Gorgeous Beauties!

Look at these gorgeous flowers!

Hubby surprised me today with these gorgeous flowers. Am truly tickled pink! Hee! Hee!

Am so happy, happy, happy I want to share these beauties with my WHB friends! I hope you don't mind that there is no recipe entry today. Kalyn did mention that we can include flowers for Weekend Herb Blogging. I apologize that these flowers I am featuring are not edible. But they are truly feasts for the eyes! Enjoy!

deep pink, white, and blue roses

are these SnapDragons (Antirrhinum)?

purple Lisianthus

pink Carnations

love these pink Carnations! I think they're sweet and feminine...

violet Hydrangea

pink Daisies

are these Lillies?

Maybe in your part of the world, these flowers are considered common. But in this tropical country, flowers like these are difficult to grow. Specially since I live in a city where space is limited and the soil is not rich nor fertile. So I am enjoying these visual feasts as long as I can. I hope you enjoyed it too.

I am also not sure if I got the names of the flowers right. Please correct me where I am wrong. Thanks!

Am sending this to Weekend Herb Blogging. The event is hosted this week by Joanna's Food. To see last week's round-up, please check out Astrid's Paulchen's FoodBlog.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

I am forever on a diet. Which is kind of difficult for a person who loves to cook, to experiment in the kitchen, and who blogs about food (another reason to cook and eat!) But Hubby and I are not getting younger. We know we have to consciously stay healthy, live a healthy lifestyle and choose healthy and nutritious food. Part of that is dieting - saying no-no to bad fats and bad carbs, processed foods, carcinogenic ways of cooking, etc., and choosing healthy, fresh organic and nutritious foods in small portions -- without going hungry...

So, when Ben of What's Cooking? and Ivy of Kopiaste teamed up for Fat Chefs or Skinny Gourmet? a food event featuring diet foods and low calorie foods, I knew I will just have the post to enter. Here it is... the Cream of Broccoli Soup.

The first thing that satisfies us is having a warm bowl of filling and nutritious soup. That is why we almost always have soup in every meal - even in this hot tropical country. Maybe it is just the Chinese in me. We believe soups are nourishing, and healing most specially if we add some Chinese herbs. (I should do more posts abut healing Chinese herbs. Please stay tuned for that!) Soups do not contain much calories. If you begin your meal with nutritious soups, you will likely eat less food later on. And you will still get the adequate nutrition that your body needs.

Vegetable soups are ideal diet foods. Specially broccoli. Broccoli is believed to have anti-cancer properties. It is also high in Vitamin C, A and Calcium. Others says that the longer we cook broccoli, more nutrients are lost to the cooking process. That is why stir-frying is preferred over steaming or blanching (where as much as one third of the nutrients are lost immediately!) However, less nutrients are lost when you cook the broccoli in soup - you get to drink all the liquid anyway. Choose Broccoli that have compact head, with no bruising, uniform green color, not yellowing.

This is also a wonderful way to recycle left-over Broccoli Stir-fry. We had lots of left-over food from Jayce's birthday party. The first one I have to recycle is the Broccoli Stir Fried with Fresh Scallops. I do not know why - cooked broccoli flower gets spoiled easily in this heat. So, I had to do something with it first.

When we came home from the party, I immediately re-heated the broccoli dish. I stir fry it again until the flowers became limp. Then I added some homemade shrimp broth. To learn how to make fresh shrimp broth, please click here. I needed a strong broth to counter the "veggieness" of the broccoli. Shrimp broth seems to be the perfect candidate specially since the broccoli was already flavored with scallops. I then put everything - the broccoli and the broth into the food blender (food processor) until pureed very well (in batches, because my blender could not contain a lot.)

a few slices ginger
1 onion, chopped
4 T garlic, minced
pureed broccoli with shrimp broth
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 C milk

1. Saute ginger in some oil. Add onions and garlic and saute until softened.

2. Add the pureed broccoli and shrimp broth. Add more broth if you want thinner consistency.

3. When the soup boils, season with salt and pepper. (The broccoli is already cooked so we do not have to simmer)

4. Add the milk before turning off the heat. Serve immediately.





Instead of cream, I used fresh milk. (Should this dish then be called Milked Broccoli Soup?) Ideally, skim milk or non-fat milk should be used to make it a truly diet food. But I do not have skim milk in my pantry then.

I have to confess that the kids do not particularly enjoy this soup. For one thing, it's green! and for them, it tastes green. (Is there a 'green' taste???) But Hubby enjoyed it. He likes any kind of vegetable. (Perhaps he just loves anything that tastes green???) And it is indeed quite flavorful since I used fresh shrimp broth as the base. He even said I should cook this more often even if we do not have broccoli left-overs. To which the kids shouted, "Noooooo....!!!"

Oh well, dieting is for adults only anyway... :)

Jayce's First Birthday Party

Here are some pictures of my nephew and godson Baby Jayce-Jayce's first birthday party. The theme was "Under the Sea." And the party planner - Party Time - was really able to transform the Valle Verde 6 Club House into somewhere under the sea. The atmosphere was festive. There were lots of hanging balloons simulating bubbles. There was also a real bubble making machine (near the stage). There was a bubble show for the kids, aside from the balloon show and kids games. Everybody had fun, even the adults were gamely joining the kids' games!



This is Jayce's wonderful 2-tier birthday cake, beautifully made by Kitchen Crafts. It had simple cake base - just made of chocolate with marshmallow icing. But the decorations were prettily made. Just look at the different colorful characters! The characters on the cake were made using 'royal icing.' There were lots of lollipops with different under the sea characters stuck around the cake, some were made using butter cookies, some were made of chocolates.




Just look at these cute mini-muffins!!! Don't they look too good to be eaten?

Of course I am impressed with the creativity and the effort behind these because I am only an amateur baker (translate: home-baker). I do not know how to decorate cakes or use icings to make a cake pretty. Hmmm.. one day, maybe I might enroll in a cake decorating class... :)

Oyster and Dumpling Noodle Soup

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there! I hope your celebration today is a memorable one.

My family did not celebrate father's day today, though everybody is together today -- because we celebrated the first birthday of my nephew and godson -- baby Jayce Jayce! Will show you his wonderful birthday cake as soon as I get the picture from my brother. So, stay tuned!

But I am celebrating Father's day in my own blogging way. I would like to honor two men today.

I am blessed to have a wonderful father. He is a strict disciplinarian. How else would he be able to raise up 5 obsessive-compulsive girls? I do not know how he did it. He never spanked us nor threaten to spank us (That was Mommy's role). But whenever we would even try to do something naughty, mom would just say, "wait until your father hears about it." And that would be enough to make us behave. (And yes, I am trying that line with my children too. Amazingly, it works!) He also observes strict curfew hours. When I was still dating my boyfriend (now Hubby), he would always wait up for me, no matter how late I reach home. That alone was enough to make me feel guilty as I know he still has work the next day.

Daddy is a very good provider. He had to stop schooling and start working when he was just 16 because Grandpa died then. The burden of earning money for Grandma and his brother and sisters fell on his shoulders since he was the eldest son. He took on many different jobs. He was able to feed his family and send his brother and sisters to school. When he and mom got married, they were able to start a home business that continues to this day. He had no school diploma but he had plenty of work experiences. I think that was also the primary reason why he wants us to excel in school. He also wants us to go to the best schools. Now that we kids have all finished college (2 of us have post-graduate degrees), he proudly tells his friends that we are smarter than he is! We owe what we have to Daddy!

I am also blessed to have a wonderful father of my kids. I have written about him many years ago which I posted here. I wrote it on the seventh year of our marriage. Looking back, nothing has changed. Well, except perhaps the way we look - we certainly look older than we were before, I think we have expanded a wee bit of our waistline (we both love to eat!) But our dreams, our hopes for our children are still there. We still have fun together. We talk and talk and still are the best of friends.

I am sharing with you a dish Hubby, the father of my kids, cooked himself. This dish is a marriage of our favorite ingredients. I love oysters. He loves dumplings. And the resulting dish is as colorful and as flavorful as our marriage.

We used ready-made pork and shrimp dumplings Jiao Zi bought from a Chinese deli owned by a Taiwanese. The picture is taken from Wikipedia. (I was not able to take a picture of the uncooked dumpling. It was Hubby who cooked.) Chinese dumpling is usually made with ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of round dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together. I have tried to make dumplings before (I have yet to do a post on that.) And believe me, it was not easy!

Dumpling is not be confused with Shu Mai or Wanton. Dumplings have a thicker chewier skin (because of the different dough mixture used.) They also have a flatter, more oblate, double-saucer like shape (That is why they are called Jiao Zi - it is shaped like a horn.) source: Wikipeadia. Dumplings are usually steamed or fried eaten with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce with the option of adding chillies. But sometimes, we just boil the dumplings in soup, just like in this dish.

1 pack (around 20 pcs) pork and shrimp dumplings
300 gms fresh oyster meat
10 pcs Kani or crabsticks
4 slices ginger
4 T garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
5 C pork broth (I made broth from pork bones)
100 gms watercress, washed, cut into bite-sized pieces
250 gms fresh hand-pulled noodles (available from your Asian groceries)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Saute ginger in a little cooking oil. When they turn a bit golden brown, add the onions and garlic. When fragrant, add the oysters. Stir fry for a while. At this point, you have the option to take the cooked oysters out of the pan. (Leave the juices in the pan.) Because if the oysters are further cooked, they will become smaller and more chewy.

2. Add the pork broth. Bring to a boil. When it boils, add the dumplings. Cook the dumplings for 5 minutes or until they float up the broth. Add the hand-pulled noodles. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until noodles are cooked al dente.

3. Return the oysters to the noodle soup. Also add in the crabsticks and the watercress.

4. Serve immediately.

Mango Muffins

Ever since I read about the Mango Bread that Wandering Chopsticks made, (she posted it last year, but I was able to read it probably 10 days ago) I knew I just had to try it. Mangoes are available whole year round in this tropical country. And it is specially plentiful now that its summer.

Ripe yellow mangoes are my kids' favorite fruit. Actually, it is the whole family's favorite fruit. There is something comforting about eating a luscious ripe sweet mango. The sweet scent itself is already soothing. Mangoes are rich in anti-oxidants, potassium and fiber. It is one of the best fruits around. So I try to include it in my shopping list every week. When buying ripe mangoes, smell the head part - the one where the stem was. If it smells good, then, it will taste good. For information on how to peel, or cut and cube a mango, please click here.

I initially wanted to make a loaf bread just like the original recipe. But I am also bringing this as a snack to my Tuesday Bible Study group. So, I had to make it into a more "convenient for everybody" form, where I do not have to slice the bread and request for additional forks and plates from the host. Thus, I decided to make muffins!

I still used the original recipe from Wandering Chopsticks. The only difference is that I used muffin pans instead of a loaf pan. I also know that the baking time will be shorter because of the pan used, so I had to watch the baking time closely. Instead of 1 hour baking time for a big loaf pan, the muffins turned out pretty nicely after 30 minutes! That's half hour of gas saved! Please notice that I used Silicone bake ware, so I also adjusted the oven temperature. The original called for 350C. With Silicon, and teflon-coated bakeware, we always use 25C less, or the batter will be burnt on the outside but still unbaked on the inside. Use the original temperature if using the regular baking pans.


see the muffins puffing out nicely while baking inside the oven?

2 C flour
3/4 C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C mango nectar or mango juice
1/2 C vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 fresh mangoes, diced
1 C chopped walnuts (but I did not add walnuts because I didn't have any.)

1. Preheat oven to 350C (again, mine was 325C because I used Silicon ware)

2. Dice 2 mangoes and set aside.

3. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. That's the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt.

4. In a separate bowl mix the liquid ingredients - the mango juice or mango nectar, the vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla.

5. Add the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. I used a stand mixer at this point, at low speed.

6. Gently fold in the mangoes (and nuts if using).

7. Bake in the preheated oven for about an hour for the loaf pan, and 30 minutes for the muffin pans. Bread or muffins are bakes when a toothpick inserted at the center of the bread or muffins comes out clean.


The resulting muffins? Very yummy, soft and moist. It had the right amount of sweetness, not too cloyingly sweet, which I prefer. I wish I had added more mangoes though, and less cinnamon. But then, that's just me. I am not a fan of cinnamon. But Hubby and my Tuesday group like them very much. I was able to make 12 big muffins and though there were only 8 of us, there were no leftovers! Thanks Wandering Chopsticks for such an easy to do and yet yummy recipe!

Milkfish in Tamarind Soup (Sinigang na Bangus)

Today, being the Independence Day of the Philippines, we celebrated by having a dish that is close to every Filipino's heart. The Sinigang is a sour soup dish similar to Thailand's Tom Yum. A soup is called Sinigang based on the sour broth, not on the meat used. We can use pork or beef, or different seafoods. I have posted on Prawn Sinigang before. Recipe here. There are also several 'souring' fruits that can be used for the soup. Most cooks would rather use the tamarind. (That's also my favorite). Guavas, kamias, and even green mangoes can also be used to make the soup sour. The taste quality would be different if different fruits are used. But the dish would still be called Sinigang.

For today's Sinigang, I used milkfish (bangus) - the national fish of the Philippines. True, it is one of the boniest fish in the world, and one of the trickiest to eat. But the taste and texture of the meat is incomparable to other fishes. We also love to eat the "milkfish fat" which is good for the health. So, we do not let the "bony-ness" or "bones-full" bother us. Besides, all its bones are all lined up neatly, it is easy to "predict" and remove the bones as we eat. For those who are less enthusiastic about picking the bones off, there are boneless milkfish being sold in all markets and groceries.

One thing good about this soup is that it is an all-in one nutritious dish : It has meat, it has vegetables, it has fruits. It is also our hot comforting soup. Most of my friends who have been abroad for some time would ask for this soup once they come back home. Or they would ask for ready-made packs of tamarind or guava soup base powder to bring abroad so they would not miss this soup too much once they are out of the country.

1 big milkfish (around 1 kilo), sliced into 4 to 5 pieces
1 radish, sliced
5 slices ginger
5 tomatoes, deseeded, chopped
1 onion, chopped
300 gm tamarind, washed
6 C water
2 pcs taro root, cleaned, peeled, cubed
1 bunch kangkong (swamp cabbage), cleaned, cut into bite-size pieces
5 pcs finger chillies or jalapeno chillies (siling haba)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil water and add in the tamarind, radish, and taro roots. Simmer until tender. Remove the tamarind, reserve water with the radish and taro. Mash the tamarind in some of the water. Pour the mixture into a strainer, and extract the juices of the tamarind. Discard the seeds and the skin. (Alternately, you can use ready-made tamarind or guava powdered soup mix, so you do not have to do the extraction. Just add the powder in the water after the taro and radish had softened.)

2. Add the tamarind extract back to the boiled water with the taro roots and radish. Boil the broth again. When it boils, add the finger chillies, tomatoes, ginger, and onions. Simmer for about 3 minutes to let the flavors develop.

3. Add the milkfish. When it turns color, add the swamp cabbage. When the soup boils again, season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve hot.

This is my entry to Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted this week by Astrid of Paulchen's Food Blog. This event was launched by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen to celebrate herbs, vegetables, flowers, and produce from around the world. Last week's round-up was done by Maninas of Food Matters.

Banana Heart (Bud) in Coconut Cream (Ginataang Puso ng Saging)

When I was younger than today, I refused to eat Banana Heart - Puso ng Saging. That is the name given to Banana blossom or bud in this part of the world. Primarily because I thought the farmer had to chop off the whole banana tree to get it's heart! And I love bananas - the fruit more than I love the heart! How will the tree bear more fruit if you chop off the heart!?

Of course, now I understand that this vegetable (by the way, why is the bud called a vegetable, and cooked like a vegetable when its produce is called a fruit???) is actually the reddish heart-shaped bud found at the end of the banana stem, and that harvesting the bud will not endanger the tree in any way. The reason why it is called Banana Heart in this parts is because it indeed looks like a heart! To see a picture of a banana heart and know more about it, please click here.

This is a very simple Filipino dish. Banana Hearts are aplenty here in this country. Sometimes it is made into salads. Most of the time, it is stewed in Coconut Cream.

Coconut cream is made through infusing a little amount of water with shredded mature coconut meat. It is then squeezed and strained through a cheesecloth. This first extract is called the coconut cream. You can add some more water and do the whole process again. The second extraction is called coconut milk, which has a lesser consistency than the coconut cream. However, canned coconut cream and coconut milk are easily available now in any groceries. This makes the cooking process so much easier. Also, you can ask your favorite vendor (suki) to chop up the banana heart for you.

1 pc Banana Bud/Heart (puso ng saging)
4 slices of ginger
3 T garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
4 T cooking oil
1 T vinegar
200 gms ground pork or shrimp meat
4 pcs jalapeno chillies (siling haba), chopped (or more, if preferred)
1 can coconut cream
salt and pepper to taste

1. Remove the outer reddish part of the banana heart and discard. Only work on the yellowish white part found inside.

2. Slice the bud lengthwise into 4 parts, then chop each part thinly across the grain. Soak the chopped buds in salted water to prevent discoloration.

3. When ready to cook, drain the salt water and squeeze out all the juices.

4. Saute the ginger in the oil. When they turn golden brown, add the onions and the garlic. Saute until softened.

5. Add in the ground pork or shrimp meat. Stir until cooked. Add in the chopped banana heart and the vinegar. Cover and do not stir for around 3 minutes.

6. When the 3 minutes are up, open and add in the chillies. Mix everything inside the pan so that he banana heart can absorb the flavor of the meat. Cook until the banana heart cut-ups are tender and soft.

7. Add the coconut cream. Simmer for a few minutes more until the sauce is thickened.

8. Serve warm with lots of rice.


Banana Bud is one of the richest source of Potassium and Fiber. That is why I am submitting this dish to a new foodie event - - Eat Healthy : Fiber Rich launched by Sangeeth of Let Us All Cook or the Art of Cooking Indian Food. We should indeed try to eat healthy foods. After all, life is too short to eat bad food. :)

Hot Pot (Shabu Shabu) with Beef

With the induction cooker, we can cook Asian Hot Pot right on our table. Of course you do not need the induction cooker to do Hot Pot. All you need is a table top electric stove and a deep soup pan. Even an electric pan or fondue pot will do.

Asian Hot Pot is simply food cooked and served right in front of the diners on the spot - at the dining table - from a communal pot! It is quite fun to do. Each diner can select ingredients he prefers to eat and cook them in the communal pot. (or request another diner to cook it for you). Lest you be concerned with food hygiene, be assured that there are as many cooking implements used as there are as many diners. To each his own laddle, chopsticks, spoons, dipping baskets, etc.

Hot Pot is becoming a popular dish because it is easy to do, it is a healthy way of cooking, it is very flavorful, you can add in any ingredients you choose, you can make your own sauces and dips according to your own taste.

Locally, Hot Pot is called Shabu-Shabu. Technically, that is misnamed because the real Shabu-shabu is a Japanese soup dish with Konbu (Japanese seaweed) as the soup base. The Soup base often used in local restaurant is either chicken or pork broth.

For today's Hot Pot, I prepared:

Pork broth

1 small Napa Cabbage or Chinese cabbage, cleaned cut into 1"
1/4 K Tung-O Chinese vegetable, cleaned
lobster balls, fishballs, squid balls (all available in Asian groceries)
meatballs with mushrooms
fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
crabsticks
tofu, cubed
1/2 K beef tenderloin slices (sukiyaki cut)
egg noodles

for the dipping sauce:
chinese barbecue sauce (see the picture? this brand is by far better than the others I have tasted)
chopped garlic
chopped bird's eye chillies
soy sauce


1. Prepare and clean all ingredients beforehand. Arrange on serving trays and place on the dining table. The cooker should be at the center of the table, easily accessible to all diners (or to the designated cook, if you choose this option.) Make sure the electric cords will not bother any diner.

2. Place all individual dining utensils as well as the cooking utensils on the table. Each diner should have a bowl to put in their cooked food and soup, as well as chopsticks, soup spoon, or spoon and forks, as well as a sauce plate.

3. Pour hot soup broth in the cooking pot. Wait for the broth to boil before adding any ingredients. While waiting for the soup to boil, diners can prepare their dipping sauces according to taste. Add as much chillies, garlic, soy sauce and barbecue sauce as you like.

4. When the soup boils, add in your favorite ingredient ( from the choices available, of course). It would be advisable to add in the meat first to make the broth more flavorful. This is a cook as you go dish. Once the meat is cooked, laddle up, dip in your sauce and eat. Then, you can proceed to cook the next ingredients in the soup. You go on like this until the ingredients prepared are finished, or you get full - whichever comes first :) It is also advisable to add in the noodles last. By then, the soup is already very flavorful, and the noodles will be flavorful too!

Some more tips:

It is advisable to have around 4 to 6 diners only. It is hard to organize which food is who's if there are too many diners. Plus, there will be longer cooking time. Although, eating Hot Pots is a good way for family members and friends to talk and bond.

It is advisable to have a simple broth first, so that the taste and flavor of each ingredient will not be lost.

You do not have to stick to one variety of meat. You can combine seafood (oysters, fish fillets, clams, etc) with meat( chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, etc).

Prepare a large batch of broth in the kitchen. Add this to the hotpot as needed. Because the soup in the hotpot gets lesser while cooking and eating.

Try doing Hot Pot! It is a versatile way of cooking any of your favorite ingredients.

Woks, Induction Cooker and Prawns in Tamarind Soup

Whew! long title? Actually, I was going to write about my new induction cooker (umm... actually, not that new... but story later.) Then, Wandering Chopsticks is inviting everyone to write about their woks. Aside from my old wok, I have a new wok that I bought specially for my induction cooker! So, I have to include my woks in this post too. And of course, I have to share a recipe using my new gadgets... :)


This is my relatively new induction cooker. Last year, when Hubby went to Hong Kong for one of his business conventions, he was able to purchase this induction cooker. Accordingly, this induction cooking is different from what we ordinarily know - gas or electric coils. Ordinarily, the range tops or electric coils becomes hot and this heat is then transferred to our cooking vessels - the pots and pans, in order to cook the food inside. But in induction cooking, the pot or pan itself becomes the generator of heat! The surface of the cooker remains cool to the touch!

How does it work? Through electromagnets that the cooking pots or pans have. Thus, iron skillets and woks are ideal for induction cooking. Stainless and other types of pots are also alright to use, if they are equipped with electromagnets at their base. For a detailed explanation of how induction cooking works, please click here and here.

However, last year, I was too stubborn. I insisted on using my faithful gas stove. I like my gas stove (translated: I like to stay in my comfort zone.) I have always used my gas stove. (translated: I am too lazy to learn new technology.) My gas stove gives me high stable fire and heat I need for my cooking (translated: I am still lazy to learn new technology.) I just set the new induction cooker aside. (translated: I am slow to learn new technology.) Come to think of it, Hubby must have not been happy when I did not use his "gift" :(

This year, the gas prices have been steadily going up and up and up. One day, when I was bemoaning the high prices of everything, Hubby suggested I should use the induction cooker. It will save us money for the cooking gas. Isn't he very patient with me? One year and he still is not insistent I use his "gift."

Finally, I did use it and I am hooked! Wow! It is so easy to use. Things get cooked faster than the regular gas stove. Therefore it is energy-efficient. It is so easy to clean. No more grills and coils to scrub. Plus, the surface is really not hot! There is no steam or fire coming out of the cooker. In this hot country where our everyday temperature hovers around 30C, this matters a lot! I can turn on the electric fan while cooking and there is no fire that will go out. I do not have to sweat while cooking! Yipee!

But lest you accuse me of being biased towards induction cooking, here is the site where it tells you the pros and cons of induction cooking.

Actually, the only "cons" I can think about now is that if you do not have iron skillet or pans, or any pan that can attract magnets, you have to invest in another set of cookware if you are going to use induction cooking.




I already have a non-stick wok which I am using for many many years now (for the gas stove). I would have preferred a cast-iron wok like the one Darlene of Blazing Hot Wok has. But cast iron woks are rare here in this country. My mother-in-law has one but she had to lug it back here all the way from China! (Imagine the excess baggage weight she has to carry!) I do most of my cooking in my wok. (translate: I use my wok everyday.) I cook eggs in it. I do stir-fries, I do deep fry, I steam, I braise and make stews in it. It is an all-in-one versatile pan and pot! Here is an example of a complete meal I cooked using my non-stick wok: Chinese Flavored Rice.

a WOK is definitely indispensable in any serious cooking. However, I believe I do not have to bring my wok to heaven :) I am sure there will even be a better kind of wok in heaven! :)

Since I am still on earth, and since I want to use my induction cooker now, I have to buy a wok that can be used for induction cooking. See my shiny new wok in the second picture above?


I can do a lot of things with it. A wok is not limited to doing stir-fries and deep fries. You can do almost all kinds of cooking in it. I can even cook pasta in it! So, if you want to invest in a cookware, make sure it is a versatile WOK!



Here is a simple soup I made using the new wok and induction cooker. It is a Filipino Dish called Sinigang na Sugpo (Prawns in Sour Soup). Actually, the real dish is a lot more complicated with more veggies like okra, string beans, radishes, etc. I did not have these ingredients on hand, but I made the soup anyway...

400 gms prawns, cleaned
5 slices ginger
1 onion, chopped
400 gms tamarind, cleaned
1 small piece taro root, cleaned, skin removed
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch chinese kang kong (swamp cabbage)
3 pcs finger chillies (jalapeno peppers)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil the tamarind and taro root in a cup or two of water until softened. Mash the tamarind in the same water to extract the sour juices. Mash the taro. Remove the solids through a sieve. Keep the water with the juice extraction.

2. Boil the tamarind extract with 2 more cups of water. Add in the ginger and onion slices. Also add in the tomatoes and the finger chillies. When everything boils, add in the prawns.

3. Prawns are cooked when they turn pink. Add in the kang kong. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Dish up. Serve hot with rice.

Pork Bones With Ganoderma (LingZhi) Soup

I am a third-generation Chinese immigrant in the Philippines. As with the other Chinoys (Chinese-Filipinos), my generation has lost most of the cultures and Chinese traditions our grandparents have. We have been "localized" - imbibing the traditions and cultures of our adopted land and we have been "westernized" - copying the culture we see in the mass media. Probably the better term would be, we are already "globalized." This applies to our food as well. Thus, you will find an array of different styles of dishes on our dining table. It is not unusual to have the Chinese Hot and Sour Soup, paired with the Filipino Grilled Milkfish and a Korean Sesame Spinach for the main meal. We would sip Japanese green tea as we nibble on a slice of New York Cheesecake.

Now that I have children of my own, I sometimes feel a sense of loss over what I failed to learn from my grandmother. Most specially those things regarding food and food preparation. Of course I have learned many things from her, I have learned to cook many Chinese dishes in her kitchen but it seems that she would have taught me more if only I had listened more. I want my children to learn more of their Chinese heritage now that everybody is becoming more "globalized." I have what I can salvage from my memories of my grandmother's kitchen. And I have added to those memories the things I learned from books and from sources on the internet. Now, if only my kids would show some interest... :)

One major part of Chinese cooking that I think is important are the Chinese Herbs. We know many herbs are used nowadays as an alternative medicine. They are a lot better because herbal medicines have no side-effects. There are also many Chinese Herbs that can be used for everyday cooking. They provide nourishment, energy and vitality to our bodies, and sometimes acts a prevention to many diseases.

During my travels to China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, I have collected some Chinese herbs. I think most of these herbs are also available in the Manila Chinatown or in any Chinatown around the world. I read on these herbs and have "concocted" soups over the years. Here is one of my delicious and healthy "concoctions" featuring Ganoderma or Ling Zhi.


Does the soup look "scary?" Please do not let the looks deceive you. This is actually a very tasty nutritious and dense soup. That black strip is the cooked Ganoderma. You do not have to eat it, as we believe its nutrients are already in the soup. Just drink the soup and you will still get Ganoderma's full benefits.

What is Ganoderma (Ganoderma Lucidum) LingZhi?

Ganoderma is a type of mushroom the Chinese use to promote longevity. In ancient times, this mushroom was reserved for the Emperors, as it was relatively rare and hard to find. Now, thanks to the advent of technology this mushroom can be farmed, making it more affordable and accessible to everyone.

It is used to treat many different ailments ranging from stress-related conditions to fatigue and sleep disorders.

It is often used as a preventative measure as a way to avoid any health problems that may arise in the future. The mushroom is well-known for its ability to strengthen the body's immune system, it is said that it can help aid off infections and viruses that may well run riot in a weakened immune system. It is often prescribed to people who are suffering from cancer and are currently undergoing chemotherapy. Here in Asia, we believe LingZhi has anti-cancer effects. Studies conducted on animals have proven the efficacy of this herb as well.

This is the LingZhi that I was able to buy in HongKong. It is reddish brown. It was not as expensive as I thought it would be, considering that this is the "emperor" of herbs. Maybe as with other kinds of Chinese herbs, it has different grades or quality.

LingZhi is supposed to be cooked simmered in boiling water for at least 2 hours. But I know the resulting liquid will be "herbal" with a little bitter aftertaste. So I tried to add it to soups. And it worked! The soup still tastes good!


1 K pork bones with a little meat
100 gms dried scallops
10 C water
5 strips LingZhi
1/4 C red beans
3 T Ji Zi - Fructus Lycii (picture below)
5 pcs Dried Red Dates (picture below)
5 pcs Chinese Yam - Huai Shan (picture below)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil some water in a soup/stock pot. When water boils, blanch the pork bones for a while. Drain. This step is to remove any impurities in the meat and the soup.

2. Boil fresh water again. When it boils, add the blanched pork bones and the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for at least 2 hours. Alternately, you can cook everything in a slow cooker.

3. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour unto individual soup bowls. Serve hot.












Ji Zi












Chinese Yam











Dried Red Dates



This soup and the featured "Emperor of the Chinese Herbs" - the LingZhi or Ganoderma Lucidum is my entry this week to the Weekend Herb Blogging. I hope this herb is also available in your Chinatown market so you can try it. Weekend Herb Blogging is hosted this week by Maninas of Food Matters, supported by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen . To see last week's round-ups, please check out the very friendly Wandering Chopsticks.

This post is dedicated to Chris of Mele Cotte, one of my first blogging friends, and a cancer survivor.

This post is also dedicated to Briana Brownlow of Figs with Bri. She is waging a war with stage IV cancer right now. Though we do not exactly "know" each other, I want to encourage her to fight on and I wish her the all the love, strength and hope she would need in this fight. Please read her story on her blog. Jugalbandi and her team of friends and fellow bloggers are organizing - Click - a photo event and a fund-raiser to help out with Bri's costly medical treatments. Please check out Jugalbandi's. Who knows? You might even win a prize while doing something worthwhile.

Baked Eggs and a Sunday Brunch

I got this recipe from Gay, the Scientist in the Kitchen. It is so easy to do, and yet it tastes so wonderful. I made some little tweaks though. I used Italian seasoning, which is already a mixture of different herbs: marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, etc. . I also added a sprinkle of garlic salt. I used the oven toaster instead of the big oven (saves on cooking gas?) and it still came out beautifully.

2 T fresh milk
1 large fresh egg
sprinkle of garlic salt
sprinkle of Italian Seasoning

1. Pour fresh milk in a rameskin (or any small bowl you can use for baking). Bake in the oven toaster for 8 minutes, on high power.

2. When the time's up, take out the rameskin and add in the egg. Sprinkle with salt and seasoning. Place back in the oven toaster and bake for 8 minutes more.

3. Serve immediately. This recipe makes 1 serving.

This is what we had for today's Sunday Brunch:

garlic rice
baked herbed eggs
fried fish with tomato/onion/calamansi salsa
brewed Benguet coffee

Ahhh... the joys of weekends!

about Heart and Hearth

Hello everybody! and welcome to Heart and Hearth!

Who am I?

My name is NING. That's my alter-ego, Mommy Penguin looking out to the sea. I am a Chinay - that's Chinese-Filipino living in this tropical "Pearl of the Orient" we call home. I have 2 kids, Princess Penguin and Optimus Prime Penguin. If you have watched the "March of the Penguins", then you would understand we Penguins take our parenting job seriously. And an important part of parenting tasks is to provide nutritious, delicious food to our baby penguins!


Why did I start blogging?

At first, I just needed a place to write down my recipes where I can easily access them in the future. (I tend to lose my notes on paper.) I also needed a space where my family and friends can access my recipes easily. Thus, I started this blog - November 23, 2007. All the contents of this blog are certified edible. What you see here are the real food we eat on our dining table or the dishes I bring to Bible Studies or other gatherings.

Later on, when I joined the blogging communities like Weekend Herb Blogging, Grow Your Own and Weekend Wokking, and many others, I have learned that blogging can be a wonderful place where we can learn from each other. We learn from each other's food cultures and eating habits. We "visit" markets and other places on the web. I have "met" wonderful people bloggers who are generous in sharing their recipes as well.

I did not take up any cooking classes. Most of the things I know, I picked up from my grandmother's and my mother's kitchen. And after I got married, I scoured cookbooks and the internet for recipes and ideas about food. I have done many kitchen experiments (read: failures). But I still persist because it is what I love to do! Daddy Penguin is my worst critic because, well, he loves food as much as I do.


What else have I learned from blogging?

Before I started blogging, I had no interest in photography. I was just content to let Daddy Penguin and Princess Penguin handle the camera. But I have to learn (and fast) how to take pictures so I can make the dishes look yummy. Until now, I am only using a Panasonic Lumix (DMC-LX1) digital camera, set on auto mode when I take the food pictures.

Everyday, I am still learning how to improve the look o f my blog...

I am trying to be consciously healthy in our food choices. I am trying to grow some edibles in pots (limited space). I try to buy and serve fresh foods to my family. I now look at the nutritional contents of foods. Daddy Penguin always says: "Life is too short to eat bad food." So, we choose good healthy food.


What's the main focus of this blog?

To present healthy, nutritious, and delicious food, that are easy to prepare, easy to cook; with ingredients that are readily available and affordable.


Soli Deo Gloria?

I am neither Sol nor Gloria. That's my shout-out. It means to God alone be the glory. I have to put that there to remind me everyday, that whatever I do, it should be for God alone.