Jumbo Boneless Bangus at LZM

The first time I heard about LZM was several years ago from Mona. She said that her relatives from abroad bring home boxes and boxes of vacuum sealed Jumbo Bangus from LZM. I was intrigued since then..... it always comes back to my mind that I haven't tried it yet.... then will forget about it ... then remember again.

They have two branches, the first one is located in Silang across Riviera Golf Club. Then, a few years ago they opened another branch in Tagaytay, 2/F of Magallanes Square across Leslie's, Starbucks and Pancake House.

Last night, I've decided, IF (big IF) I wake up early and it wasn't raining, I would go to Tagaytay and eat bangus. I set the alarm to wake me up at 9:00 am. I was so surprised when I got up it was only 7:58 a.m.!!! I immediately looked outside if the sun was shining... and it was!!!! Yay!

Eversince I discovered the bus terminal in MRT Pasay... I told myself I don't have to wait for people to bring me anywhere I want to go!!! As I've mentioned several times before, I can't drive outside Metro Manila. I just parked my car in the Buendia-Jupiter Bel-Air gate, rode the MRT, went down a few flights of stairs and I'm already in the bus terminal. I rode a bus headed to Balayan/Lemery via Tagaytay... BSC Golden Dragon .... one of the newer buses... and upon reaching Tagaytay... the bus stopped in front of the restaurant! It was sooo easy! I researched in the internet how to get there.

I was surprised to see it was full of people! I told the waiter I need a table for one and he set it up for me. I ordered the famous Fried Bangus and 1 cup of rice. I asked also for a bowl of bulalo soup.

The excitement probably could be seen on my face when my Bangus arrived because the people at the next table smiled at me. hahaha That was a bit embarrassing ... I was not embarrassed by the fact that I was eating by myself... the embarrasing part was that people might think I will be able to finish the whole fish all by myself!!! It was really huge! Then they gave me calamansi and sili... which I added to the soy sauce. Even the size of their calamansi was HUGE!!!

I don't know how they fry the fish but it was moist inside and crunchy outside! Usually... when I fry, it turns out so dry and card board like. I don't know how to fry real well ... maybe because I rarely eat fried food at home. I brought home the rest of the fish... I did NOT finish the Jumbo Bangus. I had it again for dinner ... that was when I noticed the fish was marinated in salt, pepper and calamansi.... then dredged with flour before frying.... then topped with browned garlic.

Finally.... I was able to try the famous bangus! My Tagaytay journey was so quick... 2 hours to get there ... 1 hour for lunch and 2 hours to get back to Manila. Not bad for my last summer hurrah before I start working again on Monday when my shop opens for school year 2010 - 2011.

Binagoongan Baboy with Thai Fried Rice

Binagoongan Baboy for me is eaten with rice while Bagoong guisado is eaten with green mangoes. I bought in Bataan fresh alamang, Mayette said to buy with big alamang rather than small and mashed. When I got home, my household helpers said it tasted good even if it was raw, all you need is to squeeze calamansi on it.



I searched the net for a simple recipe the other day and found one! I just experimented and made a small batch.



Binagoongan Baboy



garlic, crushed

onion, sliced

1 tomato, sliced

1-2 T. alamang

1 strip of liempo

1-2 cup/s water

1 T. brown sugar

2 T. vinegar

1 red chile



Saute garlic, onion and tomato. When wilted add the pork slices, continue cooking until not bloody anymore. Add the alamang and saute very well. Add water, brown sugar, vinegar and chile. Cover and simmer over low heat until pork is tender, about 20 minutes.



Easy, huh? While I was cooking, I was talking to my Tita Portia on the phone... then with my Ate... and then .... I could smell my Binagoongan burning!!!!! I ran to the kitchen... lifted the cover and it dried out and fat has been rendered from the pork! I wanted it to be wet and saucy. I was a little bit disappointed and told my maids just to store it in the fridge, I didn't want to see it yet.



Last night, Mayette and her family invited me (Yes! I was invited, I didn't invite myself.) to join them for dinner at Som's - hole in the wall Thai resto near Dog and Cat hospital and Bel-Air). While at Som's, it gave me an idea that I can turn my dry binagoongan into Thai Bagoong Fried Rice!



I already posted a version of Bagoong Rice in one of my previous entries. I used pork tocino but I like the one I made tonight with binagoongan better!



I reheated the Binagoongan baboy in a wok, then put it aside on a plate. Using the same wok, I browned the garlic, then added 1 t. Thai Shrimp paste then 1 cup rice and 1 T. brown sugar. Tossed the rice for a few minutes. Garnished with the following:



2 T. hibe (dried shrimps), deep fried

shredded green mangoes

strips of egg omelet

shallots or sibuyas bombay, sliced

1 T. chopped Happy garlic flavoured peanuts.

calamansi or lime

chile flakes, optional



I am not disappointed anymore because it turned out really good!!!! I made sure that each spoonful had the meat, shallots, mangoes, hibe, egg and peanuts! The combination of all those ingredients was really... really.... really.... hahaha

what can I say??? YUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!

Tempura Craving

I like prawns tempura, I always eat it at least 2-3 times a month. Sometimes in the restaurants or sometimes I make my own. After having my roots retouched at the parlor, I went to Rockwell. I was thinking ... should I eat at Zaifu or make my own? I checked out the menu and 5 pcs. of Ebi Tempura will cost around 250 pesos.... not bad, that is actually quite inexpensive already. But for the same amount .... if I make my own... I will have more!

So... I went to Rustan's supermarket and bought 250 grams (9 pcs.) of medium sized prawns, the large ones are kind of expensive at 830 per kilo. When I got home, I cleaned, deveined and put zigzag slits on the underbelly to elongate and for the prawns not to curl.

The last time I posted the recipe, I used Showa Tempura Batter mix... this time I used a better brand,

Kasugai Tempura Batter Mix

I just added a pinch of baking powder and ice cold water. Rolled the prawns in 1/4 C. of the Kasugai flour then dipped in the batter.

I bought from Zaifu 100 grams of hondashi powder. In a sauce pan, I added 1/2 C. water, 2 T. Kikkoman soysauce, 2 T. Mirin and 1 t. hondashi powder, simmered for a few minutes, then added grated radish and ginger.

I might have spent more than 250 pesos for the 5 pcs. Ebi Tempura in Zaifu but I could keep the other ingredients for other Japanese food I plan to cook next time. Sometimes that is the problem when I have to buy the ingredients and I only need a teaspoon or two.

My fridge is full of all those seasoning and spices and sauces I could hardly put anything anymore. Just take the soysauce for example, I have dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, Kikkoman, Lee Kum Kee premium soysauce, Lee Kum kee regular soy sauce. Now you get an idea? I have different chili sauces too! Maggi Chili sauce, Lee kum Kee Chili sauce, Lee Kum Kee chili garlic sauce, I even have the Thai chili paste from Tita Jit! Then let us not forget the hoisin sauce, char siu sauce, chutney, atsara and about 10 different kinds of jams, marmalade and preserves! Different kinds of pickles and relishes, local ones and imported Dill type pickles. Hahahaha and my mustard collection? I love mustard! Honey mustard, spicy brown mustard, Dijon mustard, local and imported yellow mustard. Oyster sauce - Lee Kum Kee and Thai. I need all of those stuff to cook! . I'm not done yet with my inventory! Bagoong! I have bagoong for Kare-Kare... for green mangoes... raw alamang for cooking... Thai shrimp paste...now I have alamang from Bataan.. I even have bagoong for guests! Good thing I don't need to refrigerate my patis! Thai fish sauce, Lorin's special for my use and ordinary patis for the general population of my household.

Whew! That was tiring... typing all my sauces and condiments but it makes a world of difference when you use the right kind and brand when you cook.

Bataan Food and Journey

I was invited by Mayette... hahaha I meant, I invited myself... no... really ... I have a standing invitation to visit her whenever she is in Balanga, Bataan. I've decided last weekend to go! School will start in June 7, which means I have to open my store and work already!

My journey started when I rode the Genesis Bus to Balanga. I don't drive outside Metro Manila because I don't know how to overtake on a 2 way road... I can't even overtake a tricycle. It might take me forever to reach my destination! The trip took 3 hours.

When I got to the Genesis bus terminal, Jon, the husband of Mayette picked me up and we went to their farm, which was about 10 minutes from the city proper. Mayette was already busy preparing our dinner... hehehe she already sliced the tomatoes and cucumber...squeezed mayo and ketchup in condiment cups.... laid out the sliced cheese.

We grilled sirloin burgers from the US

and assembled our own sandwiches.

She even let me try the pancit from Cupang, a town in Bataan, wrapped in Banana leaves.

It was like Palabok with 1/2 boiled egg and chicharon chunks.

After dinner, we went night swimming in the pool feb by water from a natural spring. NO chlorine! Water so fresh and clean and pool was just filled that day for us!

Guess what time did I wake up the next day???? I woke up at 6:00 a.m.!!! I even texted Mona that I couldn't believe that by 8:30 a.m., I already had my breakfast and took a shower. We left early for the beach... decided to go to Morong first. We checked out a few resorts but ended in Coral View Beach Resort. I saw an episode of Quick Fire (QTV) where they shot their show in that resort.

My friends are on a diet... they are drinking herbal life food supplement shake 2x a day... Jon eats his full meal at lunch time and Mayette eats at dinner. I asked them when will the diet end? Told them... I WANT MY FRIENDS BACK!!! hahahaha

Jon and I just shared an order of sinigang na hipon

and grilled liempo.

I'm a little bit guilty because they ate more than they should because of me. I even brought junk food... Doritos, Sour Cream and Cheddar potato chips, clover, cheese curls, Piknik(which I ate in the bus), flat tops, mallows and crunchies. I think even a well disciplined dieter would break.

The most exciting part of my weekend journey was when we went to the private cove in Bagac. I fell in love with the place immediately! It looked like Boracay, albeit the sand was not white, when it was perhaps not yet populated by the numerous resorts in White beach.

You could see Pine trees

and the place was almost deserted... private.. uninhabited... probably like the island in the Survivor shows.

The reason why we were there in the evening was to wait for the fishermen to catch a few bounty from the sea for us. They swam in the ocean with only an improvised waterproof flashlight and speargun to catch the fish! Some of the locals stayed behind to be with us... built a bonfire.

Mayette and I spread the tablecloth we used the night before on the sand. She was busy playing with her IPAD and I was just gazing at the stars, enjoying myself... only sounds I could hear were the ocean waves, popping from the bonfire and the soft murmur of the men. The air was cool and not hot and sticky.

Jon and Kiel, Mayette's 13 year old nephew, went back to the pick up truck to get bread because they were hungry already... that was about 8:00 pm and our last meal was at 11:30 a.m. It was a 2-3 km walk going back, we even had to cross a "small" river.

I was about to fall asleep when I felt the rain drops! Yikes! Then it really started to rain very hard, Mayette was on the phone talking to Jon and we were starting our way back to the truck. I couldn't walk very fast because I had to be very careful I don't step on anything sharp. I could hear her on the phone quite hysterical, she was about several meters away from me. Our clothes were drenched.

And then.... Ohhhhhhh how sweet and romantic! Our savior was on his way! Our knight in shining armour! We saw headlights heading towards us! Speeding actually ... only thing missing was the blinking lights of an emergency vehicle... then it was on the beach.. still going at a very fast speed. (Thank you, Lord for 4 x 4 vehicles!) When Mayette's husband reached us... he went down the truck and asked:

Jon: What was the emergency?!?!?!?!?!

(hahahahahahaha sorry I can't help myself but this is the punch line...)

Mayette: My IPAD was getting wet!!!!

Jon: From the sound of your voice on the telephone, I thought you were drowning already!!!!

I therefore conclude that Jon loves Mayette very much.

But you know what? We didn't even have to get wet. Because the first time Mayette called her husband, he already told her to go to the shed behind the bonfire.... but we are women! Do we listen to men???? Of course, not!

At the end.... it was all worth it! The fishermen caught fresh fish...

not much though but enough for us to enjoy them. They skewered the live fish using a 3 ft. bamboo stick and grilled them over the bonfire.

I know it sounds cruel, the fish was still twitching but oh... my... goodness!!! The grilled fish was so white and moist and tasty!

No need to put salt before grilling. I could live on freshly caught fish and veggies everyday.... ok... I really don't mean it hahahaha I need my pork, beef and chicken.

Speaking of chicken.... on our way back to the rest house we bought Saroy's Lechon Manok and hot pan de sal! We had a late dinner and enjoyed the remaining grilled fish. Was not able to take a picture of the chicken because we were so hungry! But the lechon manok was really delicious! Juicy and not bloody at all!!!

The next day, we woke up late and had lunch at Wanam. It is an old fashioned Chinese restaurant, the favorite of my hosts. We ordered Nido Soup, Pancit Bihon, Fried Chicken, Fried Rice, Lumpiang Shanghai

and the piece de resistance was the

CHICHARON BULAKALAK!!!!!

It didn't taste greasy at all! So light... and crunchy!!! And so HIGH in cholesterol! Hahaha.

Mayette visited a family friend and we were all served Halo-Halo!!! Ahhhh I was so full! Then we went to the market to buy dried fish... I bought Capac Tinapa, Tuyo, red eggs and fresh alamang. I wanted to buy the boiled yellow corn, not the Japanese variety but real native sweet corn, but really... it was a sin to even think about it.

Ummmm my day was not yet over... Ohhh... I meant I haven't finished eating yet for the day. We stopped by at Susie's in San Fernando ... we had Pancit Palabok, siomai and empanada. My camera battery ran out of juice last night so no more pictures.

On the way home, I already told them my dinner was going to be

Capac Tinapa

Garlic rice

salted eggs with tomatoes

and thick hot chocolate!

I had a memorable weekend. When I thought it couldn't get better anymore... it did! Good food ... great beach and wonderful friends!

Thank you Mayette and Jon for the joy you have given me! (hehehe and for the extra pounds too!!!)

Lorenzo's Way

When my mom passed away, I inherited her friends. They used to have lunch once a month ... now I'm the one having lunch with them. They always ask me or Tita Portia for new places to eat. We told them we should try Lorenzo's Way (LJC group of restaurants) in Greenbelt 5. It was the birthday treat of Tita Mita and Tita Butchie.


One of their specialties is Abe's Chicken Supreme. It's whole roasted chicken stuffed with "malagkit" rice, mushrooms, chinese sausage and chesnuts served with drippings/gravy.






I ordered the Heart of Palm salad with shrimps, mangoes, black sesame seeds, lettuce leaves with a lemon/sesame oil vinaigrette.




For dessert, we had 2 orders of strawberry shortcake and blueberry custard. We all just shared, my senior friends do not eat too much sweets. Hahaha as if I am allowed!








I was not able to take pictures of the other things we ordered but the soup was very, very, very good! I'm going to make that. It was made from chorizo, bacon and ham with cream!!!! I think it was called "La Mancha" but I will check.





We all look forward to our monthly luncheons. We trade stories and I love it when they gossip hahaha. They are not the only friends of Mom, I inherited, I have a few more of her treasured friends.

Mayette's Adobo

I invited guests tonight because I made Kare-Kare. Sarita and two new friends joined me for dinner. I do not know why Adobo is always paired with it.... but after eating with Kare-Kare... it made sense. Really good combination.



For years and years I've tried cooking adobo but I never got it right until I ate at Mayette's house and she taught me how. My mom never liked the adobo with soy sauce..... said that wasn't the right way to cook it. And I don't like to eat anemic looking adobo! So.... this recipe will give it the right color and taste of an old fashioned Adobo.

Mayette's Old Fashioned Adobo

1 k. meat (chicken or pork or both)

1 head garlic, crushed

10 black peppercorns

2 t. rock salt

1/2 C. vinegar

1 cup water

1/4 C. cooking oil

1 head garlic, crushed




In a stainless steel pot (not aluminum because it reacts with the vinegar) put the chicken or pork or chicken and pork. Add 1 head garlic, peppercorns, salt, vinegar and water. When it boils rapidly, without stirring, lower the heat and cook for 30 minutes, not more than 30 minutes or else the chicken will be mushy. Drain the meat and set aside the garlic.



In a wok, heat the oil. Fry the meat then set aside. In the same oil, brown the garlic from the stock and 1 more head of garlic. Pour the broth in which the meat was boiled. Let the broth boil until only 1/2 is left, put back the meat and continue cooking until the sauce has been reduced to about 1/4 cup and oil has been rendered from the meat.



I still have left over Adobo from dinner! I want to wake up already and eat it for lunch!!! Mona taught me something bad. After I reheat the Adobo in the wok, I am going to put the rice and toss it a few times so it will be coated with Adobo oil!!!



How will I ever lose weight if I eat like this all the time?

Mussels with Corn

I was on the phone with Mona last night.... we were talking about Libby's creamed corn when I suddenly said: WAIT! I have to talk to my helper before she sleeps! I told Hermie to buy me mussels in the market in the morning because I still have Japanese corn in the fridge! In my mind last night ... I was already imagining the corn soup I'm going to eat for lunch. I think that is why I'm always hungry. I think about food all the time ... and when I think about it ... I imagine how I will cook it and I can already taste (in my mind) the food!

The corn soup was perfect for my first meal of the day, it was light but with carbs and protein to give me energy for a few hours (before I get hungry again). It seems odd to eat breakfast food at lunchtime but there are times when I eat pancakes for dinner!

Fresh Corn Soup with Mussels

1/2 K. mussels

4 corn on a cob, shredded

garlic

onion

4 C water or rice washing (hugas bigas)

dahon sili

salt and pepper

patis

Saute garlic, onion and shredded corn. Add water, boil until kernels are tender. Add mussels and season the soup. When the mussles open add the sili leaves. Discard shells that did not open. Serve hot.