This site is the venue of my collection of special and ordinary Philippine and American dishes. For the last 55 years, My wife, Macrine Nieva Jambalos Katague had been the boss in the Kitchen. However, when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2013, I have to take over her cooking duties. I have been enjoying cooking and this proves that one is never too old to learn new things in life.
David B. Katague is an online memoirist and cultural essayist whose writing has appeared on HubPages
Three
new dishes that I have not tasted I ordered today from Shef.com -a food
delivery service that I recently discovered. The first dish is
filipino, the second is Argentinian and the 3rd is Southern Indian.
Here are a brief description of the dishes. If you decide to order from
Shef.com please refer to my code DavidK35. Thank you.
1.Bone-in Pork Estofado-Philippines (photo above)
Estofado
is from the Spanish word estofar which means to braise in a covered
pan. Yes, there is an array of Spanish estofado dishes but the Filipino
adaptation is a fusion of the traditional Spanish cooking method,
Chinese seasoning (soy sauce), and Filipino ingredients (saba bananas).
My father used to make this during fiestas.
Main ingredients
Pork
Leg Meat, Chinese Sausage, organic potato, organic carrots, plantain,
Vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, bay leaves, black pepper corn, organic
garlic, salt to taste, turmeric.
2. Chicken Empanada Saltena - Argentina
I am familiar with Filipino empanadas but not the baked chicken
empanada from Salta, Argentina. This is filled with cage-free chicken thighs,
potatoes, caramelized onions, green onions, and bell pepper. It is
served with the traditional Argentinian chimichurri sauce on the side.
Main ingredients
Cage-free
chicken thighs, potatoes, caramelized onions, green onions, garlic,
parsley, flour, oregano, butter, and bell pepper. Vegan empanadas (
spinach, mushrooms or roasted eggplant are also available besides the
standard beef, steak or chicken empanadas).
3. Bone-IN Fried Pompano- South India
This is the 3rd dish I am trying this week. The
Pompano fish fry makes for a staple side dish in Indian meals. It goes
great with a rice dish, adding a crispy and moderately spicy bite to
your meal. Cooked with authentic masalas and shallow fried at the
perfect temperature. Mouthwatering recipe.
Main ingredients
Green
chili paste, coriander leaves, lemon juice, pompano fish, ginger-garlic
paste, coriander powder, black pepper, turmeric powder, salt, corn
flour, olive oil, chili powder.
For
the last 2 weeks, I have ordered several Filipino dishes from Shef.com
The dishes were mongo with dried shrimp, chicken afritada, pork menudo,
chicken tinola and pork dinuguan. The dishes were all good and tasty.
The dishes were delivered in red insulated bags and were easy to heat.
Food
from all over the world are available to order and prepared at home and
delivered in your front door within 4 to 5 days. I recommend you try
it. Some of the dishes are pricey, but a few are reasonable. The expense
is the price you pay for not cooking and messing up your kitchen.
Meanwhile, here are 2 photos of my okra seedlings:
Trying to protect them from the jay birds and 3-Digit temperatures
Photo Credit: Speedyrecipe.com- Guinisa Na Mungo ( Sauteed Mung Beans) with dried shrimps and spinach
Ditas
send me the link on this food delivery service today. This service has
a Filipino cook ( Albert), but you can order any kind of dishes from
cooks all over the world.
For my first order, I ordered a monggo
dish ( I have not tasted this dish for quite a while) with dried
shrimps, a filipino fruit salad and a cassava cake at a total cost of
$35 plus 10% tip. I got a $10 discount being my first order and free
shipping because it was more than $25. Expected delivery one week from
today. I am looking forward for the delivery. For other dishes read the
site below:
Two days ago, I prepared my favorite dish, normally served only
on special occasion. It is the Dungeness Crab Omelet ( torta de Cangrejo) with shredded
cabbage and sweet Vidalia Onions from Hawaii. Today is not my birthday
or some other special occasion, but I have two whole crabs left-over from our New Year Lunch. The Dungeness
crabs were on sale( for only $7.99/lb) at Safeway for the last couple of days.
The last time I tasted this dish was a couple of years ago, but the crab was from
the Maryland crabs known also as the blue crabs. Preparing the dish is
simple. The hardest part is to remove the crab meat from body, the claws and
legs.
The
cabbage is shredded (1 bowl) and sauteed with the onions in
olive oil until partially cooked. An equivalent amount of crab meat is
added to the shredded cabbage and onions and cooked in olive oil until
the cabbage is fully cooked . The crab and cabbage patty mix is added to
beaten eggs with a small amount of corn starch. The patty is then fried
in olive oil until the egg is cooked. The omelet is served with
Picante Sauce (Hot or Mild) with steam rice. If you do not a cabbage,
just the onions will suffice. The cabbage also give bulk to the dish.
My other recipe is the use of cube potatoes, bean sprouts or
green beans( julienne) instead of the shredded cabbage. Try it and let
me know if it is good.
Do you know the difference between the Dungeness and Maryland Crabs.
The Maryland crabs, also known as blue crabs are much smaller in size
and very similar to the Philippine crabs in appearance and taste. The
Dungeness crabs are big and are caught here in the San Francisco Bay
area and northward up to Alaska. The Maryland crabs are from the
Chesapeake Bay of Northern Maryland and Virginia.
The Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister (formerly Cancer magister), is
a species of crab that inhabits eelgrass beds and water bottoms on the
west coast of North America. It typically grows to 20 cm (7.9 in) across
the carapace and is a popular seafood. Its common name comes from the
port of Dungeness, Washington. The crabs is a special attraction to
tourists in the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf during the Crab Season.
The season for the San Francisco Bay starts in the second Tuesday of
November. I have posted several videos on Crabbing in my recent article in case you have not read it.
This dish is also the favorite of my mother- Paz Balleza Katague(RIP)
Three of the Six Dungeness Crabs We Had for Lunch on New Years' Day. We also had garlic noodles prepared by Ditas. The
other day I posted responses to my query in the Filipino Cooking FB
page regarding side dishes and what to do with Dungeness Crabs that I
recently purchased. Some of the responses were recipes for Crabs ( not side dishes) so today I am posting some of the side dishes that I found in the Internet. The side dishes are as follows:
Cold Sesame and Ginger Noodles with a Peanut Sauce
Avocado Deviled Eggs
Finally, here's the article on Roasted Garlic Crab and Noodle( see link below*) that I heard from Ditas.
Enjoying Crabs with Your Hands
Roasted Garlic Crab and Garlic Noodle
Roasted
garlic crab and garlic noodle is a scrumptious seafood dish that will
make you drool. The garlic noodle complement the roasted garlic crab so
well. I use linguine and it is delicious.
This roasted garlic crab copycat recipe was inspired by Thanh Long in San Francisco and Crustacean in Beverly Hills, California.
If
you’ve been there, you know what I mean. They are well known for their
roasted garlic crab and garlic noodle which is a family secret recipe.
Blue
crabs is a great substitute for Dungeness crabs. It is sweet and tasty
compared to any other type of crab. Thank God for this copycat recipe,
we can now have roasted garlic crab and garlic noodle at the comfort of
our home for a lot less money.
Dungeness Crabs Available in our local Safeway Store on sale for $7.99/lb
Carlos
Avila search for Dimsum in San Francisco and posting it on his FB page,
reminded me of my article in my blogs about Dimsum and fresh Lumpia-
two of my favorite dishes I love to feast on New Year.
Carlos
is Macrine's (RIP) nephew, a professional pianist ( not accompanist), a
resident of New York City visiting the Bay area for Christmas.
However, besides Dimsum and fresh Lumpia my other favorite dish is
Dungeness Crab.
Yesterday, I ordered via DoorDash, 8 whole Dungeness Crabs
now on sale and available at my local Safeway Store. The 6 whole crabs,
I will serve on our New years Day Lunch with Ditas and Carenna. The
other two I gave to our neighbor as gift and reciprocation of the
Italian dishes she had given me in the past.
The price is
reasonable if you compare buying it from a Chinese or Seafood Restaurant
also via DoorDash. I paid $ 38 for two 2.5-lb pounders cooked crabs
from Safeway. The restaurant price is $50 for one crab cooked in a
variety of spices of your choice. The price does not include delivery,
tips and taxes.
One Crab I ordered from Asia Fusion Restaurant in Garlic Butter and Garnish with Green Onions and Parsley
Here are 2 videos on the opening of the crab season this year in the Bay Area.
Lots of work, but fun and cooking seafood and rice dish right on the Beach
Meanwhile enjoy this photo of Dimsum by Carlos and 15 Filipino Popular Traditions and Superstitions on New Year's eve and Day
I saw an ad the other day of the availability of atis or
sugar/custard apples in our local Asian store here in the Sacramento
area for $3 each. This reminded me of an article I wrote a couple of
years ago on the availability( although may be seasonal) and
affordability of fresh tropical fruits in the Philippines. Here's my
article on the subject of Popular Fruits of the Philippines.
A Few of My Avocado Harvests from the Orchards of Chateau Du Mer, Philippines
Some Filipino Fruits with their English Names
Here's a list of some popular seasonal fruits in the Philippines.
How many of these fruit have you tried?
Atis (custard or sugar apple)
Atis is also known as custard or sugar apples. (Pixabay/Stock photo)
Atis
has lots of seeds that are coated with a soft sugary pulp that tastes
like custard. The sweet fruit is available from September to December.
Banana
The country is one of the top producers of bananas. (Pixabay/Stock photo)
Banana
is considered the “most economically important fruit” in the country
since it is one of the locally-produced fruits available throughout the
year.
Chico (naseberry)
Chico is also called an energy fruit because of its high sugar levels. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)
Chico
has a sweet and malty flavor that has an edible coat. It’s also called
an energy fruit because it has high levels of sugar. The fruit is
available every January and February.
Dalanghita (mandarin orange)
Dalanghitas are known as a symbol of good fortune every Chinese New Year. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)
Dalanghitas
are considered an important fruit around Chinese New Year because it
symbolizes good fortune. They are available from January to February and
October to December.
Duhat (Java plum)
Java plums are known to leave a “puckering” sensation in the mouth once eaten. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)
The
duhat leaves a dark violet stain on the tongue when eaten. It is
likened to an astringent since it causes a “puckering sensation” in the
mouth. These are available from March to July.
Durian
Durians
are notorious for their extremely strong smell but it’s also considered
the “King of Fruits.” (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)
Durians are notorious for being smelly
because of the mixture of several chemicals found in the fruit. Despite
this, they are known as the “King of Fruits” partly due to its size,
odor and prickly look. Durians are in season from August to October.
Guyabano (soursop)
Guyabanos are used to produce juice and sweets, among others. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)
Guyabanos
have a sweet pulp that is used to make juice, candies and ice cream
flavorings. They are available from August to November.
Caimito (star apple)
Caimitos (or “kaimitos”) are also known as star apples. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)
Caimitos
are also known as star apples because of their star-like design when
sliced in halves. It consists of two colors — white and purple. Caimitos
are in season from January to March.
Langka (jackfruit)
Langkas are usually mixed in banana cue recipes. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)
Langkas
are usually mixed in halo-halo or banana cue recipes because of their
sweet flavor. They are in season from March to May.
Lanzones
The seeds of lanzones are bitter but its fruit is a mix of sweet and sour. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)
Lanzones
are known for its sweet and sour taste but it becomes bitter if you
taste its seed. They are available from August to December.
Mango
The mango is known as the national fruit of the Philippines. (Creative Commons/Stock photo)
The
mango is the national fruit of the country. One of its ripe varieties,
the champagne mango, is considered the sweetest mango in the world. It
is in season from March to June.
Mangosteen
The
mangosteen is known as the “Queen of Fruits” because it resembles a
queen’s crown when sliced in half. (Max Pixel/Stock photo)
If
durian is the “King of Fruits,” then mangosteen is the “Queen of the
Fruits” for its high antioxidant properties and crown-like shape once
sliced. They are available from June to November.
Melon
Melons are usually mixed in salads or prepared as a juice in time for summer. (Creative Commons/Stock photo)
Melons
are mixed with salads, halo-halo and sometimes even condensed milk. It
is also used to prepare juice that is usually a hit during summer. They
are available from April to July.
Pakwan (watermelon)
Pakwans are also known as dessert fruits. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)
Pakwans
are popular as desserts and is best eaten during summer because of its
thirst-quenching properties. They are in season from March to July.
Papaya
Christopher Columbus reportedly called papaya the “Fruit of the Angels.” (Pixabay/Stock photo)
Papaya
was purportedly called the “Fruit of the Angels” by explorer
Christopher Columbus because of its sweet and soft, butter-like
consistency. It is in season throughout the year.
Pineapple
The Philippines is one of the largest producers of the tropical fruit. (Flickr/Victoria Rachitzky Hoch)
The
Philippines is the second largest producer of pineapples next to
Thailand. These fruits are exported to other countries as well.
Pineapples are in season from May to July.
Rambutan
Rambutans may look like lychees but the former has seeds inside. (Pixabay/Stock photo)
The
fruit is similar to lychee but rambutan has a seed inside. It is best
eaten when it is bright red in color, which means it’s ripe and sweet.
They are in season from August to October.
Sampaloc (tamarind)
Sampalocs are used as flavorings or prepared as candies with sugar. (Pexels/Stock photo)
Tamarinds
are usually used as a flavoring for savory dishes. They are also
prepared as sugar-coated local candies. These fruits are available from
October to December.
Santol (cotton fruit)
Santol is also known as a cotton fruit because of its white, cotton-like membrane inside the fruit. (Flickr/whologwhy)
It
is also known as a cotton fruit since there is a white cotton-like
membrane inside once it is peeled. Some locals eat it with salt to add
flavor. It is in season from July to September.
Siniguelas (Spanish plum)
Siniguelas
are also known as Spanish plums because they were introduced to the
Filipinos by the Spaniards during colonization. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock
photo)
Siniguelas are brought by the Spaniards
during the colonization period, hence the name. It contains antioxidants
that can help the body heal and repair. The fruit is available from
April to June.
Suha (pomelo)
Pomelos are considered the largest fruit in the citrus family. (Pixabay/Stock photo)
Pomelos
are the largest fruit in the citrus family. They are also considered
the cousins of grapefruit. Like the santol, some people also eat it with
salt. These are available throughout the year.
With the
exception of the Durian, I have all of these fruits in my orchard at
Chateau Du Mer, Boac, Marinduque. Not in the above list are my avocado
and guava trees. For a list of fruit trees in my orchard in the
Philippines visit:
Ditas and I are both excited at the above purchase!
Ditas
went to her nearby Sea Food Market( Sunh) today to buy some Manila
Clams. Luckily, live dungeness crabs for only $12.99/lb were also
available. This is not bad a price since I had been comparing prices
for steamed Dungeness Crabs in our local grocery stores. The price
ranges from $12.99 to $16.99 per pound depending on the grocery store. I
had also been pricing whole cooked Dungeness crab with spices at our
local seafood restaurants. The price ranges from $35 to $50 for one
crab. For more details about Dungeness Crabs visit the following site:
