Toge Guisado with Tokwa

This is yet another simple and healthy dish I mustered. We are on the run for vegi-based dishes nowadays since our baby boy is starting to eat solid foods. We tried to incorporate vegetables in our food at least every-other-two days (the needed food introduction interval for babies) for Master E. to sample. But this particular vegi-dish was not really intended for him. Lol 

Toge (bean sprout)
Pechay (Chinese cabbage)
Tokwa (tofu), cubed
Garlic and onion
Oyster sauce, salt and pepper
Cooking oil, water 

1) Season tokwa with salt. Fry and set aside.
2) In a pan, sauté garlic and onion. Put toge and add water, let simmer.
3) Add pechay, simmer until cooked.
4) Season with oyster sauce, salt and pepper.
5) Add fried tokwa. Serve.

My take: One-stop-meal. It has all the nutrients you need, protein from toge, vitamins B, C, B1, B6, K and A from toge and folate from pechay. 

Tip: You may opt not to fry tokwa to make it more nutritious. 

The verdict: So easy you can cook this with eyes closed.hehe 

Cauliflower with Kikiam

Our craving for kikiam was the reason for the invention of this dish. It is a simple side dish/viand which is healthy and economical. 

Cauliflower
Kikiam
Garlic, Onion
Cooking Oil, Salt and Pepper, Oyster Sauce
Water, Corn Starch 

1) Fry kikiam. Set aside
2) In the same pan, sauté garlic and onion.
3) Add cauliflower and water. Season with salt and pepper and oyster sauce. Simmer until cauliflower is tender.
4) Add dissolved corn starch. Add the fried kikiam and stir until you reached the desired consistency.
5) Serve hot. 

My take: It is like chop suey minus the elaborated entourage. It can be eaten as is, or as a viand but is best paired with fried meat of your choice. 

Tip: You can add or use broccoli instead. 

The verdict: Simple, healthy and delicious meal, as easy as 1 2 3.

Tortang Talong with Giniling

Mr. M’s all-time favorite dish. I can say that because he always orders it at a single glance. He even orders this from the canteen once he heard it's available, even if we already have baon for lunch. But even if this is his favorite, it is seldom seen in our dining table because 1) he can’t cook it and 2) I don’t want to cook it as often because 1) I do not eat it (vegetable, that is) and 2) it’s too complicated to cook. But during last Sunday's grocery, he grabbed all its ingredient and ordered me to cook it without giving me a chance to say no. So that night, armed with a lazy butt, I cooked Tortang Talong with love. J 

Talong (eggplant)
Egg (preferably 1 egg : 1 eggplant)
Giniling of your choice meat (ground meat)
Oil, Garlic, onion, salt and pepper

1) Sauté garlic and onion. Add giniling, season with salt and pepper. Continuously break the meat apart until it turned to brown. Let cool and set aside.
2) Grill the eggplant.
3) While grilling, beat the egg in a wide bowl. Add some salt and pepper.
4) Once the eggplant is soft, remove from fire and peel it.
5) Flatten the peeled eggplant in the same bowl of the beaten egg.
6) Fry the dipped eggplant (with egg) and add a spoon of sauteed giniling, top with beaten egg to make sure the giniling sticks to the eggplant.
7) Fry both side. 

My take: Eggplant and giniling are oil frenzy. I should have armoured myself against all the talsik ng mantika from the pan. Also eggplant absorbs oil a lot. 

Tips: Use paper towel to absorb the oil from the omelette. Toyo-Suka-Bawang mixture as sawsawan is the most suited dip for this. One of my officemates suggested to asked your suking barbeque-han to grill the eggplant to save you the hassle. My eggplants are gas grilled, btw.

The verdict: It was a hit both with Mr. M. and in the office (the next day). I was not even able to take a picture because they didn't give me the chance. And most of all, I was able to finish half of the eggplant.hehe

Misua with Meatballs and Patola

I remember my highschool teacher said that it’s better to drink hot beverage when the weather is hot because it releases the heat out of your body and will help you feel refresh after. Following that concept, I cooked misua with meatmall and patola on a hot summer night. You’ll going to use a lot of hand here so make sure you have a clean one.

           For the meatball:

Ground Pork
Onion, grated
Carrots (optional), grated
Egg, Flour
Cooking oil, Salt and Pepper

1) Mix all the ingredients together with the use of your hand.
2) Make the mixture into small balls and fry. Set aside.

For the Soup:

Misua
Meatball
Onion, garlic
Patola
Cooking oil, Water, Salt and Pepper, Fish Sauce

1) Saute onion and garlic, add water. Put the misua and patola.
2) When the patola is tender add in the fried meatballs.
3) Serve with rice.

My Take: This dish is full of nutrients you’ll get iron, calcium and phosphorus with the patola alone. Plus the benefits you’ll get from the carrots.

Tip: Hand-mix your meatball mixture for a more even blend.

The Verdict: Who says soups are only for cold nights? You can always turn your ACs on and eat soups with your hearts’ content.haha