Pandesal is the most famous bread in the Philippines and is a staple food when it comes to eating breakfast. It is a soft and airy bun covered in crumb sprinkles, and has a slightly sweet and salty flavour. It is famous because it is very cheap and easy to make, yet very filling and can be partnered with anything. Here is a simple and easy recipe that can help you make this all-time filipino favourite.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 5 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/4 cup fresh milk (lukewarm)
• 1 pouch rapid rise yeast
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. cooking oil

HOW TO COOK:

1. Combine the yeast, sugar, and milk and stir until the yeast and sugar are fully dissolved. I’ve chosen milk instead of water because it just tastes better, but you can always use lukewarm water instead of the milk.
2. In the mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, andbaking powder then mix well.
3. Add the egg, butter, cooking oil, and yeast-sugar-milk mixture in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients then mix again until dough is formed. You can use your hands to effectively mix the ingredients.
4. In a flat surface, knead the dough until the texture becomes fine.
5. Mould the dough and put back in the mixing bowl, cover with damp cloth and let the dough rise for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour.
6. After the dough has risen, transfer to a lightly floured working surface. Roll into a log then cut into four to six equal pieces. Take another portion of the dough, roll again into a log and cut into equal pieces, repeat this step until all the dough is done.
7. Roll each piece of dough in breadcrumbs then arrange on a baking tray for at least an inch apart, you don’t want it sticking together when it rises later on.
8. Leave the dough in the tray to rise again for 15-20 minutes.
9. Pre heat the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degree Celsius) for 10 minutes. If using a fan assisted oven, reduced the heat according to instructor’s manual.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned outside.

SOURCE: filipinofoodonline.co.uk
IMAGE: rheemzdelights.com

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INGREDIENTS:

For the Flan:

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk (370g)
• 2 tsps. of lemon or calamansi juice

For the Puto:

• 2 cups of All-purpose flour
• 4 tsps. Baking powder
• 2/3 cup of white granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 4 eggwhites
• 1 1/4 cup of water
• a few drops of yellow food coloring (optional)

HOW TO COOK:

1. Create your flan first by mixing the egg yolks and condensed milk, then add the lemon/calamansi juice (if you are using an extract, reduce the measurement to 1 tsp)
2. Heat water in you steamer, and then bring to a boil. Grease your puto moulds lightly, and fill them with your flan mixture about 1/3 full. You can use sauce dispensers made of plastic to make it easier to distribute your mixture.
3. Steam your flan make sure to wrap your steamer cover with a towel, I kept mine on medium heat and steamed the flan for a good 20 minutes, make sure to check your flan once in a while and see if the flan is almost cooked and no longer in its liquid form, that means it’s ready. Set aside.
4. Create your puto mixture. Sift your dry ingredients together. add your wet ingredients and mix, but do not OVERMIX. If you have another plastic dispenser, transfer your mixture.
5. Add your puto mixture over your flan mixture and steam again for around 15 minutes. Or until it has risen and shows a shiny dome.
6. Allow them to cool down before your remove them from the moulds to make sure that the flan and the puto stick together. Use a knife to loosen the puto from the mould and tap slightly to release.

SOURCE: mamaneesnest.com
IMAGE: philippinereporter.com

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Egg pie is one of the common snacks or merienda here in the Philippines. It can be found being sold in almost every bakery or pasalubong shops. It is also being sold in some buses. It is famous because the ingredients are cheap and it is easy to make, yet it is also very delicious. Try making one today with this easy recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

For The Crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes and softened
• ¼ cup cold water

For The Filling:

• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 4 large eggs and another 1 large egg with white and yolk separated
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp fresh kalamansi or lemon juice
• 1 can condensed milk (14oz)

HOW TO COOK:

For The Crust:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Mix well. Add butter and mix thoroughly with other ingredients using a pastry mixer.
2. Gradually add the cold water to the mixture. Continue mixing until all the ingredients are well combined.
3. Gather and shape the dough into a large ball. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
4. On a clean flat surface sprinkled with flour, flatten the dough using a rolling pin into about ½ centimeter thick and wide enough to cover a 9″ pie pan/dish (I broke my pie dish so I just use a regular round baking pan).
5. Arrange and press the flattened dough on the baking pan or pie dish. Use kitchen shears to trim the dough to about a half-inch overhang. Save the scraps. You can use those to bulk up thin areas of the crust when you’re fluting the edges.
6. Crimp the edges either with a fork or by pinching around the edge with your fingers. I did the latter. Keep the dough in the refrigerator while making the filling.

For The Filling:

1. Heat the evaporated milk in the microwave oven for 1 minute.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine and whisk the 4 eggs and the separated egg yolk. Gradually add the condensed while whisking. Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice, and  continue whisking until all ingredients are well combined.
3. Add the evaporated milk and mix well with other ingredients.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg white until it forms soft peaks.
5. Fold the beaten egg white into the mixture. (The beaten egg white will give the top of the egg pie a brown color after baking.)

Baking The Pie:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour the filling on the refrigerated pie crust.
2. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F then lower the heat to 325 degrees F and continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the filling comes out clean.
3. Remove the egg pie from oven and allow to cool down. Serve with your favorite drink either for dessert or snack.

SOURCE: pinaycookingcorner.com

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INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs. pork belly
• 2 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp whole pepper corn
• 5 pcs. dried bay leaves
• 3 cups cooking Oil
• 34 ounces Water

HOW TO COOK:

1. Place the water on a big cooking pot and bring to a boil
2. Put-in the pork belly then add 1 tbsp of salt, pepper, and bay leaves and simmer for 30 minutes or until meat is tender
3. Remove the meat from the pot and let it cool down for a few minutes
4. Spread 1 tbsp of salt on the meat, make sure to distribute it evenly on all sections
5. We now need to deep fry the meat. On a dry cooking pot place the cooking oil and heat it up
6. When the oil is hot enough, put the meat in the cooking pot and let it cook until the immersed side is brown and the meat’s texture is crispy
7. Flip the meat to cook the opposite side
8. Remove the meat from the pan, let it cool down a little then slice according to desired portions
9. Serve hot. Share and Enjoy!

IMAGE: seriouseats.com

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Roasted pork or Lechon is a very famous pork dish araound the world, especially in the Philippines. It is a pig flavored with herbs and spices then roasted whole. It is usually served in big occasions and is loved by most filipinos. The only downside to this dish is that it is quite expensive and hard to prepare. What we have here is a simpler version of roast pork using only the pork belly part. It is cheaper and easier to prepare and cook, yet is still very delicious and can be served to smaller groups of people. Try cooking one now!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 kg pork belly slab, skin on
• 3 whole garlic bulbs, peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ cup oregano leaves, washed then chopped
• 3 red onions, peeled and chopped around 4 – 5 lemongrass stalks, sliced the zest from 1 lemon
• juice from 1 lemon
• a little over 1/8 cup salt, plus more for an even rub around the pork
• 4 tablespoons crushed black pepper

HOW TO COOK:

1. Combine all the aromatics in a bowl and mix well.
2. Lightly mash everything together with the back of a spoon.
3. Alternatively, use a food processor to bring everything together with only around 2-3 pulses.With the skin side down, rub the mixture all over the meat.
4. Roll the slab, carefully invert the meat and secure it with butcher’s twine.
5. It’s okay if there are a few pieces of herbs that fall off, you can place it back later.
6. Rub coarse salt all over the meat, including the skin.
7. With a paring knife or fork, poke the skin of the meat. This will ensure a nice crackling.
8. Transfer it to a roasting fitted with a rack and the bottom lined with foil.
9. Place it in the refrigerator to chill overnight. This will dry the skin, which helps the crackling form.
10. Preheat the oven to 160 C. Just to be sure, pat the skin of the pork dry with a paper towel. Roast the pork for 5 hours.
11. Afterwards, increase the temperature to 220 C, and allow the pork’s crackling to form. This will take another 30 minutes to an hour.
12. When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit before slicing. Enjoy!

SOURCE: thehungrygiant.wordpress.com

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