My Bibingka Obsession

My title sounds like a telenovela!

Well, in a way, it is! I mean a telenovela.  Happy and sad moments.  When I have an obsession, I will not stop experimenting until I get it right.

The bibingka I like is soft and fluffly like a hotcake.

My first attempt at bibingka.  I baked it in the oven and used parchment paper.

It was a bit dense and too cake like for my taste. But for a first try, at least, it was edible.

2nd attempt was oven baked and grilled.  I used banana leaves this time.

I cooked it for my friends.

My 3rd attempt did not even merit a picture taking.  It was like tamales.

When I went to Farmers Market the other day I was not able to buy the "bibingka maker".  I was in a whiny mood because it was out of stock.

Do you know what happens when I could not get what I want?

I would mope all day and "cry" I want the bibingka maker but it's out of stock!

Over and over and over.

Yaya Hermie took pity on me.  When I woke up yesterday this was what greeted me in the morning!!!!

A DIY bibingka maker!  She brought out the brick stove I bought several years ago in one of those food fairs in World Trade Center.

She bought me a clay "baking pan".  Then she used my old baking pan, put holes using an ice pick then got the wire hanger from a hanging plant.

Yaya Hermie loves me!!!

So this afternoon, Mariger and I with the help of Hermie cooked Bibingka!

I think I got it right this time!!!

For me it was perfect! Just the way I like it!

Bibingka

1 C. rice flour (not glutinous)
1/2 C. white sugar
1 T. melted Daricreme or butter but I prefer Daricreme margarine
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
200 ml. Kara coconut milk
3 large eggs

wilted banana leaves
red eggs, sliced
kesong puti
butter and sugar

In a bowl cream margarine and sugar.

Add eggs one at a time then add the coconut milk.

Combine all the dry ingredients then add to the bowl.  Use a stick blender and process for 1 minute or 2.

Prepare your bibingka maker. Line the clay pan with 2 sheets of banana leaves.

Pour 1/2 C. of the batter then top with sliced red eggs and kesong puti.

"Bake" for 3-5 minutes.  It is done when you insert a toothpick and nothing sticks to it.

Spread butter on top of the cooked bibingka and sprinkle with sugar.

Errands In Chinatown

Jing and I did some errands in Chinatown the other day.

Of course, a visit to Binondo is not complete without eating at President Grand Palace.

Our favorite is the Sizzling Noodles with Shrimp and Pork.

We also ordered Oyster Cake.

We had "dessert" at Wai Ying and bought pasalubong  for Jing's boys and Hermie.

Pork sio mai

Shrimp Rice Roll

Lemonade.

I bought Roast Chicken from Country Chicken on Benavidez.

Flowering Pechay!

My favorite.  I cooked it with oyster sauce and fried shallots. Blanched Vegetables With Oyster Sauce

Jumbo pan de sal from Wan Kee Bakery, Benavidez.

Our last stop was Bee Tin Grocery on Ongpin St.

I bought Chinese Bihon noodles, soy sauce and some pasalubong.

Yunnan Ham!!

It was the favorite of my Lola and Mom!  Beside Lola's caja de yiero was Yunnan Ham and Brunn butter.

When I got home I was so excited to eat it with pan de sal and butter.

In my excitement my fingertips got sliced accidentally by the tin can!

WWWAAAAAHHHHHHHHH   Hihihi that was how I sounded.

I was screaming and moaning in pain while letting the blood drip down the sink. I held it for a long time under running water.

TIP:

When I scream and moan I do not feel the pain that much.

Hahahahaha I was just carrying on like I was in horrible pain.  Even Snowball was so concerned.

After 30 minutes and first aid, I was able to eat my merienda!!!

My fingertips are healing nicely now.

So that concludes my Chinatown food story.

Humba Cooked in Coca Cola

I have a Visayan Humba recipe here in my blog but it is too complicated for me so I experimented with a very easy version.

Instead of water, I used Coca Cola.  Shey is my Humba teacher.

Sharing with you a recipe even an 8 year old can follow!

Humba Cooked In Coca Cola

1 K. Pork Pata, choose the fatty pieces from the hind leg
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. MSG
1/4 C. Datu Puti soy sauce
1 can Coca Cola
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. cane vinegar
100 gr. black tausi, rinsed and drained
8 pcs. Chinese mushrooms, reconstituted in hot water for 30 minutes then cut in half.

Clean the pata under under running water.  Drain then set aside.

Marinate the pata in soy sauce, pepper and MSG for an hour.

Put all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 5 hours.

You can let it rest overnight then transfer in to a pot or pan and reduce the liquid until it reaches the consistency you desire.

Welcome Home Balikbayan Classmates!

January is usually the time the balikbayans come back here to the Philippines.  So, it was get together time with my friends.

Maripaz celebrated her birthday in Manila.  She is from the US.  The first visitor who greeted her was Snowball!

Even if Snowball is not allowed to eat chocolates, she was so excited when Maripaz put all the chocolates she brought home from the US for us in a big basket.

My schoolmates joined the celebration and they brought food for sharing! 

Catherine, Sarita, Rainbow, Bubbles, Clara, Dodai, Christine, Janet, Mylene, Candy, Miko and Mona.

Sarah is another balikbayan from Qatar!

Good thing I saw in FB that she was on her way to the Philippines.  She had another engagement on the day of the get together so she just dropped by to say, Hello.

I invited her the other day for merienda and Dra. Cristina.

Pancit Bihon was my experiment.  The simplest version, ever!  I better share the recipe now before I forget.

Pancit Bihon Guisado

1/4 K. chicken breast, sliced thinly
1/2 C. cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, julienned
1 C. shredded cabbage
50 gr. green beans, julienned
salt and pepper
1 pc. Knorr chicken cube
1/4 C. soy sauce
3 C. water
250 gr. Bihon Q noodles, rinsed not soaked in water

In a big wok, heat the oil. Saute onion, garlic and chicken. 
Add the Knorr chicken cube and then the vegetables.
Pour in the soysauce and the water. 
When it boils add the vegetables and wait until it is crisp tender.
Drain and put back the stock in the wok.
When the stock is boiling, add the noodles.  Continue cooking until the noodles are soft. 
Add more cooking oil if it is stick to the pan.
Return the vegetables and chicken and toss for a few seconds.

Serve with calamansi.

And another friend who came from the US of A is Pinky!

We sure missed her!  She was just in the States to visit her mom and sisters for the holiday.

Of course, we had a few welcome home get together for her.

We had one in Jodie's house in Paranaque.

Another one tonight in my house.

Bethina is also from the US.

She is here visiting her Mom.  I invtied Jing, Mayette, Jon and Mona to have lunch in the house.

Welcome home my dear classmates!