Recall your Mother's Best Meal

After a busy day at work or school, we cannot wait for one of our mom's delicious lunch or supper.For me, some of my mom's best menu consists of Pork Sinigang (buto buto or liempo), pork chop, beef steak, chop suey.On special occasions, she cooks her famous pancit palabok, rice cake(biko), lumpiang sariwa and bopis. In addition, of course, New Year is not complete without her Bulalo (Filipino beef bone marrow soup)

I always remember my mother preparing our food everyday, going to the market to buy anything that will fit to her tight budget but she always make sure that get all the nutrition we needed and at the same enjoying the food she is serving us.Mom's scrumptious meals are always something to look forward to .But now that I am a mother myself, I make sure that my children enjoys my cooking just like when I was a kid.This post reminds me too of my mom's birthday next month .She will be 70 years old and will be throwing a big party.Sadly,me and my kids cannot be there  on her big day.Happy birthday mother dear!We love you.

Pork Sinigang

Ingredients:

1 kilo pork, cut into chunks

2 pcs. onions,sliced

2 big tomatoes, quartered

1 bundle kangkong, cut into 2 inches long

1 bundle sitaw/string beans, cut into 2 inches long

2 pcs. raddish,sliced

3 pcs. gabi(taro)

4 pcs. jalapeño pepper(siling pangsigang)

3 tbsp fish sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

10 pcs tamarind or 1 packet sinigang mix

Coooking Instructions:

Boil sampalok in water until soft ,strain to get all the juices and the water out of the tamarind,set aside.

In a large pot, boil pork. remove scum .Add tomatoes ,onion,taro and continue boiling until the meat is tender.

Add the tamarind extract or the sinigang mix. Put enough amount according to your taste. Add fish sauce ,salt and pepper to taste.

Add the remaining vegetables. Let it boil for 2 minutes or until the vegetables are done but not over cooked.

Serve hot with rice .

Jollibee in Qatar

Finally,Jollibee is in Qatar. The inauguration was held yesterday and the grand opening is today June 22,2010.

Tariq Marzooq Al Shamlan, Managing Director of Sunrise Trading and Food Stuff Co along with his son Marzooq Al Shamlan, Consul of the Philippine Embassy Jabbar Adiong and Vice President of International Operations for Asia Pacific and Middle East Dennis Flores cut the ribbon to inaugurate the first Jollibee franchise in Qatar at the Al Meera mall in Al Mansoura, yesterday. Shaival Dalal

I can't wait to see how the famous Filipino fast food serves us here in the oil rich land.Hope the taste of food is the same as back home else everyone will be dissappointed and will never come back anymore just like the  dissatisfaction we experienced at the first ever Chowking .

Pig out Time

 Girls talk about food again.When it comes to eating ,we Filipinos really has a lot of stories to tell.The last time I  make a pig out of myself  was 3 weeks ago .My family were invited the same day at a birthday party and a wedding anniversary of my two good friends.Sadly I never had taken pictures of the food at the events.We had fun eating and chatting at the same time.

Here are some of the pictures of the gatherings I attended  where in I really over ate.

 QL-Filex 3rd Year  Anniversary  party by the beach with overflowing food on the table.It was a whole day affair so we  had separate tables for breakfast ,lunch and  snacks.We had more food for take home.

  lunch time

3rd Sea food and Barbeque Feast .We do it yearly and pot luck so food is not really a problem.

 2009 Christmas Party Celebration.

2nd Barbeque feast  by the beach ,same place where we held the 3rd bbq feast.

1st Bbq feast at a friends house .I was4 months pregnant with my baby then and I was really craving  for lots of food.

     look at those yummylicious looking guinataang crab with kalabasa,buttered shrimp  and sago't gulaman


check here for more girls talk.

Food I Choose First on a Buffet

Whenever I go on  a  buffet  I always look  for the soup first then get me another plate of  vegetables and sea food. If it is a Filipino buffet the  first thing I grab is the rice, laing(if there is any),  dinuguan, binagoongan, ampalaya con carne, buttered crab and of course the ever popular kare kare. Never mind the pancit (noodles) and spaghetti because  we  usually have it  in almost all of  the Filipino gatherings we are attending to.

And for the other restaurant, I always get food that I don't usually eat or cook at home  in small portions so I can taste all the food  they are serving as much as I can. And then get me another plate or more of  the food that  suits my taste.

Sinigang sa Miso

My breakfast this morning is non other than Sinigang sa Miso. I used the Sinigang mix that I bought from one of the store here. I have been using this mix for the second time now. The first time did not look and taste like a sinigang sa miso by following the instructions written on the pack. The soup was fishy and with a pungent taste.

Now that I am craving for another Sinigang sa Miso again, I did it my sinigang way or my mothers style. And the result was satisfying.Sometimes, we really don't need to follow what was written on the ready made ingredients step by step  to get the best result.

Sinigang sa Miso
Ingredients and instruction:

• Clean and sliced medium size Hamour fish. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
• Heat 3 tbsp cooking oil. Fry fish just enough to seal the taste or half cook only. Set Aside.

Prepare the Soup:

• Sauté 3 cloves of garlic minced, 1 small onion and tomato chopped, 3 sliced ginger (I put this to get rid of the fishy taste).
• Add 2 cups of water. Let boil. 
• Add the sinigang mix. Adjust the amount according to your taste. 
• Add sliced medium size raddish.Cover and let boil for 2 minutes. 
• Add fish. Cover and let boil for another 5 minutes. 
• Add 3 pieces chili pepper/siling pangsigang. Put some salt and pepper to taste.
• Add mustasa/mustard leaves .
• Remove from heat.
• Serve with rice.

Seafood and Barbecue Feast

Doha, Qatar

My 2 sons woke up this morning not feeling well because of cough and cold. I gave them both cough syrup and hopefully will be better later on. My youngest son Julian, did not sleep well last night because of clogged nose so I had to stay up beside him all night.

Yesterday was entirely a good day, me and my eldest son went out for a seafood and barbecue feast at a beach with my friends. He jumped straight into the water once we got there while I did chat with some of my friends who came earlier at the place to save the area and prepare the barbecue grills. It was really fun seeing those friends with their families and children who enjoys swimming at the cold sea water of the rich Country of Qatar.

The place is just around the city right beside the Intercontinental Hotel, no cottage to rent, no stores to buy food, no vendors around, no electricity, just trees and a view overlooking the City Center shopping mall . People of different nationalities were having fun with picnic baskets, chairs tables and mats with them and some even enjoys music from their car stereos. The only thing that protects us from the sun lights are Dates trees and thick clothes. The weather was perfectly cool and fresh without even a trace of air pollution yet. I wonder what would become of this place 10 years from now. Food was superb and overflowing especially crabs. Lunch was ready at 12 noon and each one of us enjoyed our plate full of food especially when fish, squid and pork ribs barbecue were served straight from the grill. And of course what is a barbecue party without hot dogs on stick.

It was indeed one of my unforgettable weekend but we need to go back home early for my youngest son who stayed home with his father.

Looking forward for another fun filled days with my friends again. And what would be the next event? Probably a group's 3rd year Anniversary at the beach again ?

Food Trip

Filipino's are known to be food lovers kahit saang bansa pa mapunta.We will try every food that is new to our sight regardless of the price Kaya naman kabi kabila ang mga kainan sa iba't ibang sulok ng Pilipinas at kulang ang isang department store kung walang fastfood area na punung puno lagi ng tao.Sa dami nga nila ay di mo na malaman kung ano ang pipiliin.Nung buntis ako sa panganay ko ,madalas kong puntahan sa kahit anong fast food center sa mga mall ay Goto King's special arrozcaldo with lumpiang prito .Ewan ko ba sarap na sarap talaga ako don na sasabawan ko pa ng pinaghalong tamis at asim ng suka at toyo ng lumpia sauce. At kapansin pansin na di nawawala ang magkalabang Jollibee at Mc Donald kahit saang lugar ay talaga naming puno palagi.Mahal na ang franchise nila!magkano na kaya ngayon?

I like Jollibee more than Mc Donald .I love their crispy chicken joy,palabok and hotdog sandwich.But here in Qatar whenever I crave for hamburger I go for Mc Donald's fillet o'fish meal or cheese burger with french fries and small soda
When it comes to fried chicken,Max's is the best for me plus their fresh lumpia .Paano kaya nila niluluto yon?simple lang pero sarap to the bones.
Masarap din daw ang Mary brown with gravy but I haven't tasted it yet.Kenny Roger's has its chicken and ribs with side dishes na pwede na rin if you feel like eating affordable American foods .Chowking has a wide variety of good tasting Chinese food but don't try it here in Qatar because their taste and servings are not as good as in the Philippines.Hmmm,KFC ,pwede na kung type mo kumain ng friend chicken with gravy on the side. .Dito kasi sa Qatar ,no gravies kaya parang bitin ang kain so magtyaga ka na lang sa ketchup.
At pag tinatamad naman akong mgaluto ,nadyan ang Pizza hut for home delivery.Medium super supreme and lasagna with garlic bread for me and hubby , hawaiian pizza and spicy chicken wings naman for my son.

More than 3 years na rin pala kong di umuuwi ng Pinas .last time I went back home ay nung kunin ko ang anak ko and I stayed there for 1 month .And of course ,vacation is not complete without visiting these fastfoods and restaurants.Unahin ko na ang Henlins for their siomai na may masarap na chili sauce,,syempre di ko makakalimutan yan kahit pa nakatayo lang ako sa gilid gilid.And of course, Pancake house for plain and flavored pancakes and waffles for breakfast .
Dencio's with their best selling sisig, ,crispy pata ,sinugba , bulalo and grilled foods.

At heto pa :
Gerry's Grill pinoy food na kung saan lahat ay gusto mong orderin at unahin mo na ang sisig crispy pata, tuna belly, pinaputok na tilapia dahil talaga naming masarap.
Kung malakas ka naman kumain at kaya pa ng budget, punta ka ng Dads eat all u can at sulit ang tyan at bulsa mo, lalo na at mahilig ka sa inihaw ,try their boneless wagon wheel steak,stuffed squid,giant shrimps ,lengua,paella at marami pang iba.
Casa Ilongga, the best ang La Paz Batchoy ever.
Barrio Fiesta - kare-kare and crispy pata at meron din silang eat all you can.
Goldilocks – ensaymada, dinuguan matching with puto pao
Red Ribbon – cakes and pastries.
Panciteria- Pancit Malabon sa bilao...
lumpia house - fish balls, tempura, squid balls
ice cream castle – halo halo
Greenwich- lasagna with garlic bread and pizza.
Wendys-iced tea and burger and garden sensations salad.
Anu ano pa ba? Kung isa isahin natin ang ma fastfood and restaurants sa atin ay talaga nga namang masasabi nating mahilig talaga sa pagkain ang mga Pinoy