Ginger beef and familiar flavors

Been trying to re-create mom's recipes by memory for about a year now and so far so good, but it's such a pain remembering some dishes from way back so when I was flipping through this old chinese cookbook that we had, I had to stop and stare at the page with the Ginger Beef recipe. The photo was very familiar, it reminded me of mom's chinese flank steak dish. Without hesitating, I decided to include it in our menu for the week, went grocery shopping and started cooking. When I had my first bite, I couldn't believe that it was the same familiar flavors i've grown up with so I got my brother to try it right away and we both found ourselves excited over this dish and reminiscing the countless times we had this before. Turns out it is the same dish. 

I thought I'd share this renewed discovery with you. 

Ginger Beef

Flank steak

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp rice wine

2 T oil

6-8 slices of ginger

Sauce

1/2 cup beef stock

1/2 tsp brown sugar

salt 

cornstarch

Slice steak into strips and mix with soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar and rice wine. Set aside.

Heat the pan with oil. When the pan start to lightly smoke add the ginger and fry for about 1/2 minute. 

Add the beef and stir-fry for about a minute or until almost done then push the beef to the side of the pan. Add in the stock and sugar then season with salt and thicken with corntarch mixture. Toss together the meat and the sauce and continue stir-frying until sauce thickens about 1-2 minutes.

countdown to the big 3-0: 

12 days

BITE-SIZE EXPRESSION: Peanut Butter Addiction

I find that peanut butter is the next best thing after butter, the food world has ever come up with. Don't mind the gooey mess that comes with eating peanut butter 'coz that's half the fun. I was reminded of this last sunday, when I attended the christening of my bestfriend's daughter. We braved manila's heatwave for a lovely morning at the church in honor of the cuddliest, tiniest baby ever; followed by a small and intimate lunch for the family and god-parents (yes, she's my second godchild) and guess where I was seated...facing the dessert buffet. I had the chocolate fountain, tiramisu and more desserts staring at me the entire lunch. So, I went home with a baby and dessert in mind. Hence, this inspiration board. The chocolate-dipped spoon, the french books, and the flowers would look really great on a chic, afternoon baby shower or even a bridal shower.

Wouldn't this be perfect for chocloate & peanut butter addicts?

countdown to the big 3-0: 

13 days

photos: Peanut butter rice krsipie, dessert station, tree centerpiece, chocolate spoons, peanut butter fortune cookie, flowers in jar, basket, chocolate peanut cake, books, vintage house number

30-day countdown to the big 3-0

The big day is finally a month way! Yes, I am turning 30...who knew I'd be this excited. Turning thirty to me means change and happiness, with it comes a wiser, stronger, more mature, grounded and self-assured version of myself. My 20s is without a doubt a fun one but one that is a trying yet enriching part of my life. The last six years was full of stupidity, heartaches and life lessons which I wouldn't trade for regardless but I am glad and excited to be done with it.

Thinking of my upcoming birthday, I rummaged thru piles of old letters, photos, and notes to reminisce and surprisingly I find my bucket list written when I was either thirteen or fourteen years old and all this time I thought I already threw it out. Reading through the list was both funny and bittersweet. Thought I'd share some things from the list with you guys, I scribbled some comments and updates beside certain things though.

countdown to the big 3-0: 

30 days

BITE-SIZE EXPRESSION: Sandwich Lady

It's one of those really hot and humid days that is best spent indoors but that hint of summer glow kept creeping into mind. I've always wanted to go on a picnic but living in a city like Manila where parks are pretty much non-existent is a challenge. So, for today's board I chose a rustic summer sandwich to create that warm, carefree, lazy afternoon feeling. I would love nothing more than to have friends over and use this board on a sunday afternoon. 

photos: Roast beef sandwich, lantern, bench with pillows, flowers on tin, canvas tote, leaf coasters, bedroom set-up, placecard plant, rose cookies, striped table runners, girl in pants

Brunch No. 2: Diet Disaster

So I woke up late despite setting my alarm to 730am, ran around like a crazed woman since I have so much stuff to do today, thank God we had a box of Krispy Kreme donuts. This is such a huge no-no to my restricted diet but what the hey, didn't have time to make anything else. Happy sunday!

BITE-SIZE EXPRESSION: White Chocolate Noodle & Mango Sago

It's February! A month of pretty, sickeningly sweet and love-crazed reminders and I'm starting it by introducing a weekly inspiration board based on food. This week's inspiration board is on an amazing-looking dessert from Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu that I shot with my editor Sheryl a while back. I loved the modern rustic vibe that it had and the color palette that's just perfect for february. Have a light and dreamy day!

photos: White Chocolate Noodle & Mango Sago by Kerwin Kaiser Yu for SPACE magazine, coffee pot, cocktail, coffee table, bread board, macaroons, fragment lights, flowers, yellow chair

Back to day one

Monday marked my return to the gym and the diet regimen prescribed by my nutritionist (Yes, I have one). After a month and a half of cheating with food portions and avoiding exercise, I finally decided to get my mind and body on track. I thought starting it again would be hard but Day One went without a hitch, I actually wanted to pat myself on the back, haha! 

Hitting the gym has always been a lot easier to me than going on a diet. Prior to June 2011, I've never gone on a diet, I was so into sports growing up that dieting was not needed. And also, we're all such big and good eaters in my family that I've always been surrounded by people who love to eat, my dad actually made a promise to himself and my mom that we'll always have plenty of food in the house, no matter what time it was. So, you can see why dieting is such a big task. 

So, I thought hard as to what to cook for tuesday's lunch that can both pass my diet restrictions (I didn't wanna deprive myself of good food since according to my nutritionist it's really more about portion control) and be filling for my siblings Katherine & Raymond and I came up with Tempura Tuna Sashimi — our favorite dish to share from japanese restos. I have always wanted to replicate this at home ever since we first tasted it in Terriyaki Boy then in Sumo Sam then in...oh, you get the picture,  but never got around to doing it until yesterday. I was really excited to make this and so was Katherine & Raymond to eating it. After picturing the ingredients in my head it was really easy to make, so after, I needed wanted a no-fuss vegetable dish. We had a lot of fresh mushrooms left in the fridge and decided to stir-fry it in garlic — addicted to this and voila! Our lunch is done.

We haven't eaten in chopsticks at home for so long, so I brought them out and served our food — asian style. Who knew I'd miss eating using chopsticks at home. I think I now want a bento box...

Tempura Tuna Sashimi

1 Tuna fillet, sushi-grade

4 tbsp japanese mayo

1/2 tbsp wasabi

2 tbsp chopped scallions

tempura bits (see recipe below)

dash of chili powder

Tempura bits

1 egg

1 cup cake flour

1/3 cup cold water

bowl of ice

Dice the tuna fillet and chill in the fridge then prepare the tempura bits

In a bowl, mix together the egg and water. Add in the flour and whisk to make a batter. Don't over mix, the batter needs to be lumpy. Place the bowl of batter on top of the bowl of ice, as the batter needs to be cold. 

Heat the pan with oil for deep-frying. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a tiny amount of the batter in the oil, if it immediately rises to the top then its ready for frying. Dip the wire whisk in the batter and shake it above the pan to make the batter splatter in the oil, (doing this will make the batter come out as bits when fried) once golden brown, remove from the pan and strain excess oil. Set aside.

Note: I actually prefer using my fingers instead of a wire whisk when doing this I like how the batter splatters better onto the oil.

Mix together the wasabi and mayo, fold into the chilled tuna. Coat evenly. Add in the tempura bits and mix. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle chili powder, top with scallions and serve. 

Note: This needs to be served and eaten immediately.

Stir-fry Mushrooms

1 pack golden mushrooms

1 1/2 cup oyster mushrooms

1 cup shitake mushrooms

5 cloves garlic, chooped

1 1/2 tbsp oil

salt

pepper

Slice the shitake mushrooms into strips. Rinse all the mushrooms and set aside.

Heat pan with oil, sauté the garlic. Toss in the mushrooms and stir-fry until soft about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, stri-fry for another minute. Serve.