Adobong Hito sa Gata

1 k hito, cleaned very well
3 garlic heads, crushed
1/2 cup vinegar
1/3 cup water
3 tbsp ginger, sliced or grated
1 tsp peppercorn
2 cups coconut milk
salt
pepper

1. Deep fry fish. Set aside.
2. Combine garlic, vinegar, water, ginger, peppercorns, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil without stirring.
3. Pour in coconut milk and simmer.
4. Add fish. Simmer again until fish absorbs the sauce.
5. Season with fish sauce and add siling labuyo. Serve hot!

Odd one out

Which one is it? I smiled when I saw this as I opened the egg tray. I call it the "egg with cellulites". Notice the bumps on its shell? Very different from the ones beside it, right? Keeps me wondering why it has got an uneven appearance. I have no intentions of using it yet. I still have yet to do the egg test first to see if it still is fresh. My momma said that a fresh egg sinks in water, a stale one won't.

How to Tell if Eggs are Fresh: Fill a bowl with enough water to cover the egg. Place the egg in the water. If the egg lies on its side, it's very fresh. If the egg stands from the bottom of the bowl, still quite fresh, it still is edible. If the egg floats, throw it away. You've got a stale one there.

KITCHEN TIP: Can't distinguish a fresh egg from a hard boiled one? Spin the egg. If it moves back and forth or from side to side, it's raw. If it spins, it's hard-boiled!

Pancake Turner

This extra-large pancake turner is my new love. Haha! I love the color. I also love what it can do for me. With a flexible silicone design, this turner makes flipping a snap while going easy on your pans. Features a stainless steel handle, and is dishwasher safe (as if we have one!) I recently bought it and haven't used it for its main purpose - pancakes. Whatever!

Lazy Sunday...

Woke up at 11:30am today. Weird! The husband and I always look forward to waking up on a Sunday morning. Today was different. We just wanted to sit, watch, and simply do nothing. Waking up late means having pasta for lunch, prepared by the hubby, of course. He's the expert when it comes to pasta. ME? I just Plurked away. Haha! How irresponsible of me. I did my part, though. I got the noodles and all the ingredients ready for him. The hubby was busy uploading songs, movies, etc in his pc. While I still plurked away. Still lazy to do much after mass, we just decided to have Family'S Brand Spanish Sardines for dinner.

What about you? How was your Sunday?

Kitchen Tips & Tricks

Apply mashed banana over a burn on your body to have a cooling effect.

To keep celery fresh for long time, wrap it in aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator.

To chop dry fruits, place them in fridge for half an hour before cutting. Take the fruits out and cut them with a hot knife (dip it in hot water before cutting).

Grind some common salt in your mixer/grinder fro some time every month. This will keep your mixer blades sharp.

To bake potatoes quickly, place them in salt water for 15 minutes before baking.
Use the skin of boiled potatoes to wipe mirrors to sparkling clean.
Don't store potatoes and onions together. Potatoes will rot quickly if stored with onions.

To keep the vegetables fresh for a longer time, wrap them in newspaper before putting them in freeze. Chop the vegetables only when you are ready to use them. Don't cut them in too advance. It would spoil their food value.

To slice meat into thin strips, as for Chinese dishes - partially freeze and it will slice easily.

Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

More tips and tricks to follow!

Easy Chop Suey

★ 1/4 kilo pork, sliced into small pieces
★ 1/4 kilo shrimps, shelled, deveined and halved
★ 1/4 kilo chicken liver, cut to bite-size pieces
★ 1/4 kilo cauliflower, broken to bite size
★ 1/4 kilo green beans
★ 1/4 kilo snow peas (sitsaro)
★ 1/4 kilo cabbage, cut into squares
★ a pack of young corn
★ 2 cloves garlic, diced
★ 2 onions, diced
★ 1 carrot, sliced thinly
★ 1 piece red bell pepper, cut in strips
★ 1 piece green bell pepper. cut in strips
★ 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup of water
★ 2 cups chicken stock (broth)
★ 3 tablespoons of sesame oil
★ 3 tablespoons of patis (fish sauce)
★ 4 tablespoons of corn oil or vegetable oil
★ Salt to taste

① In a big pan or wok, sauté garlic, onions then add in the pork. Add 1 cup of stock, pinch of salt and simmer for 15 minutes or until pork is tender.

② Mix in the shrimp then all the vegetables. Add the remaining 1 cup of stock, patis and the dissolved cornstarch. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are done. Add the sesame oil.

③ Add chicken liver and boil for just 3 minutes. Add Salt and pepper to taste.

④ Serve hot with rice and ENJOY!

Kitchen tip: The trick to cooking perfect liver is not to overcook it and leave only slightly pink in the middle

In my kitchen...

Hello and welcome to The Wifey's Kitchen!

At last, I have finally set up a food, cooking, baking, anything in the kitchen blog. I have been a lurker at food blogs over the internet. Made a mental note that I'd set up one someday. This may be a simple site, yet everything is made with love and laughter. This also is a great way to share recipes with my friends in the blogosphere. The recipes here have been tried and tested by me, and the hubby! We are a love-to-cook couple. We enjoy cooking together. His specialty - PASTA!

Feel free to talk about your favorite (or not so favorite) food,restaurants, etc, and share your culinary creations with us. I'd gladly appreciate it here at , THE WIFEY's KITCHEN