Bacon Wrapped Fried Siomai

Siomai with no wrapper?

Yes! I'm on a wheat free diet again.  I need to have a procedure done and if I want to be able to get an Endo clearance, I need to lower my sugar pronto!

I was inspired by the bacon wrapped siomai I used to eat at Dimsum Break in Cebu.

I tried to steam a few pieces but it did not come out the way I wanted it so I just pan fried it instead.  You may deep fry it if you like but I am not a fan of deep fried food. 

Besides, I'm "kuripot" when it comes to cooking oil.  Maybe one of the reasons why my cholesterol is low.

Bacon Wrapped Fried Siomai

200 grams kasim, lean meat, pounded then chopped
100 grams pork fat, chopped finely
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. MSG (optional)
1/2 t. sugar
1/4 t. white pepper
1/2 t. sesame oil
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 eggwhite
8 strips of bacon, cut in half

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl except the bacon and stir with a fork.

Measure 20 grams or 1 T. filling and put on top of the bacon and roll it.

Freeze for a minimum of 3 hours or you can keep it in the freezer and cook it when you want. 

Probably, keep in the freezer not longer than a week because there are no preservatives.

Thaw the frozen siomai an hour before cooking.

Put about 15 pieces on a non-stick pan.

Add 1/4 C. of water and cook covered under low heat.

When the liquid evaporates, add 2 T. of cooking oil and increase the heat to medium.

Turn the siomai pieces for even browning.

Serve with toyo, calamansi and chili garlic oil or sweet and sour sauce.

Pad Kra Pao Gai

Pad Kra Pao Gai is one of the easiest meals to prepare.  I was standing on the sidewalk in Bangkok when I saw a lady cooking it.  I looked at what she was doing and when I went home to Manila I started researching and experimenting.

I used the Holy Basil leaves from my potted garden.

Make sure you use Holy Basil and not the Basil for other Asian or Italian dishes.

Pad Kra Pao Gai

250 grams chicken thigh fillet, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 siling labuyo, chopped
2 T. cooking oil

Sauce:
1 t. seasoning sauce, you can use Knorr
1 t. Thai fish sauce
1 t. oyster sauce
1.5 t. white sugar
1 t. dark soy sauce
1 T. water

handful of holy basil leaves
2 crispy fried eggs
2 cups steamed rice

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in the pan and saute the garlic and chili until fragrant.

Add the chicken and cook until it is no longer pink.

Add the sauce and continue cooking until the sauce is a bit dry.

Toss in the Holy Basil leaves and remove pan from heat.

Serve with steamed rice and fried eggs.

Cua Pao

I thought I have a recipe pf Cua Pao in my blog but apparently, I don't.

So here it is.

Cua Pao

1 recipe of Pata Tim, you can use a slab of pork liempo instead of pata.
pickled mustard, squeezed then chopped.
peanut powder (crushed peanuts with an equal amount of white sugar)
wansuy leaves
Cua Pao buns

Steam the buns but slice it open first.

Slice the pork or cut into small cubes or even pull apart if you are that patient.

Put about 2 T. of pork filling in the sliced buns.

Garnish with pickled mustard, peanut powder and wansuy.

PS. You can buy the pickled mustard in Bee Tin grocery on Ongpin St. in Binondo.  I used Lalamove's pabili service.

Baguio Date With Sophie

Sophie and I had a date in Baguio before she starts school in La Sallle next week.  I could call it our annual Sophie and Tita date.

We rode the Genesis Joy Premiere Bus.

It took exactly 4 hours from Cubao terminal up to Baguio via SCTEX, TPLEX then Marcos Highway.

I fell asleep in the bus and when I woke up we were in Baguio already.

We checked in at City Center Hotel on Lower Session Road.  It is across Jollibee and just a few buildings away from the market.

Our first meal was in Canto on Kisad Road.

We each had an order of Lomo Ribs - half slab and Strawberry Slush.

The serving was huge, I was not able to eat all of it.

We went to SM.  That probably took an hour only.  Then we went back to the hotel to rest.

There's nothing much to do in Baguio except eat and lay in bed.  We have seen the sights the city has to offer years ago.

While Sophie was resting, I went out and ate at Luisa's Cafe.

I had the Bola Bola Siopao.

I really love the buns!  The dough was soft and sweet and when you dip it in the equally sweet sauce, Wow!  I don't need the filling, the bun was enough for me.

I regret that I did not buy to bring home to Manila.

Siomai

Beef Wanton Mami with Vegetables

I probably have a salty palate but I feel the broth would have been better if you add pepper, patis, soy sauce and sweet sauce!  Hahaha Read between the lines.

But that's just me.

We had dinner at Vizco's.

I was still full from my late merienda.

Sophie ordered the Beef with Mushrooms.

I had 2 slices of cakes.

Strawberry Shortcake

Ube Cake

My traveling companion is not an early riser so I ate her breakfast the next day.

I had the "Continental" set with Hotdog and egg.  Hihihi I suppose they call it Continental because it was served with toasts.

Then I had Sophie's breakfast which was the French toasts with cream, peaches and candied walnuts.

Lunch was at Secret Garden on South Drive.  Pine trees!  I could smell them!

We ordered Pizza, half was 4 cheese and the other half was for me, Quatro Stagnioni.

I do not like cheese that much but Sophie loves it.

Dessert was at Filling Station in Camp John Hay.  I had the Strawberry Cobbler.

We wanted to have dinner at Oh Mai Khan but it was a rainy Friday evening and we could not get a cab.  So, instead, we had dinner again in Vizco's.

Sophie had the Parmesan crusted fish

and Calamares.

I only ordered the Catfish Salad.

Why? Because I plan to order Pancit Sotanghon Canton from Solibao for take out.

It was a quick trip.  The next day I  had  Bangus with scrambled egg for breakfast.

My partner was still sleeping

When she woke up, we had lunch at Canto again.  She really liked the Lomo Ribs, she ordered it for the 2nd time.

 I  had mashed potatoes because breakfast was just a couple of hours ago.  They make good mashed potatoes in Canto.

Then it was time to go home.  We left at 3 and arrived in Manila at 8 pm.  There was no traffic but upon reaching EDSA Trinoma area, there was a slight build up because of the bus terminals.

We will probably have a date again next year!

I know Sophie had fun because she wanted to go back to Baguio again, this time with her family.  She said she knows her way around and she can be their guide.

Until the next time, Soph!

Bangkok With Jing And Family

I went to Bangkok with Jing and family (Sherman, James and Michael) recently.

We stayed in Tita Jit's guest house.  Jing is the blood relative of Tita J.

Since I am Jing's sister from another Mom and Dad, that makes me a relative of Tita also!

Hahahaha Do you get my logic?!

Whenever I get a chance I always buy siopao from VinVin.  I took a PAL flight out of Manila. There is a kiosk in Terminal 2.

I know it is really hot in Bangkok because it is near the equator but I was not prepared for the heat.  I was in the airport lining up at the immigration and I felt that I looked like a drowned cat!

Init!!!!

Jing, Tita Jit and Ryan picked me up from the airport.  We passed by our favorite "batok" place and bought food to take home since I haven't eaten yet.  Airplane food is not considered a meal.

There was grilled batok ng baboy.

Sweet corn som tum!  My new favorite!!!

Love it! Love it! Love it!

Papaya som tum

Fried rice with Chinese sausage

Fresh fruits were waiting for us, chico and mangosteen.

The next day, Jing and I accompanied Tita for her scheduled shot at the hospital.

I love going there because beside it is a food market!

After the quick hospital errand, we all went to the province to eat at Huen Lumphun, an Isaan (Northern Thai) restaurant.

Vegetable "sticks" for appetizers.

Assorted Fruit Som Tum

Pork Laab

Another kind of appetizer with sausages

Glass Noodle Salad

Laab with Ant Larvae

Shrimp Cakes!

My favorite!!!!

Leafy soup - my least favorite.

Bamboo Shoots Laab

Fried Chicken!

I'm happy to share my version of Thai Fried Chicken.

New (because I have an older recipe) Thai Fried Chicken

1 K. wings
1 t. rock salt
1 t. black peppercorn, crushed
3 wansuy roots, cleaned and pounded
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T. Seasoning sauce, you can substitute Knorr
1 T. Thai fish sauce
4 T. rice flour
4 T. water

Combine all ingredients in a bowl then deep fry the chicken.  No need to marinate.

After lunch, we went to a market in Phutta Monthon.  I bought some toys for Snowball.

Hmph... she did not like the pink squeaky chicken I got her!

Have I mentioned it was very hot in Bangkok?  Shey said that I looked slimmer in the picture!

That is because I lost so much sweat ( HAHA not weight)  It was really so hot!!!  38-39C hot!  It was like being in the oven while we were in the market.

Then we were dropped off at Icon Siam.

One of the newest malls in Bangkok by the Chao Phraya River.

Every time I go to Bangkok, there is one food or drink that I eat/drink everyday.  For this trip, my obsession was Brown Sugar Milk tea.

I tried the Black Sugar Milk Tea from Brix.

Icon Siam has a lot of brand name stores.

On our way back to Tita J's house, we rode the free Icon Siam shuttle boat and got down at the opposite bank of the river.

It was a short ride.

We went to Robinsons in Bangrak and I bought a small blue electric fan.

I bought a pink one several years ago for PD and she said that it is a very good kind, so I got myself my own fan.

We rode the Grab Party van on our way back to the guest house.

The next day was IKEA day!

I bought a few kitchen stuff and another pasalubong for Snowball.  A stuffed soccer ball.  I got a big one so I don't need to fish it our from underneath beds and cabinets.

We had lunch at S & P.

Ceasar Salad

Crab Fried Rice

Fried Chicken

Green Chicken Curry

Pad Thai

I had the Brown Sugar Milk from Koi at Mega Bagna where Ikea is located.

Then Tita dropped us off at MBK to buy souvenir stuff , etc.

I saw Tita Ope and some of the ladies from Bel-Air 2 who happen to be in Bangkok, as well!

It was just like bumping into each other in Powerplant Mall.

The itinerary the next day was Central World and Platinum.  We decided to go on our own separate ways and met up with each other in Platinum.

I had the Chocolate Magma Lava from Kamutea!

I wanted to try it a few visits ago but I was not able to do so.

EWWWW It had crushed cookies!  I don't like oreo and 1/4 of the cup was filled with cookies!!!

I ate my favorite Crispy Oyster Omelette after trying the horrible drink.

I read that Tiger Sugar recently opened in Bangkok at the Market.

It was my chance to try the Brown Sugar Milk Drink!

I was supposed to go to Siam Paragon to buy treats and dental sticks for Snowball but I opted to line up at Tiger sugar instead.

It took me 45 minutes to line up!  I did not mind because the reward was far greater than the effort to queue.

TADA!

Brown Sugar Milk with Boba Pearls and Cream Mouse!!!

Dinner was at Bei Otto, a German restaurant, bar and deli in the Sukhumvit area.

Liver Sausage

Assorted sausage platter

Crispy Pork Knuckle

Roast Chicken

Chowder

Chocolate Sundae

After dinner, Jing and I went to Ratchada Night Market.

It was evening already and yet it was still very hot.

I had to buy a drink.

Fried Crickets!

Jing ate a stick of Crocodile meat bbq.  She said it tastes like pork bbq but chewier.

On my last day, Jing, Ryan and I went to Sampeng Market to buy a few things and to have brunch at HKG Noodles.

I really loved their Taro Puffs!

And their version of Bola Bola siopao.

We also had Siomai and Hakaw

BBQ rice rolls

Asado siopao

Dry Duck mami.

They brought me to the airport and as always, I looked like a "byahera" from the province!

One time I rode a Grab car from the airport and the driver asked me from which province did I come from.

The night before while I was packing my things Jing posted this photo:

She said she was trying to get to her bed but did not know how to go about it. Her bed is on the right.  Guess which one is mine????

Madam is in the house! Hahahaha.

A private joke but maybe not so private anymore because I am sure most people already know how messy I am.

That concludes my holiday with Jing and family!

Thanks Tita J, Ryan, Sherman, Jing, James and Michael for our memorable vacation in Bangkok!