Beef Sinigang - (Sour Soup)

"Back in my non-health conscious days, I used ready sour mix but it contains a lot of sodium and artificial stuff. I learned from my dad that you can use lemons to make the soup sour. It's healthier and it actually tastes exactly like using tamarind base soup!


Ingredients:
1 pound beef cut in cubes
4 small lemons
2 medium size onions, quartered
3 medium size tomatos, quartered
1 zuccini, cut into small pieces
1 bunch spinach (make sure to wash the each spinach leaf really well because it can be sandy
1 bunch string beans or green beans cut into 4 inches long
5 pinches of salt
1 tsp red crushed pepper
4 liters water

Instructions:

1. Put water in a large pot and add beef, onions, tomatoes and salt for 1 1/2 hour.


2. Scoop all the tomatos and squash them in a bowl then pour back into the pot.


3. Squeeze lemon juice into the pot filtering the seeds.


4. Add zuccini and string beans/green beans and let it boil for 10 minutes.


5. Add the spinach and turn off the heat.

BEST TO EAT WITH WHITE RICE BUT FOR HEALTHIER DIET, REPLACE WITH BROWN RICE.

Tofu and Veggie Salad with Peanut Sauce

"I was craving for something sweet, sour, salty, spicy and cruchy and I had some left over deep fried tofu from my Tofu Burrito." ~ Charisma


Ingredients:

Cold Salad:
Left over fried tofu strips
Cucumber
Lettuce leaves

Steamed Veggies:
Brocolli
Asparagus

Peanut Sauce:
4 teaspoons Canola oil
1/2 cup onion chopped really finely
2 tablespoons garlic chopped really finely
1/2 teaspoon hot chili pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup of water

Instructions:

• Mix onion, garlic and oil


• Put small sauce pan in medium heat and pour the mixture.


• Add peanut butter and mix well.


• Add water and simmer for 10 minutes.


• While waiting for the mixture to simmer, in a small bowl, mix vinegar and sugar until sugar has dissolved and pour into the pan.


• Mix the sauce until the texture is sauce is thick enough.


• Steam veggies separately.


• Arrange cold veggies on one side of serving plate and steamed veggies and tofu on the other and put the peanut sauce dish in the center.

***There's no proper way to eat this dish. I just prefer to wrap cold veggies in lettuce, tofu and peanut sauce. Dip steamed veggies in peanut separately.***

"Nilaga" - Beef Soup a Filipino Comfort Food

My 30min soup recipe when I want something tasty, simple and healthy.

Ingredients
1/2 lbs lean beef cubed
1 bunch bokchoy cut into bitesize
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 med size yellow onion quartered
2 corn cobs cut in half
4 medium size potatos quartered
3 small lemons
1/4 cup low sodium Kikoman soysauce
2 lt water
kosher salt and pepper to taste


Instructions

1. Add beef, potatos, ginger, onions and corn cobs in water and let it boil for 25 minutes.


2. Squeeze lemons filtering seeds


3. Add salt and pepper to taste.


4. Filter any grease from the water while water is boiling.


5. Add bokchoy and boil for another 5 minutes

FOR ADDITIONAL TASTEBUD KICK: I squeeze 1 lemon in a sauce plate and add 1/4 cup soy sauce then mix and dip beef and/or bokchoy.

POLO RISOTTOZCALDO



trans: Chicken in Hot Risotto, adapted from the traditional Filipino dish Pollo Arrozcaldo.

This ricetta is a mixture of both traditional Filipino and Italian cuisines developed as a result of the foods saved around the kitchen from each cultural backgrounds. The Boyfriend tried it and "was amazed at the simplicity of the recipe and the absolute richness of the flavor. If this sort of accidental infusion of Italian and Filipino cuisine keeps occuring I think I'll be looking for investors for a new restaraunt trend." ~Alex

Ingredienti
1 Skinless Breast of Chicken
3 tsp grated ginger
1 med size yellow onion chopped and sliced to vary texture
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 shallots chopped
2 cups risotto
3 small lemons
6 cups chicken broth
4 tblsp olive oil
salt and pepper


Instructions

1. Bring around six cups of water to a boil and add 1 tsp of salt. Add chicken breast and boil until cooked (about 30 min). Remove chicken from pan when done and discard water. Shred chicken and set aside.


2. Add olive oil to frying pan or WOK and heat on high. Add garlic until brown. Add the onions and cook until pale yellow and translucent. Squeeze all juice from one of the lemons (no seeds) into the frying pan. Add the ginger and shredded chicken and stir well.


3. Add the two cups of dry risotto to the pan and stir well. Let cook for approx. minutes. Add the Chick broth and stir. Let simmer for 30 min, mixing occasionally. Add 1 tbsp of salt.


4. When the chicken broth evaporates, add 6 cups of water and squeeze remaining lemons. Let simmer for additional 20 min or so, until mixture reaches creamy consistancy, stirring occasionally.


5. Add shallots to creamy mixture and salt and pepper to taste.
   

FOR BEST RESULTS: You may roast an additional 4 cloves of garlic and add with the shallots on top of the serving.

Tofu Veggie Burrito with Vinegar Dressing

Ingredients
wheat tortillas1 small onion, thinly sliced4 cloves garlic, chopped coursely1 broccoli stalk, chopped into 2 inch pieces10 Asparagus spears*1/2 cup of brown rice2 tbsp enchilada sauce2 1/2 cups water1 pckg extra-firm tofu, sliced into thin strips about a 1/4in thick3 tbsp Canola or Olive Oil*Charisma's super chopping secret for asaparagus goes here
For the Vinegar Sauce1/2 cup red wine vinegar1 clove garlic, pressed1 tsp soy sauce (low sodium)
Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil at High heat in WOK or frying pan. Add garlic until brown. Add onion until pale yellow and translucent, stirring frequently.
2. Add broccoli and asparagus, stirring frequently for about 5min. Cover and let simmer for another 10min. Stir and set aside.
3. In another frying pan or WOK, add just enough remaining oil to lightly coat the pan and set heat to medium. Add the tofu slices to the pan and cook each side until golden brown (about 4 min. per side).
4. In another pan, add the rice and water and heat on high. Cook, stirring frequently until all the water has been absorbed by the rice. Add the enchilada sauce, stir and set aside.
5. For the Vinegar Sauce: Mix the pressed garlic, vinegar and the soy sauce and salt to taste. Mix in to a small bowl which will accomodate the size of the tofu strips.
6. Warm the tortillas.
7. Line warm tortilla with asparagus, broccoli and onion mixture. Add the rice and enchilada sauce on top of that. Dredge the cooked tofu strips well through the vinegar sauce and add to the burrito - about 4 tofu strips per tortilla.
8. Roll and fold the burrito as one does.
9. Optional:Feel free to replace any of the vegetables with one which might be complimented by the Vinegar Sauce or Venagrette dressing.