What gives?! People have always wondered why the past administration liked moving the day of our holidays when it falls on a week-end. Independence day this year falls on a Saturday and I applaud Senator Aquino (who is the President - Elect, by the way) for questioning the logic behind celebrating Independence day 4 days later. He was supposedly invited to the June 14 celebration of our June 12 Independence day where the organizers are reportedly going to extoll the accomplishments of past President Arroyo during the said event. Movable holidays indeed. More of that article on line here.
Read more about the story of our Independence and the subsequent decision to choose June 12 as the Philippines' Independence day here written by Diosdado Macapagal, the 9th President of the Republic of the Philippines.
On this day, the correct date, let's all celebrate our hard- earned freedom. Happy Independence Day to all.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Nasi Lemak Robinson's Galleria
Tucked away in the restaurant row of Robinson’s Galleria is Nasi Lemak. The restaurant’s erstwhile consultant HK was proud to assure us that you will get the most authentic Singaporean and Malaysian cuisine in Manila, and they do not disappoint. Back when they were still situated in Thompson Square they were already impressing us with their laksa and bakute and we occasionally enjoyed his stories (and complaints) about the incorrect way Hainanese chicken is served in Manila. It was refreshing to re-visit the place again in a new setting, this time in a mall.
For starters try their very generously sized poh piah. It should be eaten at once though because the wrapper dries up really fast and it isn’t a very pleasant experience to bite through raw, tough lumpia wrapper. While waiting for your main meal to be served you may also want to try their roti prata served with the pre-requisite curry sauce for P98. I loved their Nonya chao chye and I wish I had ordered the larger size, but the small size will generously serve one person. The char kway teow was too heavily sauced for my taste but the beef rendang was almost a religious experience. It was deliciously spicy, hot and creamily rich with coconut milk. The beef almost melting in the mouth and the flavour was complicated and just divine.
Nasi Lemak 2/floor Robinson’s Galleria
Poh Piah P140/2 pcs.
Roti prata with curry sauce P98
Nonya chap chye P138
Beef rending P360
Char kway teow P138 (small size)
Ayam panggang (Indonesian roasted chicken) P296/ for 2
Tea tarek P88
PLUS 5% sc
For starters try their very generously sized poh piah. It should be eaten at once though because the wrapper dries up really fast and it isn’t a very pleasant experience to bite through raw, tough lumpia wrapper. While waiting for your main meal to be served you may also want to try their roti prata served with the pre-requisite curry sauce for P98. I loved their Nonya chao chye and I wish I had ordered the larger size, but the small size will generously serve one person. The char kway teow was too heavily sauced for my taste but the beef rendang was almost a religious experience. It was deliciously spicy, hot and creamily rich with coconut milk. The beef almost melting in the mouth and the flavour was complicated and just divine.
Nasi Lemak 2/floor Robinson’s Galleria
Poh Piah P140/2 pcs.
Roti prata with curry sauce P98
Nonya chap chye P138
Beef rending P360
Char kway teow P138 (small size)
Ayam panggang (Indonesian roasted chicken) P296/ for 2
Tea tarek P88
PLUS 5% sc
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Bayabas (Guava)
The delicious fruit bayabas is native to the American Tropics. The tree of the guava is small, with a slender trunk with a brown, scaly bark with long elliptical to oval leaves. There are several varieties of guavas and the fruit can vary in shape from round to bottom-heavy fruits and their colors range from yellowish green to orange. Their flesh is firm and sweetish and is embedded with small hard seeds. When fully ripe the flesh is very soft, almost luscious and has a distinct flowery aroma.
Bayabas can be eaten fresh while not fully ripened or opened and served in slices with a little salt. The flesh can also be dried and preserved. Commercially it can be made into delicious guava jelly or preserves and candies. In the province, the bark is sometimes used as a cheap substitute for cinnamon after being treated with cinnamon oil.
The bark and leaves of the guava tree are often used as home remedies to cure diarrhoea and stomach ache. The leaves and bark can be boiled with water and left to steep. The liquid is then sieved and drank to cure all manner of stomach ailments, including diarrhoea or simply drank as tea to calm the stomach.
Some Recipes to try using Bayabas
Bayabas Jelly
Clean 1 kilo of bayabas and pat dry. Cut the fruit into quarters and add 1 kilo of water and cook for at least 20 minutes or until soft. Strain the fruit without pressing on the fruit. Add .5% to .7% of citric or tartaric acid to the jelly. Or 1 tablespoon calamansi juice can be added for every cup of guava extract.
Heat the mixture and bring to the boil. Strain through a sieve and continue to cook until reaches 108*C. Pour the mixture into sterilized jelly jars and allow to cool. Remove the scum that will float on top and then seal airtight.
Guava Chiffon Cake
Batter:
3 cups cake flour, sifted twice
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup corn oil
½ cup cold water
¾ cup guava juice concentrate
6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2-3 drops red food color
Meringue:
7 egg whites
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350*F and lightly grease the bottom of an 13x9x2½” pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
Make batter: Sift together cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and add oil, water, guava juice, egg yolks and food color. Beat until mixture is thick and light in color.
Make meringue: Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in ½ cup sugar until mixture stiff but not dry.
Gently fold 1/3 of egg yolk mixture into meringue to lighten the mixture. Add and fold in the rest of the egg yolk batter until well blended but not over-mixed. Gently pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and invert on a greased rack to cool completely.
Remove from the pan and remove paper. Make the frosting and topping.
Guava Chiffon Frosting:
4 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
¾ cup guava juice concentrate
1 cup whipping cream
In a small bowl beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and light yellow in color. Add guava juice. Place in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until thick, stirring frequently for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Whip the cream and fold into the cool guava mixture. Make the guava topping.
Guava Topping
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup water
Pinch salt
12 oz can guava juice
1 teaspoon calamansi juice
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter, softened
Mix cornstarch with water in a small cup until completely dissolved. Add salt, guava juice, calamansi juice and egg yolk. Cook over low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Use while still warm.
Frost sides of cake. Use the remaining frosting to decorate the edges of the cake, including the top edges of the cake. Slather the top with the guava topping.
Bayabas can be eaten fresh while not fully ripened or opened and served in slices with a little salt. The flesh can also be dried and preserved. Commercially it can be made into delicious guava jelly or preserves and candies. In the province, the bark is sometimes used as a cheap substitute for cinnamon after being treated with cinnamon oil.
The bark and leaves of the guava tree are often used as home remedies to cure diarrhoea and stomach ache. The leaves and bark can be boiled with water and left to steep. The liquid is then sieved and drank to cure all manner of stomach ailments, including diarrhoea or simply drank as tea to calm the stomach.
Some Recipes to try using Bayabas
Bayabas Jelly
Clean 1 kilo of bayabas and pat dry. Cut the fruit into quarters and add 1 kilo of water and cook for at least 20 minutes or until soft. Strain the fruit without pressing on the fruit. Add .5% to .7% of citric or tartaric acid to the jelly. Or 1 tablespoon calamansi juice can be added for every cup of guava extract.
Heat the mixture and bring to the boil. Strain through a sieve and continue to cook until reaches 108*C. Pour the mixture into sterilized jelly jars and allow to cool. Remove the scum that will float on top and then seal airtight.
Guava Chiffon Cake
Batter:
3 cups cake flour, sifted twice
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup corn oil
½ cup cold water
¾ cup guava juice concentrate
6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2-3 drops red food color
Meringue:
7 egg whites
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350*F and lightly grease the bottom of an 13x9x2½” pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
Make batter: Sift together cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and add oil, water, guava juice, egg yolks and food color. Beat until mixture is thick and light in color.
Make meringue: Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in ½ cup sugar until mixture stiff but not dry.
Gently fold 1/3 of egg yolk mixture into meringue to lighten the mixture. Add and fold in the rest of the egg yolk batter until well blended but not over-mixed. Gently pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and invert on a greased rack to cool completely.
Remove from the pan and remove paper. Make the frosting and topping.
Guava Chiffon Frosting:
4 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
¾ cup guava juice concentrate
1 cup whipping cream
In a small bowl beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and light yellow in color. Add guava juice. Place in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until thick, stirring frequently for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Whip the cream and fold into the cool guava mixture. Make the guava topping.
Guava Topping
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup water
Pinch salt
12 oz can guava juice
1 teaspoon calamansi juice
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter, softened
Mix cornstarch with water in a small cup until completely dissolved. Add salt, guava juice, calamansi juice and egg yolk. Cook over low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Use while still warm.
Frost sides of cake. Use the remaining frosting to decorate the edges of the cake, including the top edges of the cake. Slather the top with the guava topping.
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
CQ Chef's Quarter Sunday Buffet at the Megamall
There’s a wonderful place in Megamall where you can literally have your cake and eat it too. The wait staff are all warm and friendly and the buffet price is reasonable. For P600 you get more than 1 kind of salad greens, one of them usually always a ceasar’s salad and to complement all of these is their excellent salmon carpaccio. The escargot salad, creamy balsamic dressing and fruit dressing are all something to watch out for. Their soups are always freshly made and delicious. For the carving, it’s usually a tender and flavourful beef plate, though there was one Sunday evening that they served turkey instead of beef. To go with their carving are roasted vegetables. They usually offer two kinds of seafood dish, a fowl concoction, a pork dish and a beef stew offering. Their beef bourguignon is divine and always something to look forward too. They offer two kinds of rice to go with all these viands plus a pasta section where you can order your choice of sauce. When they first opened their doors to the public a few years ago they offered their buffet on a daily basis, and it became almost a daily treat for us until then they whittled it down to just the week-ends, and now the buffet is only available for lunch and dinner every on a Sunday. The items from their menu are pretty special too and the prices are reasonable, considering that they offer 2 sizes for most of the items and the portions are larger than you might expect from a fine-dining establishment. They do give you your money’s worth and is certainly worthy of wading through the maddening Sunday crowd at the Megamall.
CQ Chef’s Quarter Buffet
2/Floor Atrium of The Megamall
Sunday Lunch and Dinner Buffet
P600 net per person
CQ Chef’s Quarter Buffet
2/Floor Atrium of The Megamall
Sunday Lunch and Dinner Buffet
P600 net per person
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