Mona's Birthday Ihaw Ihaw Party

My friends and I celebrated Mona's birthday today even if her real birth date is still on the 16th. Her food theme was "Ihaw-Ihaw". We have been discussing the menu for several weeks, revising constantly.

Finally.... we have decided on the following:

Corn Soup with Tahong made by Hermie. Everybody liked it! The corn was so sweet and tahong so fresh.

Shrimps Halabos

1.5 K. Suahe

1/2 C. Sprite

2 t. rock salt

Cook shrimps in Sprite with salt until it changes color. Drain immediately.

Ginataang Sitaw

1 strip pork liempo, cut into thin strips or cubes

3 T. raw alamang

2 C. coconut milk, 2nd extraction

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, sliced

3 jalapeno peppers

1 big bundle sitaw

15 pieces shrimps

coconut cream, 1st extraction

Boil pork with alamang, thin coconut milk, garlic and onions for 1 hour over low heat. Add jalapeno peppers and sitaw. When the vegetables are crisp tender, add the shrimps and coconut cream. Turn off heat when the shrimps change color.

Inihaw na Hito

Inihaw na Liempo

1.5 K. pork liempo, grill cut

2 T. patis

1 t. rock salt

1 t. brown sugar

Marinate pork for 1 hour only before grilling.

Pork Barbeque

Vinegar dipping sauce for the Barbeque and Inihaw na liempo

vinegar

brown sugar

knorr seasoning

soy sauce

chopped red onion

siling labuyo

Adobong pusit. My favorite!!! Mona said it was her first time to cook it. It was good. I tried making once but my sauce was too thin not black and thick like Mona's. I can't wait to wake up so I can eat it for breakfast!!!!

Green Mangoes with Bagoong sauteed in pork fat ... topped with crunchy garlic and pork fat bits.

Mona's lasagna with homemade noodles. She cooked the lasagna from scratch! YUMMMM!!!

Sansrival and Mocha Cake from Costa Brava. I broke my "no sugar" diet. I had a big slice of Mocha cake and 2 servings of sansrival. I wanted to eat more but I know I was already pushing the envelope.

My plate was so full, no more space for the rice so I had to put it on a smaller plate. I was so busy eating and excited I got confused where to dip my food because I had 2 "sawsawan", one for the grilled meat - vinegar dip and one for the grilled fish - Bagoong isda sauteed in garlic ... then I added calamansi juice.

I really enjoyed the lunch. The food was so good I am still thinking about it right now, imagining how they all tasted. I was a guest in my own home because Mona was the celebrant.

Happy Birthday Mona!