Banana Con Hielo

I don’t know what kind of global warming we are in today but it’s like the temperature is rising each and every single day. During this time in the Philippines there are a few things we like to eat on a hot summer season – ice cold desserts!

Forgive me but Ice cream is overrated on this weather as we got plenty ice cold desserts to choose from and one of these is the Banana Con Hielo. It’s a really simple recipe you can enjoy sharing with your family and friends  whether your outdoor or not.

Ingredients:

• 6 pieces plantain (saging saba, sliced in circles or diagonally)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cup ice cubes

Method:

1. Make sweetened plantains. Put the water and sugar in a pot, stir well, add in the plantains. Boil in low heat until sugar is caramelised and plantain is cooked. Keep stirring to keep the sugar from getting burnt. Turn off the heat as soon as it gotten thicker caramel. Set aside.

2. Using a blender, combine the ice cubes and milk, blend until it turned into a little smoothie (not too smoothie).

3. Place the ice in a glass or bowl, place the sweetened plantain and its sweet caramel on top. You may add more milk as desired. Serve.

Enjoy!

Sweet Peas And Misua Soup

Misua with sweet peas

I found a lot of sweet peas in the fridge and I thought of cooking it before it spoils. I also found a leftover bell pepper on the fridge so might as well include it on my menu. Lol. I made a soup as I was feeling cold. This soup can actually be partnered with a rice. Lol. We Filipinos just love rice with any food. Even our desserts are made from rice! Lol.

Ingredients:

5oz. Misua (thin Chinese flour noodles)

250g ground pork

4 cups water or broth (pork, beef or chicken)

1 medium potato (diced)

150g sweet peas

1 small red bell pepper (diced)

2 whole eggs (medium)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 medium onion (minced)

Fish sauce

Black pepper (ground)

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Method

1. In a pot, brown the pork, add in the onion and garlic, sauté.

2. Add in potato. Pour in water or broth. Cover the pot and let in simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the red bell pepper, sweet peas and misua noodles. Season (fish sauce and ground pepper) according to taste.

4. Turn off the heat and break the eggs into the pot. Stir until eggs are set.

5. Serve  hot.

Enjoy!

Common cold. Common sense.

Been down with a cold for almost two weeks now. Ugh! Don't you just hate repetitievely coughing and blowing your nose? And my tastebuds are sympathizing with me too. I cannot seem to taste whatever food I eat. It's torture!

The weather here seems really different. Philippines have been experiencing a cooler weather and as of writing the temperature is at 21˚C, this is due to the northeast monsoon bringing in cold air from China that usually ends on mid February, it may looked like not too cold for you guys living in a snowing country but in a tropical country like Philippines we are pretty much lucky to get 29˚C  in the city. Probably that's why a lot of people are getting colds lately. It's like every people I see on the street are coughing or whatever. I'm worried.

Always sneeze and cough on the tissue. Dispose it properly.

My cold started 3 days before our swimming party and the thought of not being able to come to the party just sucks because a friend of ours came home from Singapore for vacation and it's the only time I can spend time with him.