Ginataang Santol with Sardines

Be skeptical, but learn to listen. ~Miguel Angel Ruiz

If you think this dish is weird, better try it first. If you're like me who's so in love with coco cream, give it a try! For those who do not know, santol is a tropical fruit which has a bitter-tangy flesh and has sweet-slightly-sour seeds when ripe. Filipinos want their santol to be dipped in salt, we usually split the fruit in half and suck the seeds to get the sweet pulp and juice of the fruit.

My late bro-in-law used to make santol juice everytime the fruit was in season. At first, I found it strange because the flesh of santol was overly sour and making it as a juice was weird. But when I tasted it, that's all I wanted to drink. The feeling then is the same with this dish, at first I thought it's no-good. Since my mother insisted to make one, I cooked it though I'm a bit skeptical. And I'm glad that I listened to my mom. She's right, this is SO fab good! 

Would you believe that the cost of this dish is less 50 Php? And it can serve up to 4 person! No joke! That's why I'm so hooked on it. The secret ingredient here is the sardines. It just so happened that I forgot to buy the "tinapa" flakes so my mom told me to use sardines instead. Oh my, I just can't believe with the result, it's so delicious. Slightly sour and sweet, thick, creamy, simply yummy!

INGREDIENTS:
9 pcs santol, peeled and flesh chopped
1 cup coconut cream / gata (first extraction)
1 large red or white onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp sugar *optional
1 small can sardines (with chili)
1-2 bird's eye chili (siling labuyo)
1 green chili (siling panigang)
1 Tbsp patis or fish sauce
canola oil or any vegetable oil
salt and pepper

PROCEDURE:
1. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoon(s) of salt on santol. Mix it generously and squeeze out the liquid.

2. Heat a little oil in a pan. Saute the onion and garlic.

3. Add in the chopped santol. Put the water. Let it boil until the water completely evaporates.

4. Add in the sardines, chilies, patis, and sugar (optional).

5. Add in the coconut cream. Season with pepper. Add salt if needed. Cook uncovered for 5 to 8mins.

6. Serve with rice. Share and enjoy!

QUICK NOTES:
1. If you don't like sardines, you may use other meat like pork or ground pork, seafoods like prawns, crabs, or smoked fish (tinapa). Experiment and explore, this dish is very versatile. You may also use spanish sardines.
2. Omit the chilies if you don't want spicy. 
3. If you're wondering why I put sugar, this is to balance the sourness of the santol, but you may also omit it. Taste it first, if you find the dish too sour, you may add sugar.
4. If you want the sauce to be dry and slightly oily (oil from the coconut), cook it for a longer period of time, about 10-12 mins. 


Print this recipe!
INGREDIENTS:
9 pcs santol, peeled and flesh chopped
1 cup coconut cream / gata (first extraction)
1 large red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp sugar *optional
1 small can sardines (with chili)
1-2 bird's eye chili (labuyo)
1 green chili (panigang)
1 Tbsp patis or fish sauce
canola oil or any vegetable oil
salt and pepper

PROCEDURE:
1. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt on santol. Mix it generously and squeeze out the liquid.
2. Heat a little oil in a pan. Saute the onion and garlic.
3. Add in the chopped santol. Put the water. Let it boil until the water completely evaporates.
4. Add in the sardines, chilies, patis, and sugar (optional).
5. Add in the coconut cream. Season with pepper. Add salt if needed. Cook uncovered for 5 to 8mins, stirring occasionally.
6. Serve with rice. Share and enjoy!

Yield: 2 to 4 person


Happy day always,

Rhea

Ube Halaya or Halayang Ube

"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." ~Thomas Merton

Isn't it crazy how we push ourselves to make food looks so darn good? Even I take 100 shots to finally say that "it's a good pic, I can use it on my blog". Heck! But why are some people just "naturally" good at things? It's like they don't exert effort but they do great. They pick up the skill as soon as they started trying. Hmmm, well, my hubby and his brothers are like that, they're so good in everything especially when it comes to art. See the pic above? Who would think that a simple ube halaya can be transformed to a minion creature. Wow, I'm amazed!

INGREDIENTS:
2 kg ube or purple yam, peeled, boiled and finely grated
2 3/4 cup coconut cream
2 1/2 cup brown sugar
300 ml + 1/2 cup condensed milk
2-4 Tbsp butter or margarine, room temperature
1/2 cup cheese, grated

PROCEDURE:
1. In a large pan, combine coconut cream and sugar. Cook it over medium-high heat (uncovered), stirring frequently. Once boiling, lower the heat into medium. Let it simmer (uncovered) for another 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently. 

2. Once the size of the bubbles becomes big, add in the grated ube. Mix well.

3. Add in the condensed milk and butter/margarine. 

4. Add in the cheese.

5. Cook and stir it until the mixture becomes thick and sticky (about 30-40 minutes). The mixture won't fall when you lifted the laddle.

6. Put it in a plate and let your creative side do the wonders. Mold it to whatever shape you like.

ube halaya with leche flan

piggy halaya with angry birds stuffed toys

QUICK NOTES:
1. Put the left-over in the refrigerator. It will last up to 5-7 days. 
2. If you don't have coconut cream, you may use evaporated or fresh milk. But the taste will differ.
3. There are varieties of ube which are lighter in shade, you may use violet food coloring to make it darker.



Happy day always,

Rhea