56 Signs That We Are Pinoys

It was ironic that it takes someone who is not a Filipino to inspire me to finish this list which I started last January 2015.

Who I am talking about? He is Kyle, a 26-year old Canadian who is trying to “Become Filipino”. His blog www.becomingfilipino.com is a chronicle of his amazing and amusing adventure and journey in the Philippines.  To quote him, “I love the Philippines and would be honored to be able to call myself “part Filipino.”” He is proud to be called by his Filipino name “Kulas”. Please check his post 25 Things I Never Did Until I Lived In The Philippines.

Most of the signs in the list came from the Stradmore notebook that I had in my office table for 5 years. I used it to write down minutes of the meeting and when I checked the first entry, it was June 8, 2010 and the last was June 7, 2012. It was of no use to me because the company that I used it for already closed down...but I do not have the heart to throw it away.

Here are the lists that I know most of us Pinoys will agree.
1. You nod your head upwards to greet someone.
2. Your other piece of luggage is a “balikbayan box”.

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Daday’s Kitchen: Seafood Boil with Corn and Potatoes

For me, weekend is not just a respite from days of working or just lazing around, doing nothing. It’s also looking forward to food surprise prepared by our very own home-cooked chef…Daday Jonjie.

Today is one of those days. Daday prepared a very simple dish…Grilled Gindara (Cod Fish) and Seafood Boil with corn and potatoes…a home-cooked version of the famous Shabu-shabu with a twist.

Shabu-shabu is a Japanese dish featuring thinly sliced beef boiled in water. It was introduced in Japan in the 20th century with the opening of the restaurant "Suehiro" in Osaka, where the name was invented. Its origins are traced back to the Chinese hot pot known as instant-boiled mutton Shabu-shabu is most similar to the original Chinese version when compared to other Japanese dishes (nabemono) such as sukiyaki. Suehiro registered the name as a trademark in 1955. Together with sukiyaki, shabu-shabu is a common dish in tourist hot-spots, especially in Tokyo, but also in local Japanese neighborhoods (colloquially called "Little Tokyos") in countries such as the United States and Canada. The dish was originally made with thinly sliced beef, but some versions use pork, crab, chicken, lamb, duck, or lobster.

 

Ingredients; (To serve 4~6 persons)

1/2 kgs shrimps, shell-on
1 pc big squid, sliced into desired sized
10 pcs squid balls
10 pcs prawn balls
10 pcs crab claws
1 small canned smoked mussels, drained
1 small canned smoked oyster, drained
15 pcs baby potatoes
3 ears corn-on-the-cob, medium, peeled, cut into three
butter
1 pc small ginger, cut into strips
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole onion, sliced
rock salt  and pepper to taste
oyster sauce to taste
young chili leaves

Directions:

1. Boil corn and potatoes in a pot with mixture of water and rock salt that cover at least 3/4 of the corns until cooked.
2. With a slotted spoon, remove corn and potatoes from the broth and set aside.
3. Sautee ginger, garlic and onion in a hot pan with butter.
4. Add oysters and mussels and sautee for at least 1 minute.
5. Add shrimps and squid, remove squid from the pan when cooked (overcooked squid becomes rubbery)
6. Pour broth into the pan with the mixtures of shrimps, mussels and oysters, bring to boil.
7. Add chili leaves, squid balls, prawn balls and crab claws (you can use other varieties as desired), bring to boil.
8. Add corn, potatoes and squid that were set aside earlier.
9. Add rock salt, pepper and oyster sauce to taste.
10. Serve while hot. Chili powder can be served on the side for those who like it spicy.

It can be served as is or with rice.

ENJOY!!! Have a happy tummy…

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Daily Log: Wishes Do Come True

THE WELL AND THE MORNING SUN. Taken last June 14, 2015, 5:33am at Cafe in the Sky, Sitio Pungayan (La Presa), Tuba Benguet

I came across this quote a few days ago when I checked the google account of one of the persons who added me in his circle.

It reminded me of one of our famous Salawikain (Filipino Proverbs), "Nasa Diyos and awa, nasa tao ang gawa", with its English translation as "God helps those who help themselves".

THE RISEN CHRIST. Taken last July 19, 2015 at Monasterio De Tarlac, San Jose, Tarlac

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Daily Log: One Lazy Sunday Morning

It is Sunday…

Jonjie woke up first, and after several minutes he woke me up because he is hungry. We decided to let Daniz sleep a little more…to regain her strength as she had cough and colds and a slight fever last night.

We had breakfast.

And then, we decided to join Daniz in bed. She woke to her Daday’s crazy antics…and the “kulitan” and the crazy moments began.

I LOVE MY FAMILY...

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