How to cook Kare-Kare

The Secret of a Lazy Cook
Kare-Kare is one of the most famous Filipino traditional dish that I always have loved since childhood. Though I remember this dish as something special. "Special", meaning we have it on the table during fiestas, Christmas, New Year, birthdays, baptisms, house blessings, and so on. As I grew up, I realized why it is not an ordinary every day typical home dish. The pig's leg or pata as they call it wasn't that easy to soften to become chewable. The ultimate Pressure Cooker comes to the rescue to shorten the boiling time though the sad part is I don't have this here in Sg. 

But moving abroad makes me a bit frustrated it is just so hard to cook this dish for the very reason that I don't have the luxury of time to cook this. But will it deprived me from wanting to impress my husband that I can cook this fiesta dish in a snap? No right? And so let me share with you how I solved this dilemma.  Cooking Kare-Kare the easiest and the fastest possible. 

Cooking time: 1 hour 
Here are the ingredients:

Half kilo of pork belly cut into cubes (better than how I sliced the meat here). 

8 cups of water

2 tsp of minced garlic

1 pc of sliced onion

7 pcs of pechay (bok choy leaves or can also use sio pek chye)

6 pcs sitaw (long green beans) - cut into atleast 2" in lengths

1 pc eggplant sliced into 1/2" lengths, ( if you have enough time you may also fry the sliced 
eggplant in a separate skillet to bring out the sweetness)

2 tbsp cooking oil

1 pouch of Mama Sita's Peanut sauce  (Kare-Kare mix) OR you may also use 1 pouch Del Monte Quick N Easy Kare-Kare Mix (these 2 mixes taste really good) dissolved in 1 cup broth.

2 tbsp Skippy peanut butter

bagoong on the side

Directions:

1. Boil the pork belly in water for 30 minutes lower the heat and wait until the meat is tender. Cut in cubes.

2. Set aside the broth.

3. In a heavy saucepan, pour the oil, saute the garlic and the onion.  

Add in the pork belly and stir fry.

Then add the broth. Let it simmer. Then add the dissolved Kare-Kare mix. 

4. Wait until the sauce thickens add in the eggplant and long green beans and then wait for 3 minutes to simmer.  But if you already fry the eggplant, just put first the long green beans then after 3 minutes you may add the eggplant to avoid overcooking it. Stir occasionally. Add the 2 tbsp of Skippy. 

5. Turn off the heat then on top placed the pechay (bok choy leaves) let the heat cook it, this way you can preserve its freshness and crunchiness. Wait for 3 to 5 more minutes. Serve hot with bagoong and rice.

Tip: Don't cover the pan let it stay uncovered until it gets cold in this way your Kare Kare will have a longer storage time. I have proven this my Kare Kare has a 5 day fridge life, no bubbles  (an indicator of spoiled sauce) when being reheated. 


Enjoy eating! By the way, my husband was impressed with my cooking hahaha! 

Love at First Bite: Twelve Cupcakes

Founded by Singapore celebrity couple Daniel Ong and Jamie Teo, the flavours she liked to bake and he liked to eat. Twelve cupcakes are freshly baked everyday which actually you can taste its freshness. 

This morning before my husband headed to work he brought me to one of Twelve Cupcakes stores. Well just by looking at the different flavours I was like a little child having second thoughts of what to pick. I was so intrigued by the best seller which is of course the Red Velvet with Vanilla Cream Cheese topping, next since I love coffee I chose the Mocha with Chocolate Cream Cheese topping, and the last one which I had a difficult time deciding to fill in the last empty spot in the trio box, I picked Cookies N' Cream chocolate cupcake with Oreo crumbles infused buttercream. 

I held it tightly on my palm as if I was holding a Louis Vuitton purse. I gave my husband the sweetest smile and said, "Sweetheart, I'll wait for you to come home from work let's eat the cupcakes together". As I arrived home, I opened my precious box and smelled the 3 gorgeous cupcakes. There was this unexplainable aroma that told me to taste it. Well, fine 1 small bite wouldn't hurt right, I can still fulfill my sweet promise to my husband that I'll wait for him. 

And then 1 bite, taste extremely delicious, I was like Snow White biting that poisonous apple but this time the Red Velvet cupcake was so addicting. I love the moist cake, the taste was the best I have ever tasted, and the cream cheese topping was perfect! One more bite, and then one more bite, and its gone... Well, to ease the guilt feeling I said to myself, "I can buy 1 Red Velvet tomorrow for my husband!" 

For more information about Twelve Cupcakes visit their site that you may see the mouthwatering gallery and check out their branches all over Singapore. 

http://www.twelvecupcakes.com

La Cage: Opens the soul and touches the heart

It was a story of a gay couple, George and Albin, running a famous drag cabaret named La Cage. Albin starred as Zaza, the queen of the cabaret. The partners were living for 20 years and Albin already raised George's son, Jonathan as his own. But when Jonathan told his dad that he was getting married the problem arise. Jonathan, wanted to marry a girl, Anne who came from a conservative political family. Jonathan suddenly wanted some changes in his family set-up and hide Albin's real identity from Zaza to Uncle Al. 

Inside the theater waiting to start

The dancing and singing numbers were all superb! In a glimpse of an eye I was brought by the play from somewhere else. The stage was filled with lights, glitzy and fabulous costumes. I love the lines of the play it makes me laugh at times but the lines were thrown to open the public eyes that these kind of family set-up by gay couples often judged should also be respected.  

The star of the night, Zaza

In the end, when the parents of Anne found out the truth and Jonathan stood by his acting mother, Albin and asked for his forgiveness for being ashamed of him this scene made me cry. A heart warming song from Jonathan to let Albin know how much he was appreciated and loved in the family sent a message that in this world of differences, LOVE is all that matters. 

The cast during the finale

La Cage was one of the best musical play I have ever seen. And I want to say, "Thank you so much!" to my Ninang (godmother) for the invitation to watch this I love every bit of it. Truly captured my heart maybe the stage actress dream that I had before was still inside me somewhere. 

Inside the beautiful "Durian" Esplanade Theater

Celebrating Life

Last Friday, I flew back to Singapore just in time for my husband's birthday. I stayed in Manila for a month and being away from Juriz even for a short time filled my tummy with butterflies as soon as the plane touched down. Yes I was so excited to see him parang PBB teens lang hahaha! I even retouched my makeup before I headed to the immigration.

Yummy cake for the birthday celebrant

Birthday Boy, so excited to blow his candles

Well I guess the feeling was mutual upon seeing his post on FB, honestly let me say nakakakilig pa rin, even if we were married for more than 2 years and known each other for 19 years, hahaha puppy love or young love sweet love days. I love the look in his eyes as he saw me walking out the airport door and of course kissed me and hugged me tightly not minding the bunch of people around. After all these years he remained sweet and that made me fall in love with him over and over again...

Well please excuse me for being so cheesy. I just feel very blessed by God to have this man as my husband and best friend for life.

I got this Blue Mountain card from a small bookstore at Rob place in Manila. I want to share what the card says because those were the exact words that I wanted to tell him.

My Husband, You Are My Forever Love written by Linda Sackett-Morrison

Your friendship and love, and all of the wonderful things that they bring to my life, are like nothing else I’ve ever known. My heart is complete with the love we share, and our love grows more beautiful each day... As long as I have you, my husband, I have everything I need. Moments of success may come and go, and material things bring us momentary joy. But you are with me always... in a smile, a touch, a feeling, or a moment we share.

Friends enter our lives, sometimes only for a short time, but the friendship we share is deep and secure. Even if everyone else suddenly left me, I know that I’d still have you as my best friend.

We pass through different phases of life with all their changes and challenges, and one day turns into another. But through it all, our love is constant. You lend me strength when I need it most, and give me a precious gift each day by loving me just the way I am.

I don’t know how you do it, but in your own special way, you fill my life and heart with a wondrous joy that will always be present. You make my life complete, and I love you.

Of course with the cook, the happy wifey!

Sweetheart, thank you so much for the life, friendship, and marriage that we share. Looking at you in the morning and feeling all the love that you have for me makes me feel how God loves me for the gift of Life and Love.

With all his gifts

Happy Birthday Sweetheart! I love you so much! God bless you always!

Charming Details

Whenever we come home to Manila for vacation we always stay in our Uncle Mario and Aunt Gina’s house. During my wedding, since we already moved to US our whole family stayed here, their three bedrooms were stretched to accommodate seven of us, my dad, my grandma, my husband, and my sisters. May I mention that this house once accommodated four families who were in the country for our grandparents’ 50^th wedding anniversary back in 2004. I wonder how we managed to fit in. Nevertheless, our family feels that this house is our second home here in the Philippines.

Maximizing this 120-square foot lot made every space functional. The unique decors collected by my aunt from their trips gave a personalized touch. Coordinating pieces made the collection more interesting and pleasing to the eyes. 

Timeless Chic

Vintage phone and customized lamp

Wooden carvings from Vietnam

Antique Ceba pendulum clock circa 1950's from our grandparents' house 

Stylish clock from Malaysia

Ceramic balls as centerpiece

Spanish Inspired, Baldosa tiles 

Ikea hanging lamp to light up the staircase

I admire my aunt with her taste of choosing the chic curtains and colorful printed pillowcases which she said shouldn't go beyond her budget. She loves shopping at department stores like Trinoma and sometimes having the luxury of time visits Divisoria to get a better deal. The secret is knowing the trick of "mix and match" that can create more different looks for the house.

Classic Corners

Sepak Takraw balls made of rattan

Antique table from my grandfather's barber shop circa 1950's 

Personalized Spaces

Customized dinning table

Cozy customized day bed from Abubot, SM North Edsa

Zen Space in the Backyard

Relaxes the senses

This is one of the many reasons why we keep coming back to the Philippines. This house reminds us that we can go miles away but we will always have a family to come home to. Philippines is still Home Sweet Home.

Captured and edited using Iphone 4s photos