I remember eating this dish when there's a special occasion, fiesta, birthday parties and all sorts of parties(actually anything that needs celebrating this viand was on offer).  Recently P and I have been lucky enough to be invited to such Filipino gathering. Birthday party of a 10 yr old girl from P's school. Her dad happens to be a cook, great one too. I especially like his banana spring rolls with caramel sauce. So now I have tired to make the same dish at home, as with everything that I cook, memories often influence me on how to make them. But there are certain ones I don't even dare try, knowing fully I won't be able to do them justice.

Pininyahang Manok/ Pineapple Chicken

  Ingredients:

• 1 kilo chicken pcs
• 2 carrots
• 1 medium capsicum
• 1 tin pineapple pcs
  
• 2 tin of light evaporated milk
• 2 garlic cloves
  
• 1 medium onion
• salt and pepper
  

Roughly cut carrots into cubes, same with the capsicum. Bash garlic cloves and dice the onion. In a medium pot, put chicken, garlic, onion and 1/2 cup of water, once the water boils add the tin of evaporated milk. Let it simmer and add the tin of pineapple pcs, and carrots. When the carrots soften add the diced capsicum and let it simmer again. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with hot steaming rice and side dish of your choice.

The need to eat crustaceans has been diminished by the fact they are heaps expensive. When I see a moderately priced one at the Asian markets I really would have to think twice if it's worth all that moolah (in fact they are, compared to Sammy's Girl or other fish mongers). If I had it my way, I'd just steam them and have them as is, very simple yet mouthwatering. But since I wanted it to be different, I tried to remember the taste when I had coconut chilli crab ages ago.

Coconut Crab

  Ingredients:

• 2 Mud Crabs
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 onion
• 1 small knob of ginger
• 1 can of coconut milk
• salt and pepper

Bash the cloves of garlic, chop onions, and julienne the ginger. Saute onion till soft, add garlic and ginger. Then add the coconut milk. Let it simmer, then add crabs. If the sauce is too thick add some water (I just eyeballed it). Salt and pepper to taste. Add a little bit of fish sauce to give it a punch.  It does go well with chilli, fresh chillies are better but if it's not available dried chilli flakes would suffice. Again, just gauge to your desired hotness. Serve with steaming rice and salsa, and enjoy.

It's been a while since I updated this blog. Suffice to say we have been busy... I suppose we'll be flat out in a month or so. But I'll try to keep posting as we go along. As you might have heard by now, we are expecting baby # 2, yesterday, I and Q hosted a baby shower for us.

The best part of it, I get to EAT my fave Filipino snacks!!! It's a shame a few of our friends couldn't make it, but we soldiered on. It's soo nice to see G and M whom, I have not been able to catch up with since we got back from Shanghai! I am glad that N's Mum and sister came as well and that they all enjoyed the spread. We weren't sure if they would like the snacks, they were up for it and ate with much gusto, Thanks.

Filipino tardiness can be such an annoying trait though... we should have said to arrive at 1 pm for a 2 pm start, alas, they arrived at 3 pm! Typical!

Many thanks to I for hosting the do, making the sandwiches, baking the cake, and making sure that I was taken cared for! Q for helping out as well. Tita Z for her lovely Ginataang Halo Halo, J for making my Turon and caramel sauce, Ate I for her Biko, G for the yummy brownies, N for the cookies.