Beef Salpicao

Filipino version of beef salpicao is made of lean beef and lots of garlic. A very simple and different twist from the Potuguese sausage salpicao.  It is normally plated on top of rice and garnished with roasted garlic.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 kg beef tenderloin, 2" cubes
• 2 pcs red chili, sliced (optional)
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp paprika (optional)
• 1 tbsp Knorr Liquid Seasoning (can be substituted with oyster sauce or soy sauce)

DIRECTIONS

1. Thaw cubed beef tenderloin, season with salt and pepper just before cooking.  Seasoning early on will cause the juices of the beef to be out and will dry up the meat.

2. In a heated pan, add olive oil and butter then saute garlic until brown.

3. Add beef tenderloin over high heat, worcestershire sauce, paprika, Knorr Liquid Seasoning and red chili. Saute until desired doneness of beef.

Ngohiong

Ngohiong has been a staple food in school.  Later did I realize that ngohiong is only available in Cebu.  Ngohiong is like a vegetable spring roll with a wrapper that has a unique texture dipped in five-spiced chili sauce.

Popular ngohiong stands in Cebu are:

Cebu Lumpia House

• DELIVERY 254.4675 / 256.1055; CATERING 416-8481; MABOLO 422.4768 / 512.4797
• http://www.lumpiahouse.tk/
• Manalili Street

 Doming's Ngohiong

• Fairlane Village, Guadalupe

Cheaverz Fried and Grill

• Cheaverz AS Fortuna St, Mandaue +63.32.345-6860
• Cheaverz Labangon: +63.32.262-8907
• Cheaverz Talamban: +63.32.345-8182
• Cheaverz M. Velez: +63.32.255-5661

If you want to make one, here's a recipe.

Ingredients:
1/2 kl singkamas (jicama), stripped
3 tbsp ngohiong powder
2 tbsp 5 spice powder
1/2 kl ground pork
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
season to taste with salt, pepper, honey and soy sauce
lumpia wrapper

batter after wrapping with lumpia wrapper:
* Mixed 2 cups cornstarch, 5 tbsp paprika/white pepper and 700 grms water
* Stir with fork to remove lumps

Cooking Procedure:
1. Put a little bit of oil then saute garlic and onion. Put  the pork and cook until slightly brown.
2. Put singkamas, ngohiong powder, spice powder and season with salt, pepper, honey and soy sauce. Cook for a minute.
3. Let it cool.
4. After cooling, put 2 tbsp of the mixture in a lumpia wrapper, then roll.
5. Do the same procedure in all lumpia wrapper.
6. Deep in the batter mixture.
7. Deep-fry in lard (pork fat) until golden brown.
8. Then serve with lorbak sauce (as follows)

Lorbak Sauce:
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp castor sugar
1/8 tsp Chinese five spice powder (ng heong fun)/ Ngo hiong hun
1/8 tsp salt
4-5 tbsp water
1/2 tsp corn flour or tapioca flour
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Cooking Procedure:
1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepot.
2. Boil then turn the fire low and simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Stirring occasionally until sauce turns smooth. Add in egg white and stir with a fork to form fine strands.
4. Set aside to cool then use.

Tip:  five spiced powder is available in groceries (if you don't find it in your local grocery, check it out in a chinese grocery downtown)

BasicChocolateCake

Octoberfest is chocolatefest for me. But I seemed to be having a hangover this November - here's another chocolate treat. This will be the last (for this year) promise! ;D

Black magic cake, moist chocolate cake, whatever you call it, it's a basic chocolate cake that spells M-O-I-S-T. (mo-west as we jokingly pronounce it.)

This is my dad's favorite. I know he's not suppose to eat chocolates, but he just can't resist this.

1 3/4c all purpose flour
1 3/4c brown sugar
3/4c cocoa powder
2tsp baking soda
1tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
2pcs egg
1c strong black coffee
(mix 2tsp instant coffee + 1c hot water)
1c buttermilk or sour milk
(mix 1tbsp vinegar + 1/2c evaporated milk + 1/2c hot water)
1/2c vegetable oil
1tsp vanilla

Preheat oven for 30 minutes at 350F.

1. Sift and whisk together dry ingredients.
2. Make a well*, add the eggs and other wet ingredients in the center.
3. Beat at medium speed for two minutes.
4. Pour batter into a greased & floured pan (13x9x2 or two 9-inch pan)
5. Bake for 35-40 mins.

You may top it with your choice of chocolate frosting, but for me, the cake itself is good enough.

*make a well, is a technique to avoid crumbling when mixing dry & wet ingredients together. First, in a bowl, make a hole (like a well) in the middle of the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients in the well, then gently mix them together in the center until smooth and well blended.