Tinolang Tahong - Filipino Mussel soup

Hello there!

If you're an island girl this kind of food really comforting to your heart, that even if it cost a lot in this side of the world, then you have to give in to your cravings to just feel the warmth of home. 

This is Tinolang Tahong, baby!

According to Uncle Wike, Tinola in Tagalog or Visayan, or la uya in Ilocano is a soup-based dish served as an appetizer or main entrée in the Philippines. Traditionally, this dish is cooked with chicken, wedges of green papaya, and leaves of the siling labuyo chili pepper in broth flavored with ginger, onions and fish sauce.

So basically, in the Philippines we can tinola almost everything from seafoods to meat seasoned with fresh vegetables and spices. The aroma of the broth gives you a divine kick and comfort in your stomach. I miss home obviously. At this weather in Poland - cold and grey who would not miss the tropics much more its fresh seafoods. While at the grocers store last weekend, I came by this fresh mussels vacuum packed in a kilo. Not minding of the price, grabbed one and excitedly went home to prepare the dish for lunch.

To make this dish, you need:

a kilo of mussels

a tbsp of oil - canola

ginger - thumb size - minced 

M size yellow onion

lemon grass ( in this meal - i run out of lemon grass - optional, but best if using)

6 cups of water 

1 bokchoy (chopped into half) or spinach 

salt and ground pepper

To cook: 

Heat oil, saute onion, add in water, pour in lemon grass, a kilo of mussels. Cover pot. Simmer for 1 mins until mussel shells opened.  Add bokchoy or spinach. Dash salt and pepper to taste. Simmer a bit for 2 mins. Serve warm and enjoy!

Basically, the recipe is so simple. Boil and add in all ingredients. Voila! I wanted to make one like Italian style simmered with white wine, but i needed warmer broth to fill in my hungry soul with a taste like home. 

Oh well, true to its taste. I ate mine with gusto and even looking forward to buy and cook such seafoods from now one. Maybe, Seafood Paella next? hmmm....yum! Now, I'm hungry.

Enjoy and 'till next time.

Smacznego!

xo,

Ai

Banana-yogurt cake

The sky is blue. The birds are chirping. Crisp morning wind and a wonderful sunshine greeted me with all its happy pleasure. I could smell you spring!

I feel rejuvenated, hopeful and inspired to start my day. Prepared myself , took children to school, and drop by the nearest bakeshop to pick up freshly baked bread.

Came home in an empty dining table...and thought of doing some quick baking. Then, I needed to eat something right the first hour of the day. So slowly prepared my breakfast...light but healthy. one that could give me energy to last half of my day. Made my usual sunny side up eggs...soft and runny. A cereal with dried fruits, Polish buttered crescent rolls bought in a nearby bakeshop, and a cup of black tea.  Perfect breakfast for me. That would gave me a kick to do something that would squeezed out the winter to spring blues away from me.  

3 overly riped bananas lying on top of the table needed prior attention, and that motivated me  to bake my all-time favourite banana bread.

There are lots of versions of banana bread circulating around the internet. But this one, I find it easy to prepare and deliver such wonderful texture to my tongue. I adapted this recipe from simplerecipes.com. However, I changed a bit of the ingredients. Instead of putting white sugar, I'm using brown sugar in this recipe. Since, I have an open packed of mąka krupczatka in Polish  coarse- grained flour so added it to give such healthier kick. It's a perfect blend of bitterness and sweetness of the bananas, brown sugar and flour. I'm content and satisfied with the outcome, that my children loves it to bits. They wanted it moreover for breakfast with warm milk and drops of honey or that with vanilla ice cream on top during their afternoon snack. 

Back in my home country - The Philippines, We've got variety of bananas. In all sizes, shapes and colours. And it differs as well as to how you're going to use it...for steamed bananas, we use the different variety and for banana bread we usually use the greeny bananas.  Anyhow, here's the recipe:

Ingredients: 

3 very ripe bananas - mashed
1 cup natural yogurt
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten - room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
11/2 cups of coarse-grain flour / all purpose flour
handful of almond nuts, banana chips

How to: 

*Preheat oven for 10 minutes at 175 degrees Celcius and butter loaf pan. I usually use silicon loaf pan, but this time I am using my rectangular moulder for cakes.

You mix mashed banana, yogurt and melted butter.  Stir in the baking soda and salt.. Add in brown sugar, beaten eggs and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour, put almond nuts and banana chips on top. 

Pour in the prepared loaf pan. And, bake for  1 hour or until inserted toothpick tester comes out clean. 

Voila! banana-yogurt cake..

Cool in a wire rack before serving. 

Enjoy it with your family and friends over tea or coffee time. 

side note: You can add almond flour or that oatmeal flour if you are vegan or you want a healthy option than flour, omit the eggs - banana could substitute the egg. 

Don't forget to comment and let me know how it taste.

Smacznego! 

xxxoo,

Ai

Filipino Rice Cake called Bibingka

Bibingka is a traditional rice cake in the Philippines. Usually present in every Filipino family gatherings especially during Christmas dinner.  I'm such a fan of this recipe because of its simplicity. The rice and coconut milk is such a great variety of ingredients that is present in every Filipino cuisine or Filipino snacks.

To make Bibingka, you will need:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup fresh milk
• 1 piece salted duck egg - sliced (normal boiled egg will do as well)
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• 3 pieces raw eggs
• Pre-cut banana leaf - if using. In this recipe, obviously not using banana leaf due to not available in our area.

How to:

- Pre- heat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

- Mix the following : rice flour, baking powder and salt - set aside.

- In the other bowl, cream the butter and sugar until creamy.

- Add in the eggs and whisk it well until incorporated.

- Slowly add in the flour mixture.

- Pour in coconut milk and fresh milk to the batter mixture.

- Put banana leaves around your moulder or baking paper.

- Pour the mixture to the pan.

- Bake for 15 to 20 mins. 

- Remove from the oven and put in sliced salted duck eggs or boiled eggs, grated cheese and put it in the oven for another 15 to 20 mins. Or until toothpick comes out clean when pricked.

- Remove from the oven and brush the top with butter and I like to dust in some white sugar on top for a more taste sweet bibingka.

- Share, serve and enjoy with the one you love.

* it is best serve with hot chocolate or freshly brewed coffee. 

Hope you enjoy this bibingka recipe. 

Don't forget to comment and let me know how it goes to your taste buds.

Smacznego! 

xo,

Ai