Coffee, College and Hayao Miyazaki

This has nothing to do with food, but I felt emotional while walking our dog.

 

Today as I was walking my dog I felt something that I haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying for the past months, a gust of cold wind. After about 3 months of constant groveling over the torrid heat I finally had the chance to experience the decadence of a cool afternoon. And it brought me to a realization, time was moving forward I would be heading back to Ateneo, I would be once again stuck into this dingy dorm room which I have turned into a second rate garbage dump. I suddenly felt depressed, this haze of wonder was coming to an end, but the cold also reminded of a particular day in the midst of memory.

It was during my first year in Ateneo on a particularly stormy morning. I recall that I had no classes that day so I resigned myself to a day devoted to doing absolutely nothing. Incidentally I had just recently been gifted with the entire filmography of the genius animator, Hayao Miyazaki. So I geared myself for the eventful day ahead of me. Put the aircon on full blast, prepared a steaming cup of coffee and pulled out the fluffiest blanket I had.

I had already watched some Miyazaki films before that day, namely Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away. So I knew how magnificently grand his works were and I had a slight apprehension toward finding something disappointing from his films and breaking the mysticism that came with his name. The result rather was the opposite; I grew to love him more and more. I remember being transported to the world of Ponyo where was a fantastical wizard/chemist who lived in a submarine in the middle of the ocean whilst harboring magical fish, then standing in front a pair of girls and a large ferret like creature boarding a cat-bus, then flying across the starry night with a witch-in-training on a broom with a very annoying black cat.  Miyazaki brought back so much wonder. And after being disenchanted by the strife of college the Miyazaki treatment was just what I needed. Whilst under a thicket of blankets, swimming in instant coffee and being filled with about every kind of cup noodle I had at my disposal; I had found unbounded happiness.

There was something about his films which had so much power over me. It wasn’t the fantastical creatures nor was it the beautiful sceneries. It was Ponyo finding love or Haru finding the meaning of love. It was Shizuku singing “Country Roads, Take Me Home” to Shiro and Seiji, it was when Sho left a sugar cube for Arriety, it was Kiki finally finding her purpose and flying across the cerulean sky. It was the moments when the humanness in Miyazaki’s characters flourished in the midst of all the grandeur. It was when his hopeless optimism matched his devastating humanness. It was when he made me feel like magic

I ended that day feeling light, despite the fact that I ate about half my body weight whilst lying down. And I remember telling myself that night “You’ve ruined animation for yourself, you will never find another animated film as great as these, you’ve destroyed yourself, you’ll never be this happy again,” and maybe I won’t find something as poignant as The Wind Rises or as touching as Ponyo, maybe I will never find a ferret like creature that can ever replace Toroto,  and maybe I was over exaggerating but what I do know is that the bliss of wonder will remain with me whenever I see a Miyazaki film.

So heading to my 3^rd year of college I know that things will get harder, and my life will be drastically different. I know that my optimism will wane and my wonder will wilt. But I know I’ll remember the stories that animators across history have created and I’ll remember. I’ll remember that I was once a child.

Note

Do you have any film that made you feel like a child again? Please do share?

Till next time

-The Fatty

Bravado in Stride : A Review of Ukkokei Ramen RON

I would just want to state that I am not an avid fan of Ramen, I find it quite enjoyable to eat, that much is true, but I do not crave for it. It has become one of those dishes which I am satisfied with consuming, but am not overly attracted to. But seeing that I ate a restaurant with an enormous ramen figurine at the entrance I will push my slight indifference towards Ramen and attempt to rate it more objectively.

Ukkokei Ramen Ron, what can I say about it? For starters it was one of the pioneering restaurants here in the Philippines which began the Ramen Bar craze that is now sweeping the metro. It’s small and quaint and has two forms of seating, the normal restaurant seating and the zashiki, or the traditional Japanese table setting.  The entire restaurant isn’t something of an aesthetic wonder where you are magically transported to some era in historical Japan with falling sakura petals and tranquil gardens. It is pretty much your standard metro Japanese restaurant in the modern age. The whole space decorated with a  Japanese visual, but assimilated to contemporary manageability.

 

Big Ass Ramen

The place was not the most standout in regards to design, but as my sister has said, the ramen here was really good. So I shall now move on to the actual food. The menu showcases 3 types of ramen, salt, soy, and miso. I am sure all the ramen fanatics know how each of the soup bases differs, but for the sake of the ramen virgins here is a bit of information. Salt based is the lightest of the three; it’s very straight forward and not really antiquated with as much depth as the others, but that is what defines the Salt based, the lightness and the almost featheriness it showcases as it laps against your tongue. It is really for those who want their ramen light and straight to the point. Next is Soy, this base is arguably stronger in depth and flavor compared to the other two; it has deep tones of anise and an earthiness that really sets it apart from other bases, which makes for a more fuller bodied flavor. Lastly is the Miso, this base is just plain sultry, for you who don’t know what miso is it’s fermented soy bean and kojiki paste, it is  lethargic, because when you drink the soup it’s like the liquid is slowly lapping across your tongue like beads of flavor dragging itself slowly through every bud of your tongue. The miso base is the densest of the other three and lends a more heavy feeling in the stomach.

But across the normal ramen fair they had to offer I of  course, chose to go off menu. There are various special ramens they offer, but I went for what was made the least. The Tantan men, a miso based ramen that is reminiscent of a large pot of molten magma, with its bright red stock and pork fat just unceremoniously floating about ready to cause bouts of high blood and hypertension.

In my opinion the second or third sip of soup will be the highlight of the flavor, because your tongue has partially antiquated with the entire body of the soup, but at the same time it’s still attempting to fully encapsulate the figure. And surely by the third sip the subtle nuances and the small flavors meld into this brash and unapologetic brewing of intense flavors which just pull you back. And the simplicity of the minced pork and the chopped chives held the soups overt intensity to a halt. The soup is filled with the grand musings of a great miso broth the unctuous meatiness of the pork, with the oils just slowly mellowing out the heat flicked into the red stock. The hand made noodles together with the soft ground pork and bright chives worked great with broth there was a flaw to the equation. The soup itself cannot pull itself to the sheer amount that is presented, and the sides could not attempt to counteract the strength of its vigor. The intensity will surely bring you back for a 10^th or an 11^th but after that you just feel tired of eating, the gulps become tedious and too much as your meal comes to its wane. In retrospect it has made a good introduction but sadly a mediocre finish. The soup holds its boldness in its forefront and not in its small moments, the grandeur is assimilated into one single entity, and not in the flow of the dish, much like a good story with a bad ending. You start to love it then it falls on its own grand gesture. Simply the soup could not hold itself when a soup for everything that it is must always posses balance. Ultimately I can say that Ukkokei has presented me with a spectacular flavor profile but not enough strength to carry it all the way through to the end.

One thing to say to people ordering the Tantan men, watch the first act and let someone else catch the second one for you.

 

Digesting Omakase

Omakase, in terms of Japanese culture it is a restaurant wherein the customer withholds his or her palate to the inklings of the chef. But here in the Philippines Omakase is a Japanese restaurant which has shaken up the restaurant scene ever since its beginnings in the heart of Ayala Alabang .

Once a small, very well hidden restaurant, Omakase has transcended its humble roots and has achieved national accalaim sprouting branch after branch out of nowhere. I, myself being a diner since my high school years have found the store so iconic whenever referring to areas in the south. With its less than spacious area, with chairs never really empty and with crowds ranging from 3 year olds to 90 year olds. Omakase was that hub of everyone in the Alabang. Not because it had cheap Japanese food, it had ridiculously good and cheap Japanese food. It was a place that everyone knew and everyone cherished. It was our little secret. That little cramped space in the middle of town.

Over the years Omakase has expanded throughout the metro, from Makati to Greenhills, it has far reached from its very humble beginnings. But in its mission to expand some aspects of what made Omakase genuinely special was lost in the haze.  The smallness that it had in that cramped corner of Casa Susana made me feel a sense of comfort, even more so than the laid back atmosphere of the south, and allowed me to fully embrace the ambience around me. But now visiting the new branch in Alabang, across the street from the remnants of the old one, was so large and gargantuan, it was spacious yes, but it looked like every other restaurant in the surrounding area, it wasn’t just Omakase, it was now Omakase Alabang.

But even though it had changed from that little spot to this large edifice, there were still some things which remained. One of those was the dish which was something of a revelation to me, a plate of spicy tuna salad. It is with this that I learned the art of simplicity, to consider texture and to attain freshest of ingredients. Some would argue that the true testament to the simplicity of the Japanese is the humble sushi, but it was after this particular salad that I discovered the wonderful world of sushi; back then I only ate shitty rolls of California maki. And arguably there are so many other spicy tuna salads out there, but I’ve always cherished the sheer balance and perfection of the salad Omakase offered.

So this is my homage to what Omakase is and was to me, a stepping stone to food and a nostalgic edifice which constituted my exploration of really good food. The salad made with 4 primary components, the lettuce, the tuna, the sauce and the tempura batter, is simple and easy to make, it highlights three different textures, softness, crispness and crunchiness, which merge and meld into this sumptuous amalgamation of fishy heaven.

There are some things to consider when making the salad. Firstly the cleanliness of your materials, this is sushi which is served raw anything the fish touches you eat so take great care of cleaning your chopping board to your knife. Secondly the freshness of your ingredients, this is a fairly simple salad so use the freshest fish and the crispest lettuce. Thirdly the precision of your slices, when you slice your tuna make sure to use the sharpest knife you have, each slice has to be deft and precise to make sure you don’t end up with mish on your chopping board. Finally subtlety, the sauce is a tricky thing to make, it’s a balancing act of mayonnaise, oyster sauce and wasabi, and incrementing your sauce is important in making your salad perfect.

Spicy Tuna Salad

Tunaaaaaa

1 kilo Blue Fin Tuna, sliced into ½ x ½ cm cubes

½ Cup Japanese Mayonnaise

2-3 tsp of Oyster Sauce

2-3 tsp Wasabi

4 Bunches of Romaine Lettuce

Tempura Batter

1 cup flour

1 cup ice cold water

2 tsp corn starch

1 tsp baking soda

1 egg

 

Slice your tuna into strips, then refrigerate. Mix mayonnaise, oyster and wasabi and set aside. The reason I put 2-3 tsp is because flavor is solely up to your standards and adding or subtracting from it is solely up to your palette. Mix into the tuna and refrigerate.

The sauce (and the price of the oyster sauce)

 

My heart is palpitating

Mix water and egg in small bowl and mix dry ingredients in another, add the flour mixture in increments until you have a nice light batter, making sure not to over beat, so as to allow the batter to stay light when frying (this will yield a batter that is more than enough for the salad, you may opt to make tempura as well). Get a spoon or fork and dip into batter, then on top of the pan swiftly rotate the spoon/fork to create droplets of batter in the hot oil, fry for about 30 seconds or until its solid. Take out of the oil and strain.

Multitasking in the form of spooning batter and taking apicture

Assemble salad by putting lettuce as the base, then adding the tuna and covering with batter.

Spicy Tuna Salad

Until next time

-The Fatty

 

 

It’s Hot and I’m Hungry

After about a week of stressfully trying to get my life back on track I have finally found a starting point to pull myself into becoming more goal oriented during my summer break. And to start my path to a life wherein I would not have to resort to killing people to sustain my sanity, I have created a new blog post with a brand spanking new recipe, and my posts will be more frequent this time around, I’m leaning towards 1 recipe per week. (And now I shall stab my using for using the term brand spanking new)

Anyway, its summer which only means one thing, heat, waves upon waves of sweat dripping, body odor inducing and libag multiplying heat. (And for those of you, who don’t know what libag is, scratch your nail over a sweaty arm and find the little nuggets of black treasure awaiting you, that’s libag.)  And here in the Philippines where electric fans rule the land and where the sun means potentially suffering heatstroke there must be something to help cool off.

If that’s what you’re looking for please proceed to another blog, because I made barbeque. Well not just any barbeque, I made the banana ketchup, soy sauce with brown sugar type of barbeque, something all Filipinos just love and can sell at P25 a stick. But my barbeque will not really sell for P25 pesos, it’s a more of my take on the local barbeque, which very much resembles a local stick of bbq due to the distinct flavor of banana ketchup, but my sauce is drowned in Worcestershire and balsamic vinegar to really create a depth in the sauce, then its spiced with a little bit of cayenne and paprika to bring out the smokiness of the pork.  Then it’s served with a dollop of freshly made coleslaw, which is simply mixed with a bit of homemade mayonnaise to contrast the smoky flavor of the pork with the clean and cool texture of the cabbage.

To start off the recipe, there are some things to take note off. Firstly time is your friend when it comes to barbeque, the longer you simmer your sauce and the longer your marinate your pork will add so much more depth in flavor and will enhance your experience, secondly don’t be afraid of adding different types of wood to your charcoal the smoke adds flavor to your pork. And lastly remember the defining aspect of any barbeque is the sauce, so don’t half bake the flavor, sauce is the most important part of it, stew it, love it, take your time with it. Finally about the coleslaw, fresh mayonnaise makes all the difference if you’re too afraid of making mayonnaise Hellman’s doused in olive oil and a bit of lemon would be good, but it is still light-years away from freshly made mayonnaise.

Balsamic BBQ with Fresh Coleslaw

 

Finished Dish

BBQ

1 kilo pork shoulder, cut into ½ cm thick slices

 

Rub

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried coriander

¼ cup brown sugar

 

Sauce

1 cup banana ketchup

¼ cup Worcestershire

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon dried coriander

 

Coleslaw

½ a cabbage head

2 carrots

1 large white onion

 

Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks

1 cup canola oil

½ cup light olive oil

½ a lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Special Materials

Grater with large grates

1 big mixing bowl

Whisk/ hand mixer/ stand mixer

Grill

Procedure

Bamboo skewers

 

Procedure

(I marinate the pork in the rub overnight to really get the flavors going, but a minimum of 2 hours would suffice.)

In a small bowl mix your rub mixture. Then slice pork into strips, then rub sugar and spice mixture unto the pork and then leave in the fridge to marinate.

To make the sauce heat your saucepan on medium heat and add banana ketchup and brown sugar bring to a boil, then add Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar and spices and simmer for about 10- 20 minutes, you may add a bit of water if you think the sauce is too pungent. Then set aside to cool.

You may choose to use a stand mixer, a hand mixer or your muscle mixer to make your mayonnaise. If you are choosing to use brute force then start off by wrapping a towel on the bottom of your bowl to stop it from moving too much as you whisk (if you’re a loser and opt to use a hand mixer or a stand mixer you just have to put the bowl on a table) . Start off by adding your egg yolks and mustard and whisking the two. Then start off by whisking in drops of canola oil, when you’ve created a base for your mayonnaise you can increase increments to a stream. (Reminder, never stop mixing) Then start adding your olive oil until you have a thick paste. Add your lemon juice and season to taste.

                                            fresh mayonnaise

Grate your carrot into large strips, you can also choose to julienne the carrots if you want. Then slice the cabbage and onion into fine strips. Blanch the vegetables in salted boiling water then strain vigorously before adding with your mayonnaise and placing in the fridge

coleslaw

Start skewering your pork on the stick by getting a strip and folding it on the tip to resemble some sort of intestinal organ, hold the stick with your other hand to gauge the extent of where you want to place the pork, usually 4 inches away from the bottom or up to where your hand can grasp it securely without touching the pork, this yields about 15 sticks. Now slather a bit of your sauce on the skewers before starting on your grill. When grilling make sure to constantly turn and baste your pork, about every 2-3 minutes to really get the flavor of the sauce into it, be sure to cover the skewers whilst not being basted. After about 8 minutes the bbq should be done.

grill that pig!

Serve with a dollop of coleslaw and some roast potatoes for a perfect summer meal.

I was trying to get the sunny, summer effect. I would call this a failure if anything.

 

one of the more successful shots

 

P.S.

If you haven’t already noticed I am not the best photographer in the world. But it’s somewhat passable, I hope.

My mother, beans and something in between

Well I haven’t updated this blog for over a month, to justify the first two weeks of my hiatus was the dense amount of schoolwork that I had to accomplish and the impending finals week that came after which. The other half was just constituted by pure laziness and the mere fact that I didn’t have to wake up at 8 in the morning every single day.

Thus is the origin of this post, I have not arrived with a recipe, but I have come up with an update on my absolutely interesting life. Firstly throughout the two weeks since I’ve been on break I have done nothing but cook, because now that I permanently reside in our house our house helper has found every reason to pass on the cooking duties to me, not that I’m complaining, and it gets very tiring, especially after smelling like huge pot of tomato sauce and sweat each time I cook, also due to the heat siestas have been more frequented. And given the fact that I gave up rice for Lent, my demeanor toward the world has declined from slightly annoyed to extremely aggravated, but I try to remedy this with chocolate, because two of my sisters gave up chocolate for lent so I have free reign of our chocolate supply for forty days.

About two nights ago our house helper had told me to finally use the dried beans that have been sitting in the kitchen for God knows how long, the clear plastic bag teeming with dust and little black specs which I do not want to know, sometimes ignorance is bliss. So she soaked the beans overnight for a chili lunch the next day. Being my fascination with ingredients I haven’t worked with in a while the beans became the ingredient of the day. For lunch I made chili con carne which I dosed generously with cayenne pepper and cumin, something my mother does not appreciate. You see my mother has this apprehension to things that are excessively pungent, especially cumin; she loathes the seed, whenever she could sense even a small scent of cumin she would immediately scold me for making something that smelt of armpit. We have this theory that if she were to go to India she would have a can of Lysol and a gas mask in her purse her entire stay. But returning to beans, that same afternoon I made two types of hummus, the normal one made of garlic, olive oil and lemon juice and the other made with some sun dried tomatoes, taking inspiration from Go Salads in Katipunan, which has amazing hummus, but salad which I don’t really care for. To which my mother asked me not to use olive oil in making hummus to which I replied “What kind of hummus do you eat,” to which she responds by eating more hummus. Needless to say I love my mother.

This turned more into a post about how my mother is my main source of entertainment when she’s at home, but I just really wanted you people to know that I’m alive and not physically paralyzed or something.

But I do have some recipes coming up. I’m thinking of making a Chai Tea Cake with either vanilla or lemon buttercream. And something made of tuna to mesh in with the diet this Lenten season.

So hopefully I am still remotely fascinating and haven’t disappointed you that much

Till next time
-The Fatty

To all the Broken Hearts, Here Eat Cake

Oh Valentine’s day, it’s the time when flower shops get half of their annual income and when chocolate become the second most consumed product, the most consumed being bitterness and depression. I have never really celebrated this, primarily because I was not raised to love, and secondly I’m really too selfish for my own sake. Because I’m not going to buy someone else chocolate, it won’t reach the exit of the store, chocolate is supposed to be consumed on purchase thank you very much. Anyway last Friday after a particularly hectic week in school and a very long commute home my parents had cleverly devised the perfect remedy to my woes. Pizza, ice cream and a heaping glass of Merlot, needless to say I was perfectly satiated. So as a way of thanking my parents for their generosity I made a Valentine’s treat for my family.

This really started because I wanted to make something really good for my family for Valentine’s day, and Julia Child’s recipe for walnut cake just really hit the mark for me, and it didn’t hurt that we had an abundance of walnuts. No actually I just wanted to make something with walnuts, that’s just about right. So to whatever reason I’ve led you to believe was the origin of this cake, so be it but the cake itself if fairly simple and is very versatile, one can substitute a myriad of ingredients for walnuts,  some of those being pecans, almonds or something just really out there for those adventurous ( hello gummy bear cake). The toffee requires little to no effort other than stirring and the crème anglaise only requires a very muscular arm and a stainless steel bowl. I shall require everyone who makes crème anglaise to do it by hand and arm, because one controls the custard better when whipping by hand, but mainly because I could barely move my arm after beating it and I want everyone else to feel that pain. Now disregarding my spite towards whipping here is my recipe.

Walnut Cake with Walnut Toffee and Crème Anglaise (English Custard)

 

Cake

3 eggs

1 ½ cups sugar

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup crushed walnuts

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cup whipping cream

Butter for greasing

Walnut Toffee

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

½ cup cream

1 cup crushed walnuts

Crème Anglaise (English Custard)

3 egg yolks

30 grams sugar

150 grams milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment

2 9-inch cake pans

3-4 stainless steel bowls

whisk/ stand mixer/ hand mixer

saucepan

 

 

Procedure

Crème Anglaise

Start of making the custard, heat your milk and vanilla in a small saucepan, letting it boil before turning the heat down, set aside.

Get your bowl and add in your eggs and sugar, whip till pale, it’s going to resemble single cream and this shall be the time to temper you’re custard.

Add small increments of milk to the egg mixture before whipping it to let temper the custard. Remember not to add too much milk as it may lead to the eggs to curdle, if it curdles you will have to start the custard from scratch.

After adding all the milk to the eggs and whisking it vigorously one will have an acceptable crème anglaise, but if you feel that it’s too milky for your taste you can heat it on low heat whilst mixing it, so as to hinder it from curdling, until your desired consistency. Then chill in refrigerator.

Cake

Set your oven on 350F or 176 C (just estimate it) and grease two 9 inch cake pans

In a bowl add the eggs and sugar and whip till pale, one can opt to whip using a stand mixer or a hand beater, this will look different from the custard due to the presence of the egg whites which drastically adds in volume when whipped. After this add vanilla and salt and mix till properly incorporated. Set aside.

In another bowl whip your cream till it doubles in volume, one can use single cream but it will not expand as much which will result in a denser cake, due to the lack of air which would be added when using whipping cream. Set aside.

In another bowl sift flour and baking powder.

Get your egg mixture and add a scoop of flour mixture and fold. After which add the egg mixture to the cream and fold. One folds batter to retain the air incorporated whilst beating, if you whisk the dry ingredients in the air will escape which will make the cake denser.

Now alternately add scoops of walnuts and flour, folding the mixture in between new additions.

Now add equal amounts of batter between the two cake pans. Bake for about 20 min or when the cake starts separating from the pan.

Let it cool in the pan for about ten minutes to let the cake firm up before taking out and letting it cool on a cooling rack, the time really depends on the weather so just feel it from time to time, but roughly about 15-20 minutes should be enough.

Walnut Toffee

Add sugar and butter into your saucepan and heat until melted and sticky. Add in cream and mix until smooth then incorporate the walnuts. Set aside to cool. Be very careful whenever handling hot sugar, it will leave more than wounds (sugar burns like a bitch, I still have the scar to prove it)

When the toffee and the cake have all cooled down take one cake as your base and smother half of the toffee and spread on the top of your base, making sure to leave about a one inch margin around the cake, because the toffee will spread after stacking. Place your top piece over the base and spread the other half of the toffee on the top and spread evenly over the top.

Slice into desired amount and serve with a dollop of the custard and enjoy.

A Fat Kids Advice

Whenever one bake’s the familiarity to one’s oven is paramount. Because all ovens are different and operate on differently, for instance my oven doesn’t bake evenly I always have the need to wait for halfway mark to flip my cakes because one side is browning faster than the other. It pays to familiarize yourself with the hotspots of your oven and know the imperfections it has. It will help you salvage what could be a disaster in your kitchen.

So till next time

-The Fatty

A Trip Back Home and A Spicy Sandwich

I was planning for a grander entrance into the food blogosphere, initially scheming to go into an in depth discussion on the amazing capabilities of a properly roast chicken, but due to unforeseen circumstances (my inability to get out of bed) my plans were ultimately altered. So for my debut into the world of food blogging I shall share with you a snack I made for myself after my lengthy commute from Katipunan. This grand journey of mine had me walking in the excruciatingly horrid heat and sitting with a particularly pungent person, so of course the first thing I want to do when I get back home is to really just eat; hence my very first recipe to be posted online.

This sandwich is in itself is simple and unpretentious. It doesn’t call for flashy ingredients and it does contain overly complex flavors and textures, you only really need one pan and a hungry stomach and your set. Owing to the very torrid heat of the moment I chose to make a fairly spicy sandwich, and I enjoy eating moderately spicy food during the summer, because it adds more flavor and brightness to a dish while at the same time allowing your body to relatively cool down without all the consequences of overly spiced food, namely, sweating, numbness and general discomfort. But discussions of chili related distresses aside the sandwich relies on the clear structuring of the chicken and the subtle flavors accompanying it. The tomatoes supply the supple sweetness, whilst the peppers provide the smokiness and finally the lettuce applying a crisp finish to it, all while the mayonnaise just melds it all down perfectly.

 

 

Spiced Chicken with Roast Tomatoes and Bell Peppers Sandwich

Ingredients:

(1 serving)

Half a Chicken Breast

1 Tomato (thickly sliced)

1 Small bell pepper (whole)

1 Head of Romaine Lettuce

1 tablespoon mayonnaise (preferably fresh)

1 teaspoon cumin (whole or ground)

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt and pepper (for seasoning)

1 clove garlic

Olive Oil

2 Slices Sourdough Bread

Equipment

1 Grill Pan or Medium Sized Sk

illet

Chef’s Knife

Chopping Board

Mortar and Pestle (optional)

Procedure

We start off with the spices. I used whole spices so the general rule is to pan roast the spices before applying to the raw meat, this is only applicable to the coriander and the cumin as the paprika has already been smoked and if roasted you will end up having soot. (But if you’re not equipped with whole spices, apply the spices directly.) Roast spices in the pan for about 2-3 minutes or until the spices begin emit stronger aromas. Now you can either crush the spices with a mortar and pestle or if you are confident with your knife skills just crush it with the flat end of your knife. Then rub all the spices together with the salt and pepper on the chicken after which set aside to allow the spices to flavor the chicken.

After setting the bird aside grab your tomatoes and slice the ends off, then slice the fruit into half-inch circles, then season the tomatoes and rub small amounts of olive oil on the tomatoes. Now put your Grill on high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan then spread the fat around. (If you don’t have a grill pan you can use any skillet or gridle pan that is accessible, but you won’t get those nice grill marks on the tomatoes and chicken that everyone likes.) After heating the pan place your tomato rings and the entire pepper on it. Grill the tomatoes for 2 minutes on each side or when the dark grill marks can be seen. Don’t move the bell peppers, those cook for about 15-20 minutes depending on the heat of the pan. (The bell peppers are versatile in this dish; they can be either served fresh or pre-roasted, depending on your taste and your ability to plan meals)

Now we move on to the chicken, it needs to be cooked 5 minutes on each side, at the same time prepare your two slices of bread by brushing a bit of olive oil on it. I grill the bread last because it acts like a sponge absorbing all the juices left off from the tomatoes and the chicken. The bread I’m using is sourdough which I bought in Lartizan, a French restaurant and bakery, there’s one located in Serendra and in Jupiter street in Makati; they’ve also expanded to some Rustan’s groceries, they’ve got amazing bread and its fairly cheap, about 120 per loaf. (There’s a small section below where I divulge the secret to buying bread in bakeries like these) When the bread is done the peppers should be about done as well.

Take everything off the stove and place the peppers in a small bowl. Cover the peppers and let it steam, for about 5 minutes. While that’s steaming grab the clove of garlic and rub it on your toast. After letting the peppers steam take the lid off and peel the skin off, careful they’re hot, after which you will be left with the fleshy part of the pepper. Slice in half and take out the seeds, then slice into lengthwise pieces. Assemble your sandwich slathering mayonnaise on each slice of bread and piling your sandwich. I’m giving you free reign over the assembly of your sandwich, because it’s your sandwich have fun with it, just don’t forget that you’re supposed to add the lettuce, its important. Slice in half and serve.

A Fat Kids Advice 

So if you read above I said that I would be putting a little tidbit about bakeries. The only thing I can tell you is to get a cheap buy, buy at night, because bakeries are required to have fresh baked bread everyday so to lay off the excess inventory they usually put the bread at half the price when they’re about to close. Numerous people have taken advantage of this little night sale and have become regulars at them. These things happen in about all bakeries, Tous Le Jours, Delifrance, The French Baker etc. and they either slash the price or make it but one take one, but basically it’s the same principle for all bakeries, the only down side is that there’s a limited amount of bread and there’s the thing where all the shoppers in the vicinity magically have the urge to grab the very last butter croissant in the bakery, the croissant which you’ve been eyeing ever since you were lined up in front of the store awaiting the go signal of the employees to enter. But all’s fair in food and war so if you’re seeking some thrill go find a close artisan bakery you might find that excitement you need.

Till Next Time

-The Fatty

Questions of a Forlorn Foody

“Should I Make a Food Blog?”

This question has been plaguing my mind for the past month, after what had been one of the most grueling years of my life. From transitioning to college and finding myself in this constant limbo of indecision consequently draining me of whatever energy and love for life I had whilst adding certain events, which I shall not name, had sorely impacted my already miserable and indecisive life one would think it would be wiser to throw this prospective project out of my mind and into my bowel and put all my efforts into restoring a semblance of sanity into my life. But alas I’m as erratic with life as I am with my weight. So my decision has come clear and I’m actually going through with this little project of mine, and after enabling myself to cook whenever humanely possible and allowing myself to think while cooking I’ve come to a decision that my culinary skills has had enough maturation to share with you, and yes I do know I sound like every aspiring blogger out there waiting to be discovered and whatnot. I would surely be lying to myself if I said that I’m any different from them, because really I’m not. I won’t mask my aspirations with this project, I want to somehow get noticed (really not that hard to admit) but also I want to cook and have a reason to keep on cooking, because believe it or not I do enjoy cooking for others, ask about anyone I know they shall vouch for me and my culinary altruism. The only people I cook for consist of my immediate family, and though they’re truly quite brutally honest with their opinions I find that a change of palette is needed and my lack of social industriousness and lack of mobile kitchen lead me to a more viable option, the great expanses of the internet. Notably I have had many failed attempts at sharing my recipes online, but with an astute and stubborn vigor I shall attempt once more to virtualize my gastronomic designs and somehow let people know that I’m able to cook.

 

This blog will consist mainly of my ramblings on the mundanity of life and somehow relating this to my recipes. I’m going to putting more emphasis on savory dishes as that’s what I’m good at, and I’ll mostly gravitate to whatever is present in our freezer, which is basically chicken, pork loin, varying amounts of fish which I don’t like, cheese, bread, and a bag of some dried protein which has inhabited our freezer for an inconclusive amount of time (I’m not even kidding with the dried  protein I seriously don’t know what it is). Of course the occasional dessert might pop out when I’m in the mood for getting my blood sugar above the prescribed rate. I’ll also be giving a commentary into the dishes and ways to interpret it to one’s liking. And basically that’s what your going to expect, so exciting… 

 

And so after copious amounts of fantasizing and lethargic daydreaming; I’ve finally arrived at this point, for the question truly wasn’t “Should I make a food blog?” but more of “When will I start this stupid shit already,” and really there’s nothing better than boredom to enable you to do something more productive with your life, and a car ride to my dorm and the lack of academic coursework for the next day has literally pushed me to make this. And if this is just a sudden burst of inspiration born of boredom or just an astute wake up call to get up my ass and do something rather than spend my time stalking people I hate online I’ll gladly take either. Being slightly optimistic I do hope this project will amount to something worthwhile but in all honesty I’ve approached this dim future with an ambivalent heart and a supremely disoriented mind. But to whatever this project will accomplish I shall accept and to whatever drawback it entails, I shall overcome with tubs of deep fried chicken.

 

So to whoever you are, welcome.

 

 

-Andre (The Fatty)