nice crisp coating.

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas or plantains (saging na saba)
  
• 1 cup flour
  
• 1 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1/3 cup water
  
• 2 tbsp sugar
  
• 4 tbsp milk
  
• 1 egg, beaten
  
• sugar for dusting
  

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
   
2. Add milk, water and egg. Mix until batter is smooth.
   
3. Peel the banana then slight lengthwise.
   
4. Roll in flour, dip in batter, then deep fry until golden brown.
   
5. Drain on paper towels.
   
6. Dust liberally with sugar, if desired.
   

Pinatisang Manok

Pinatisang Manok is chicken cooked in fish sauce or Patis. Choose a good quality patis for good quality pinatisang manok

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole chicken
  
• 1 Tbsp diced fresh ginger
  
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
  
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
  
• 2 Tbsp patis or fish sauce
  
• 3 cups hugas-bigas or water that has been used to wash rice
  
• Fresh chili leaves
  

1. Clean chicken and cut into serving pieces.
   
2. Saute in a pan garlic, onions and ginger.
   
3. Add chicken and patis.
   
4. Simmer until chicken is almost done.
   
5. Add hugas bigas and fresh chili leaves.
   
6. Let boil and continue cooking until chicken is done.