How to Cook Rice in a Rice Cooker

If you are cooking rice for the first time, fret not. The experience is easy with a rice cooker, but can be tricky with regular kitchen pots. There are many varieties of rice grains, some soak up a lot of water while some don't need much to fluff. Rice is the ultimate comfort food, as it is satisfying and very warm to the tummy.

Rice Cooking Basics:

1. Put 2 Cups of Rice in the rice cooker pot.

2. Rinse the rice. Remove the bits (stones, grain husks, dark colored bits) that may float to the surface. Pour the water into the drain. Repeat rinse process twice.

3. Add 2 1/2 cups of water.

4. Place the rice pot in the rice cooker. Turn on the switch and wait. Most rice cookers are automated so you don't need to bother adjusting the heat. The rice will boil, and when cooked, the rice will fluff out on its own.

5. When the switch goes off or switches to the "warm or simmer" mode. Let the rice simmer for 5 minutes before serving.

Toshiba's Shinku Atsuryoku Taki (Vacuum Pressure Cooker) is considered the world's most expensive rice cooker at $850

Getting different consistencies when cooking rice:
For soft, fluffy rice, add more water (half a cup or more) Ideal when cooking Japanese rice. For firmer rice, reduce the initial amount of water.

If you don' have a rice cooker, you can still cook rice on a regular pot. Follow the same rinse process. Measure the water level with your finger. We call this the finger test by estimating the rice level and water level with your finger. The water should be 1 inch or half inch above the rice grains.

There is a local saying that no grain of rice should be put to waste. As there's so much hard work place in harvesting rice. Well for Asians, Rice is gold.

Pandan Chicken Recipe

Though known as a Thai dish, the abundance of Pandan leaves in Pampanga also makes this chicken dish a Kapampangan fave!

Ingriedients:
• 5 Chicken thighs, deboned, cut into large chunks (good option would be chicken breast fillet) 
• Large pandan leaves for wrapping 
• 3 shallots 
• 2 tbsp garlic, chopped 
• 1 stalk lemon grass, sliced 
• 2 tsp chili sauce1/8 teaspoon sesame seeds

Recipe for special seasoning:
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp Patis / Fish sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup thick coconut milk
• 1/4 cup condensed milk

Pound chicken, add special seasoning.Mix in bowl (except for sesame seeds) and marinate the chicken for 3 hours. 

Wrap chicken in pandan leaves. Wrap chicken in a snug pandan leaf. Forming a cone with the leaf, tuck leaf ends to interlock creating a packet.

Deep fry. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds. Serve with sauce.

How to Make Togue or Toge Sprout from Mongo Beans

Togue are the sprouts from mongo beans (green mung beans)

When I was little my mom would make me put the mongo seeds in a palanggana (basin) filled with water. I would fill the basin full and cover it. We would leave it soaked overnight. By lunch hour, the next day, you got naked and long togue sprouts. The green mongo shells will float to the surface of the water.

Afterwards wash the sprouts in fresh water to clean out the loose mongo shells. Voila! The togue now ready for cooking! You can make Togue guisado, Stir Fried Togue, Togue with Tokwa (Soy) dishes

Pocherong Dalag Recipe: Tasty Mudfish Stew

Dalag is a type of mudfish. Its fish meat is white like the Dalagang Bukid. Its makes for a hearty stew!

1 medium-sized dalag (mudfish)
3 small ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 garlic head, pounded
1 onion, sliced fine
3 ripe bananas - the saba variety (Cardava Bananas- these are the fat bananas meant for boiling)
half head of cabbage, cut into 4 parts
2 potatoes, halves
1 cup water
salt to taste

Clean and slice the dalag. Deep fry the pieces.

On a new pan, saute garlic, onion and tomatoes. Add 1 cup water. When it finally boils put the bananas, the cabbage and potatoes. Cover with lid until the vegetables are done. Add the fried dalag to the stew. Salt to taste. Serve hot.

Pork with Shrimp Paste and Coconut Milk

Pork Binagoongan sa Gata (Pork with Shrimp Paste and Coconut Milk) is a creamy and rich Filipino dish. Make it with fresh coconut milk if you can

1/2 Pork Liempo cubes
2 tbsps garlic, chopped
1 large onion bulb
2 tbsps bagoong alamang (shrimp paste)
2 cups sliced okra (crosswise)
1 big can coconut milk
or 1 1/2 cup fresh coconut milk
2 pcs. long green chili pepper (siling haba)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
1 pork cube (pork bouillon)

You may purchase the shrimp paste in Asian grocery stores. They have varieties like spicy and extra hot :)

Heat pan. Fry pork in its own fat until brown on all sides.

Saute garlic and onion. Add the bagoong and then the okra. Pour coconut milk and simmer. Add green chili peppers. Season to taste with pork cube or salt and pepper.

Lengua Estofado

Rich and flavourful Braised Beef Tongue (Lengua Estofada)

2 1/2 kilo ox tongue
5 liters soup stock
onion leeks
1 tsp bay leaves, sliced
1 cup cooking oil
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 small can of tomato paste / 2 cans tomato sauce
1 large potato, slice crosswise
1 cup button mushrooms
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper

Prepare pot with soup stock, onion leeks, bay leaves and put to boil. Add the ox tongue until the hard skin peels off. Scrape the white thick skin, wash with water. Return the tongue in the soup stock until it becomes tender.

Heat a pan. Heat cooking oil and fry the potatoes. Set aside.

Saute garlic, onion, tomato sauce, mushroom and potatoes. Add soy sauce. Add sliced ox tongue seasoned with salt and pepper. Simmer for another 30 minutes. Serve hot.