BAKED LITSON MANOK

We love roasted chicken {lechon manok} and back home the only famous roasted chicken{at that time} is KITOK’s, that was, I say decades ago?! and for our family, (initially) it was a special dish for special occasions, next to lechon 😋 until it became a dish that saves the day! No time to cook? --- just buy Kitoks!

I planned some vegetable noodle for our dinner the other day and lechon manok is the perfect pair. I know you all have your favorite delicious recipes, here is my share --

BAKED LITSON MANOK

Marinade

1 whole chicken (at least 1.5 kg)

2 tbsp brown sugar

¼ c LKK Soy sauce

¼ c dark Soy sauce

¼ c Fish Sauce

1 head garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 c Kalamansi juice

Black pepper

Clean chicken and place inside a ziplock.

In a bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients.

Pour into the chicken in the ziplock.

Seal and shake the ziplock to bathe the chicken with marinade.

Chill overnight.

For Stuffing before grilling

2 pcs Bay leaf

Tanglad for stuffing

For Basting

Pour 2 tbsp oil with the leftover marinade, mix and simmer to slightly thicken the sauce then use this for basting every 20 minutes of baking.

Bake Chicken in pre-heated oven at 200 Degrees C for about an 1 1/2 hour.

When done remove from oven cover with foil and rest for about 10 minutes before serving. 

Serve with noodles or rice.

Enjoy!

BOLA-BOLA SIOPAO

Siopao or "hot bun", is a filipino version of a cantonese steamed bun
and a popular dimsum in chinese restaurants and recently even on sidewalk vendors. There are many variants of this steam bun both sweet and savoury. 

In Philippines, the savoury fillings are the most appealing in variations of both chicken or pork either in the form of asado or bola-bola. The dough has been a challenge as different cultures use different flours and leavening agents even whitening is a competition😁. 

 As i have mentioned in my previous post, on my side of the globe, steamed bun has many forms, variations and versions depending on which culture are you adopting and are readily available at a competitive price and each one is delicious. The need to make this bun at home is unnecessary. BUT, curiosity enticed me to  venture on making siopoa using all purpose flour or plain flour. So with  a little of this and that, recreated a recipe that is easy and hoping will give the same result across market zones😉

BOLA-BOLA SIOPAO
Yields about 860g raw dough

Makes 17 buns at 50g each

Dough

3 cups plain flour (unbleached)/ all purpose flour

1/3 caster cup sugar

1/2 tablespoon instant yeast

1/2 tablespoon baking powder 

1 ¼  c fresh milk

½ tsp lemon (optional)

  3 tablespoon shortening 

Place flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, milk and lemon in the stand mixer.

Mix to form a rough dough. When done, add the shortening and knead for at least 15 minutes to a smooth, shiny dough.

Rest the dough for at least 30 minutes or until the dough doubled.

While waiting, prepare the filling.

When dough is ready, divide dough into 17 small balls.

Filling

250 grams ground pork - drain if needed

1 head garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

Spring onion, chopped

1 Large egg (about 640g)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoon oyster sauce

3 tablespoon flour

Black pepper

Additional Filling-- optional

Boiled eggs, quartered

 1 link of Chorizo Bilbao (Chinese sausage) sliced into 18 pcs

Place all filling ingredients in a bowl and mix. 

Cover with cling wrap and ready to use.

Assemble.

Take one ball, using a small rolling pin, roll into a smooth ball.

Thickly flatten and scoop about half tablespoon of filling and place it in the center of the dough. Add sliced egg and sausage.

Bring the sides of the dough to wrap, twist to seal.

Place pau on a parchment paper either seal side up or side down.

Rest for about 10 minutes before steaming.

Steaming-using an electric steamer alternating one layer at a time.

Place water in the steamer ( optional: I added 1 tsp of white rice vinegar in the water)

When water is steaming high, place the pau then cover with cheese cloth then place the steamer cover.  Steam for 15 minutes to cook the filling properly and the dough.

When done, remove the steamer from the steaming base, set aside with the cloth cover on and let it rest to settle for a few minutes and serve warm. Leftover can be placed in the freezer and re-steam frozen pau: from fridge steam directly without thawing for 15 mins.

The result is a soft, chewy Siopao with an off white coloured bun.

NOTES:

Bun must be at least 50g each.
Mould bun into a smooth ball.
White vinegar is not necessary in the steaming water.

Filling must not be saucy.

Steam at 15 minutes.

BEEF JAPCHAE

I Love Noodle! Who doesn't? 

Noodle is next to our staple food rice. Previously, excess carbo is a non-issue nutritional value, in fact noodle is paired with rice! But this team was broken up recently when people become not just sugar conscious but carbo panic too. This led to a choice of either, or... you take rice or noodle but not both of them. Oh well, sometimes  i tend to live in that past where i still love the good old "pancit canton" with a bowl of rice. 😉

Various culture have different variations of the same dish we used to cook in our very own kitchens and "stir-fry noodle" is one of these dishes. Recently  my niece sent me a photo of a stir-fry noodle, and i drooled😆. It turned out, this was made of sweet potato. A kind of noodle that raised my eyebrows. It's unusual ingredient for a noodle until i saw cassava noodle and how it was made. Shocking it may seem, but i just found out that the "usual" glass noodle which i always buy is made from peas or mung bean. Interesting!

Inspired by my niece photo, I decided to try Japchae, a popular Korean sweet and savoury stir fried noodle with meat and vegetables. Not just any other noodle but sweet potato glass noodle. Here it is, sharing my piece.

BEEF JAPCHAE

Ingredients: 

250 g sweet potato noodle, soaked in water to soften
(or soften in boiling water for 5 mins)

Taiwanese Cabbage or spinach

Poivron (Bellpepper)

Carrots

Chicharo (Snow peas)

Mushroom (Shitake or Swiss Brown)

1 head garlic

1 medium onion

EVOO

2 c Water

2 tbsp Oyster Sauce

2 tbsp LKK Soya Sauce

¼ c Bulgogi marinade

Black bell pepper.

Add oyster and soya sauces according to preference. 

Garnishing:

Egg Omelette, julliene

Sesame seeds

Spring onion

Marinade:

About 400 g tender chuck

3 tbsp Bulgogi Barbecue marinate

>>> mix to marinate about 30 minutes. When ready, dust beef with cornstarch and pan fry in batches, then set aside.

Method:

Sauté garlic and onion.

Add pan fried beef then pour water, oyster sauce, bulgogi and soya sauce and bring to a boil.

Add noodles and simmer until noodle is soft. (You can add water if needed)

When noodle is soft, adjust taste to preference.

Then add peas, mushroom, carrots and bell pepper.

Add cabbage. When vegetables are cooked , remove from heat and transfer japchae to a serving plate.

Garnish with spring onion, egg and sesame seeds.

Serve and enjoy!

BAKED CHAR SIEW PAU

After the steam BBQ pau, I suddenly thought of making a bake version. I love baked pau and since barbecue pork is conveniently available near our place and i have enough time to make it i decided to pass by the stall and grabbed about a quarter kilo of char siew.

If Steam Char Siew Paus MUST have a burst, cracked top, the Baked Char Siew Pau's signature is a crusty, flaky bun instead of soft bread-like pau. The procedure may seem overwhelming but actually it's just easy and even fun to make. 

Here's how 😉

BAKED CHAR SIEW PAU

Makes 9 pau at about 32g each

Ingredients:

Water Dough – makes about 206g raw dough

Divide about 22g each

3/8 c all purpose flour

¼ c bread flour

3 tbsp oil

1 ½ tbsp caster sugar

½ tsp light syrup

3 tbsp water

Using a stand mixer, mix ingredients for about 10 mins to form a smooth dough, I know this is just a little dough but it’s worth placing in the stand mixer, after mixing, use a spatula to round it into ball and let it sit in the bowl to rest for 15 minutes.  When done, divide into 9.

Oil Dough -makes about 93g raw dough

Divide about 10g each

3/8 c all purpose flour

2 ¾ tbsp oil

Using spatula, mix ingredients in a bowl to form a smooth dough, rest for 15 minutes.  When done, divide into 9.

I made small little balls ready on the side for easy grabbing and some flour to dust in case needed.

Brushing/Garnishing

Eggyolk lightly beaten 

Sesame seeds

Filling (recipe)

Pork BBQ filling or any of your preferred meat

Assembling:

1. Grab one ball of water dough flatten it. Get one ball of oil dough and place it at the center of water dough and wrap.

2.  Using a rolling pin (small one) flatten the dough away from you, it will look like a flat log dough. Roll like a swiss roll. -- flat and roll lengthwise/ vertical---

3. Without moving the rolled dough flatten again sideways. Then roll like a swiss roll. --- flat and roll crosswise/ vertical---

4. Take the roll, and form a ball, then lay on the counter and flatten to form a circle about  4cm in diameter.

5. Place filling (about ½ tbsp) at the center.

6. Bring the sides together. Pinch and twist to seal.

7. Place in a baking tray lined with parchment.

8. Brush pau's with beaten eggyolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. (no need to rest, just bake when your're done preparing the pau).

9. Bake at 190°C for 25 minutes until golden brown.

I accidentally add water in my yolk which i shouldn't so the color is lighter. Pure eggyolk wash will give you a deeper  yellow color, so use just eggyolks.

That's the crusty, flaky skin i want!

CHAR SIEW PAU

Char siew pau or Cha siu bao 叉烧包 is a Cantonese style bun filled with pork barbecue.  A dim sum which gained popularity not just among Asian communities but to the rest of the people globally. As they say: "East meets West!"😊

A distinctive mark of Char siew pau is a burst on top of the bun. The top cracks open as it is steamed, partially revealing the goodness of the filling.😋

Making pau at home is a matter of pride😉, as dim sums and dumplings are just around the corner, even supermarkets are selling these gems and they come affordable and delicious too!

Today's version is one of our favourite dim sum -- steamed Char siew bun, using a stall bought barbecue pork. As two meat roast stalls emerged just across our place and I decided to try it in our bun and we discovered it is just right for this pau.👍

CHAR SIEW PAU (CHA SIU BAO)
Yields about 655g raw dough

If 40g each you’ll have about 16 pau

If 30g each you’ll have about 21 pau 

PAU Dough:

2 c hongkong flour

3/4 c wheat starch

3/4 c powdered sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp instant yeast

2/3 c water

½ tsp lemon

2 tbsp oil (I used Extra Light Olive Oil)

In a mixing bowl, place flour, starch, sugar, instant yeast, water and lemon.

Mix together to form rough dough. When done, add Oil and continue kneading for about 15 minutes to form a smooth dough.  

Proof for an hour. Then prepare the filling.

Filling:

1 tbsp oil for sautéing

250g cooked char siu

1 head garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tbsp LKK superior light sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

3 drops of red  gel color

Salt and pepper if needed

1 ½ tbsp cornstarch

½ c water

Spring onions to be added when the filling is cooled and before filling it to the dough.

Mix soya sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar and red color in a bowl. Set aside.

Pour oil in a pan.

Sauté garlic and onion.

Add mix sauces. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Dissolve cornstarch in water and pour into the filling.

Simmer to thicken the sauce.

When done,  remove from heat and let it cool.

When cooled, add spring onion and mix ready to use.

Assembling:

Divide the dough at 30g each.Prepare hk flour on the side to dust for easy rolling and wrapping.

Get one portion, flatten with rolling pin and place about half tablespoon of filling at the center.

Bring the sides together, wrap, fold the dough up and twist.

Place in a square parchment paper (2”x3”)

Arrange the bun in a steamer, about 6 pcs in one container.

Steam immediately when done, no need to rest the pau.

Steaming:

Using an electric steamer, steaming one layer at a time with {cheese} cloth cover.

Add water in the steamer and 1 tsp of white vinegar.

Bring to a high steam, then

Place pau in a steaming water {Do not open the steamer while it is steaming}

Steam for 8 minutes.

When done, remove from the steamer and set aside to cool with the cloth cover on. Or serve steaming hot!

Note: When cooled this can be placed in a ziplock and freeze.  Steam when needed.

BRAISED PORK with RADISH

I have extra pork belly and a piece of radish in the fridge. Time to cook this duo as weekend is almost near and its time to replenish the meat and vegetables for the coming week's stash. 

Radishes (Daikon or white radish) are sometimes less appealing vege in the shelves, in particular, among young chefs, but chinese cuisine uses radish in majority of their cooking especially braised dishes.  Radish is a digestive tract helper as it is rich in fiber, an important nutrient for digestion. And, from a Chinese Medicine perspective, it is believed to provide cooling effect in the body, enough reason to gain popularity among cooks and chefs.

Tonight's special is--

BRAISED PORK with RADISH (Daikon)

Ingredients:

500 g pork belly, cubed

1 pc medium size white radish, cubed

¼ c LKK Superior Light Soy Sauce + 2 tbsp soy sauce

¼ c Oyster Sauce

3 pcs anise

5 pcs cloves

1 head garlic, minced

1 large onions, chopped

Back pepper

5 c water

EVOO

Pour EVOO in a pan and add pork to brown.

Add garlic and onion, stir.

Add black pepper and 2 tbsp soy sauce.

Add water, anise and  cloves.

Bring to boil until meat is tender.

Add raddish to soften.

Reduce sauce and check taste according to preference.

When done remove from heat and scoop into a serving plate.

Garnish with spring onions.

Serve with steamed rice.

SALMON ADOBO

Filipino Adobo is one of the classic dishes of meat or vegetable  and cooked primarily in soya sauce and vinegar, usually serve over steamed rice. Anyone is familiar with the dish not just for get-together but for pot luck meals as well. A trip by the beach is never complete without adobo and rice!

Today, i am trying another variant of adobo this time using fish. It's a hit so I am sharing this healthy delicious viand.


SALMON ADOBO

Ingredients:

1/4 kl Salmon Slab/ fillet- clean and debone with skin on, sliced into big chunks

3 tbsp EVOO or canola oil

1 head garlic minced

1 large onion, chopped

3 tbsp c LKK Superior Light Soya Sauce (+/-)

2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar or  Apple Cider 

Vinegar (+/-)

Black pepper

Peppercorn

2 bay leaves

Pour oil in a small pot.

Sauté garlic and onion.

Add soya sauce and vinegar, stir to combine.

Add Salmon Chunks, pepper, peppercorn and bay leaves.  Cover the pot and simmer to slightly reduce the sauce. 

Mix to cover salmon with sauce. 

Serve with steamed rice.

MUSHROOM MEE SUA

I haven't been to Japan, but I've seen Taiwan and bedazzled by the beauty of Taipei, probably because of comparison from where I came from.

I'm amazed how Taiwan particularly in Taipei managed to present their highest standard of food packaging. It was the first time I ate McDonald Fried Chicken in a sealed parchment paper, as I tear it open,  it is smoking hot! , literally smoking. The milk tea i loved from 7-Eleven comes in a small carton with paper straw attached to it. The delicious pineapple cakes individually wrapped and packed elegantly in boxes which I have mistaken as a jewelry box, same with their variety of chocolates.

Every time, always, when i enter the mall or a shop, the call of Huānyíng! Huānyíng! 欢迎  is in the air followed by a smiling face in front of you. So in my entire stay, it was never a window shopping but a shopping impulse caused by Huānyíng! 😆

Food? This, i never did miss! I had their famous Ting Kua Kua (TKK) Fried Chicken  just outside SOGO Mall, lucky,  I befriended the cook and gave me extra pieces whenever i grab a pack. Off we went to Shi Lin, the famous and the largest night market in Taipei District where dozens and dozens of street food lined up for a grab. Snack bites like grilled squid, huge fried crispy chicken, the smell of stinky tofu and sausages on the bones are amongst which caught my palate. It's weird taste--more of an authentic Chinese spices in it which i was so ignorant at that time. BUT, they are actually, interestingly aromatic and distinctively flavourful, delicious! An amazing signature taste of Taipei one wouldn't miss.

Another street food to hail while in Taipei is the famous OYSTER MEE SUA. Whenever i had this, i set aside the oysters {sorry not a fan of oysters}. Little did i know one can order mee sua without oysters , ha! ha! ha! 

Today, I'll venture on taiwan mee sua, but with chicken and mushrooms, instead, and I must admit, without the mushrooms, the texture and the taste is almost Shi Lin!!!

CHICKEN MUSHROOM MEE SUA

Shi Lin Market Inspired, Taiwan street food

¼ part chicken breast, boiled, shredded and set aside including the boiled water

2 tbsp EVOO   

1 head garlic

I medium onions

1 punnet mushroom

10 c water

1 ½ knorr chicken cube (or you can use chicken broth)

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tsbp LKK Superior Light Soy Sauce

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp black vinegar

About 200g mee sua (flour vermicelli noodles)

Spring onions

Coriander (optional)

1 tbsp cornstarch mix with 1 tbsp water to thicken the sauce

Black Vinegar to drizzle before eating

Boil Chicken breast. Save the broth and shred the chicken, set aside.

Pour EVOO in a pot.

Sauté garlic  and onion , then add mushrooms.

Remove from the pot then place it in a blender and blend. Then return back to the pot.

Add the saved broth from chicken and add additional to make 10 c of water.

Drop knorr cubes and mix.

Mix sauces in a bowl and add in the broth.

Boil then add mee sua.

Simmer til noodle is cooked.

Add dissolved cornstarch and mix.

Serve hot with shredded chicken, chopped spring onions and coriander and drizzle some black vinegar.

PUTONG BIGAS (PUTONG PUTI)

Traditional steamed rice cake or Putong Bigas (Putong Puti) is a steamed delicacy made of rice soaked overnight for fermentation before grinding and steaming.

I grew up with this traditional steamed cake made of rice on a banana leaf bought from a wet market in the early morning of weekends. This is  one of my favourite times with Mamang going for an early marketing (dawn to be exact) to grab some freshly cooked kakanin of bibingka, puto, suman, kutchinta and cassava cakes. All comes in small slices displayed in Bilao. We never leave the market without passing by our "suki" of kakanins. And i always had an extra piece of puto just for myself courtesy of "Manang vendor", those hot steaming white bun and a smell of fresh steamed banana leaf, hhhmmm 😊. I always put a smile on Manang's face as I do my "puto sniffing" before taking a bite,   that's how i got my free piece! 😆

I cooked puto on several occasions and this is the first time I am adding this to my collection. This uses rice flour instead of going thru the soaking and grinding thingy of rice. Saves time.

PUTONG BIGAS

makes 18 pcs of 8cm moulder, using 1 layer of electric steamer

2 c rice flour

¼ tsp salt

1 ½ tbsp baking powder

¾ c caster sugar

1 c water

1 pack - 200 ml coconut cream
1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Banana leaves

Moulder

In a bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.

Add water, vanilla (if using) and coconut milk. Stir to combine.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day before you do the steaming, prepare the moulds.

Heat banana leaves over stove to soften it and easy to place inside the mould.

Using a ring or small platter, cut a round shape that fits into your mould.

Then place banana inside the mould.

Take your batter and fill the mould about full.

Arrange molds in a steamer and steam puto for about 8 minutes.

Remove and ready to serve.