Nilagang Baka

Ingredients:

1 kilo of beef (you can put a mixture of meat, some bones and fatty parts to have a more sumptous soup)
you can also replace the beef with pork
5 pieces of potatoes peeled and halfed
1 big onion peeled and cut into two
1 ginger peeled
one cup of string beans (bitsuwelas)
1 cup of cabbage
you can also use some bokchoy or petsay
1 liter of water
1 beef bouillon cube
salt
black pepper
banana saba 3 pieces cut into two

Procedure:

This is a very simple and yet delicious soup dish perfect for sunday lunches. In a big casserole or crock pot start by putting the meat, onion, ginger and water. Boil for about an hour or more until the meat becomes tender. Add your bouillon cube, some salt and pepper to taste. Put only the vegetables during the last part of cooking, about ten minutes before turning off the stove. The vegetables will remain crispy and sweet.

Ginataang Kalabasa

Ingredients:

1 cup of squash cut in cube
1 bunch of string beans cut about 4 inches long
3 cloves of garlic
1 onion sliced
3 tbsp of shrimp paste (bagoong) if its not available you can use patis to add the fish flavor about 1 tbsp)
1 pack of coconut milk (about one cup)
about 12 pcs of prawns
about 4 to 5 pieces of crab (alimasag) (you can cut them into two to help the flavor propagate in the dish
siling labuyo (optional) it depends if you want it spicy or not
salt and pepper

Procedure:

Heat the pan, put the cooking oil. Add the garlic and onion. Once their fragrant perfume comes out add the shrimp paste. Sauté for about few minutes then add the squash and string beans. Pour the coconut milk and cover, let it simmer gently over low fire. Once it boiled add the rest of ingredients; prawns, crab and sili. Cover and continue simmering for about ten minutes. Stir from time to time to avoid that the bottom to stick. Once the sauce has reduced in volume you can turn off the fire. Best served with hot rice . Kain na!

Nilasing na Hipon

Ingredients:

1 kilo of Prawns or Gambas ( count three to four pieces per person depending on the size)
4 tablespoon of olive oil
-I highly recommend using olive oil than normal cooking oil, health and taste wise is better
1 red onion chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
2-3 siling labuyo (hot chili pepper) this is optional
1 tablespoon of butter (about 15 g)
half a glass of alcohol
-you can use any of the following: Lambanog, Sake, Tequila, Gin, Vodka or even Beer
1 tablespoon of any alcohol (optional if you are doing flambé)

Procedure:

Start by cleaning and preparing the prawns or shrimp.  If you are using big prawns it is advisable to take off their shells but leave their head and tail for presentation.  Otherwise for small shrimps you can just leave it as it is.  It is better to use fresh shrimps for this recipe.  In a deep salad bowl prepare the marinade.  Mix together olive oil, the alcohol, salt and pepper.  Mix well and pour over the shrimps or prawns.  Let it marinate for about an hour.  Afterwards, get all the shrimps and pat it dry with a paper towel. In a wok or pan melt the butter  with  one tablespoon of olive oil and put the marinated shrimps (without the marinating juice) .  Add together the red onion and red bell pepper and chopped siling labuyo.  Stir fry for about three to five minutes ( it depends on the size of your shrimp, smaller shorter cooking time). You can pour this over a bowl of rice as a topping or put in a sizzling plate with a tablespoon of alcohol to do a flambé afterwards.

-flambe is to put the entire dish on fire with the help of the alcohol you added.  You can do this with vodka, tequila, gin, or sake. Right after you pour the alcohol let it burn with the help of a match stick.  But be careful in doing this.