Cooking issues that maybe there is a solution to ?

[virginprune]

I'm lucky that I have a good selection of fresh herbs in my garden to make my own salsa verde. The only thing I can't find is gherkins that aren't sweet but I can get the capers which offset some of the sweetness. 

Munguss I like as well, down here we don't use coconut milk just stock. I like to add some pork fillet too to make a satisfying meal.

When I make chili I use cumin, paprika, chili and thyme. I generally cook red with beef mince and kidney beans. Have cooked it for my friend from Texas and he gave it the thumbs up!

[Queenie O.]

Bang4dabuck,

Those are a lot of valid food issues--too many to even address for me at one time!

Well it seems as others have said, that going to an S&R or high end market will provide a lot of the things that you mention, but we all know that imported meats and some vegetables do cost extra. 

I've tried cooking local beef here slow cooking and pressure cooked, and rubber is the word to describe the outcome. I now bake my own breads--oatmeal and rye breads from rye flour from a health food store here, but that's not for everyone. Growing your own herbs is great if that interest you. As for celery--if I happen to get a fresh decent bunch, I'll use what I can right away, and then divide the tops and stalks in seperate ziplock bags in the freezer. Tops are good in sauces, soups and stews, and even though not as crunchy the taste and slight crunch of the quickly rinsed off stalk from the freezer still gives a nice flavor boost to tuna salad I find.

For me nothing beats home made and I often can justify spending for imported and higher quality be it local recipe dishes or western as well.  It's all about how much one is willing or able to spend on many items. Some food items I desire, but just can't justify the cost, so I go with my tried and true recipes and spend what is reasonable for me.

[bang4dabuck]

On August 17, 2017 at 11:54 PM, JJReyes said:

Many Filipinos stew their vegetables, boil or pan fry. The reason is possible high bacterial content from raw animal feces since the fields are often unprotected by fencing.

For celery, try a lemon water solution, pat dry before placing them in the refrigerator. It keeps the celery crispy.

Carrots and peas go into soup so they don't need to be sweet.

Meat? Enjoy it with soup or stewed as in adobo. Filipinos make excellent sinigang soup using meat, chicken and fish (bangus).

You can't duplicate your home base diet unless you are willing to spent a lot of money. Try the local cuisine. Find out which dishes you like or don't like. 

 

I'll make an assumption that the fruits and vegetables are almost organic and that's why some are relatively expensive and the shorter shelf life, assuming I'm right that's a good problem to have. So JJ with the calamansi water solution do I do the leaves too ? As I said the leaves are very useful to me. I would prefer to cut them off prior and add to my collection in the freezer.

[bang4dabuck]

19 hours ago, JDDavao said:

It was green. Just the salsa verde and beans. Vegetarian, if you will. It was cheap, nutritious and tasty and I was single.

I used to make red chili with meat and beans, too. I went light on the chili powder but used to use a Mexican hot sauce I only recently found available here: Cholula. And shredded cheddar on top.

Yeah, Cholula is a higher end hot sauce found in most Mexican restaurants as well as all the supermarkets. I do enjoy a pork enchilada con salsa verde and don't even get me started on how much I miss a good MEXICAN pork tamale, my favorite and also with salsa verde. Not sure why I can't find rendered lard so I can make my own flour tortillas but I will either make myself or try shortening which is a rip off here but it is imported. Speaking of duties, any idea can I blame the BOC for the price being double or is it the merchant gouging ? Any idea what the customs rate is ? I wouldn't really think that high if a little " pocket money " is exchanged but we'll never know. Robinsons 1 pound can of Crisco shortening 160 php !!!

Pita bread also on the agenda and looks pretty easy, Gyros using thin cut pork cutlet maybe goat with sliced tomatoes, raw onion lots of ( ! ) and Tatziki sauce.

http://www.food.com/recipe/tzatziki-sauce-greek-cucumber-yogurt-sauce-304166

Edited August 23, 2017 by bang4dabuck

[bang4dabuck]

8 hours ago, virginprune said:

I'm lucky that I have a good selection of fresh herbs in my garden to make my own salsa verde. The only thing I can't find is gherkins that aren't sweet but I can get the capers which offset some of the sweetness. 

Munguss I like as well, down here we don't use coconut milk just stock. I like to add some pork fillet too to make a satisfying meal.

When I make chili I use cumin, paprika, chili and thyme. I generally cook red with beef mince and kidney beans. Have cooked it for my friend from Texas and he gave it the thumbs up!

Yeah never heard of gherkins and capers in salsa but they make a lot of different flavors now. One I like is made with mango and I like with a grilled nice fish steak like wahoo 😍 ! I see gherkins all over the place but you won't find any good dill pickles so I just made my first batch of them, so so easy and great. I could not find some stuff so I improvised or as it's known here as JUNGLE STYLE. Still great. Recipe ?

http://divascancook.com/homemade-kosher-dill-pickles-recipe-refrigerator/

Dill seed ~ dry dill weed,  Coriander seed ~ dry cilantro  (  I didn't use any mustard seed because I couldn't find whole but maybe a small amount of powder next time)

Next batch I will cut back on the vinegar and salt a little. I used only 1 tbsp of sugar.

Edited August 23, 2017 by bang4dabuck

[bang4dabuck]

5 hours ago, Queenie O. said:

Bang4dabuck,

Those are a lot of valid food issues--too many to even address for me at one time!

Well it seems as others have said, that going to an S&R or high end market will provide a lot of the things that you mention, but we all know that imported meats and some vegetables do cost extra. 

I've tried cooking local beef here slow cooking and pressure cooked, and rubber is the word to describe the outcome. I now bake my own breads--oatmeal and rye breads from rye flour from a health food store here, but that's not for everyone. Growing your own herbs is great if that interest you. As for celery--if I happen to get a fresh decent bunch, I'll use what I can right away, and then divide the tops and stalks in seperate ziplock bags in the freezer. Tops are good in sauces, soups and stews, and even though not as crunchy the taste and slight crunch of the quickly rinsed off stalk from the freezer still gives a nice flavor boost to tuna salad I find.

For me nothing beats home made and I often can justify spending for imported and higher quality be it local recipe dishes or western as well.  It's all about how much one is willing or able to spend on many items. Some food items I desire, but just can't justify the cost, so I go with my tried and true recipes and spend what is reasonable for me.

 

                                                                    EXACTLY !!!

[Tukaram (Tim)]

37 minutes ago, bang4dabuck said:

(  I didn't use any mustard seed because I couldn't find whole but maybe a small amount of powder next time)

Is there a Sikh temple nearby?  I looked all over the city for garam masala and ended up finding it 300 meters from the apartment at a sari sari next to the Sikh temple.  They have all the Indian spices I was looking for.  I was not looking for mustard seeds but had to get some anyway.   

[JJReyes]

6 hours ago, bang4dabuck said:

'll make an assumption that the fruits and vegetables are almost organic and that's why some are relatively expensive and the shorter shelf life, assuming I'm right that's a good problem to have. So JJ with the calamansi water solution do I do the leaves too ? As I said the leaves are very useful to me. I would prefer to cut them off prior and add to my collection in the freezer.

It should also work for the leaves. The reason for the soak is the vegetables dehydrate during the time period between harvest and purchase by the consumer. It helps return some of the moisture.

Organic means no chemicals, no pesticides, no herbicides are used. The problem is is spraying by neighbors can contaminate your organic fields. The nice thing about the Philippines is many vegetable farmers cannot afford chemical fertilizers so the produce is nearly organic.

[Dave Hounddriver]

16 minutes ago, JJReyes said:

Organic means no chemicals, no pesticides, no herbicides are used. The problem is is spraying by neighbors can contaminate your organic fields. The nice thing about the Philippines is many vegetable farmers cannot afford chemical fertilizers so the produce is nearly organic.

There is an "organic vegetable and fruit market" in Daro, Dumaguete.  They have some rules about what can and cannot be sold there.  For example you cannot see potatoes on the tables because, for whatever reasons, they are not considered organic.  But you can get them if you know to ask for them, the vendor reaches under the table and into a sack of potatoes and grabs some for you.  If you ask they will tell you they are not organic but i do not know why.  This is Philippines, I find it useless to ask why as I seldom find the answer to be meaningful.

[virginprune]

8 hours ago, bang4dabuck said:

Yeah never heard of gherkins and capers in salsa but they make a lot of different flavors now. One I like is made with mango and I like with a grilled nice fish steak like wahoo 😍 ! I see gherkins all over the place but you won't find any good dill pickles so I just made my first batch of them, so so easy and great. I could not find some stuff so I improvised or as it's known here as JUNGLE STYLE. Still great. Recipe ?

http://divascancook.com/homemade-kosher-dill-pickles-recipe-refrigerator/

Dill seed ~ dry dill weed,  Coriander seed ~ dry cilantro  (  I didn't use any mustard seed because I couldn't find whole but maybe a small amount of powder next time)

Next batch I will cut back on the vinegar and salt a little. I used only 1 tbsp of sugar.

Salsa verde (green sauce) is classic Italian. Usually made with parsley, mint, tarragon and basil with capers, cornichons (small gherkins) garlic, anchovies and extra virgin olive oil. Chop all ingredients together, finely, and use lots of oil to make it loose. Some people like to add Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar as well. Ideally served with fish or chicken. 

I can get coriander seed and mustard seed, amongst others from an Indian restaurant, with shop attached in Gensan. For any whole spices go to a local Indian, if you have one, they will either sell to you or tell you where you can purchase.

Edited August 23, 2017 by virginprune