Boiled fish with vegetables or Tinolang isda

Every time I miss my mum's expertise in cooking I love to try this recipe....She's very resourceful and creative especially in cooking vegetables.
She cooks whatever vegetables she gets from the farm and what we already have in the kitchen.

When I had my vacation in the Philippines everybody in the house was surprised because I wanted to eat more vegetables instead of those meaty food. I told them that I'm already some kinda bored eating meat and I cook my own food here.

They couldn't believe that I'm already an expert cook here in the land of smiles hehehe...
Kidding aside I learned to love cooking, love to experiment whatever my taste buds like.

For everybody who likes to eat vegetables, I wanted to share this tasty, easy to prepare and healthy food, Tinolang isda. But eating vegetables alone is little difficult I know but this dish is prepared along with fish so you surely will enjoy this !



Ingredients

Fresh fish - 652 grams (any fish as preferred)
Shallot - 1 medium size
Ginger - 1 medium size
Tomato - 2 medium size
Pumpkin - 1 cup sliced
String beans - 1 cup sliced
Onion green leaves - 1 tablespoon sliced
Soya bean soy sauce - 1 1/2 table spoon
Salt - (as preferred)
Clean water - 2 cups

Preparation Time

25 - 30 minutes

Serves

3 - 5 people

Utensils Required

Cooking pot
Ladle
Cups
Spoon
Serving bowl

Preparation

• Wash the fish very well 3 to 4 times

• Boil 2 cups of clean water in a pot, first boil add sliced ginger, sliced shallot, sliced tomatoes, soya soy sauce and a little drop of iodized salt, cover the pot and let it cooked well
  

• Add the fish and slightly boil it, then add vegetables and let it cook, avoid stirring so that the fish will not get pulverized

• Finally add sliced onion green leaves and serve

Fried mashed banana or Maruya

Ingredients

Ripe banana - 1 bunch / 20 pcs (Saba variety)
Glutinous rice flour - 2 cups
Fresh eggs - 4 pcs
Vegetable cooking oil - 250 ml
Refined sugar (white) - (as preferred)



Preparation Time

45 minutes to 1 hour

Serves

8 - 10 people

Utensils Required

Cooking pan
Ladle
Spoon
Egg beater
Mixer (a big bowl or any container for mixing ingredients)

Preparation

• Wash and peel off the riped banana and mash very well, then beat the 4 eggs and slowly pour into the mixture of mashed banana already made
  

• Gradually add the rice flour and mix it and mash well into above mixture until it become sticky

• Heat the pan and pour 250 ml vegetable cooking oil

• Be sure that the vegetable cooking oil is heated very well so that the mashed banana won't stick to the pan

• Scoop the mashed banana mixture with spoon and fry until the color becomes golden brown

• Finally, serve it with little drops of refined sugar and a glass of fruit juice

Tasty....yummy....try this....sure you will like this !!!!

Where are they ?

Sun and Moon

Where are they?
They are there
Up and up, in the sky !

Stars and Clouds
Where are they?
They are there
Up and up, in the sky !

Lightning and Thunder
Where are they?
They are there
Up and up, in the sky !

Angels and Rainbow
Where are they?
They are there
Up and up, in the sky !

Precious gifts of life !

My dear friends,
After a few days of relaxation (just a sort of unwinding) and get off from computer, I didn't update my blogs for almost 6 days. It doesn't make sense ! You know blogging has already become my passion. Now I'm back.....I'm happy to tell you about my latest blog; http://www.preciousgiftsoflife.blogspot.com
Feel free to visit and let's exchange link.
Enjoy reading !

Chicken adobo - Filipino dish

Ingredients

Chicken meat (preferably thighs) - 652 grams
1 Knorr chicken cube
2 Tablespoons distilled vinegar
3 Tablespoons maggi soy sauce
1 Teaspoon refined sugar (white)
1/2 Teaspoon iodized salt
4 Cloves minced garlic
1 Head sliced onion
A little black pepper

Preparation Time 25 - 30 minutes

Serves

2 - 3 people

Utensils

Chopping board
Kitchen knife
Cooking pan
Ladle
A container for mixing ingredients
Serving ware (plate)

Preparation

• Clean the meat very well with salt and vinegar and rinse 2 times ( so that it won't be smelly)
• Drain the water and put into a mixer container
• Put the ingredients - sliced onion, minced garlic, salt, sugar, black pepper, vinegar, soy sauce and mix everything very well
• After mixing, put into a cooking pan in medium heat then let it boil
• First boil, add one knorr chicken cube and let it boil until it become sticky ( there should not be liquid remaining )
  
• Finally, be sure that the meat is cooked well and serve hot
  

A promise - Pad Thai

Dear Josie,

I kept up my promise, here's the recipe of Pad Thai.
I shared this dish with my friends....they liked it very much....I can't send it to you because you are faraway....but one day we will meet in real and then I will cook a better one for you. Well, my Pad Thai was little overcooked...hehehehe...Enjoy!

Thanks.


Ingredients

Rice noodles - 300 grams
Fresh shrimps in medium size - 60 grams
Egg - 1 pc.
Ground peanuts - 2 tablespoons
Cooking oil - 3 tablespoon
Pad Thai sauce pack (included in rice noodle)
Lemon - 1 pc.
Celery, Onion green leaves (for garnishing)
bean sprouts, banana blossom (as preferred)

Preparation Time

20 - 30 minutes

Serves

2 - 3 people

Utensils Required

Cooking pan
Ladle
Kitchen knife
Chopping board
Serving ware (or large serving plate)


Preparation

* Cook rice noodle in about 4 cups of boiling water for 2 - 3 minutes or until noodle is slightly cooked.
* Drain and take aside.
* Stir-fry 60 grams of shrimps and 1 egg in 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil until cooked.
* Open the sauce pack, and stir-in contents and cooked noodle.
* Add bean sprouts and grounded peanuts as you preferred.
* Garnish with lemon, celery or green onion leaves and banana blossom.


Here it is!
Enjoy!

Despedida party....Sky buffet

Sky Buffet...experienced the great dinner ! It's in the 33rd floor of Lee Garden Plaza Hotel Hatyai, Songkhla. They are open every night at 17:30 PM - 22:00 PM. It's the best place for gatherings that is affordable and there you can get excellent food, no doubt about it ! Yes....eat all you can ! It's free to choose.... many varieties of food....just for 159 Bath only !

http://www.leeplaza.com/leeplaza_new/skybuffet.html

Here are some of the snaps.....

CHEERS!... Well I don't drink so its not any hard drinks in my glass. It is just water...but cheers!

My plate hehehe....blanched cauliflower, string beans, young corn, chinese pechai, fried chicken and steamed fish...Note the culinary art of Thai cuisine...

Salad

Fruits

Ice cream

Thai sweets

Tea

Travel Tips

Travel has become an integral part of our life especially during vacation time. Moreover, we may have to travel as part of our business or profession as well. Here are some tips that may be useful for a pleasurable and comfortable travel.

1. Travel light

Luggage has to be minimized. We all know how much it can hinder our mobility carrying heavy, bulging bags and other things. As for as possible try to reduce the 'burden'.

2. Proper planning

Be well organized. Plan a trip well-ahead. Visualize mentally each and every minute details about travel. Make notes. Take out your pencil/pen and note-pad. Write down everything clearly. Travel with a definite purpose. Make a detailed tour plan, note it down. Write a list of things to carry, to do, to buy etc.

3. Tickets, Passport, Identification

Needless to say, these are very important while traveling.
It's easy to 'forget' such important things but remember, if you are traveling with a group by 'forgetting' such things you will erode the pleasure of others in the group. So always check and recheck these things, visa etc.
Also keep these things safely. Use the hotel's safety box.

4. Cabin baggage and Checked-in baggage

Different airlines have different rules and regulations regarding cabin and checked-in baggages. Browse their websites and find out the details. Don't forget to ask the Travel Agent about the latest rules. Excess 'kilos' can sometimes burn a large hole in your pocket.

5. Customs and Visas

Clarify all the doubts regarding the currencies you carry, customs rules and regulations and Visas.
Now-a-days things can become very difficult in cares of some errors or omissions.

6. Contact relatives / friends / acquaintances

If you know someone and you think its OK, contact them days ahead of your travel.
This will make them also comfortable. Surprise visits can be tricky sometimes, some may consider it is an invasion of privacy. Moreover, it is a good idea to ask them about the local situation at your destination. After all, we don't want to travel to a place where some riots are taking place.

7. Important addresses / maps / Travel guide

In addition to the addresses of contacts stored in your mobile phone it is better to have an address book while traveling. Hardcopy comes handy at times ! You can download and print tourist maps that are freely available on the Internet.
Get one in local language also, taxi drivers will appreciate it. Try to get a travel guide as well. You can pick one guide book from travel agency.

8. Toileteries, medicines, and other personal items.

Stock all these plenty. Tissue papers, refreshing towels etc will never become useless during travel. You may have personal preferences regarding toilet items; so it is better to stock those rather than deciding to buy those at your destination. It may not be available others and it might be difficult to locate a store sometimes. Don't forget to pack your sunscreen lotion and moisturizer.

9. Eatables

Your favorite crackers, breakfast cereals, toffees...well it is always better to pack these items.
Munching your favorites will lighten your mood during the lull moments while traveling.

10. Books / CD's / DVD's / MP3/4 player / magazines / ipod etc....

Nothing to elaborate upon such things. You know these are really a must.

11. Safety

This is something that requires a lot of attention. Wherever you go, whatever you do, whomsoever you are with....always be safe.
Take calculated risks during travel if you would really like to take risk....well you can become adventurous but be safe!
Trust your instincts !
Try to be practical !

12. Make the trip filled with happiness

Lot of misunderstandings can develop when you travel in a group. Make conscious effort to minimize it and try nullify it ASAP.
Find out happiness in everything that you see. Fill each and every moment with joy. Instill happiness into your mind....Laugh wholeheartedly a lot....Smile....
Feed your mind with happiness....

Bon Voyage!!!

Travel safely - some tips!

Safety during travel should be given topmost priority.
Traveling carelessly will attract trouble. There is a tendency for people to drop off their usual guard during vacation travel. Such callous attitude may invite trouble.

Have a definite plan

The tour plan should be charted out days in advance with all the details taken care of. Every member of the group should be aware of all the details of the tour plan. There should be a team leader.
Each member of the group should feel free to discuss openly their concerns, ideas etc to make the travel pleasurable. If you feel that you won't fit perfectly in a group it is better to avoid travel with them. Tell them 'NO' politely.

Beware of strangers and touts

Here, you will have to trust your instincts and gut feelings. Research a lot about the places you are going to visit. Browse the internet, read the blogs, you will get plenty of info.
Ask the Hotel concierge or the tour desk about the the tourist spots. Most of the hotels have reliable tour planners. Give priority to safety even of it costs a little more.
As far as possible avoid touts. There will be lot of touts around tourist spots to distract you. Keep a distance from them.

Safety in places of stay

Stay in a reputed place. Avoid shady dwellings. Any concerns should be immediately notified to the people at reception desk. Keep the doors and windows locked especially when you sleep.
Use the safety latch and peephole. Refuse stay in interconnected rooms. Keep a flashlight, candles and matches ready in the case of an unlikely event of power failure. Never allow strangers to visit you in your room, meet them at the lobby. Handle the electrical appliances safely. Make sure the room you stay is safe!

Important contacts / telephone numbers

Note down the telephone numbers of tourist police and other emergency numbers.

Passport / tickets / identification / money / keys

Safely keep all these with you. Extra pockets in clothes will be useful. Use the safe deposit locker in the room.
Handle money carefully. Never attract unwanted attention by showing off money, jewellery etc. Always be on the guard. Watch out for pick pockets!

Avoid shady places

Dark alleys, shady dwellings....well....it is common sense these places are dangerous. Keep away....
Be safe! Go to reputed joints to have food and drink if needed. Return to Hotel well before late night.

Enjoy a safe travel especially during vacation!

Eating out in Thailand - Sizzler restaurant

Sizzler is a popular eating outlet in Thailand. Sizzler restaurant is popular among the Filipino community here. By and large, this restaurant is liked by almost everybody including Thais and Farangs.

I like dining in this restaurant very much.
I had been to two Sizzler restaurant outlets in Bangkok. One is in Siam Discovery and the other at Central Silom.
I go along with my friends to Sizzler restaurant in Lee Garden Plaza, Hatyai, Songkhla, Southern Thailand.
It is located in the center of Hatyai, a busy place full of tourists and locals.

The main attraction here is the Salad Bar. Order a main dish and just eat and eat as much we can from their fully stocked salad bar for FREE. The salad bar is stocked with all kinds of salads, fruits, desserts etc.

http://www.minorfoodgroup.com/international/about_brands_sizzler.asp
http://www.leeplaza.com/leeplaza_new/home_plaza.html

This the main dish which I ordered when we went there last time.

Teriyaki Beef Steak

Cream of mushroom soup

Salad bar

Fruits

Shrimp crackers, gelatin, icings and crackers

Ice Lemon Tea

Our group picture