Kulawo - Laguna's Best Kept Secret

During the summers when I was a teen, I would spend it with my aunt in the province. She learned to cook "Kulawo" which happens to be an known secret appetizer. I refer this as secret because it was the first time my aunt heard of it then and her family was raised and lived there like forever. When we tried it, it became a great hit with us and our friends. Now that my aunt has aged and has forgotten how to make this. Good thing she kept a recipe and I tried to make this with banana hearts (puso ng saging). In just two 1/2 days, it was consumed at home since it was served with almost everything.

1 kilo banana heart, shredded
2 cups grated coconut meat
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
1 to 1 1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
salt
live coal

Place the banana heart in a bowl and add salt (about 3-4 tbsps.). Let it stand for a few minutes. Squeeze out the liquid to remove the bitter taste of the banana heart. Wash the banana heart and squeeze excess water. Set aside.
In a metal pan (or any container that can withstand the live coal) place the grated coconut meat. Make a well then place the live coal in the center. Burn the coconut meat until it becomes brownish and smells slightly burnt. Remove the coal and let the burnt coconut meat cool down. Pour the vinegar into the coconut meat and squeeze the milk from the coconut milk. Strain the coconut milk to make sure that the charcoal ashes does not mix into the milk.
In a pot, place the milk, black pepper, onions and heat in medium heat without letting this boil. The milk will curdle into clumps if you allow the milk to boil. Let it simmer for 4-5 minutes to cook the vinegar then add the banana heart and season with salt. Let it cook for another 8-10 minutes or until the banana heart is soft and cooked.
Note: The banana heart may be substituted with eggplants. To prepare the eggplants, grill it then peel off the skin. Slice into lengthwise and cook the same way with the banana hearts.

Chunky Guacamole

During the month of July to the early weeks of August, avocados are abundant in the markets and side streets. When we were kids, we would prepare this nutrient-booster with condensed milk and blend until smooth the freezer. My mom and us kids would devour this cold dessert the soonest it hardens. This was the only way we would prepare this lutien-riched fruit. Lutein, an important antioxidant, that helps maintain a healthy eyesight and skin as we age.
When we were visiting my brother in the States, mom was surprised to see that there were customers who would buy avocados even if they were not in their freshest state. The skins were wrinkled and dried.
My cousin brought me to a Mexican restaurant and told me to try the guacamole that came with my ordered fajitas. I was sort of skeptic but after taking the first bite, I got hooked. Now, I have two ways of preparing avocados.




4-5 avocados, pitted and diced (make sure that these are not over ripe)
1 medium onion, chopped
5 tomatoes, seeded, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
a handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
Tabasco sauce (optional)

Place diced avocados in a bowl. Add lemon juice to avoid discoloration and preserve the color. Add the onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients well. Add Tabasco hot sauce to add a slight kick. Serve this with corn chips or fajitas.
For a more smoother texture, mince the onions and tomatoes and avocado. Mix well bended with the rest of the ingredients.

Bruscetta

My cousin shared this to me when I visited her. I loved it for its taste and simplicity. A simple way to entertain in a quick way without too much hassle.

Mix together the following ingredients:

1/2 kilo plum red tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 bunch chopped green onions
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, shredded
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, shredded
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Top a tablespoon or 2 on toasted garlic bread.

Spinach DIp

When mom came home, she brought 2 small tubs of spinach dip from Trader Joe's. She said that it was her latest addiction. So when both containers were found in the dish washer, I know I had to find a recipe that was similar to Trader Joe's. After a couple of trials, I finally was able to find one that is if not exactly the same, it was the closest it could get.

It is a pretty easy recipe to follow. This may be served with baked pita chips, Nachos or vegetable sticks.

The Ingredients:
1 10 oz frozen spinach, defrosted or 500 grams fresh spinach
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon dill, chopped
1/2 teaspoon onion salt (if this is not available, add 1/4 cup finely chopped onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt*)
1/4 cup spring green onions, minced
1 8oz. water chestnuts, drained, minced or 1 cup singkamas, minced
1/4 cup parsley, minced (optional)

Cooking Procedure:
For fresh spinach: Remove spinach leaves from stems and clean over running water. Blanch the fresh spinach leaves for a minute to two, if there are no precooked spinach available. Take out from the heat and place it in an ice cold bath (a bowl of cold water with ice) to stop the cooking process.

Squeeze out the excess liquid from the leaves then loosen them over a towel. Make the sure the towel has absorbed most of the leaves' moisture. Once they have been fully drained, chopped the leaves finely and place in a bowl along with the rest of the ingredients.

Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least 4 hours. Serve cold with chips or fresh vegetables.

My Notes:
I add the salt last so I could control the amount of sodium added into the recipe. I add a pinch or 1/8 teaspoon at a time.

Baba Ghanouj

I decided to change my approach to pot luck appetizers. I would normally bring a batch of pork spring rolls, salsa and chips plus dessert. When my HS girl friends decided to call a reunion, I thought of bringing something that would be slightly different from the average Filipino appetizer fare. Why not bring a batch of Baba Ghanouj?

Baba Ghanouj or Baba Ghanoush is commonly served as a starter or appetizer. It is a dip that is paired of with pita chips (but it may be paired with anything your heart desires :D ). The main ingredient is baked or grilled eggplant combined with a mixture of spices, tahini and oil. Tahini is ground sesame seeds with oil that was turned into paste. It is rich in protein, folic acid, B vitamins and iron. It helps with digestion too. However this dish should be taken in moderation for those with arthritis and gout because it may aggravate their condition.

The dish is easy to make and the ingredients are readily available in the market. I figured I would be able to try something new and play around in making my own home-made tahini too.

The Ingredients:
400-500 grams eggplant
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of olive oil (optional)
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika or cumin

pita chips for dipping

Cooking Procedure:
Cook the eggplants by either baking or grilling. If you decide to bake them, pierce the skin with a fork for a few times; slice the eggplants into 2 length-wise. Lay them with the cut side down over a lightly greased cookie sheet and roast at 375F until they are soft and tender (about 30-60 minutes depending on their sizes). Cool and drain them them by laying them over a strainer. Scoop out the flesh into a bowl.

To grill, lay the eggplants over open flames and cook until the skins are dark and the meat is tender. Peel off the burned skin. Squeeze out the excess liquid and place the meat in a bowl.

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, except for the olive oil. Blend all the ingredients together until everything is blended. Add olive oil into the eggplant mixture one tablespoon at a time until you have reached the desired consistency. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes and taste. Adjust the saltiness and tangy flavor by adding more salt or lemon juice. Transfer dip into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with paprika or cumin. Serve with pita chips.

My Notes:
I prefer to grill the eggplants because the smoky flavor gave the dish more character.
Tahini may be found in super markets. Here is a copy of a homemade recipe.

Stuck to the Pot

I have been procrastinating in making dumplings for a few weeks now until I took the opportunity to really try my skills in making this simple dish.

Dumplings are distantly related to wantons because both may contain meat and vegetable fillings. However, the dumpling wrapper is thicker and oblate in shape and sealed by crimping the edges together making a closed crescent or purse. These are usually accompanied by a soy sauce-based sauce with and or chili paste. In cooking dumplings, they can be just steamed, boiled, pan or deep fried. Or a combination of these methods may be applied to get the desired texture and effect.

It is believed that dumplings symbolize prosperity and good fortune (legend says that a Chinese Imperial chef accidentally over cooked a batch of dumpling and slightly burned one side. He served it to the court and fortunate for him that they loved it). During Chinese New Year and grand celebrations, the Jiaozi is part of the menu. But it doesn't mean that one would have to wait for celebrations to be able to have a wonderful time savoring this appetizer. Just go to any Chinese, Japanese (they call their dumplings as Gyoza) or Korean (Mandu) restaurant and order.

The easy part in making this is store-bought dumpling wrapper. I could make some from scratch but currently, I don't have the patience and time to do it. I could have just left is as plain crescents but I wanted to add a little flair plus presentation so I added "pleats" (see the inset photograph above).

The Ingredients:

1 cup napa cabbage(sometimes called Chinese cabbage or Baguio Pechay), chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, minced
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
Dash of white pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
375 grams lean ground pork
60 grams shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
24 oblate/round dumpling wrappers
canola oil, divided
2 cups chicken broth, divided (you may use the fat-free, low sodium for a more healthier approach)

Cooking Procedure:

Mix the first 10 ingredients in a bowl.
Get 1 wrapper and spoon a heaping teaspoonful of filling into the center of the wrapper. Moisten the edges with water then fold in half. Pinch the edges or crimp the edges to seal. Holding the sealed edges of the pot sticker between the thumb and first two fingers of each hand, form 3 to 4 pleats along the seal. Set aside with the seam side up on a dry platter. Repeat the steps until you have filled the remaining wrappers.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. If a non-skillet is used, you have the option to omit the oil or lessen the oil further to a teaspoon at a time. If you have a small skillet, cook the dumplings in 3 batches.
Arrange 12 pot stickers with the seam sides up in pan, and cook for 45 seconds or until browned. Pour 1 cup of the broth and cook for 5 minutes covered. The steam will cook the dumplings through.Uncover and cook about 1 minute or until liquid evaporates . Remove the pot stickers from pan; cover and keep warm. Repeat for the remaining set of dumplings.

Serve with a soy sauce-based dip. The soy sauce-based dip could be a combination of soy sauce, grated ginger, vinegar or lemon juice, a little sugar and a few drops of sesame oil. Chili paste may be added for a more spice.

My Notes: Be careful not burn the bottoms completely because they tend to stick and it would be harder to remove. Keep the initial batches warm and covered because as they cool and is exposed to the air, the wrappers tend to harden.

The verdict: The ready-made wrapper was too thick for Mom's taste. But the filling was good. They were easy to make and cook. I didn't use a non-stick pan and thankfully they didn't stick. Each had a pretty brown crusty bottom. I am planning to serve this for the holidays and bless the family with some prosperity and good fortune.