I was tagged by Celiak about my cooking meme. I might have a few and don't get me started because I can be talkative. For now I'll behave.
What is your first memory of baking/cooking on your own?
There might have been times earlier than this but I can vividly remember when mother asked me to cook mung beans in our dirty kitchen. When the mung beans were cooked, I intended to transfer the contents of the black pot to a cleaner pot but I accidentally spilt the whole thing in a pan of coconut milk my mother was trying to reduce to an oil for her kakanin. I couldn’t save hers but I did with mine and actually it turned out delicious.
Who had the most influence on your cooking?
My father, being of chinese descent had the biggest influence in my cooking. He cooked recipes my mother never heard of. For Ilocano dishes, it would be my mother and my maternal grandmother. When I visited her in the province when I was young, she used to cook everything outside. I would grab anything, like yams I can thow in the fire and she would gladly cook them for me. It was not so much of whether it turned out delicious or not, but she had a way of telling when the stuff is cooked already or not yet.
Do you have an old photo as "evidence" of an early exposure to the culinary world and would you like to share it?
Not during my time. We had black and white then and somehow my parents gave me the impression that it would cost us a fortune to have our films developed. Me in my apron would be something my parents thought was just a waste of another film.
Mageiricophobia - do you suffer from any cooking phobia, a dish that makes your palms sweat?
Yes, I seem to be doing alright if I am cooking in small amounts only. But everytime I cook in big amounts, they always turn into a disaster. I always have the best intentions though. My husband knows me very well and so he thinks that I should invite only a few guests at a time. He equates it to fewer guests, more quality time with guests, and better food.
What would be your most valued or used kitchen gadgets and/or what was the biggest letdown?
There might have been times earlier than this but I can vividly remember when mother asked me to cook mung beans in our dirty kitchen. When the mung beans were cooked, I intended to transfer the contents of the black pot to a cleaner pot but I accidentally spilt the whole thing in a pan of coconut milk my mother was trying to reduce to an oil for her kakanin. I couldn’t save hers but I did with mine and actually it turned out delicious.
Who had the most influence on your cooking?
My father, being of chinese descent had the biggest influence in my cooking. He cooked recipes my mother never heard of. For Ilocano dishes, it would be my mother and my maternal grandmother. When I visited her in the province when I was young, she used to cook everything outside. I would grab anything, like yams I can thow in the fire and she would gladly cook them for me. It was not so much of whether it turned out delicious or not, but she had a way of telling when the stuff is cooked already or not yet.
Do you have an old photo as "evidence" of an early exposure to the culinary world and would you like to share it?
Not during my time. We had black and white then and somehow my parents gave me the impression that it would cost us a fortune to have our films developed. Me in my apron would be something my parents thought was just a waste of another film.
Mageiricophobia - do you suffer from any cooking phobia, a dish that makes your palms sweat?
Yes, I seem to be doing alright if I am cooking in small amounts only. But everytime I cook in big amounts, they always turn into a disaster. I always have the best intentions though. My husband knows me very well and so he thinks that I should invite only a few guests at a time. He equates it to fewer guests, more quality time with guests, and better food.
What would be your most valued or used kitchen gadgets and/or what was the biggest letdown?
My garlic press is my biggest let down. I love using garlic in everything I cook that calls for garlic-fresh or fried. My sister bought me one but when I first used it, the handles broke right away so I went back to my most reliable Henckel’s knives to do the coarse or fine chopping.
I love cooking with "uling"(coal). When I was in the Philippines, I loved to cook kare-kare using uling so I have this clay pot stacked outside our house. My mother-in-law thinks that I am weird. What with all the latest models of gas and electric stoves coming out in the market and here I am stuck with my clay pot? If I ever had you for a guest and you knew I cooked the food using my clay pot, that means I cooked it with love just for you. I did bring one here but it cracked after a while. My husband made me a stainless steel one with the same idea of fueling it with coal and believe me, it has attracted attentions here and there. I carry it with me all the time, in the park during picnics, camping, etc.
Name some funny or weird food combinations/dishes you really like and probably no one else.
Adobado. I love adobado. I heard about it from my sister-in-law but actually got the idea of how to cook it from a Filipino Restaurant near our place. Unfortunately, the adobado had a history to it that my kids are connecting to, that’s why they do not like it. It is not the taste definitely but how it was introduced to them. Weird? Sometimes, my kids associate their love for food with the people they meet or interact with. Tama na baka mabasa pa niya.
What are the three eatables or dishes you simply don't want to live without?
Rice, tuyo, and dessert. My meals are not complete until I wash the food with coffee or tea and anything sweet. It could be fruits, cake, chocolates but please, I want something sweet.
3 quickies:
favorite ice cream
Hazel Nut Praline
you will probably never eat (again??)
Snake is supposedly an exotic food in Japan and China but I will never try it for the life me. Rats, yes field mice are eaten in Bicol apparently.
signature dish … My Thai and Malaysian Chicken Curry.
Tag 3 people...hmm will think of someone.. how about Stefoodie, Karen and Dexiekins??
10 comments:
oh you tagged me..cool. will do mine tomorrow coz i already blogged today. :)
right on sha! i'll be waiting for it.
dexiekins...deal!
ting-aling, how long would it take you to cook kare-kare in uling? i am very much dependent on the pressure cooker for dishes such as kare-kare.
Your meme is making me hungry! And oh, how I wish I could give you a clay pot. I'll send you a virtual clay pot. Hahaha! :)
Ako rin I can't live w/o tuyo. :( It's a must in life!
Sari, usually before I go to bed at around midnight, isasalang ko na yung pot with lots of water and uling. In that way, the initial heat will keep the pot boiling and then the uling will lose it's power di ba eventually, so the meat gets tenderized by the slow heat.
Usually it takes about 4 hours to 5 hours as long as you have the quality uling. I used to get mine from Zambales at saku-sako pag nagpabili ako. See my obsession?
Hi Toni. I'll be waiting for your virtual claypot.
For some reason, tuyo has that special aroma to me. Grabe. I buy those ones in jars though.
Naku, na-tag ako! Hehehe! I better start on Lynn's cookbook meme para maisunod ko na ito.
Ting, pareho tayo, nothing compares to clay pots and wood. Iba talaga ang lasa ng slow cooking, more tender and bursting with flavour, di ba?
May recipe ako ng gourmet tuyo pero di rin pala puede para sa iyo diyan. Kailangan pang iprito muna. Same thing, hehehe!
I'm really curious about cooking in coal. Alam ko na yung sa clay pots at talaga namang masarap ang luto especially yung pangat or paksiw. Pero the cooking in coal I'd really like to try.
Karen, send it anyway when you can. 'love to try it one day when the weather is fine and I can cook outside.
CeliaK, ganoon ka na ba nawala sa Pilipinas? It's basically made of clay..haha pero masarap ang luto niya.
ting, nakalimutan ko pala mag thank you dito sa tag mo:D
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