TORTANG TALONG (EGGPLANT OMELETTE)

Here is my recipe of tortang talong:

5 pcs medium talong (eggplant)

Batter:

1 c flour

1 Tbsp breading mix

salt, pepper

Filling:

1 c potatoes (diced, fried)

1 c tofu or tokwa (mashed, fried)

2 Tbsp leeks or spring onions

(or 1 tsp garlic and 2 Tbsp onions)

1/4 c tomatoes

salt, seasoning

soy sauce

1. Prepare filling:  Sauté leeks or spring onions or garlic and onions in oil.  Add salt, seasoning and tomatoes.  Cook very well.  Add fried potatoes and fried tofu.  Mix well.  Set aside.

2. Prepare batter:  In a bowl, put flour, breading mix, salt and pepper.  Add water gradually to make a thick batter.  Set aside.

3. Roast pieces of talong on charcoal or fire.  Peel off skin.  Dip pieces of talong in batter.  Fry in hot oil, adding spoonfuls of filling on top.  Cover filling with a little batter.  Turn and fry until both sides are golden brown.  Serve with ketchup.

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PASTILLAS DE UBE

PASTILLAS DE UBE - - is one of the various flavors we can make with pastillas, such as pastillas de langka, pastillas de leche, pastillas de mani, pastillas de macapuno, etc. I am definitely a sweet tooth and I love any kind of pastillas.

Pastillas are Filipino sweetened soft milk candies, traditionally made from carabao's milk, sugar and dayap (native lime) rind, boiled to a thick paste, cooled and rolled in sugar.

As early as the 17th century, the town of San Miguel, Bulacan has been famous for making pastillas de leche. It was a way for farm families to use excess carabao's milk which spoiled easily. Today more than 200 pastillas shops are found all over the province of Bulacan.

The word 'pastilla' is derived from the name of Giovanni Pastilla, a 17th century confectioner (sweets maker) in the court of French Queen Marie de Medici. Giovanni's sweetmeats, candies and jellies were so popular that they were named after him. In those days, confectioners were very highly paid. They were regarded as the highest of all food tradesmen. They were hired in the royal courts and in the homes of aristocrats for their skill in making special sweets.

The milk candies of Giovanni Pastilla became known all over France, Italy, Spain and Britain. From the Spaniards we learned the fine art of confectionery or pastillas making which was the trend in Europe at that time. It was first adapted in the province of Bulacan where there was abundance of carabao's milk. Today, every milk candy all over the country is called pastillas.

Here is my recipe of pastillas de ube:

Ingredients:

1 small can evaporated milk

1 small can condensed milk

1/4 c milk powder

1 c boiled and mashed ube (purple yam)

2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp butter

food color (violet)

sugar for rolling

1. In a cast iron pan, boil evap milk over low heat until most of the mixture evaporates.

2. Add condensed milk, continue stirring until thick.

3. Add milk powder, mashed ube, vanilla, coloring and butter. Mix until pastillas consistency. Allow to cool. Form into balls or cylinder. Roll in sugar. Wrap and serve.

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BIKO

BIKO - - also called sinukmani is a traditional Filipino snack food made from glutinous rice,coconut milk and brown sugar or panocha. I have very fond memories of my Lola Beatriz' sinukmani and bihongke (sotanghon soup), traditional food in our large family gathering during Undras (All Saints Day).

As far back as 4,000 years ago, the ancient Indonesian-Filipinos were already cooking this snack food with latik topping which they called 'wajik', from the Indonesian languange. The ancient Filipino meals at that time consisted of rice, fish, fruits, vegetables,bananas, yams, coconut and sugar cane.

Then the Indian influences reached our islands from the 10th thru the early 14th century. We were introduced to Sanskrit words, literature and culture. The word 'biko' was an ancient Sanskrit word that referred to an Indian sweetened steamed rice cooked in coconut milk and sugar cane. 

In fact, the recipe of wajik was inherited by the Indonesians from the Indians several milleniums back when they conquered the Indonesian archipelago. So the name 'biko' and the original recipe actually both came from India.

Here is my recipe of biko: 

Ingredients:

2 c malagkit (glutinous) rice

1 c very thick coconut milk

1 1/2 c brown sugar

1 c very thick coconut milk (for making latik)

banana leaves

Procedure:

1. Cook malagkit rice. Set aside

2. In a large pan, boil the thick coconut milk and sugar. Add the cooked rice little by little, while mixing well. Remove from heat.

3. Spread wilted banana leaves on a bilao or tray. Put rice mixture.Spread evenly. Serve with latik on top.

4. To make latik, boil thick coconut milk until oil separates and the cream turns into brown, fragrant and crispy latik.

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