Spanish Bread

The hubs has been bugging me to make his favorite bread since he saw it on a friend's FB post a few weeks ago. Finally, I was able to make some for him the other day. For the bread, I used my favorite White Roll recipe from Red Star Yeast, and for the filling, I combined butter, sugar and vanilla. I'm glad they turned out soft, buttery and beautifully browned as the ones we used to eat back home.

These yummy looking rolls are what we call Spanish Bread in the Philippines. I honestly don't know why it is called as such, because there's really nothing "Spanish" about it. I guess it's just a result of the very strong influence that the Spaniards brought to the Filipino Cuisine in the more than 300 years of colonization. 

Spanish Bread is a Filipino favorite bread next to Pandesal which is best eaten with coffee for merienda (snack) and sometimes, for breakfast. It has a sweet buttery filling which makes it so perfect for the Filipino taste buds. Try the recipe and see for yourself! 

Filipino Menudo

Like everyone else, Filipinos love stew! There are lots of stew varieties in the Philippines, which are mostly soy sauce or tomato sauce based. My parents prepare the best stew so I grew up loving all kinds of it...but I must admit that tomato-based ones appeal to me more. Among the tomato-based stews, there are three dishes which I was really fond of eating when I was little. Well, actually, until now. :) These are the Afritada, Caldereta (Kaldereta) and Menudo...

These three dishes have almost the same ingredients but they differ in the meat used. Originally, Afritada is cooked with chicken while Caldereta (Kaldereta) is cooked using beef or goat, and Menudo is cooked with pork. In all three dishes, meat is stewed in tomato sauce with vegetables like carrots, potatoes and bell pepper. I tell you, they are all so good. I guess that is why all of them have evolved into many variations which differ from region to region and even from family to family. Some use beef, chicken and pork  interchangeably in these dishes. I remember that when I was little, I would often get confused with what dish I am eating whenever we're attending fiestas, weddings or other parties. When I see a tomato-based pork stew, I would often ask my mom/dad if it's afritada, caldereta or menudo. My parents said it would be simple to distinguish the three dishes from each other if the the person who cooked the dish sliced the meat properly. My dad said that meat in Afritada and Caldereta is supposed to be cubed, about 1"x1" for Afritada and about 1.5"x1.5" for Caldereta..and for Menudo, meat should be cut into thin slices about 0.75"x2" in size. My parents said that the way the meat is sliced will help differentiate the three dishes from each other even if the same meat is used...and I totally agree with them. I know that many cooks slice the meat differently, but from where I grew up, that's how it is...cube for afritada and caldereta and thin strips for menudo. 

Today, I'm sharing with you my version of Filipino Menudo. By looking at the photo below, I'm sure you'll notice that this looks a little different from the other menudo you've seen on the web...

Kutsinta

Cherrie Moore of  Sweet Cherrie Pie & I are the hosts for this month's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge, and because June is the month when we celebrate Philippine Independence Day, we have decided to focus on our country's unique dishes.

As I've mentioned before, Filipino Cuisine is a mixture of many different cuisines from countries which have colonized the Philippines. But there are lots of dishes that we can call our own...dishes that can be found "ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES" and we thought that it would be good to share them with you. 

After checking my archive, I realized that I've already posted most of my favorite native Filipino dishes here on the blog. I was having a hard time thinking of what recipe to share when suddenly I thought of this favorite snack that I used to enjoy during my childhood days which is called Kutsinta...

Kutsinta is a brown (sometimes orange) and sticky cupcake which is made from rice flour, brown sugar, achuete (which is used to add color and flavor), water and a little lye water. It is cooked by steaming and is served with grated coconut.  It is a traditional Filipino snack that's very easy to make, and can be found almost anywhere. Kutsinta is my mom's favorite and she would always buy dozens of it everytime she goes to the market. She would also make it at home whenever she finds the time. 

For this month's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge, I'm sharing with you my mom's kutsinta as I remember it. I think the only difference is I used annatto powder instead of achuete juice because I couldn't find achuete seeds here. The result, however, is basically the same except for the tiny particles of annato powder that settled in the bottom of the kutsinta. So if you can find achuete seeds, soak about 1 Tablespoon of it in 2 Tablespoon of water for about 10 minutes. Get ½ Tablespoon of that juice and add it to the kutsinta mixture instead of the annatto powder.

Homemade Langkasuy (Jackfruit and Cashew) Ice Cream

It's the first Wednesday of the month and we're supposed to have another guest blogger for PiTCC's Favorite Dishes from Around the World, but sadly, she didn't make it because of her busy schedule despite the two months notice.

But worry not, I have something special to share! What's so special about this ice cream, you may ask. Well, this ice cream flavor is something that you can only find in the Philippines. I'm sure many of you haven't heard of it! It is called Langkasuy, which is the shortcut for Langka (Jackfruit) and Kasuy (Cashew).

It was made popular by Magnolia Dairy Ice Cream and was one of my favorite flavors when I was growing up. Jackfruit is a popular tropical fruit in the Philippines which when fully ripe, has a delightfully sweet flavor. Langkasuy Ice Cream captures the full flavor of this tropical fruit with the added crunchy texture and nutty flavor of cashew nuts. I tell you, their flavors complement each other so well!

Ube Macapuno Cake for Clarise's 10th Birthday

Clarise turned 10 last Monday. Unlike the previous years, she didn't want a party...she said all she wants is to have a family celebration at Master Grill (her favorite resto) and that I make her an Ube Macapuno Cake...and that we buy her a laptop and a Kindle Touch. I'm not sure if she really didn't want a party or she was just trying to be considerate because she knew that the gifts she requested were kinda expensive. Anyway, we granted her requests...all of it. We ate at Master Grill with some friends last weekend...we bought her a laptop and a Kindle Touch...and I made her an Ube Macapuno Cake.

I also prepared some of her favorite food that she said she wants to eat on her birthday. 

Though Clarise insisted that she wanted her birthday celebration to be a family thing, I invited some friends to join us for dinner last Monday. I'm pretty sure she didn't mind. She had so much fun and didn't have the time to complain. :)

Thanks to Abigail of Cuddles and Crumbs for the Ube Macapuno Cake recipe. Clarise and everyone else loved it! 

Ube Macapuno Cake is one of my family's favorite cake from Red Ribbon Bakeshop in the Philippines. It has been almost 5 years since the last time we had it. I'm really glad I was able to find a good recipe!

Mais Queso (Corn and Cheese) Ice Cream Nests

Holy Week officially started yesterday and that means Easter is here in just 6 days! I'm pretty sure that everyone's busy preparing for some get together this weekend, so I feel that there's nothing better for me to share today than this ice cream treat that will be perfect for Easter dessert. Whether you're planning something festive or you're just thinking of a simple family lunch, this is something that's sure to give delight not only to the kids but to the whole family. Everyone will surely find this to be so refreshing after the egg hunt.

When I saw this on meals.com, I knew I have to try it. This ice cream nests idea is actually perfect not just for Easter but for all kinds of occasions. It's such a fun alternative to the usual cone. My girls find this way of serving ice cream too cute. For this post, I used homemade Mais Queso (Corn and Cheese) Ice Cream, (a favorite Filipino ice cream that I haven't had for ages), but you can actually use any ice cream flavor you want. 

Check out my version of Nestle's Easter Ice Cream Nests and let me know what you think!

By the way, starting this Wednesday, I will be doing PiTCC's Favorite Dishes from Around The World every 1st and 3rd Wednedays of the month, wherein I'll be asking fabulous bloggers to guest post with one of my favorite non-Filipino dishes. I can't wait to introduce you to my first guest blogger!!! I'm sure most of you are familiar with her. Here's a hint...she's Italian! :) Be sure to come back this Wednesday to meet her and find out about one of my favorite seafood dishes...

Pan de Coco and Pan de Ube (Coconut and Purple Yam Rolls)

I've been a bread lover since I was a little girl...but this is one thing I don't owe from my mother. As I've told you before, we didn't have an oven when I was growing up so my mother never baked bread. I owe my love for bread to The De Castro's, my childhood friend's family who owns Halina Bakery. This bakery has been selling the best tasting Filipino breads in the City of Calapan since I was a little girl until now. It is now being managed by my friend, and I must say that just like her parents, she's really doing a great job. I remember that there was this other bakery much closer to where we used to live, but we would rather go to Halina Bakery to buy pan de sal, loaf bread, ensaymada, pan de coco, monay, pan de lemon, pan de agua, kalihim, mamon, puding, spanish bread and hopia. All their bread really taste a lot better than those of the other bakery. I'm not saying this because it's owned by my friend. It's just how it is. 

One of my most favorite bread from Halina Bakery is the Pan De Coco which means Coconut Bread. It is a soft sweet roll with sweetened coconut filling which I loved having for afternoon snack. My mom would always buy it in dozens 'coz my brother and I never seem to get enough of it.

 

Last week, I thought of making Pan De Coco for the first time. I tried experimenting with my Pan De Sal recipe to transform it to a much softer and sweeter roll with a shiny finish. Was I successful??? Well, kinda. It's good...but I think I have to work on the softness more. I'm not sure if I just over baked it a little or I didn't knead the dough enough. But the rolls were delicious and soft enough though not as soft as I remember the Pan De Coco from Halina Bakery.  

I still have some Haleyang Ube (Purple Yam Jam) so I filled half of the dough with it, and half with sweetened coconut. I came up with 9 pcs. Pan De Coco and 9 pcs. Pan De Ube and they are all gone in 3 days! Clarise and Cherlin love ube so they both prefer the Pan De Ube more. Ryan, on the other hand, finds the Pan De Coco perfect for his coffee.

This Coconut and Purple Yam Rolls recipe is my entry to this month's Iron Chef Challenge at A Latte With OTT,A which is sponsored by Red Star, maker of high-quality baker's yeast in the country. For product updates and delicious tested recipes, visit their website or follow Red Star on twitter and facebook.

Sarciadong Isda

It's Friday again...and today, I'm bringing you this fish recipe from the Philippines called Sarciadong Isda which simply means "fish cooked in sauce". 

Though in some regions Sarciado is cooked with scrambled eggs, in the province where I grew up, it has no egg. The one with egg is what we call Cardillo. Anyway, they are basically the same. In both dishes, fried fish is simmered in a sauce which consists mainly of garlic, onions, ginger & tomatoes. The only difference between them is that Cardillo contains scrambled eggs mixed to the sauce while Sarciado is cooked without the eggs. Both dishes are very popular due to their simple preparation. Filipinos find them to be the best ways to recook/reuse left-over fried fish.  But whether using leftover or not, fish is fried beforehand to prevent from falling apart while cooking in the sauce. 

Ryan & I like adding a little kick to it, so I often cook my Sarciado with Jalapeño. I always remove the seeds to make it kid friendly for Clarise and Cherlin. If you don't like it hot, it would be totally fine to omit this ingredient. :)

Hope you'll like this Meatless Friday recipe! 

The next time you have left-over fried fish, you should try either this or the Cardillo.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend with your loved ones! Enjoy!

Shrimp and Tofu Lumpiang Sariwa

"Delight yourself in the LORD; 

And He will give you the desires of your heart." -Psalm 37:4

I fell in love at a very young age. Are you wondering how young??? Well, I was only 13 years old when I had my first boyfriend. Though many were saying that it was just puppy love, at that time I was sure that it's true love. I believed he's the one...but HE WASN'T. Though first love relationships can last for some people, for us it didn't. He left me for another girl just two months after my 18th birthday. And yes, my heart was torn into pieces. For more than a year, I felt devastated and I cried every day for over a month. But hey...don't feel sorry for me! My love story didn't end there! Two years after that break up, God answered my (and my mom's) prayers...the right man came along and my heart became whole again. Yes, you're right...I'm talking about Ryan - the man I am happily married to! God is good you know! Just when I thought I lost my one true love, God was actually leading me to the perfect person to spend the rest of my life with. He just made me and my first love cross paths just so I can better understand what matters most in life. When I realized that, all the regrets I've been having suddenly went away...and my life turned brighter. After a few years, I managed to be friends with my ex...and as years go by and I fall more in love with Ryan, I become more and more thankful to him for breaking my heart. It was probably one of the best things that happened to me. Not only did it make me a better person, it also led me to the perfect life that I have now. What could be better than that??? Truly, God knows what my heart desires - a simple happy life with a man who really loves me and two beautiful daughters who never fail to put a smile on my face! ♥♥♥  

This month's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge hosts, Abigail of My Nappy Tales and Marni of Kensington Kitchen want us to share a dish that reminds us of our first love. But that's not what I'm doing. Instead, I am sharing with you a dish that reminds me of those wonderful first years of my relationship with Ryan while we were still taking up engineering at the University of Santo Tomas(UST). Those were the days when we didn't have money to eat at fancy restaurants, and a twice-a-month date at either Goldilocks or Shakey's Pizza just across the UST Engineering Bldg. in España was all we could afford. 

Aside from Pancit Palabok, Filipino-Style Spaghetti, Lumpiang Shanghai, Pork Siomai, Chicken Lollipops, Bistek Tagalog, Binagoongang Baboy, and Baked Macaroni, there is this food that we really loved to eat at Goldilocks. Not only is it delicious, it's also cheaper thus perfect for our tight student budget. Just as the two of us were falling more in love with each other, we were also falling for Goldilocks' All Veggie Fresh Lumpia which is similar to the Chinese non-fried spring rolls. We just love how good those strips of carrots, green beans, mushrooms, squash, and lettuce were rolled in soft lumpia wrapper and topped with their signature lumpia sauce. We've honestly eaten tons of it, and had I not started making it at home, we could have been awarded  Goldilocks' Most Frequent Fresh Lumpia Eaters. LOL. Kidding aside, Fresh Lumpia is really delicious that's why we really love it.

For my Kulinarya entry, let me share with you my version of fresh lumpia. This is not all veggie, it has shrimps and tofu too, so it's tastier! I'm sure that like us, you will find this irresistible to fall in love with...

 

Daing na Bangus (Milkfish Marinated in Vinegar & Garlic)

If there's one fish that's really popular in the Philippines, it's bangus (milkfish). Not only is it the country's national fish, it also has a mild sweet flesh and melt-in-the-mouth thick belly fat that make it superior to other locally available fish. Despite its being quite difficult to eat because it has lots of thin spines, milkfish is a versatile fish that can be cooked in different recipes like Sinigang, Paksiw, Totso and Cardillo. It is also delicious even when simply grilled or fried. 

There is this dish called Daing na Bangus that we, Filipinos really love to eat for breakfast. It is milkfish marinated in vinegar and garlic then fried and eaten with steamed rice or sinangag (fried rice). In the Philippines, daing na bangus is readily available in the supermarkets. Though it is also available in Asian stores here in the US, I still prefer to make it from scratch. It's kinda time consuming especially because I prefer to have the bangus deboned (so that it will be easier to eat),  but it's all worth it! At least I am sure that my Daing na Bangus tastes the way I want it and it has no preservatives.

The other weekend, I found a good bangus at the Asian store and I decided to make it into daing. It was a lot easier this time because the hubs volunteered to debone it for me. A number of PiTCC readers have requested me to feature Daing na Bangus, so here it is...

If you are too lazy to undergo the deboning process, it's fine. You can go ahead and marinate the milkfish after cutting it. Anyway, you can just remove the spines while eating it! :)

Three Cheese Filipino Style Baked Macaroni

Today, I'm bringing you a favorite pasta dish in the Philippines...the Baked Macaroni. Like the all time favorite Macaroni and Cheese here in the US, Filipino Style Baked Macaroni has elbow macaroni and cheese as the basic ingredients, but it has a tomato based meat sauce which is a little sweet like the sauce used in Filipino Style Spaghetti.

The most common version of baked macaroni in the Philippines is simply cooked pasta combined with meat sauce then topped with shredded cheddar cheese. The version that I'm going to share with you is my family's favorite. This is how I've been making Baked Macaroni since we got here in the US. The addition of mushrooms in the meat sauce makes it more special. The topping is also different. It 's a lot better than the usual melted cheddar cheese topping. It's creamy and cheesier, and both kids and adults will surely love it!

Check it out and do give it a try! It doesn't only make a delicious filling meal any day of the week, it's a perfect pasta dish for special occasions too...like Valentine's Day! ;)

Buko Pandan

Pearl of  My Sassy Chef and Thea of Words and Nosh are January's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge hosts...and since Thea's birthday is this month, they came up with a birthday celebration theme. The challenge is to prepare a favorite birthday dish (entree, dessert, snack, or drink) and make it more healthy by making it into a vegetarian/vegan, lower fat, dairy-free or low sugar version.

My birthday falls on Dec. 25, and I grew up celebrating my birthday with lots of mouthwatering holiday food. But aside from Beef Caldereta and Pancit Canton, if there's one thing that I always want on the dining table for my birthday, it's Buko Pandan...a very simple yet so deliciously refreshing dessert that I really love.

Buko Pandan is a favorite Filipino dessert which is a combination of shredded buko(young coconut) and pandan(screw pine) jelly mixed with table cream and condensed milk.

In the Philippines where pandan can be found everywhere, this dessert is traditionally prepared by boiling pandan leaves until all the juices are released. After removing the leaves, the liquid is then used to make the jelly. Here in my side of the world where pandan is hardly available, I use pandan extract instead. To give the jelly a richer flavor, I use coconut juice in place of water. 

So how did I make my usual version of buko pandan healthy? Well, I made it low fat by using light table cream and fat free condensed milk. And instead of powdered gelatin, I used agar-agar bars. Though a bit tougher and less floppy than gelatin, agar-agar which is made from seaweed is a great and healthier substitute. It is fat free, low in calories and high in calcium.

With those simple alterations I made, I can say that I made a totally healthy version of buko pandan...

Check it out and let me know what you think! 

Cheers to good health!!!

Three Nut Sansrival and a Giveaway for PiTCC's 1st Anniversary

In the afternoon of January 14, 2011, while I was snacking on the Pancit Palabok that I made the day before, I suddenly thought of posting my recipe and photo of it via Blogger. Though I've long been wanting to have a space of my own which will serve as my recipe journal and at the same time allow me to share my passion for food and cooking, starting my own recipe blog on that day wasn't planned. I didn't even have any idea of how much work is involved in it. That time, all I had were unwritten recipes from my Mom which I have memorized in my mind, and a few photos of some Filipino food that I frequently cook. I got no blogging nor photography background or whatsoever...in short, I was not prepared for it. But for some reasons, I started typing my first post and published it though I knew that it would be just a waste of time and effort because I got no one to read it. 

A year after, I no longer see Pinay In Texas Cooking Corner as a waste of time and effort. With all the emails and comments I got, saying either they are thankful to find my blog or they like my recipe, I feel proud of myself! Nothing beats the feeling of knowing you have helped someone even in the simplest possible way! And with all the existing food blogs in the web, who would have thought that a Filipino recipe blog like mine would get readers? I know I don't have that much...but with more than 35,000 unique visitors in my first year of blogging, I couldn't ask for more! Though I'm not good and don't have time to put much effort on social networking, I was able to gain almost 700 followers on Facebook, and more than 600 on Twitter. That's really much more than I expected. I thought I would only have my family and friends as followers! :)

Today, as I celebrate my blog's 1st anniversary, I would like to thank each and every one of you who has left a comment, written encouraging e-mails and showed your support to me! Without you, I wouldn't have the inspiration to share a total of 162 recipes in my first year of blogging! And to the wonderful, kind, supportive and encouraging people in the food blogging community, I am so grateful to all of you too! I know I could never thank you enough for making me feel that I have a place in the blogosphere.

To show my gratitude to you my dear readers and blogger friends, I'm giving away these cute "Be Brave" coasters and Food & Wine Chef Recipes Made Easy Cookbook which I personally chose.

With over 100 recipes which includes everything from starters and salads to main courses and desserts from star chefs like Daniel Boulud, Mario Batali, Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck, this book is truly a must have..so be sure to enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter plugin at the end of this post!

~~~000~~~

To celebrate PiTCC's first anniversary, I am sharing with you the Sansrival that I made yesterday. This is a favorite Filipino meringue based cake filled, topped and iced with butter cream which is of French origin. It came from the words sans rival which means without rival. It is found in many coffee shops in the Philippines and comes in different versions. My most favorite of which are Figaro's My Little Oscar and Goldilocks' Cashew Sansrival. 

This very delightful dessert has been my favorite since the first time I had it at Goldilocks' Bakeshop. I love it with lots of nuts that's why I came up with my own version of it which has three of my favorite nuts in it: pecans, almonds and cashews. I call it Three Nut Sansrival. 

Check out and enjoy this delicious dessert as you wish me more wonderful years of blogging via Pinay In Texas Cooking Corner! :)

Bibingkang Malagkit (Sticky Rice Cake)

A very happy new year to you, my dearest friends and readers! I am hoping that you all had a wonderful New Year's celebration with your loved ones.

I know that you are all looking forward to the new possibilities and opportunities that this brand new year has to offer. For sure, many of you did some preparations to have the best possible start for 2012! 

Do you know that we, Filipinos "eat for luck" on New Year's Eve??? Though we believe that everything is all dependent on God's will, we still practice this tradition which is one of the influences we got from the Chinese. Every New Year's Eve, we prepare and eat special foods that are believed to bring us riches, long life, love or other kinds of good fortune during the rest of the year. We cook uncut noodles to signify long life. We also prepare sweet delicacies which symbolize a rich, sweet life. Traditional delicacies made from glutinous or sticky rice like this Bibingkang Malagkit are also prepared so good fortune will stick around throughout the year.

This dessert has always been on our dinner table for Media Noche (New Year's Eve feast) since I was a kid. But this isn't just for special occasions. It's a favorite everyday Filipino dessert or snack that's so good with a cup of coffee. This is almost similar to biko, the only difference is the topping and the color of the cake. Biko has latik (coconut milk curd) for topping and cake is brown in color because brown sugar is used, while bibingkang malagkit has condensed milk and coconut milk for topping and the cake is white. I will share with you my biko recipe soon. For now, enjoy this bibingkang malagkit that will definitely be a hit for all types of occasions!

"Arroz TapLog" - Beef and Egg Arroz Caldo for KCC Challenge

Today, I bring to you my take on this month's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge. For those of you who haven't heard of Kulinarya Cooking Club, it is a group of foodies who are passionate about the Filipino culture and its colorful cuisine. You know that my blog's main objective is to share the goodness of Filipino Cuisine, so I'm sure you can imagine how proud I am to be a member of this awesome club! 

Each month, the club showcases a Filipino dish with the hope of sharing its members' passion and love for Filipino food. For this month, the chosen theme is Arroz Caldo which is one of the most favorite comfort food among Filipinos. Arroz Caldo which is often thought of as one of those Filipino dishes that's of Spanish origin came from the Spanish words, Arroz which means "rice" and Caldo which means "broth"), but is actually an adaptation of the Chinese congee or porridge. It is a thick rice porridge that is flavored with garlic, ginger, onion and safflower (kasubha). The latter is our local saffron which gives Arroz Caldo an appealing aroma and a bright yellow tinge.

In the Philippines, when you say Arroz Caldo, you are actually referring to chicken rice porridge because that's the most common version of this dish. But I've already posted my Chicken Arroz Caldo recipe during my first month of blogging...

...so for this month's Kulinarya Challenge, I thought of making another version which I call "Arroz TapLog". It's Arroz Caldo with Tapa (Cured Beef) and Itlog (Egg). It's kinda like my favorite breakfast, Tapsilog, but in this one, I paired the beef and egg with Arroz Caldo instead of sinangag (fried rice).

Back when I was growing up, my mom loved making Arroz Caldo especially during tag-ulan or rainy season which is from June to November and during tag-lamig or cold season which is from December to February. The Chicken version is what my mom cooked often...but I remember how she would make Beef Arroz Caldo whenever any family member was feeling under the weather. I guess for her, serving this version of Arroz Caldo makes a sick person feel more special and cared for because beef is a lot more expensive than chicken. :) 

Thoughts of my mom's tender loving care inspired me to create this Arroz Taplog for Kulinarya. The flavor of beef tapa gave a twist to the usual Arroz Caldo that my family enjoys.  But I must tell you that no matter what meat is in your Arroz Caldo, it will always bring that comforting and healing effect to your body! The flavors of garlic, ginger, onion and safflower combined with rice and broth is what makes it so filling and satisfying! Whether you're feeling under the weather or just having a tough day, a nice hot bowl of Arroz Caldo will definitely make you feel better!


Don't miss our Macy's Thanksgiving Giveaway!!!

Nilagang Pork Buto-buto (Pork Neck Bone and Vegetable Soup) and a Giveaway

This dish that I am sharing with you today is similar to Nilagang Baka (literally translated as Boiled Beef) which I featured here in February, the only difference is the kind of meat used. This one has pork neck bone (and I added ginger so this tastes a little like tinola) and this version is what I used to cook so often when I was in college. Not only is pork neck bone a lot cheaper than beef, it also cooks faster. But just like beef, pork neck bone also produces a very comforting soup which when served with a hot bowl of rice can be truly soothing! 

I am sure that you'll agree with me when I say that going away to college is a big step especially for those who have to leave the comforts of their own home. It means no more parents to keep after you to do your homework or to clean your room, and added responsibilities of being independent like having to do your own laundry, go shopping and cook for yourselves. I was lucky enough not to experience that during the first few months of college! Even though I went to a university which is a 3-hr boat ride, 2 ½-hr bus ride plus 20-min jeepney ride (approximately 87 miles) away  from home, I had my mom and my older brother with me, so it wasn't that of a BIG change for me. That time, my dad usually worked out of town during the week so my mom decided to just stay with us in Manila. We rented a room in a relative's house, and it was really good having my mom to do everything for us. But that didn't last long. My dad got sick around September and so my mom had to go back to the province. It was like a whole new world for me. Came with it was the responsibility of cooking and doing the laundry for me and my brother. I didn't know a lot of recipes that time, and with all my university activities as class president, OASES (Organization of Aspiring Students for Engineering Specialization) representative and Thomasian Engineer (College of Engineering newspaper) technical writer, I didn't have time to do experimental cooking, so I oftentimes found myself just buying food for us from McDonald's, Jollibee or Cindy's. And during days when we're almost running out of money, we contented ourselves with Lucky Me Instant Mami or rice with Filipino red hotdogs or canned foods like Century Tuna, Ligo Sardines and Argentina Corned Beef. After a few months of having those kind of food over and over again, my brother and I decided that we need something healthier and cheaper. We agreed to go to the supermarket and cook together on weekends (I must point out that he was just actually watching me cook), store cooked food in the ref/freezer and just heat it up in the microwave during the week. Pork Adobo, Chicken Afritada, Pork Steak, Pakbet Tagalog, Cardillong Isda, Filipino Sweet Spaghetti, Ground Pork in Tomato Sauce, Chopsuey and this Nilagang Pork Buto-Buto were among those that I frequently cooked. These are all easy to cook Filipino recipes that my brother and I both find so satisfying. 

But the Nilagang Pork Buto-Buto was my favorite. I can always adjust the ingredients to our budget. It can be as as simple as garlic, onions and potatoes and it can be as grand as this one with all the vegetables I want in it. I also like it because it takes almost no effort at all to cook this dish. You just put everything in the pot and let it cook. A very simple and yet so good and nourishing dish! For me, it felt like slurping the broth, and dripping a few drops of fish sauce and freshly squeezed kalamansi juice over the tender and flavorful meat sliding off the bone can take away all the stress of a typical day in college.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs pork neck bone, cut into serving pieces
• 1 medium sized onion, quartered
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 thumb-sized ginger, crushed
• 4 bundles baby bok choy, trimmed
• about 10 leaves of napa cabbage, trimmed and halved crosswise
• 20 pcs green beans, cut into 2 ½ inch length
• 2 pcs corn on the cob, each cut into 4
• 2 potatoes, quartered
• ¼  tsp peppercorns
• 3 Tbsp fish sauce
• Salt