Bistek / Bistek Tagalog

"The most indispensable ingredient of all good home cooking : love for those you are cooking for." ~Sophia Loren

Bistek or Bistek Tagalog is an authentic Filipino dish made of thinly sliced beef or beef strips marinated in calamansi and soy sauce. Sirloin is the best when making Bistek, the right amount of fat in the sirloin makes it the best choice. It makes the dish more flavorful and its tender at the same time.

I made the bistek last Sunday, Father's day. Just so you know, my mother-in-law makes the best bistek so I'm a bit nervous when I cooked it (not sure if hubby will like my cooking). I just breathed a sigh of relief when my hubby and son praised me. My eldest told me that this is best "adobo" he ever tasted. Adobo!??? LOL! Anyhow, my heart was very happy because they loved it! 

INGREDIENTS:
600 grams good quality beef top sirloin, thinly sliced
1/2 cup soy sauce
juice of 10 calamansi
1 head garlic, minced and toasted
1 big onion, sliced into rings, reserve half for garnish
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar
salt and pepper to taste
4 Tbsp canola or any vegetable oil

PROCEDURE:
1. Combine the soy sauce, calamansi juice, sugar, and a dash of pepper in a large bowl. Whisk it until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add in the beef sirloin and marinate it for at least an hour.
2. Put the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet or pan. Cook half of the onion until translucent and slightly browned on the sides, remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan/skillet, pan-fry the sirloin over med-high heat, about 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Set aside.
3. In the same pan/skillet, add in the marinade and water. Once boiling, add the fried sirloin. Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper if needed.
4. Before removing from heat, add the toasted garlic and the sauteed onions.
4. Serve it with fresh onion rings on top. Perfect with hot rice. Share and enjoy!

QUICK NOTES:
1. You may also use other cuts of beef like the tenderloin and round (top or bottom). 
2. If using "no fat" cuts of beef like tenderloin, make sure not to overcook the beef. Reduce the time of cooking.
3. You can also try using pork instead of beef. 
4. If calamansi is not available, use lime or lemon.

Happy day always, 

Rhea

Laguna Afritada

"Bill Gates is a very rich man today... and do you want to know why? The answer is one word: versions." ~Dave Barry

There are 2 versions of Filipino afritada, the white and the red. I'm more familiar with the red afritada which uses tomato sauce. Laguna afritada is a white version, it uses fresh tomatoes. I found the recipe from Food Magazine when I'm making my weekly menu list. I was so intrigued with the recipe because it uses leftover white adobo (adobo with no soy sauce). It's new to me, so I gave it a try. I must say, this recipe rocks! I'm so in love with it, the fresh tomatoes give the dish a mild wonderful flavor while the chicken is so savory. It has the right balance of flavors which is so hooking that you want to eat more. If you're on a diet, don't ever try this (just kidding). I will definitely cook this again. Give it a try too!

INGREDIENTS:
(adapted from Food Magazine)
1 whole chicken, at least 1.5 kg or use leftover white adobo*
1 Tbsp cooking oil
half a head of native garlic, crushed
2 medium tomatoes, cubed
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp patis (fish sauce)
peppercorns
2 potatoes, quartered or cut into small wedges and fried
1 carrot, quartered or cut into chunks
2 tsp evaporated milk
2 bell peppers (green/red), deseeded then cut into strips or quartered

PROCEDURE:
*1. If using fresh chicken, clean and cut the chicken into serving pieces and marinate overnight in 1/3 cup vinegar, 3 cloves of garlic (crushed), 2 dried bay leaves or laurel, and salt. Put it in a pot or pan then add 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat into low-medium and simmer for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. 
2. Drain adobo, but reserve the liquid. Remove the bay leaves and garlic.
3. In a pot, heat oil then saute the garlic, tomatoes, and onion.
4. Add the chicken, carrot, patis, and peppercorns. Cover to seal flavors.
5. Pour in the reserved adobo liquid and let it boil.
6. Add the potatoes, then the milk.
7. Let it simmer then add the bell peppers.
8. Cook for about 2 minutes more.
9. Serve with rice. Share and enjoy!

Serving: Makes 4 (500 ml) container

QUICK NOTES:
1. You may also use pork instead of chicken.
2. Since the dish has milk, refrigerate if it will not be served immediately.
3.  You may omit the carrot if you don't like it. It's not included on the original recipe, I just want to have it on my afritada.
4. Add chilies for spicier version.

Happy day always,

Rhea

Adobong Manok, Atay at Balunbalunan (Chicken adobo with liver and gizzard)

"You are not defeated when you lose, you are only defeated when you quit!"

~Paolo Coelho

Of all the Filipino food I know, adobo is the hardest to cook! I have high standards in adobo and I admit I can't cook a perfect adobo. My kuya (brother) and my in-laws are the best and I can't copy their versions. The secret to a perfect adobo is the proper proportion of saltiness and sourness. It should never be sour or salty, these two flavors must complement each other to achieve the classic adobo taste, ah! and don't forget the garlic, it should be garlicky! It's a must!

Oh well, I've tried so many times and so many versions, but to no avail. I nearly gave up but the little chef in me keeps on telling me to try again. Ok fine! What I did is I used measuring cups for the soy sauce and vinegar. I think I need it so that next time when I make adobo again, there'll be no more estimation.  I tried a couple of times and am proud to say that this version is somewhat close to my kuya's adobo (less the laurel or bay leaf). I'm missing my kuya Alberto so... kuya, this is for you. I'm sure if you tasted this, i will hear again the magic phrase "ang sarap!!! (it's delicious!)" with matching thumbs up!

INGREDIENTS:
1 kg chicken, thigh, breast and legs, chopped
300 grams chicken liver and gizzard
1/4 cup vinegar
3/4 cup soy sauce
4 heads garlic, about 40 cloves, crushed (with skin or without)
pinch of peppercorns
canola or any vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE:
1. Put half of the garlic (about 20 pcs), vinegar, soysauce, peppercorns, chicken, chicken liver and gizzard in a bowl. Marinate it overnight or for at least 1 hour.

2. Put in a pan or sauce pan. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat. Heat a little oil in another pan. Brown the chicken, liver, and gizzard and the remaining uncooked garlic. Do it by batch. Don't overcrowd the pan. 

4. Once all done, return the chicken, gizzard and liver in the pan and pour the sauce. Simmer it for a couple of minutes (about 5 to 10 minutes). Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. You may strain the sauce if you don't want garlic on it.

5. Serve with rice. Share and enjoy!

QUICK NOTES:
1. You may add potatoes in adobo. Quarter the potatoes and fry it or just put in the pot and cook it together with the chicken.
2. You may also use pork or combination of pork and chicken. I recommend to use liempo (pork belly).
3. If you love eggs, you may also add hard boiled eggs.
4. Some versions add onion and bay leaf. It's up to you if you want to add it. It'll still tastes delicious.

Happy day always,

Rhea