Salmon and Shrimp Curry

Lent is over I know...but I decided to keep doing Meatless Fridays. “Meatless” for me means no beef, pork, poultry, and full-fat dairy products. Seafood is acceptable.  About 3 months ago, my family started going meatless two to three times a week. I can say that  this somehow helps Ryan and I not to gain more weight and in keeping our cholesterol low. I want to keep doing it for the health benefits that my family could get, and I want to devote a day on my blog for it. I know many bloggers are doing Meatless Mondays in support of the Meatless Monday Campaign...I guess it doesn't really matter what day you want to go meatless. No matter what day it is, it will still make a difference to you and the planet. :)

Today, I'm going to share with you my Salmon and Shrimp Curry. It's one dish that I cook often because Ryan and I love it so much. Curry is derived from the Tamil word kari, which means sauce. It has been a generic word used to describe a variety of spiced dishes. 

In the Philippines, a typical curry would usually be pork or chicken cooked with potatoes, bay leaf, and sometimes carrots to complement. I grew up with my mother always cooking chicken curry using curry powder. After Ryan's series of trips to Japan when he was still with NESIC Phils., I was introduced to Japanese curry, the curry sauce of which is most commonly made from instant curry roux which is available in block form and was first introduced by S&B Foods. He used to bring home boxes of S&B Foods' Golden Curry Sauce Mix from Japan, and he would cook curry rice or beef curry for me. Since then, Golden Curry Sauce Mix has been part of my pantry, and I've tried it with almost everything...from pork, chicken and beef to vegetables and seafood! But we love it best with salmon and shrimps! 

Here's the very simple recipe...which is oh SOOO YUMMY!

*I'm sharing this on Fat Camp Friday, Friday Potluck@EKat's Kitchen and  Feed Me Friday.

Prep Time: 15 mins               Cook Time: ~25 mins                Servings: 4-6                    

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. salmon fillet, cut into 1x2” rectangle pieces
• 12 pcs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium sized yellow onion, quartered
• 1 thumb-sized ginger, julienned
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into triangles ( I used ½ green and ½ orange bell pepper to add more color)
• 2 pcs. carrots cut into ½ “ thick
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 1 ½” long
• 2 cubes Golden Curry Sauce Mix
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 can coconut cream (14 oz.)
• 3 Tbsp light olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, fry salmon pieces in olive oil until light brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.

2. In the same skillet, sauté shrimps just until they turned pink. Remove from skillet and set aside.

3. Sauté garlic and ginger in the same skillet until light brown.

4. Add onion and curry cubes. Sauté until curry cubes are melted. Mix well.

5. Pour in fish sauce and coconut milk. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste. Lower heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes.

6. Add celery, bell peppers and carrots. Simmer for 5 minutes or until vegetables are almost cooked.

7. Add cooked salmon and shrimps. Gently cover with sauce. Cover and simmer for another 3 minutes.

8. Remove from heat. Serve with hot rice!

Pichi-Pichi

Pichi-pichi is a Filipino dessert made from grated cassava (kamoteng kahoy), sugar and water, and then coated with grated coconut for additional flavor. I don't know where the name came from, but it's one kakanin (Filipino native sweet delicacies) I love! It is very easy to make and is really so affordable that's why it is very popular among Filipinos especially those in Metro Manila and in the Tagalog Region.

The traditional pichi-pichi is flavored with pandan and is usually light yellow in color. Nowadays, other flavoring and colors of pichi-pichi are available. There are even versions with cheese toppings. But I want to stick to the original version. My mother cooked this so often. She used fresh cassava which she boils first before grating, and I remember her picking pandan leaves from our backyard to use as flavoring.

I don't have fresh cassava and pandan leaves here in Texas, so I have to content myself with store-bought frozen grated cassava and bottled pandan essence everytime I make pichi-pichi.  Though it tastes almost the same, I still prefer using fresh ingredients if possible. 

My pichi-pichi turned green this time though I didn't use any food color. It's just from the pandan essence I used. It is really good though...so soft and chewy!

Try it...it's such a good dessert, but can be served for mid-afternoon snack too!

* I'm sharing this on What's Cooking Wednesday,  What's on the Menu Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday,  Miz Helen's Country Cottage's Full Plate Thursday and It's a Keeper Thursday.

Prep Time: ~5 mins                      Cook Time: ~45 mins                      Yield: ~25 pcs.    

Ingredients:

• 2 cups grated cassava
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• 2 tsp pandan essense
• 1 cup grated coconut

Pasta With Chicken and Sun-dried Tomatoes in Alfredo Sauce

It has been a very busy weekend for me and my family...and I'm so happy to go back to my weekday blogging with this award I got from Wit, Wok and Wisdom. She gave my Siopao the MOST SAVORY BREAD AWARD after I joined her event, Let's Break Bread Together which is a link party where you can link up any veg or non-veg dish which has a hint of bread or bread-like thing in it. I linked up my pandesal and siopao for the said event...and my siopao was chosen for the Most Savory Bread Award. Thanks Wit, Wok and Wisdom! I'm truly so grateful!

Yesterday was my dear friend, Carmi Remmers, 30th birthday. I brought this pasta dish to her overnight birthday celebration at her mother-in-laws' lake house last Saturday. I call it Pasta With Chicken and Sun-dried Tomatoes in Alfredo Sauce. I started cooking this last year for our Memorial Day potluck...and it has been my family and friends' favorite since then. This creamy pasta recipe combines chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, whipping and table cream and parmesan cheese for a truly satisfying main dish. 

It is always a big hit at parties and it's so easy to make. Everyone is always asking me for the recipe...so here it is! Try it for yourself with the pasta of your choice! I'm sure you'll love it too! 

* I'm linking this up on  Melt in Your Mouth Monday , Mangia Mondays, Hearth and Soul Hop, Delectable Tuesday, Tuesdays At The Table, Made From Scratch Tuesday, Recipes I Can't Wait To Try, Let's Do Brunch and Foodie Friday.

Prep Time: ~25 mins               Cook Time: ~20 mins                Servings: 10-12              


Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. spaghetti or any long pasta of your choice
• 5 cups chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• 2 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 head garlic, minced
• 1 medium -sized yellow onion, minced
• 2 cups sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
• 2 cans Nestle table cream
• 1 quart heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp ground basil
• 2 Knorr chicken cubes
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp water
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• ground chives for topping

Kingfish and Tofu in Oyster Sauce on Good Friday

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life"

Today is Good Friday....a day of strict fasting and abstinence for Catholics. Those who are over the age of 18 and under the age of 60 are required to fast, which means that they can eat only one complete meal and two smaller ones during the day, with no food in between. Catholics who are over the age of 14 are required to refrain from eating any meat, or any food made with meat. May this Kingfish and Tofu in Oyster Sauce recipe I'm sharing today help my Catholic followers in the observance of Good Friday.

I wish you all a prayerful day! May we all have the blessed opportunity of meditating more deeply on the mystery of God’s great love for us...and may this change us from the inside out, so that God's love might burn brightly in our heart and in our soul! 

*I'm sharing this on Fat Camp Friday, Friday Potluck@EKat's Kitchen and  Feed Me Friday.

Prep Time: 20 mins               Cook Time: ~15 mins                Servings: 4                     

Ingredients:

• 4-5pcs. fish steak, sprinkled with salt and fried in 3 Tbsp olive oil until both sides are light brown ( I used Kingfish steak)
• 2 pcs. tofu, fried and cut into 1" cube
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 thumb-sized ginger, julienned
• 1 small sized yellow onion, sliced thinly
• 3 stalks green onions, chopped
• 4 Tbsp oyster sauce
• ¼ cup water
• Salt and pepper to taste

   

Inipit

Inipit which literally means "pressed" is a sandwich like pastry which originated in Malolos, Bulacan where I was born. Inipit which is basically two slices of sponge cake with custard filling is an established food product unique to Bulacan. It's called inipit because the custard filling is "pressed" or inipit by two slices of sponge cake. It was introduced to the public by the late Salome P. De Ramos of Malolos, Bulacan during the 1940’s. 

Even though I didn't grow up in Malolos, I've loved inipit since the first time I tried it when I was about 8 years old.  Since then, my vacation trips to Bulacan wouldn't be complete without buying several boxes of inipit at Eurobake or Barasoain Sweets. It was in 2007 when I last had some inipit. For some reasons, I haven't dared making it myself until yesterday. My mom had made it for me about 10 times when I was a little girl. I remember that because we didn't have an oven, she used to make the sponge cake in her wonder oven (wonder pot), which as I remember is really good and almost had the same texture as that of Eurobake's version. The only difference is the shape. Since you can only make round cakes with a wonder oven, my mom's version wasn't cut in rectangles...but the shape didn't bother me at all. It's the taste that counts anyway! :)

Today I'm sharing with you my mom's recipe which I altered a little. I was missing inipit so bad that I tried making it myself yesterday. It came out good and I know I'll be making it often from now on!

I'm linking it up with Ott, A's Iron Chef Challenge which has Clabber Girl Baking Powder as this month's themed ingredient. I joined last month with Seafood Linguine With Olive Oil and Tomatoes as my entry. I didn't win in the challenge...but I won in the raffle. I was supposed to get a Red Gold Cookbook which I was really so excited about. Unfortunately, it didn't reach me...it got lost in the mail. :( 

Oh well, I guess I just have to try my luck again this month! Inipit is really a Filipino pastry to love...so it's worth entering into the Iron Chef Challenge! Wish me luck everyone! :)

* I'm also sharing this on What's Cooking Wednesday,  What's on the Menu Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday,  Miz Helen's Country Cottage's Full Plate Thursday and It's a Keeper Thursday.

Prep Time: ~15 mins          Cook Time: ~25 mins          Yield: ~40 perfect rectangles    

Ingredients:

For sponge cake

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
•  6 eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 1 ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbsp milk ( I used fresh milk but I remember my mom using evaporated milk)
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• ¼ tsp salt

For filling

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup potato, mashed
• 1 tsp lemon rind
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup condensed milk 
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup butter

Procedure: 
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and line two rectangular pans (I used two 12×9” aluminum pans). Set aside.

2. To make sponge cake:

 2.1 Beat egg yolks until light. Add milk, salt and 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until thick.

 2.2 Sift flour and baking powder. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Set aside.

 2.3 Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a separate bowl until they form soft peaks. Add in remaining ½ cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff but not dry. Fold in the egg yolk mixture.

 2.4 Pour into the greased pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

 2.5 Let it cool completely.

3. Make the filling:

 3.1 In a saucepan over medium low heat, mix all the ingredients except the egg yolks. Keep on stirring for 5 minutes

 3.2 Add in the egg yolks and cook for 10 more minutes.

 

 3.3 Remove from heat and let cool. It will attain that spreadable texture after cooling.

4. Make the inipit:

 4.1 Run a dinner knife around the edge of each cake and turn over onto a sugar dusted wax or parchment paper.

 4.2 Spread the filling evenly on one of the cakes. 

 4.3 Slowly put the other cake on top of the filling. Gently press the 2 slabs together to form one large sandwich. Peel off the parchment paper. Sprinkle top with sugar.

 4.4 Slice into 1"x2" rectangles, or as desired.

Just like Clabber Girl which is a favorite among chefs..Inipit is truly a favorite among Bulakeños! Give it a try using Clabber Girl Baking Powder --- you won't regret it!

Atsarang Papaya

Atsarang Papaya (Filipino Pickled Green Papaya) is a famous appetizer in the Philippines. Though there are many variations of atsara (which refers to anything pickled), green papaya version is the most popular  to Filipinos. It's because papaya tree grows just anywhere in the Philippines. And unlike the labong (bamboo shoots) and ubod ng nyog (hearts of palm) which are the other two most common atsara ingredients, papaya is more readily available. You can always find it in the market and a lot of families have a papaya tree in their backyards.
 
Last week, a Filipino officemate of Ryan gave him a jar of atsarang papaya. He ate it  for dinner on two consecutive nights until it's all gone. Last weekend when we were at the Asian Store, he saw some green papaya. Out of nowhere, he said he's buying one and will try his mom's atsara recipe.  I know my husband cooks good...but cooking isn't something he does frequently. Though he cooks breakfast or dinner on weekends, it's just either fried or grilled. He only does real cooking when we're having a party at our house. He's really not a kitchen person you know. So when he said he will make atsara (which I don't really like doing myself because of the shredding involved), I got so thrilled because I really miss the atsarang papaya my mom used to make which is actually the same as my mother-in-law's version. 

Ryan did all the work by himself...and he came up with 4 jars of atsara which really tastes so good. It got the perfect blending of sweet and sour taste, and the crunchiness of the vegetables is just perfect! I'm so proud to share it with you! (^.^)

If you like pickled vegetables...you should try this! It will definitely add life to dull dishes like fried meat or fish!

* I'm linking this up on  Melt in Your Mouth Monday , Mangia Mondays, Made It On Monday, Hearth and Soul Hop, Delectable Tuesday, Tuesdays At The Table, and Made From Scratch Tuesday.

Prep Time: ~40 mins               Cook Time: ~10 mins                Yield: 4 16-0z jars          

Ingredients:

• 1 whole green papaya (peeled, deseeded and finely shredded)
• 2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• ½ green bell pepper, julienned
• 1 head garlic, sliced thinly
• ½ cup ginger, julienned
• 12 pcs. shallots, peeled and cut crosswise into 3 to 4 slices
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 4 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp. white sugar
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp peppercorns

Filipino Fish Escabeche

Escabeche which refers to poached or fried fish covered with a spicy marinade is another dish brought to the Philippines by the Spaniards. Filipino-Style Fish Escabeche a.k.a. Fish in Sweet and Sour Sauce is made by frying a whole meaty kind of fish, which is commonly Lapu-lapu (Red Grouper),  and topping with sweet and sour sauce with vegetables.

It is another Filipino favorite because of its unique blend of sweet and sour taste that even small children would appreciate and enjoy eating. I just love cooking fish escabeche. Here in the US, red snapper, tilapia and golden pompano are among the fish I have already tried using. The sauce compliments each of them so well!

Another perfect dish for Meatless Friday! Hope you'll find it delish as much as we do...

*I'm sharing this on Feed Me, Tweet Me, Follow Me Home Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Friday Potluck@EKat's Kitchen and  Feed Me Friday.

Prep Time: 15 mins               Cook Time: ~25 mins                Servings: 4                      

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs whole red snapper
• 1 Tbsp salt 
• 4 Tbsp light olive oil 
• 1 head garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• ½ cup ginger, julienned
• ½ cup carrot, julienned 
• ½ cup celery, chopped
•  ¼ cup carrot, cut into flower shape (optional)
• 2 Tbsp ketchup
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 large onion, chopped
• ½ cup vinegar (apple cider, cane or white...I use cane)
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup red or green bell pepper, julienned
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp water

Pancit Sotanghon (Bean Thread Noodles) with Stir-Fried Chicken and Vegetables, My Blog's 3rd Monthsary and My Mom's Birthday!

It's my blog's 3rd monthsary...and it's my Mom's birthday too! There is sadness and happiness all bundled up in one for me today! It is really hard to think about a birthday when the person who's supposed to be celebrating it is no longer with us. My Mom would have turned 76 today had she not lost her battle with gastric cancer back in 2007. She's really greatly missed. And today (just as always), I remember her as I celebrate my 3rd month of blogging.  I'm thankful for April 14, for without it, my mother wouldn't have been born...and there wouldn't be me here and you wouldn't be reading what recipes this blogger has to share! (",)

Unlike some mothers who consider cooking as a mere chore and duty, my mother found so much pleasure in cooking. Those meat and seafood dishes, stir-fried vegetables, soup,  and desserts she made for us were all cooked with pleasure rather than a sense of obligation. She was truly a wonderful cook and baker as well. I remember that when I was a child, I would pull out a chair, sit and watch her cook dinner and bake her chocolate and chiffon cake using her wonder oven.  I owe my passion for food and interest in cooking to her...and for that, I can proudly say that the person who made Pinay In Texas Cooking Corner possible is no other than my beloved Mom. So today, I want to pay tribute to her. Wherever she may be, this is a loving Happy Birthday to my mother, Anselma Lopez-Flores...born on this day - April 14th, in 1935 in Malolos City, Philippines. I'm truly blessed to have been born to such a wonderful mom! Everything I am, I owe to her.  She had taught me a lot of things and have always encouraged me to do what I like. Though I know she is in a better place now, I wish she's still here. She's truly missed each and every day. I love her and forever, I will...

Just like the past two monthsaries of Pinay In Texas Cooking Corner, I want to share with you a noodle dish today, for longer blogging life that is. Both sides of my family loves to cook...and since I want to keep that love of food going, I want Pinay In Texas Cooking Corner to last long. :)

3 months down...forever to go! ;) Thanks to all my readers and followers! Your support means a lot to me...and is greatly appreciated! I wish that you'll  always stay with me as I try to provide you with more delectable Filipino and non-Filipino recipes! ♡♡♡

This recipe that I'm going to share with you is another one of my creations. It is basically stir-fried chicken breast strips and vegetables combined with bean thread noodles and ground peanuts. I came up with this the other day when my daughter, Cherlin asked me to cook chicken "and" clear noodles. She clearly said "and". What immediately came to my mind was Chicken Sotanghon Soup. But she said, "no soup please".  So no soup it is...

It came out good, and Ryan and the girls liked it. Check out the recipe and wish me more months and years of recipe blogging via Pinay In Texas Cooking Corner. (^.^)

Adobong Sitaw with Tofu

When it comes to Filipino cuisine, I can say that adobo is the most versatile dish. You can cook adobo with almost anything...from seafood, poultry, pork and even vegetables.

Adobong Sitaw (String Beans Adobo) is the most common vegetable adobo dish in the Philippines. It is basically string beans cooked adobo style, i.e., with garlic, onions, soy sauce and vinegar. Many cook it with pork to give it a meaty taste, but it is optional. As for me, I always cook it with pork so my kids would eat my adobong sitaw. But if you are a vegan, you can cook it without the pork. I also add tofu most of the time. I just love tofu so much that I want to include it in my recipes whenever possible. 

If you love string beans, this recipe is for you! :)

* I shared this on What's Cooking Wednesday,  What's on the Menu Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday.

Prep Time: 10 mins               Cook Time: ~30 mins                Servings: 4                       

Ingredients:

• 2 bundles string beans
• 1 cup pork strips
• 2 pcs. tofu, fried and cut into strips
• 1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. vinegar ( I used spicy white vinegar)
• 3 Tbsp. water
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• salt

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes, Hershey's Chocolate Cake and THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

My daughter's 9th birthday party last Saturday was a true success! She just won't stop saying "Thanks for the party Mom" so I guess she really had so much fun! 

Just like what I've said last Friday, the party was just a simple one...but I made sure that the food and games will make Clarise's 9th birthday party fun and memorable for her and her friends.

 

I cooked her favorite Macaroni & Cheese and Filipino Style Spaghetti. I baked some Cookies & Cream Cupcakes (which Kate of A Spoonful of Thyme shared on her blog two weeks ago). I topped some with mini-oreos and oreo crumbs, and some with halved mini oreos and m&m's to make them look like owls.

I wanted to add something wizard related so I made some Pretzel Wands (the idea of which I got from Kaboose). Clarise and her friends really liked them!

Clarise requested me to bake and decorate her birthday cake...so even though I'm really not into cake decorating, I did it for her. I made a chocolate birthday cake with  a combination of chocolate  and Buttercream frosting (the recipe of which I got from hersheys website). It wasn't perfect I know...but she really liked it which is what's really important.

We also served Foster Farms Chicken Nuggets and Pepperoni and Cheese pizza from Papa John's. For the games, we had Cast The Best Magic Spell, Pass Around The Wand, Pin the Wand on Alex's Hand and Piñata Busting. I also prepared a wand making activity for them.  

From the sweet smiles I saw on their faces, I can really say that they all had a great time...and I'm so happy and proud! 

It's true that the party preparation was kinda exhausting for me...but it was all worth it. Nothing compares to the joy of seeing Clarise so happy...and knowing that I made her 9th birthday celebration worth remembering!

Baked Salmon with Asparagus & Mushrooms and a Very Busy Friday

I've been crazy busy since Wednesday preparing for my eldest daughter's birthday party tomorrow. It will be a Wizards of Waverly Place themed party. Not a big party though...she's just expecting 5 of her classmates and 2 of her friends from her old school. But just as always, I want it to be special by putting my personal touch in everything. I made her personalized party invitations, piñata and give-aways. I'll be preparing all the food, except for the pizza. (I don't have the courage to make my own yet.) I'm done with all the decorations...so today until tomorrow morning will be all about cooking!

Personalized Party Invitation

Piñatas, Party Give-aways and Game Prizes

Party banner

I'll be baking a chocolate cake and some cookies & cream cupcakes. I'll share the rest of the menu and some more pictures with you next week. For now, I better do my Meatless Friday post so I can start cooking for the party. LOL.

This dish that I'm going to share with you today is another one of those recipes that I came up with in search of new ways to cook salmon which is Clarise's most requested fish.  I simply call it Baked Salmon with Asparagus and Mushrooms. It has become my family's favorite since the first time I cooked it. 

Check it out! A truly quick and easy recipe that you won't regret trying! 

*I'm sharing this on Simple Lives Thurday, Feed Me, Tweet Me, Follow Me Home Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Friday Potluck@EKat's Kitchen and  Feed Me Friday.

Prep Time: 5 mins               Cook Time: ~35 mins                Servings: 4                         

Ingredients:

• 4 pcs. Salmon fillet
• 2 cups fresh button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 12 pcs. asparagus, washed and trimmed
• 1/8 cup butter for sautéing
• 2 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
• Sea Salt & Pepper
• 1/8 cup melted butter
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice