October 1, 2021

Inihaw Na Liempo

Posted by HI Cookery under 10 October | Tags: , , , , |
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Inihaw Na Liempo

(Filipino Grilled Pork Belly)

October: National Pork Month

A Filipino fiesta is incomplete without pork: lechon, pata, adobo, sinigang and inihaw! So October is an even more popular month for Filipinos as it is National Pork Month. Whenever we go over to Islander’s relatives’ homes, there is always a Pinoy pork dish of some sort. If there is a family gathering outdoors, and there is grilling going on, then everyone gets to feast on meat sticks and pork belly (this makes sense as both recipes use similar ingredients of mafran/banana sauce and calamansi juice for the marinade). One of Islander’s favorites is inihaw na liempo. The marbled meat looks charred but is still moist and tasty. Grilled pork belly is simply served with hot steamed rice and a vinegary dipping sauce to sop up the flavorful fat. Because it is so rich, inihaw is a rare indulgence now for us. But when we eat it, it is a special treat at those family gatherings and during National Pork Month.

Recipe

(Adapted from Ang Sarap!)

Ingredients

  • 2-2 ½ pounds pork belly
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup calamansi juice (or lemon juice)
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ cup banana sauce/ketchup (or tomato ketchup)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

Directions

In a medium bowl, make the marinade by combining the soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, garlic and brown sugar.

Season with black pepper. Place pork belly in a zipper top plastic bag and pour the marinade in the bag. Seal well and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the pork belly to a plate and pour the marinade in a saucepan. Bring to a boil for a minute to kill off any pork bacteria. Let cool in another bowl and mix in banana sauce and oil.

Preheat the outdoor grill. Cook the pork belly for about 10 minutes on one side, basting with marinade frequently. Turn over on the other side and continue to baste until cooked through (do not overcook or the pork will be tough). Put pork belly on a plate or pan and let rest for about five minutes. Slice into bite-sized pieces. Serve with vinegar dipping sauce.

Bonus Recipe:

Sawsawan (Vinegar Dipping Sauce)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup vinegar (we use a combination of ¾ cup cane sugar vinegar and ¼ cup mirin/sweet rice vinegar)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar (may omit if using sweet rice vinegar)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup red onion, diced
  • Ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 dried chili peppers or ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes

Directions

In a mixing bowl, stir together the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, onions and peppers. Store remaining sauce in a jar, refilling with a little vinegar if needed. Refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Notes

  • If mafran/banana sauce/banana ketchup is unavailable, substitute with tomato ketchup. If calamansi juice is unavailable, substitute with lemon juice.
  • Search our blog for more Filipino and pork recipes.

 

September 2, 2021

Cocada Amarela

Posted by HI Cookery under 09 September | Tags: , , |
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Cocada Amarela

(Angola Coconut Dessert)

September 2: World Coconut Day

We go nuts for coconuts, especially since Islander grew up eating a lot of it in Hawaii. The tropical fruit is grown in warm climates around the world and it has made its way into African recipes as well, such as cocada amarela. This shredded coconut dessert from Angola was influenced by the cuisine of Portugal. Cocada amarela blends the best of both countries, making this a sweet treat and global goody on World Coconut Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from Whats4Eats)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 cups coconut, unsweetened, grated
  • 6 egg yolks, beaten
  • Salt, pinch
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

In a large pot, boil together the water, sugar and cloves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until it becomes like a syrup (or the temperature reaches 230 degrees F on a candy thermometer).

Remove from heat and discard the cloves. Reduce to low heat. Stir in the coconut, being careful not to burn the bottom of the pan. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with a pinch of salt.

Add a spoonful of the hot coconut mixture into the egg yolk to temper it. Gradually add the rest of the beaten egg yolks and coat it until the dessert turns yellow.

Return everything to the pot and cook over very low heat for another five minutes, stirring constantly so the yolks do not curdle. Scoop into dessert plates and sprinkle with ground cinnamon (optional).

Notes

  • Search our blog for other recipes containing coconut.
 

July 22, 2021

Mango Bread

Posted by HI Cookery under 07 July | Tags: , , |
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Mango Bread

July 22: National Mango Day

Our elderly neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. O, who live across the cul-de-sac of Islander’s childhood home, have renamed their mango tree as “Mr. B’s mango tree” after Islander’s Daddy. He is welcome to pick all their mangos anytime. After he does that, he leaves a few on their picnic table so they can enjoy the fruits of his labor, too (and eat what their tree produced in their own back yard). He drops off the rest to other neighbors in the cul-de-sac and everyone appreciates the thoughtfulness.

One summer, there was just an overabundance of mangos and we could not eat them fast enough. So Islander decided to make mango bread with the overripe mangos and share with the neighbors, too. Mango bread is the first fruit bread she ever made as a teenager for her ‘ohana (family). Now, instead of mangos (since good ones are harder to find on the mainland), she is sharing the recipe for mango bread with the whole world (wide web).

Make mango bread for National Mango Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from “Flavors of Paradise Cookbook” by Pearl City Community Church)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups ripe sweet mangos, finely chopped
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

Chop the mangos finely and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar.

Mix in the oil, eggs and vanilla and stir until moistened.

Fold in the mango bits and their juices until well combined. Stir in the macadamia nuts. Place batter in a well-greased large loaf pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick.

Remove from the oven and cool slightly in the pan. Take out the mango bread from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve. Store any leftovers in a sealed container.

Notes

  • Optional: Add ½ cup of raisins and ½ cup of coconut flakes in the batter before baking.

  • June is also National Mango Month.

  • Search our blog for more mango recipes.

 

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