Palitaw

Palitaw is a glutinous rice dumpling a kakanin or filipino treat in the Philippines, the name come from the way it is cooked. How to know that it is done is when a dollop floats right up when boiled...that is palitaw.

Gooey and sweet with the grated coconut and toasted sesame seeds. Easy to prepare and not expensive, the only challenging part is to grate the coconut unlike in the Philippines you can buy it fresh in the market. That's why I have my own coconut grater here in Jeddah and I'm proud to say that it has served me well a lot of times. Coconut however is available here in supermarkets imported from India and the variety is smaller than what we used to have in our native country. It served the purpose though and so I cannot complain.

Palitaw is best combined with toasted sesame seeds and grated coconut, sesame or sesamum indicum grows in sandy soil and tropical environment. It grows 5 feet in height and bears pink-white foxglove flowers. The pods appear containing white, brown or black seeds depending on the variety. Each pod contains 100 or more seeds. The seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals very good sources of Vitamin B complex such as niacin, folic acid and thiamin.http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org

Ingredients:

• 500 gms or 1 pack glutinous rice powder
• 1 1/2 cups of warm water
• 3/4 cups white granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups toasted sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 cups grated coconut

Method:

• Make the dough by adding water a little at a time until the rice powder becomes a big solid mass, knead until water is well combined but dough is not soggy.

• Boil 5 cups of water, pinch a tablespoon of dough flatten and drop to the boiled water for 3 minutes.
• When dough floats remove from the water and place on a plate, immediately coat with grated coconut to avoid from sticking together as you pile them up.

• Mix sugar and toasted sesame seeds and add as you eat, do not add sugar ahead of time to your cooked dough. Your palitaw will be watery as the sugar melts easily with the hot palitaw.

Serve and enjoy your homemade palitaw.

Ciao!

Oven Roasted Turkey

Christmas 2015

Perfectly done

It has become a yearly family custom, to invite friends over to a shared dinner or noche buena during the Christmas eve at our home. At the beginning of the month of December it is already my task to think of my menu for the Christmas dinner. Since I'm working, I have to prepare food ahead of time especially desserts so everything would fit in my schedule to avoid cramming. 

It has become a problem searching for the right size of turkey here in Jeddah, the supply has been scarce after the thanksgiving celebration. We actually found one but only 3 kg and it's just a little bit larger than a chicken and I am not happy about it. 

I flew to Washington Dc. a week before Christmas so it gave me an idea to get my turkey from there, my first time to try it so I purchased one thermal bag to fit my 10 kg/21 lbs. Butterball turkey and was happy that the bag perfectly fit in my pullman. 

I was the happiest person alive when my roasted turkey came out just fine and nicely done. The meat inside was not dry and just cooked exactly as I wanted it to be. The flavor was so good due to brining overnight. The cavity was stuffed with apples just so not to dry the meat after 5 hours of roasting. Well, I'm happy with the outcome then expect me to do it again and again. Other method is to roast it breast down as the juice settles in the breast leaving the turkey moist and flavorful.

Ingredients:
10 kg turkey 
1 cup iodized salt
1/4 cup of sugar
5 to six liters of water
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons garlic or more as desired
3 tablespoons of pepper or more as desired
3 to 4 piesces of apples 

You"ll need:
1 rack that fits your pan
A pan either rectangle or round ideal for your turkey size
A dependable meat thermometer

Brining is the method of submerging or soaking the turkey overnight with salt, sugar or any herbs like rosemary, thyme, lemon grass etc. this way the turkey meat is not dry when roasted and remains flavorful.
Method:

• Thaw turkey overnight. Boil 5 to 6 liters of water and dissolve salt and sugar then let the water cool.
• Place the turkey in the brine solution overnight, refrigerate if possible or place in a cool area.
• Remove from water and let dry wiping it with paper towel.
• Apply butter under skin (pockets) and on skin, add garlic salt and pepper.
• Stuff cavity with apples either cut or whole.

• Place the turkey on the rack, round or rectangle pan underneath, you can use your cake rack and pan like I did.
• Tuck legs by inserting them in the cavity at the bottom of the turkey and wings with toothpick.
• Cover top with foil to avoid browning ahead of other parts.
• Remove foil 1 hour before the roasting time ends to even the browning of skin.
• Bake for 5 hours at 350 degrees for 10 kg and 3 hours for 5 kg.
• Internal temperature should give 160 to 165 degrees F to ensure it is properly cooked.
• Let your turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving to let the juice settle in. 

Enjoy and have fun with this recipe.

Cathedral Window

'Tis the season to be jolly, don we now our gay apparel, yes! it's Christmas time again. This delightful dessert makes the occasion more festive and fun. Composed of different colored cubed gelatin, creamy and delicious. You may also mix in lemon or orange juice to the mixture for a more flavorful result. You can also add in your favorite fruit if desired. Just be imaginative, have fun with this recipe it does not take so long to prepare. 

Gelatine as an important ingredient in this recipe to bind all other ingredients or gelatus in latin terminology, meaning "stiff" is a translucent, colorless, brittle when dry and flavorless food. Derived from collagen from various animal by-products. It is a mixture of peptides and proteins produced by partial hydrolysis. Collagen is extracted from the skin, bones and connective tissues of domesticated animals such as cattles, pigs, chicken, horses and also from fish. It is used in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and photography. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org. 

Without the gelatine or knox (brand name), this recipe will not hold its shape, so the correct amount or procedure is needed to be precise, ineffective use of gelatine will ruin the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 box green (3 oz) gelatin
1 box red or orange (3 oz) gelatin
1 box yellow (3 oz) gelatin
1 cup boiling water for (each box)
1/3 cup cold water for (each box)

Cream the following:
1 can all purpose cream
1/2 can condensed milk
1/2 cup white sugar
2 packet of knox 
1 cup boiling water 
1 cup cold water 

Method:

• In separate bowls set your colored gelatin then slice into cubes, dissolve each box with 1 cup boiling water then adding 1/3 cup cold water.

• Combine cream, condensed milk and sugar until dissolved and well combined.

• Slowly mix in cubed colored gelatin.
• Dissolve 2 packets of knox into 1 cup boiled water and with 1 cup cold water then add to the creamed mixture.

• Transfer to a bowl, let cool.
• Transfer on a serving plate and enjoy. 

Lemon Meringue Pie

It's two days after Christmas, so I have time to relax a bit; anyway, I have already done the chores of the day. Having settled down on the sofa, watched shows on tv, current events and some movies, I thought I could get a little nap to rest my tired body from the chores at home and worries of work since it's a week off. However I know that I would be so much happier if I would be in the kitchen, so then again, I've decided to make this Lemon meringue pie that I've been wanting to make in preparation for the coming New Year.

One vital ingredient to make the crust tender and flaky is by adding the vinegar. It sounds weird when I first heard it, it was my sister who gave me the recipe to add vinegar, apple cider or lemon juice. I thought it will make my pie crust sour but I tried it anyway and the result was perfectly fine. Another important procedure to remember is the "blind bake". This step is a sure way to have a good crust to fill. Otherwise the crust will shrink and you will just scratch your head in finding solution to your problem. Blind baking means to bake the crust and putting weight placed on a foil on top of the crust, about 40 to 45 minutes. The crust is ready when the sides turns golden brown. 

Crust
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 stick cold butter or 8 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons ice water

For the lemon curd:
1 cup white granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 whole lemon, juice extracted and zested 
1/2 tablespoons butter
4 egg yolks, beaten and tempered

Meringue:
4 egg whites
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon tartar

Method: 

• Make the pie crust, add sugar, flour, salt, vinegar, ice water and cut up butter into a large bowl, knead and form it into a ball, refrigerate for 15 minutes or more when soggy.

• Flatten with rolling pin on a floured surface into 12 inches diameter to cover side and bottom of 9 inch pie dish.

• Poke with fork, it's called docking to escape air and prevent bubbles on your pastry shell, line with foil and top with beans (blind bake) as a source of weight when crust is baked to stay in place and not shrink.

• Bake for 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.
• Remove foil and crust is ready for filling.

Filling: Lemon curd

• In a saucepan, put 1 1/2 cups water,1/4 teaspoon salt, lemon juice and zest.
• Add 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons corn starch, 2 tablespoons flour.
• Bring the mixture to boil until thick then add the butter.

• Temper the egg yolks by adding half cup of the boiled mixture then stir to avoid it to be cooked thoroughly.
• Add the tempered yolk back to the whole mixture then set aside.

• Fill the baked pie crust then set aside.

• Make the meringue, whip the eggwhites, add the sugar and cream of tartar slowly until frothy but not dry. 

• Top meringue on the pie.
  

• Spread to cover the pie then bake for 15 minutes or until top is golden brown. Enjoy your lemon meringue pie.

Bicol Express

Bicol Express

Bicolanos are known for their love of hot and spicy food. Bicol express is surely an authentic Bicol dish using local ingredients around the region sili or chilli and with the cream of coconut milk is a superb combination, delicious and mouth watering taste that one can consume a lot of rice to offset the spiciness of chilli. 

The name of this dish was taken after an express train that travels from Manila to Bicol long time ago. With modernization the train is already outdated and long gone, people nowadays travel with airconditioned buses straight to Bicol but the dish still kept its name and an insignia of a truly Bicolano, a reminder of the history that will linger on to the next generation to come.

The dish became famous because of the amount of chilli added in the recipe. I am not a Bicolano but I've learned to love the dish. Chilli is available all year round, in wet markets or supermarkets. I has some medicinal values too. It contains medical compound called capsaicin and its co-compounds being employed in the preparation of ointments, rubs and tinctures for their astringent, counter-irritant and analgesic properties. This formulation has been used in treatment of arthritic pain, post-herpetic, neuropathic pain, sore muscles etc. http://www.nutrition-and-you.com

sgforum.com

Ingredients:

1 regular size onion

3 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons oil for saute

1 kilo pork or chicken 

1cup of red and green small chilli (siling labuyo)

3/4 cup 2nd (puree) extraction of coconut cream 

1/2 cup of 1st (puree) extraction of coconut milk

Method:

• Saute the garlic and onion with 3 tablespoons oil.
• Add the meat, pork or chicken cut in bite sizes.
• Add the 2nd extraction of coconut cream, let boil in medium heat until meat is tender.
• Add the chilli 1 cup or more to your preference then add salt to taste, let boil in low heat to reduce water.
• Lastly add the 1st extraction of coconut milk, let boil until it becomes thick like a sauce.
• Serve and enjoy your hot and spicy dish with white rice.

Note: 1 or 2 mature coconut is sufficient for the puree extraction.

Have fun and enjoy this authentic Bicol recipe.

Ciao!

Ginisang Sayote

Photo courtesy:www.gourmetsleuth.com

Chayote also known as Mirliton in the US is a pear shaped light green in the gourd family. It is a perennial vine that climbs on support by clinging with tenacious tendrils, requires well drained moist soil and long warm growing season to flourish. At their natural habitat, mirlitons run along fences, over shrubs and even on straight up trees. In the cultivated farms, however the crop is supported with strong trellis.

Chayote pears will mature and ready for harvest after about 30 days of pollination. Each plant may yield up to 150 fruits in season. The fruit has thin, pale green color skin and several shallow vertical furrows on the surface. Some types have spiky or fuzzy surface while others have smooth skin. Inside it's pale white flesh surrounds a central cream white seed ovule. It features crunchy texture and mild sweet taste that may be comparable to butternut squash or pumpkin.

Health Benefits of Chayote:
Like pumpkin it has very low in calories,16 calories per 100g and no saturated fats and cholesterol. A rich source of dietary fibers, anti oxidants, vitamins and minerals. It is good for weight reduction and dietary programs. Good sourcce of  B complex vitamins and folates. Folates are important for cell division and DNA synthesis when taken before and during pregnancy, this vitamin can help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn babies. Chayote also provides moderate levels of potassium. 100g of fresh fruit contain 125 mg or 2.5% of recommended daily requirements of this electrolyte. Also chayotes contain small levels of aglycone flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as apigenin and luteolin. These compounds help scavenge harmful oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) from the body that play a role in cancer, aging and various disease processes. Fresh chayotes are adequate sources of anti-oxidant vitamin C. It provides about 7.7 mg or 13% of RDA per 100g. In addition they are also good in B-complex group of vitamins like thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin and minerals like iron, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and copper.
www.nutrition-and-you.com


In the Philippines, it is available all year round. Chayote is a kind of vegetable that is versatile because it can be added to a number of dishes like chopsuey, dinuguan, tinola and a lot more because of its bland taste. 

I miss chayote, I used to cook this ginisang chayote or sayote when I was in high school. My mom's way of teaching me and my siblings how to cook is placing all ingredients on the table then she leaves for work. So when we wake up, we already know what to prepare for lunch as everything we needed are already set up. 

What I hate in sayote is the wax type liquid that sticks to the skin and sometimes itchy or tingly when peeled. You need to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and cold water to remove it or better yet use gloves as the juice from the peelings are so irritating. 

Sauteed chayote is an inexpensive dish and is easy to prepare. Here's how:
Ginisang sayote ingredients:
1 regular size onion
2 regular size tomato
2 cloves garlic

1 maggie bouillon
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons soya sauce
1/4 kilo pork or chicken meat

1/4 kilo shrimp, peeled and juice extracted
3 regular size sayote
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Peel and wash your sayote and cut in strips (julienne).
• You can massage the sayote with salt to soften it up then squeeze out the juice or saute it straightforward do not add water in this case as the sayote will be watery.

• Saute the garlic, onion and tomatoes then add maggie bouillon and soy sauce. 
• Add 1/2 cup of water if it is dry especially when water is squeezed out.
• Add the meat like pork or chicken until tender then add the shrimp and let simmer on medium to low heat.

For saute

• Add soy sauce and the julienned sayote let boil until chayote are tender but not soggy or over cooked, mix once or twice then remove from heat. Serve and enjoy...

Buko Pandan Recipe

I'll be so sad if I will not include this buko pandan in my list of recipes. It has become so famous in our circle of friends especially during our potluck activities. I prefer having buko pandan for dessert over cakes and other sweets. The chewiness of the gulaman that lingers on the tongue and the creaminess and sweetness of flavors combined is what make this salad so delicious. Fresh pandan leaves are so aromatic and it's so good to be used, if you

have access to it.

The gulaman itself must have the right amount of water when cooked, this is what makes this recipe a success. I must add nata de coco too and the tiny sago and I must say that sago absorbs water so be careful, you don't want to end up with a dry buko pandan. 

Gulaman is an important ingredient in this recipe. What is gulaman? The gulaman is derived from processed dried seaweed called agar. Agar in its natural state is the structural carbohydrates of the algae. It has lots of uses as a stabilizer and thickener to a lot of food, pharmaceutical products, make up and a lot more.  It comes in packages, bars or powdered form melted in hot water then mixed in food or left to cool just like in this recipe to solidify adding sugar, color and flavorings to be more exciting to see and eat. There are plenty of desserts that is out today using this agar or gulaman with vibrant and exciting colors.

In addition to gulaman, the natural flavor of fresh grated buko adds up to the yumminess of this recipe. This is the best choice if available than the bottled coconut sport. Of course you complete this recipe with all purpose cream, evaporated milk and condensed milk. All the goodness are all in so, what are you waiting for.

Ingredients:
1 packet gulaman
1 bottle of nata de coco (optional)
1/4 kilo fresh buko meat or 2 bottles of coconut sport
1/2 cup tiny sago
2 cans cream
1 big can of evaporated milk
1 big can of  condensed milk

Method:

• Empty 1 sachet  of Mr gulaman in 4 cups of water stirring constantly, boil for 2 minutes and transfer to a flat container and let sit until solid.
• Boil 3 cups of water then put sago boil for 5 minutes then turn off heat leaving sago in the hot pot until well cooked, set aside.
• Cut cooled gulaman in bite sizes and transfer to a salad bowl.

• Mix in nata de coco, sago, buko or coconut sport, cream, evaporated milk and condensed milk.
• Adjust taste, add white sugar if desired.
• Let cool overnight in refrigerator. Serve and enjoy.

Orange Chicken

We love this...

Orange Chicken from Panda express has become our choice when we go hungry during our travels to America. Asian cuisine is still our preference when it comes to dining. My daughter love it and ask if I could make it. So I was challenged to try it, anyway the ingredients are just simple. It became one of our sought after dish so at least we can have it anytime at the comfort of our home. This is a Chinese recipe with a crispy fried chicken bites covered in a sweet tangy sauce. I prefer to use chicken breast so it's easy to cut up in small pieces and without bones, the preparation is a little bit lengthy but if you love to cook like me then it will be easy just follow these simple steps. I marinate the chicken meat to make sure the meat softens and absorbs the flavor of the orange. This recipe originally come from Hunan province in China and I think has evolved in many places and is now famous in America more than in China where it came from.

Marinade:
1/2 kl chicken breast cut in small pieces
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup flour to coat the chicken pieces
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups oil for frying

Sauce:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger,minced
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons of orange zest
1/4 cup brown sugar, adjust to your liking
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 sprigs of spring onion for garnish 

Method:

• Marinate the cut up chicken for 30 minutes or longer.
• Mix flour, salt and pepper and add marinated chicken, juice discarded making sure chicken is all covered with flour.
• Fry until crispy and golden in color, set aside.
• Make the sauce by mixing all sauce ingredients add salt and pepper to taste let boil in low heat. Add corn starch dilluted in 1/4 cup of water stirring constantly until thick, set aside.

• Strain and transfer sauce in a small container leaving 1 cup in deep pan putting the fried chicken back and let simmer until everything is all coated liberally.
• Enjoy your orange chicken sprinkled with spring onion add sauce as you eat. Enjoy this simple and yet delicious recipe.

Spanish Bread

Spanish Bread is a soft and sweet bread filled with brown sugar, butter and breadcrumbs. Nobody knows why this is called Spanish bread and where this bread originated. As far as I know this is one famous bakery item that we loved and grew up with. I don't really mind where its origin was. I just want to bake and learn the way it is made. Learn with me, follow the simple recipe. 

Yeast is a simple ingredient yet important in this recipe. It makes this bread rise, it is a single celled, microscopic fungus that eats sugar as their food in order to foam. Yeast produces carbon dioxide or gas due to fermentation. The gas is responsible for the bread to rise thus giving the bread its good flavor and strengthens the dough as it develop its gluten. Source: finecooking.com

When yeast is not added on the bread, the bread is hard and flat and has no taste at all. You must understand how to handle yeast in order for it to perform well to its capacity to produce gas. The liquid you use for the yeast to foam be it plain water or milk must be warm about 105 to 110 degrees F. The yeast will die in a very hot liquid and will not activate in cold water also. So be very particular in handling your yeast in breadmaking. The same case with proofing the dough, it also need a warm environment to rise. I live in Saudi Arabia, the climate is hot so my dough is proofing just right on the counter top. I guess if you live in cold countries like Europe and America maybe that's the time you place your dough in a warm oven or microwave oven. 

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh milk (warm)
1 1/2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
4 to 41/2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 whole egg
1/2 cup melted butter

Filling:
3/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup brown sugar or white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

• In a mixing bowl add yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm milk, stir to dissolve and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Set aside. 
• Combine sugar, butter, eggs and salt blend well then add to the yeast mixture. 
• Add flour to the yeast mixture. 
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 to 15 minutes by hand or 5 to 7 minutes by electric mixer using the dough hook until dough is smooth & elastic and small bubbles appear.

Manual kneading

• Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth or cling film and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours.
• Punch dough to remove air and fold 3 to 4 times and let rest in the same bowl for 30 to 40 minutes, cover loosely with damp cloth or plastic cling.

• 

  Punch down

• In a separate bowl prepare filling by mixing sugar butter and crumbs, set aside. 
• Take out dough on a lightly floured surface form a ball and divide in 2 parts.

• Roll each part like a log and cut 1 inch a piece, yields 12 pieces.

• Flatten each piece using rolling pin and spread butter mixture, sprinkle bread crumbs. 
• Roll up each filled dough and seal, roll it on bread crumbs. 
• Arrange in prepared greased or lined cookie sheet and cover with damp cloth for 45 minutes to 1 hour for final proofing. 
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Enjoy this easy recipe.

Hot Pandesal

Pan de sal is a filipino bread rolls. It is originally called "salt bread" because the main ingredients are just salt, water and flour. It is usually eaten by filipinos during breakfast time although these days you can find sandwiches using pan de sal sold everywhere. This recipe is with milk variation to make sure the dough becomes soft and delicious. You must have breadcrumbs ready before making your pandesal. Sometimes I make my own by drying old breads inside the oven. There are times that it is available in the grocery stores which is very nice and convenient. 

Why I use milk in my pandesal? Fresh milk or powdered milk mixed in water makes the dough fluffier, creamier, rich in flavor and adds texture to the bread. Pan de sal with salt and water has a flat taste. 

Salt for your additional information is an ingredient that is mostly ignored in breadmaking. I'm guilty of that! Because we don't need a lot of this so I thought it's okay if it is omitted. What I do not know is that its role is to regulate yeast activity, adds taste and gives the bread long shelf life. It also helps in the oxidation  process, meaning it controls the rising of the dough. In my experience over risen dough makes the bread crumbly (breaking apart) and dry. I've also learned over the years that the best place to proof the dough is at room temperature. I have tried placing it inside the warm oven and inside the microwave oven too. The best choice is to leave it on the counter top and let it rise 1 to 2 hours. How do I know that my dough has reached its final rise? I poke it, when the hole stays in place, my dough is ready to be punched down then again to let it rest for like 30 minutes before I shape it.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup fresh milk (warm)           
1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cups bread crumbs
yields nine bread rolls

Method:

• In a mixing bowl place warm milk, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let foam for 3 to 5 minutes.
• When the yeast foams add flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, oil and salt mix and knead for 5 to 7 minutes by electric mixer and 10 to 15 minutes by hand.
• Remove the dough and oil your mixing bowl, place the dough in it and coat the dough top and bottom with oil.
•  Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let sit in at room temperature until the dough has doubled in volume for 1 hour.

  

  Poke test
   Dough has reached its final rise

• Punch down to remove air, let rest and loosely covered with a damp cloth for 30 minutes.
• Punch again after resting and form as a log.
• Cut the log into 9 equal parts.
• Roll each piece in breadcrumbs.
• Arrange them in your prepared pan, cut side up.
• Let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy your homemade hot pandesal.

Ginataang Langka (Young unripe jackfruit)

Ingredients:

3 kilos cleaned young langka

2 regular size coconut, grated and pureed with 1 cup of warm water, set aside (first extraction)

2 cups of warm water for (second extraction) 

Regular size ginger

3 sprigs of spring onion

1/4 pork fat
100 gms dried fish 

Method:

• Cook langka with the second extraction of gata (puree) over high heat, when boiling set to medium heat until tender.
• Add the sliced pork fat, sliced ginger and cut up spring onion.
• When most tender set the heat to low, cook some more until gata (puree) becomes oily.
• Add the dried fish.
• Add the first extraction of gata (puree) set to high heat, let it boil then set to medium heat until creamy.
• Adjust taste with salt and garnish with green chilli.

Jackfruit is the national fruit of Bangladesh and Indonesia, the origin is unknown, though it has flourished in many parts of the world but not very suitable in cold climate, it grows mostly in Asian countries such as India,Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,Thailand and Philippines.We love jackfruit especially when it's ripe, sweet and juicy. The dish I am going to share has always been the favorite of the whole family.

Freefarm.org

Jackfruit serves as an excellent protective agent against viral and bacterial infections due to the presence of Vitamin C. This fruit is known to strengthen the immune system by improving the condition of white blood cells. It is beneficial in eliminating cancer causing free radicals in the body and inhibiting the degeneration of cells. This fruit is a great source of fiber, this helps in avoiding constipation. It also protect against the colon mucus by eradicating carcinogenic chemicals from the large instestine, being an excellent source of vitamin A, it monitors health of the skin and eyes specifically by keeping vision related problems, like macular degeneration and night blindness. With simple sugars such as fructose and sucrose present in jackfruit, it is useful in boosting energy levels, without adding fat cholesterol to the body.

Magnesium is found in large amounts in jackfruit absorbs calcium in the body and contribute to strengthening of bones and prevention of bone related disorders like osteoporosis. Jackfruit plays a significant role in thyroid metabolism due to the presence of copper in their flesh thereby promoting hormone production and absorption. The potassium content is useful in lowering blood pressure thus, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. It's a heart friendly due to Vitamin B6 that reduces the levels of homocystein in the blood. It fulfills the iron needs in the body, thereby promoting proper blood circulation and preventing cases of anemia.With anti ageing properties, jackfruits are known to inhibit the degeneration of cells, thereby giving the consumer a younger, suppler and more glowing skin.www.foodofy.com