Where to buy Balut- in Pateros of course!

 I love balut!  Its one of my favorite food in the world.  Balut are very substantial and nutritious, and the best part of it- they're cheap!

Balut has taken some bad reputation.  They being high on cholesterol and uric acid.  But my thoughts on those are simple:

Balut is a very basic food- fertilized 17 day old duck egg boiled in water for 30-45 minutes.

 If there is any other food to fear cholesterol or uric acid from, I am sure those are the canned, preserved, ground food swimming in hard-to-pronounce liquid.

 I buy my balut fix in Pateros.  Specifically from Mr Jessie of Sta Martha's Balut Industry.
I tried it elsewhere, but it really won't do.  Here in Jessie's place the balut is EXTREMELY fresh.  You can taste the difference.

They sell them cooked or sariwa ( raw).  Balut or Penoy ( unfertilized boiled duck egg).  Some vendors buy balut  "basag" meaning broken shells.  They are cheaper and equally fresh.

 But I would rather buy the pristine ones.

They also sell these red salted duck eggs which would make a favorite accompaniment to fried bangus       ( milkfish) for breakfast.

I tried to take a photo of balut with my elementary camera ( not SLR type) and this is what I had.  I would compare our humble balut to our sweet durian.  What you see (or smell) might not be what it is.  This might be your best one yet.  Try it first.

Sta Martha's Balut Industry
953 P. Herrera Street, Pateros, Metro Manila
Jessie- 09079595410
Ruel- 09072460825
Balut, Penoy, Salted Egg, Quail Egg
Balut cooked- 11 pesos
Balut raw- 8.50 pesos
Salted duck egg- 8.50

Before weekend markets, there was Carvajal Street in Manila

When I go to Carvajal Street, Binondo, Manila.  I would remember my summer apprenticeship in G&W.  Their office is located in Quintin Paredes, and its a stroll away from food paradise Carvajal Street.

  I used to go there during my lunch hour and look at whats for sale. And my hour would  pass by so quickly.

Quick Snack is the best place  to have my lunch because I cannot have enough of their fried lumpia, kuchai-ah and cha mi.  I admit I'm a sucker for Chinese comfort foods.

This holiday week, we visited Carvajal Street to ogle at these lovely sausages and meatballs.

Before weekend markets,  EVERYDAY is market day here.

These flowers are just perfect decorations for the holidays.

Its a special time to buy these dalandan encrusted mini pineapple home decor.   They are said to bring good fortune this New Year's Day.  Sorry you can't eat them.

We just had our lunch, or else I would have bought these Filipino desserts.  Sapin sapin, Biko, Suman, Pinipig, kutchinta, all on display.

We also found these Taro bulbs.

 During New Year, Taro bulbs are placed on a bowl of uncooked rice with coins and displayed inside the house.

They are meant to welcome the new year that brings forth good harvest or fortune.

Taro bulbs are worth a fortune in itself this time of year and its not meant to be eaten.  Just for decor.

BPI Real Thrills December 14 to January 31, 2012- Jollibee

So here's the much awaited Real Thrills for you BPI cardholders.

 In between their promo period we bought an ipod. :D

 Shucks! We should be feasting on a bucket of ChickenJoy right now.

Promo period covers December 14, 2011 to January 31, 2012.

Every 2000 purchase from your BPI credit card- 1pc Chickenjoy with rice or Chicken BBQ with rice

Every 6000 - 2 orders of 1 pc Chickenjoy or BBQ with rice and 2 orders of Regular Yum

Every 12,000- 6 pcs Chickenjoy or BBQ with 3 orders of Jolly Spaghetti

Ho Hum..I'm getting Bored with my BPI

Pancakes in a rush ( Its not a mix!)

Pancakes with kids are just the best!  I get a kiss when I prepare them for breakfast.

Although commercially prepared pancake mix are easy to prepare, they are too sweet for my taste. And  I always have this dilemma wherein one box isn't enough, while two boxes are too much.  

It would be easier If I can make pancakes in a rush but in just the amount I need.   

Why not  prepare your own pancake mix and have them in the pantry always.  We need 5 simple ingredients and  no refrigeration is needed.  Just remember to write down the expiration date of your major ingredient- flour.

Pancakes in a rush

Ingredients:

3 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 Tablespoons sugar ( you can use less if you prefer)

3/4 teaspoon salt

thats it!

Procedure:

Sift everything into a dry airtight container.

You can double or triple the ingredients and have it all in a large air tight container.  

I always put a sign in my container that says:  

For every 1 1/2 Cup add:

1 egg

1Cup milk

1/8 Cup melted butter

Mix them all together and rest the batter for 10 minutes before cooking ( sometimes I skip the resting).  

Be ready for that kiss!

Share tea buy one take one promo!

Share tea branch located in P Guevarra Street, San Juan is having a grand opening sale of buy one take one.

Shucks! If I'd only known, I could have waited for this promo.

Every small or large tea you buy, you'll be given a same sized free tea! Choices of free tea are: Wintermelon with jelly strip, Taiwan milk tea, or Rock salt cheese with oolong or green tea.

Promo runs from October 28, Friday to October 30, Saturday.

Did you notice the variety of tea stores in that part of San Juan? Reminds me of the mushrooming shawarma stalls in the nineties. As of last count, there are 5 stores all within a 100 meter radius of each other. Tea tap, Serenitea, Bubble tea, Cha time and most recently Share Tea.

We noticed that on the first day of this promo, all of the tea drinkers must be in Share tea. Because the other stores are unusually quiet.

No, I don't drink tea much.

So far in Share tea, I tried their winter melon tea with jelly strip, Taiwan milk tea, qq family milk tea, and aloha fruit tea.

My favorite is the qq family milk tea with it's variety of jelly, pearls, beans, and pudding. I paid 105 pesos for a large sized qq family milk tea.

Chinese Style Adobo Chicken

I have always been a fan of "Adobo". No matter what form it is, adobo shrimp, adobo pork, adobo rice, adobo beef or adobo sitaw.

 It seems to me  that anything or everything can be adobo-ed.  Be it vegetable, seafood or meats.

 So with my Chinese taste for anything Filipino, it is but natural to make this oh so Filipino dish a little bit Chinese.

No, it doesn't have any vinegar, peppercorns and laurel leaves.   It is  a simple dish only requiring four ingredients:  Soysauce, garlic, brown sugar and oil.

Ingredients for Chinese-style Adobo Chicken
1 Kg Chicken leg (quarter cut)
1/2 C soysauce
1 T garlic paste ( garlic mixed with salt and sugar and ground into a paste)
1 T brown sugar
1/2 T olive oil
 Thats it!

Procedure:
Saute brown sugar and oil, add garlic paste and chicken quarters ( skin side down).  Move chicken around to absorb all those flavor.  Add soysauce and 1 Cup water .  Boil for awhile until chicken are cook and sauce is reduced.  Season with salt and pepper.  

This is a very versatile recipe, you can try it with pork legs and it will work! You can add some spices like laurel leaves and star anise with the soysauce and it will be just fine too.

Bpi real thrills Jollibee starting August 12 to November 2, 2011

Starting August 12 to November 2, 2011, every charge slip from your BPI credit card amounting to 2000, 6000, & 12000 pesos gives you free meals!

2000- one order of either
One piece burger steak with dessert (choice of sundae cone or peach mango pie) or
Spaghetti with dessert or
Yumburger with cheese with dessert
6000- three orders of any
Meals mentioned above
12000- six orders of any meals mentioned above

Ho...Hummm... I'm getting bored of my BPI...:0