Arroz Caldo and Tokwa't Baboy

I'm sharing more comfort food recipes for this rainy season. I used to have this regularly either as breakfast, lunch, merienda or dinner. My Mama would always choose pork's cheeks for the Tokwa't Baboy (more cartilage & Papa's request), but I opted for pork liempo or belly since it's always available (leaner, I think).

May these recipes bring you comfort in this cold and wet weather. Enjoy!

ARROZ CALDO

 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 inch ginger, thinly sliced

2 tablespoon spring onion, chopped

1 tablespoon fish sauce or patis

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ kilo chicken, chopped

1 cup uncooked and washed rice

8 ½ cups chicken stock

2 hard boiled eggs, shells removed

 

Procedure:

 

1.       Heat up oil in a big pot. Saute garlic, onion and ginger for a minute.

2.       Add in the chicken, fish sauce and pepper. Brown the chicken pieces    for  7 minutes.

3.       Mix in the rice, until the grains are fully coated with oil.

4.       Pour in the chicken stock. Stir occasionally. Cook until the rice is soft (it may take 45 minutes).

5.       Season with salt and pepper.

6.       Garnish with sliced hard-boiled egg, chopped spring onion and toasted garlic.

 

 

 

 

TOKWA’T BABOY

 

Ingredients for the dressing:

 

3 tablespoons vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

¼ cup water

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 red chilies, sliced

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons brown sugar

 

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

 

For the meat

 

¼ kilo pork liempo, sliced 1 inch thick

2 ½ cups water

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 laurel leaf

1 pack of tokwa (250 grams)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup cooking oil for frying

 

1.       Boil pork liempo in water with garlic, laurel leaf, salt and pepper.   Cook the pork until tender (might take 45 minutes). Set aside.

 

2.       Slice the tokwa into 4 big cubes. Fry the tokwa until crispy. Cut the cooked tokwa into cubes.

 

3.       Combine together the pork and tokwa. Drizzle the dressing on top. Mix well.       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pansit Molo

Because of the rainy weather and sick mode, I decided to cook a comfort food, such as Pancit Molo. I always think of my mom whenever I get sick. I often times cook from memory. It has a soothing effect. My Mama would always cook this dish every New Year's Eve and whenever we would get tired of the taste of Tinola and Nilaga.  I'd like to share my mom's recipe of Pancit Molo, which I tweaked a bit. I added grated carrots in the filling, so I could make my son eat vegetable. Whenever I cook one of my Mama's recipes, I feel that she's just right beside me.

 

Passing on my Mama's legacy to my son, and this turns out to be one of Joaqui's most requested dishes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PANCIT MOLO

 

Homemade Wanton Wrapper

 

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 eggs

2-4 tablespoons water

Make a well in flour, drop in eggs and 2 tablespoons water. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Roll out floured board till paper thin. Cut into “3 x 3” squares. Set aside.

 

Note:  You may use the ready made molo wrappers available in the market.

 

Filling

 

¼ kilo ground pork

¼ kilo ground chicken

1 medium carrot, grated

1 small red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons spring onion, chopped

½ teaspoon liquid seasoning

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 large egg

 

Note: You may use ½ kilo pure ground pork, if ground chicken is not available.

Broth

1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 small red onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons spring onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, diced

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

8 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon toasted garlic chips

 

1.       Mix thoroughly the ingredients for the filling. Wrap in wanton wrappers.  Set aside.

2.       Saute garlic and onion in hot oil. Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes.

3.       Pour in chicken stock and drop the stuffed wrapper into the broth.

4.       Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let boil for 15 minutes.

5.       Serve hot garnished with chopped spring onions and toasted garlic chips.

 

ESPASOL

Whenever we would visit Laguna, we would never fail to buy pasalubong, specifically Espasol. I would always reserve a stack of espasol just for me. Hehehe. I've been meaning to try this recipe for quite some time already. It's worth the wait and effort. It may seem daunting, but it's really quite easy to make.

 

Sharing with you a recipe that I have tweaked, I hope you enjoy cooking it. No need to head to the south just to have a piece of this Pinoy delicacy.

ESPASOL

 

Makes 20-25 pieces depending on the size

Preparation Time: 20 to 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 to 30 minutes

 

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups glutinous rice flour

1 ½ cups coconut milk

¾ cup sugar

¾ teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded young coconut (buko)

 

Procedure:

1.       Toast the rice flour in a wok until lightly browned. Cool. Set aside ¾ cup.

2.       In a saucepan, combine coconut milk and sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmering. Add vanilla and salt. Stir in buko

3.       Add toasted rice flour all at once and stir continuously until very thick and dry, about 15 minutes.

4.       Remove from fire. Sprinkle the toasted flour, which was set aside, on a baking sheet.

5.       Transfer the cooked mixture to the baking sheet. Flatten into a sheet ¼-inch thick then cut into cylinders. You can also shape it by hand.

6.       Roll the cut cylinders in more toasted flour.