FRIED PORKBELLY (PRITONG LIEMPO)

This is a continuation to the previous blog i posted (Fish and Shrimp Sinigang). Fried porkbelly was the side dish for the sinigang so i figured, i should blog the porkbelly too!

As i mentioned my sister from TN gave me a year supply of the porkbelly =;). They buy their pork meat at an abattoir near their cabin. I should blog that site as well, i'm sure all my foodie friends will be jealous ha!

This dish again is so Filipino, but this time not from the Visayas (Cebu) region. I have blogged the Cebuano style before check them at my archives under Filipino dishes or Pork..(Pritong Liempo- Cebuano Style) .http://bisayajudkaayo.blogspot.com/2008/12/pritong-liempo-adobo-cebuano-style.html

This time this is more of the Luzon(Laguna) region style of cooking.

So simple measurements aren't necessary. All you need aside from the porkbelly are the following:
Flour or combination of cornstarch and flour
water
S&P
Oil for frying

PorkBelly sliced thin. You can either cook them as is or cut them 1" size.

Season the pork belly w/ S&P. Set them aside
Make your batter. You can definitely make your own batter by adding your choice of herbs or spices.
Fry them.

Fried Porkbelly cooked in strips. Served w/ soy sauce and vinegar dip

Fried Porkbelly cut in 1" size

OH SO CRISPY AND DELICIOUS!!!!!

SINIGANG NA ISDA AT HIPON (FISH AND SHRIMP SINIGANG)

Sinigang is a Filipino dish that means sour broth which could be prepared with seafoods or meat as one of the main ingredient. There are a variety of vegetables that could be used for this dish. It usually calls for leafy vegetables, sili (chili), eggplant, tomatoes, okra, taro or daikon and long beans.

The sour broth comes from a variety of sour fruits. Coming from the Visayas region, my mom used only two kinds of souring agent, green tamarind (sambag/sampalok) or iba/ kamias (sour and citrusy fruit). I prefer tamarind, i remember, she boils water and tamarind pods until pods are tender. Then removes tamarind, mash them and strain back into the boiling water. I'm so glad and thankful for the powdered mixes, i can easily have my fix for my sinigang cravings. Aside from the fact that fresh green tamarind is not available here.

Okay, enough of the FYI..let's go to the ingredients. This is one of those dishes that i "eyeball" the measurements but i'll try my best to give you some amounts but plssss...as i always say in my recipes...tastes as you go!

1 lb of salmon belly (Thanks to my sis from San Jose, CA..you can use anykind of fish)
1/2 lb fresh shrimps
Mustard greens
2 medium tomatoes
2 Asian eggplants (Italian eggplants is too tough for this dish)
6 to 8 okra
3 taro (optional)
long beans or green beans
sili (long hot peppers)
stalks of scallions
1 packet of sinigang mix
salt to taste
water (read the instructions on the sinigang mix packet)

1. Wash the fish, shrimps and vegetables thoroughly.
2. Cut vegetables into bite sizes.
3. Bring to a boil 4-5 cups of water, add in taro and the rest of the vegetables that needs to be cooked longer like eggplants.
4. Add the fish and shrimps, simmer for 8-10 minutes, then add the remaining vegetables.
5. Mix in the sinigang mix and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning or the sourness.

Serve hot with steamed rice
My Mom also serves this w/ a side dish. She usually serves this w/ fried fish. I served mine w/ slices of fried pork belly.

Taro (bisul)

Asian Eggplants, Taro, Mustard Greens, Scallions, Long Hot Peppers, Okra. Not in picture- tomatoes

SALMON BELLY (THANKS TO MY SISTER FROM SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA, SHE BROUGHT ME ENOUGH OF THESE TO LAST FOR A YEAR...YUM!!!!)

SALMON BELLY AND SHRIMPS

LIGHTING WASN'T GOOD=;(

FRIED PORK BELLY AS SIDE DISH (THANKS TO MY SIS FROM TN..SHE SENT ME A YEAR OF SUPPLY OF "PORKBELLY / LEAN O' MEAT) WE CALL THEM LIEMPO

Gen Tso's Chicken ( A Chinese Dish Made In the USA for a change)

For a change, there is something Chinese that's made in the US not the other way around. You don't believe me, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Tso's_chicken.


Ingredients:
Sauce:

1/2 C cornstarch
1/4 C water
1 1/2 t minced garlic
1 1/2 t minced fresh ginger root
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C soy sauce
1/4 C white vinegar
1/4 C dry sherry/ Chinese wine (no cooking wine pls.)
1 1/2 C hot chicken broth

Meat:
3 lbs. deboned dark chicken meat, cut in cubes
1/4 C soy sauce
1 t white pepper
1 egg
1 C cornstarch
Vegetable oil for deep frying
1/2 t chili flakes (Optional)
1/4 C of chopped chives or green onions for garnish

Vegetables:
Any fresh vegetables you like. I have used bell pepperes, broccoli, peas and onions w/ mine.


1. Mix 1/2 C cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Add garlic, ginger, sugar, 1/2 C soy sauce, vinegar, wine, chicken broth. Stir until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

2. Mix chicken, 1/4 C soy sauce, pepper, stir in egg. Add 1 C cornstrach and mix until chicken are coated evenly. Add 1/2 C of oil to help separate pieces. Deep fry at 350 degrees F until crispy. Drain and set aside.

3. Place a tsp of oil in wok and heat until hot. Add onions and peppers and stir fry briefly. Stir sauce and add into the wok. Place chicken in sauce and cook until sauce thickens. Garnish with chives or green onions.

***** I prefer my sauce poured to the chicken in lieu of mixing it all together.
***** You can use anykind of veggies you like.

SERVE HOT WITH WHITE STEAMED RICE.

Fried chicken thighs.

You can either coat the chicken w/ the sauce or pour the sauce over the chicken

Serve with hot steamed rice

HHHMMMM!!! LAMI NI KAAYO!!!

POTSTICKERS (JAPANESE GYOZA/CHINESE DUMPLINGS)

Y: 1 pack of wonton wrapper about 50 pcs.

4 C Napa cabbage (shredded thin)
1 1/2 t salt
1 lb porkloin (minced) ground pork will be a good substitute
1/2 lb fresh shrimps (cleaned and minced)
2 to 3 stalks of green scallions (minced)
1/4 t white pepper
2 1/2 T soy sauce
1 T Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 T freshly grated ginger
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 package of wonton wrappers
Oil and water for cooking

Dipping Sauce:
1/2 C soy sauce
2 T rice wine vinegar
Dash of sesame oil
Chili oil to taste
Scallions minced to garnish

Procedure:
For the Dipping Sauce - Combine all ingredients in bowl. Set aside , can also be refrigerated for a week.

For the PotStickers:
1. Toss cabbage and salt. Squeeze out the liquid from the cabbage.

2. Combine the cabbage and all the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

3. Fry a teaspoon of the filling to check and adjust the seasoning.

4. Refrigerate until cold about 30 minutes, It's easier to wrap the filling when cold.

5. Place a small spoonful of filling in the center of the wonton wrapper. Use Enough of the mixture to fill out the wrapper completely without overstuffing it. Make sure to keep the edges clean giving you room to enclose the filling w/ the wrapper. Moisten the edges fo the wonton wrapper w/ water.

6. Fold the bottom half of the wrapper to meet the top half that you moistened in the previous step and seal. At this point you will have the option to make a pleated or simple potstickers.

7. Grease bottome of a nonstick pan with oil. Add the potstickers by batches to the hot pan, laying them flat and being sure not to crowd the pan. Place pan over medium high heat and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving. You want the sides to become golden brown.

8. At this point pour about 3 T of water and cover the pan for another 10 minutes. This is to steam the potstickers.

9. Serve with the dipping sauce. These are delicious served hot.

***If you want your potstickers crispy reverse the process when cooking. Steam them first w/ water. When water evaporates, add little oil to brown them.