Bibingka

Happy New Year!!! The Holiday Season just passed and back in the Philippines, the streets at night waft with a distinct aroma during this season. Not with pine trees or gingerbread cookies, but with bibingka and puto bumbong! These are two rice cake delicacies traditionally sold during the holiday season, specially outside the church after the Simbang Gabi or dawn masses. Although I think street vendors nowadays sell these delicacies all-year round. I really miss the puto bumbong and bibingka back home! I urged my mom to find a puto bumbong steamer for us the last time she went here in the U.S., but her search for the steamer was no success. So we had to content ourselves with bibingka because it's easier to make, and some Asian stores - mostly in California, but not much here in Houston - even sell the ready-to-bake mixes.

I haven't cooked bibingka before, since we can easily buy them back home. The last time I cooked bibingka here in the U.S., it was out of the box :) It was ok, but I wanted to challenge my self to cook it from scratch. I looked around for recipes and bought the ingredients. But apparently, I did not read the recipes properly. I bought glutinous rice flour, instead of the regular rice flour! There's a big difference between these two, because the glutinous rice flour tend to be sticky and doesn't rise much (that explains my hubby's first attempt to cook puto, but that's another story). I couldn't find any bibingka recipe that uses glutinous rice flour, so I had to improvise. Here's my take on this yummy delicacy, using glutinous rice flour.

2/3 cup glutinous rice flour, sifted
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
2-1/2 tsp baking powder, sifted
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tbsp butter, melted + some for toppings
2/3 cup sugar + some for toppings
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup milk
banana leaves (for lining)

Toppings (at least 1 or all of these):
sliced cheddar cheese
sliced salted duck egg (1 or 2)
grated coconut

Line 12 pieces of  4-inch tin ramekins or small tart pan with banana leaves. Make sure you wiped clean the leaves and there are no holes or tears. You may also use a 9-inch round or a 8x8 square cake pan. Pre-heat the oven to 325 deg. F.

In a medium bowl, combine the rice flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well and set aside.

In another bowl, beat eggs and add melted butter, sugar, coconut milk and milk. Beat the mixture using an electric mixer set on low. Then slowly add the flour mix to the liquid mixture, in about 3-4 batches. Beat them well until there are no more lumps. The batter should be almost similar to or may be a little thinner than pancake batter and not lumpy.

Pour the batter in the cake pan, or about 1/3 cup in each lined ramekins. If using ramekins, place them on a baking sheet or tray. Put the tray in the middle rack of the pre-heated oven and bake.

If you're using ramekins, bake for 12 minutes. Then get them out of the oven. If using a cake pan, bake for 20 minutes before getting it out of the oven. Top with cheese slices and/or slices of salted duck egg. Put them back in the oven and bake for about 5-8 minutes more or until the toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

Turn the oven to BROIL, then transfer the bibingka pan to the top rack of the oven and broil for 1 or 2 minutes or until the top part turns brown to mahogany (for that "burnt" effect of the authentic bibingka cooked in charcoal).

Remove from oven, then brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar on top. Serve hot, with grated coconut on top (optional).

Some substitutions:
If you are using regular rice flour (NOT glutinous), use 1 cup rice flour and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour. 
If using coconut cream, use 1/4 cup coconut cream and 1/4 cup water. 
If you do not have banana leaves, use parchment paper to line the cake pan then add 1/2 tsp pandan essence. I prefer using banana leaf, though, because it contributes a distinct aroma to the bibingka. 

Oven-baked Puto

Puto is a common Filipino delicacy that is usually made from rice flour. We eat them anytime of the day and on all occasions, by itself or as accompaniment to dinuguan or pancit. Later on, some Filipinos used wheat flour (all purpose or cake flour) in making puto, and was even popularized by ready-to-bake mixes and bake shop chains (like Goldilocks). It is trickier to cook rice flour puto, and that may have been a reason most home cooks used wheat flour. 

A friend of mine asked me if I can make puto for her. I was initially reluctant to accept the task, because I think the last time I made puto was when I was still in the Philippines many years ago, and there is a chance I made them out of the box (like the White King brand). I also do not have the usual molds we use for puto back home. I have muffin trays, but no steamer large enough to fit that tray. But I do not say "no" to cooking, so I did some research and asked my sis-in-law for her recipe (which also uses a steamer!). After a couple of trials and recipe adjustments, my first puto catering was a success! The tricks I learned in oven-steaming puto: more baking powder, lower temperature, top rack-baking. Next time I will try using rice flour, and also make some puto pao. 

2 eggs
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 cup milk, whole milk or 2% fat
2 tbsp. water
1/4 tsp pandan essence (optional)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp.baking powder, sifted
slices of cheese (Swiss or Velveeta) or salted duck egg for toppings


Place a 1"-thick baking sheet or a large roasting pan that would fit a muffin tray on the top rack of the oven. Fill the tray with warm water, then pre-heat the oven to 325 deg. Fahrenheit. 

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, then add the melted butter, milk, and sugar. If using pandan essence, stir in the essence to the water before adding them to the egg mixture. Whisk or beat the egg mixture on low setting using an electric mixer until well-mixed. Add the sifted flour and baking powder and fold in the egg and milk mixture then beat on low setting again.

Pour the batter in the muffin tray, filling about 2/3 of each cup. You don't need to grease the pan, but you may line it with paper cups, if desired. Place the muffin tray on top of the sheet or pan with hot water on the top rack of the oven. The water should be steaming by this time. Steam-bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out dry when inserted. 

If using salted duck egg for topping, top each puto cup with a slice before baking in the oven. If using quick-melt cheese, like Swiss or Velveeta, top each puto after baking, and then place the muffin tray back in the oven for 1-2 minutes. You can turn off the oven by this time. 

Remove the tray from the oven and cool it down for about 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, carefully remove each puto cup from the tray and serve.  

Custard Cake

Since my family moved to Houston, I am always on the look out for good Filipino desserts and pastries from the very few Filipino stores/restaurants that we have here. So far, my hunt is still unsuccessful. There is no Red Ribbon franchise here, and the Pinoy pastries I have tasted from the stores here are below-par with Red Ribbon --- considering that the Red Ribbon pastries/cakes here in North America are not as good as those back home. To satisfy our cravings, hubby and I started to bake Filipino treats for our own consumption. Here's a recipe for custard cake - a chiffon cake topped with leche flan. Really yummy! Thanks again to my sis-in-law for sharing the recipe. She's my go-to person for family-tested recipes, and then I just have to figure out myself how to do it!  Quite a challenge for this dessert, but really worth it. 

For custard topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar for syrup
3 eggs
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 can condensed milk
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

For chiffon cake:
3 eggs, separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil


Prepare the custard topping. On a medium heavy bottom stainless steel pan or saucepan, melt 1/2 cup of sugar over medium heat to make a syrup. You can just leave the sugar on the pan, without stirring, but shake the pan occasionally to distribute the heat evenly. You may start stirring the syrup when about 3/4 of all the sugar are melted. You may also add 1 or 2 tablespoons of hot water if the syrup is very thick. Pour the syrup on a 8" x 8" square or 9" round baking pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk 3 whole eggs. Add the sugar, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and vanilla. Continue whisking until well blended. Place a strainer over the baking pan and pour in the custard mixture. Set aside.

Prepare the chiffon cake. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 deg. Celsius). Separate 3 egg yolks from the egg white, and set aside the egg whites. Make sure there is no trace of egg yolk in the whites, otherwise your meringue will not form peaks.

Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, water, salt, oil, and vanilla. Add the sifted all-purpose flour and baking powder, and mix all together well using a rubber spatula. Make sure you scrape the flour on the sides of the bowl. Set aside the batter.

Meringue: In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites using an electric mixer set on high speed until the mixture is foamy. Decrease the speed to low and gradually add the 1/4 cup sugar. Increase the speed of the mixer to high again and beat until stiff peaks appear, approximately 3 minutes.

Transfer about 1/3 of the meringue to the batter and whisk until well-blended. Add the remaining meringue and fold in gently, in about 5-8 motions only to avoid "over-working" the batter. Slowly transfer the batter on top of the custard mixture, spreading them evenly. Smoothen the top carefully using a spatula.

Place the cake pan inside a bigger pan - a large roasting pan or a 1" deep cookie sheet will do. Fill the bigger pan with hot water, about half if using a deep roasting pan or almost on the brim if using a cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the toothpick comes out clean after inserting. Completely cool the cake, about 2 hours or more, before placing it upside down on a serving plate. You may also refrigerate the cake before inverting and serving it.

Green Curry Cauldron

I was looking for something to cook for a Halloween party, and found an idea from Martha Stewart's website. Here's our family's usual green curry recipe, but with a Halloween twist by making it greener and gooey-looking. 

Ingredients:
1 cup spinach leaves, chopped
1 can coconut milk, divided
1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
2 lbs chicken thigh or breast fillet, cubed
2 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 small zuccinni, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 small broccoli crown, cut into florets (about 1 or 1 1/2 cups)
1 green bell pepper, cubed
1 tbsp sugar
salt

Using a blender, puree the chopped spinach and 2/3 can coconut milk. Set aside.
Heat the wok and add the canola oil. Saute the green curry paste. You can add or reduce the curry paste depending on the level of spiciness you like.
Add the coconut milk-spinach puree and let it simmer.
Add the chicken cubes and broth. Season with fish sauce, sugar and salt.
Cook for 15-20 minutes until chicken are tender.
Add the zuccinni and cook for 5 minutes, then add the broccoli and green bell pepper.
Add the remaining coconut milk and let simmer for about 5 minutes more.
Serve with rice.

For regular green curry, you can skip the coconut milk-spinach puree and just add plain coconut milk. You can also add other kinds of vegetables, such as sliced potatoes and carrots. 

Chocolate Cupcake

Jaemi just turned 4! We were not supposed to throw a party for her, but caved in at the last minute. I was unable to pre-order the cake I really wanted for her birthday, so I decided to make cupcakes instead. I got this recipe from my sis-in-law, and tweaked the frosting a little bit. I'm still not that good in artfully designing cupcakes, but they turned out great-tasting and was a sure hit! 



Dry ingredients:

1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 c sugar
1 tsp salt

Wet ingredients:

2 eggs
1 c milk
1/2 c vegetable or canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 c boiling water

Frosting:

1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperatrure
2/3 c cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1 can condensed milk


How to make the cupcakes:

Line cupcake pan with paper cups. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda.
Add sugar and salt. Mix until well blended.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg then add in all wet ingredients and stir.
Add wet mixture to dry mix, stir until well combined, but still with some lumps.
Pour batter in cupcake pan, filling about 2/3 of each cup.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean when tested.

** You can also use this as cake mix, increasing the baking time to 20-22 minutes for 8" round or 9" square cake pan.


Frosting:

Using a mixer, whisk the soft butter. Add condensed milk then cocoa powder, whisking them in 3-4 intervals. Add vanilla then whisk. Use rubber spatula to scrape unwhisked cocoa on the sides of the bowl and mix them in. Cool the cupcakes before frosting.

Pork Binagoongan in Coconut Milk

This isn't really a dish Jaemi enjoys, but something I prepare when our Pinoy friends are here and beer is served during get-together dinners at home. I also cook this when I miss the fiestas back home, and when my hubby simply craves for it. It's difficult to get pork belly (the ideal cut for the recipe) in regular grocery stores here in Houston. I guess all the bacon makers got 'em all. So I usually substitute it with pork strip spare ribs combined with cubed country style ribs or boston butt-roast. That way you'll get a balance of the flavor-packed bone parts (the strip spare ribs), dark meat, and fat. 

2 lbs pork belly, cubed*
2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 serrano peppers or long green peppers, chopped
OR 1 tsp chili flakes**
1 medium sized tomato, chopped
1/4 cup bagoong (shrimp paste)
2 tbsp patis (fish sauce)
1 cup coconut milk (set aside 1/4 cup)
2 tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste
2 whole serrano peppers


In a deep sauteing pan, heat oil over medium heat.
Sear the pork on all sides, then set aside. Remove some of the oil, leaving only about 1 tbsp.
Saute garlic and onion until translucent.
Add the chopped peppers (or chili flakes), the shrimp paste, and then the tomato and saute until tender.
Stir in 3/4 cup coconut milk and fish sauce.
When coconut milk is simmering, add the seared pork. Let it cook over medium heat until pork is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Stir in the remaining coconut milk, then add brown sugar and season with salt according to taste.
Let the coconut milk simmer again for about 3 minutes.
Add the whole serrano peppers, then turn off the heat.
Serve with rice.


*You can also use pork spare ribs, pork boston butt-roast, or pork country style ribs.
** You can modify the amount of peppers or chili flakes depending on the desired spiciness. To make it mildly spicy, either use one serrano pepper only or remove the seeds of the pepper or reduce the chili flakes to 1/2 tsp.

Hawaiian-style Pork Roast

My husband got a slow-cooker from one of the "white elephant" exchange gifts we had this holiday season. He's been wanting to get one, and he finally got it. So for the Christmas party we attended the following weekend, the slow cooker was out of the box and ready to make some succulent dish. He found a good slow cooker recipe from the Martha Stuart magazine "Everyday Food" which I'm going to share here. However, we used pork Boston butt roast, instead of the beef short ribs in the original recipe. We did not alter any measurement or cooking time, and it still worked well. The other modification my husband made was he made some gravy out of the liquid that came out of the roast. For those who do not have a slow cooker, you can still cook this using your oven.

Ingredients:
2 red onions, cut into 1-inch wedges
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium sized carrots, sliced about 1-inch
4-5 lbs. bone in pork Boston butt roast
(if using short ribs, divide the ribs in 3 to 4 inch-pieces)
1 1/2 cups dark-brown sugar
1 cup soy sauce
6 tbsp vinegar (rice or coconut)
1 tbsp chili sauce
1 can pineapple chunks or slices
2 tbsp flour dissolved in ¼ cup water (for gravy)
cooked rice for serving

Place onions, garlic, ginger, and carrots in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Top with butt roast (or short ribs) in a tight layer. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili sauce and add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until roast are almost tender, about 4 hours. Add pineapple, including the juice, and cook until pineapple is tender, 1 hour. For oven cooking, pre-heat oven to 200 degrees F. Follow above instructions, placing all ingredients in a deep roasting pan. Cover the pan with foil and roast until tender, about 4 hours. Add the pineapple, and cook for 1 more hour.

With a slotted spoon, transfer roast and pineapples to a platter and cover with foil. Using a ladle, skim fat from cooking liquid. Transfer cooking liquid to a medium-sized sauce pan, straining the remaining solid ingredients. Bring the liquid to a boil on medium-high heat, reducing to about half. Bring the heat to medium-low. Stir the dissolved flour and pour into the reduced liquid, stirring constantly until thick. Season with salt and pepper (and a little bit more sugar, if desired). Slice the roast, arranging the pineapples on top, and then pour over the gravy. Serve with cooked rice.