Recipe for a Home-style Chicken Mami

Hello to all my avid readers and followers ,

It had been raining for 2-days and i am sharing one of our versions of chicken mami soup.

shredded chicken meat

Using whole chicken with bones gives you more flavors. Plus we do not want to waste any parts of the chicken. For those who wanted a more healthier options , you can buy 2 to 2 1/2 kilos of chicken breast.

family style chicken mami

This is our  family version and we do not use chicken bullion , msg ( vetsin ) . For those in a hurry using 1 to 2 chicken cubes is an option . We buy our chicken at the wet market  early in the morning to assure the freshness of the chicken.

Our version is ideal for a family of 6 to 15 people at least.

Ingredients:

1 to 2 whole chicken -large ( between 1 1/2 to 2 kilos )

6 to 8 chicken eggs ( boiled )

1 to 2 kilos of thin mami noodles -normally available in all wet market stalls

spring onions -washed and chopped

4 to 6 large onions ( Sibuyas de bumbay or Spanish onion ) chopped into small bits ( fried into golden brown for toppings)

plus 1 whole Onion for broth

10 to 20 cloves of garlic chopped into bits ( this will be fried into golden brown for topping)

1 teaspoon of  ground black pepper

3 to 4 medium or large carrots- julienne and blanched ( optional)

1/4 cup of fish sauce ( patis ) and 2 table spoon of soy sauce

1 medium size celery -chopped including leaves

1 whole radish ( labanos/ rabanos) sliced

1/2 kilo of cabbage ( Baguio cabbage or ordinary cabbage)  shopped into smaller bits

small dash of pork or chicken floss for toppings ( optional )

1 table spoon of rock salt (opt out, if you’re going to use chicken broth cubes)

few slices of ginger about 100 grams

few slices of fresh chillies -chopped (optional )

Procedure:

1.) Start to prepare cooking pot by pouring 4 (w/out broth cubes) to 6 (w/ broth cubes) liters of water by boiling.

2.) After 2 to 3 minutes minutes, add chicken

3.) Add some chopped celery , 1 whole onion , 1 whole carrot, 1 radish , slices of ginger into the water in order to add more natural flavors to the stock

4.) Add the fish sauce, rock salt and  soy sauce to the stock.

5.) Keep the lid closed , checking them from time to time and getting rid of any any floating fats or sebo/oil and scum on top of the soup. It will take between 45 minutes to 60 minutes to cook the entire chicken and vegetables w/ broth cubes and it will take anywhere from 90 mins to 120 mins (slow cooking) to extract the chicken flavor without using chicken broth cubes.

6.) Turn off the heat and leave the chicken stock for another 15 to 30 minutes let it sit to add more flavor to the stock and meat.

7.) Remove the chicken and slice and or shred them into bits. .

8.) In a wide individual serving bowl, arrange the cooked noodles, chopped cabbage, carrot strips, boiled egg, chicken, spring onions,  toasted garlic and pork/ chicken floss. Pour-in the hot broth.

9.) For those who wanted a extra spice to their Chicken Mami- You can add a little grounded pepper and sliced chilies

Toppings– Preparation

1.) Prepare a frying fan using as 2 to 3 tablespoon of vegetable , corn , canola or olive oil (depending on what is available in your kitchen)

2.) After 2 to 3 minutes – add the shredded chicken skin and deep fry them into golden brown color similar to chicharon – they can be added as additional toppings to the mami .

3.) Fry the chopped onions first then add the chopped garlic -wait for a few minutes until golden brown .

4.) Thinly chopped the Baguio Cabbage or ordinary cabbage – you can serve them fresh or slight blanched .

Suggestion: The toppings can be presented under small serving plate ,  small bowl for pork/ chicken floss, fried garlic , fried onion , chopped cabbage , chopped carrots this will be much easier for those people to manage what toppings they wanted. – parang Korean style !

Note: These is our family style chicken mami  recipe and we sometimes change some of the ingredients depending on the availability  and some budgetary restrictions.  We also like our chicken mami to have more garlic, fried onion and a little spicy

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Tinolang Manok Recipe Postcard by Papemelroti

Roces Avenue , Quezon City

Papemelroti  is actually the combination of the first syllables of five names – Patsy, Peggy, Meldy, Robert, and Tina.   They are the children of Benny and Corit Alejandro, who started the papemelroti business. Papemelroti is a specialty shop which carries a wide variety of gifts and decorative accessories. Papemelroti’s history began in October 13, 1967, when Benny and Corit opened a small gift shop along Tomas Morato Ave. (Manila, Philippines). 

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First : I like the original works and the recycled items in which the store is known to produce – I know that by patronizing their products , I am also helping the communities that the store is helping.

tinolang manok recipe postcard

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Opuntia Cactus recipe

Prickly Pear Grown for Food

Prickly pear or more popularly known as Opuntia Cactus was probably introduced in the Philippines during the Manila – Acapulco galleon trade by the late 16th century to 19th century  from Mexico .

Local people  quickly learned  that prickly pear pads can be eaten and are used in various local dishes like tinolang cactus , cactus patty , nopales are added to eggs, or as a vegetable in soups, chilies or a filling in a tortilla and even as salsa base food for tortillas .

In the country of origin, Opuntia cactus is also made into jams, candies and medicine

Tortilla chips

Here are the basic ingredients : Salsa

1 to 2 pads of Opuntia cactus

1 to 2 small to medium sized sibuyas de bumbay / onion

1/4 cup cheese whiz

1 to 2 pieces of kesong puti –   sliced or cubed

2 to 4 pieces of small or medium sized tomatoes ( sliced ) / with seeds removed

1 to 2 tablespoon of  salt

1 to 2 teaspoon of pepper

grated cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 to 3 tablespoon of olive oil ( optional)

1 pack of commercial tortilla chips

How to prepare the opuntia cactus pads

select 1 to 2 pad of Opuntia cactus, then cut the pads. After cutting the pads, you may blanched the pad into a boiling water , then remove the outer skin and use a large knife to sever the stem. Beware, there are large and fine thorns so be sure to keep your hands protected. To prepare the pads remove the thorns and the “eyes” with a vegetable peeler or a small paring knife or this new gadget designed just for spine removal. Wash the pads well with cool water and peel or trim off any blemished or discolored areas. Slice the pads in long slices or in pieces or leave whole depending on the dish you will prepare.

Another type of preparation is to rotating the fruit/pads  in the flame of a campfire or torch has been used to remove the glochids  to partially charred the opuntia cactus pads. This type of preparation is like barbecue style .

Nopales is a vegetable that can be eaten grilled or boiled. Over cooking may give them a slightly “slimy” texture you may want to avoid.

The best preparation we have tried is to prepare the nopal leaves (remove spines) then grill over hot coals till tender and slightly browned. Then slice into nopalitos strips and toss with a squeeze of lime and a little bit of olive oil. They are delicious.

Additonal notes:

The fruit  of prickly pears, commonly called  cactus figs , Indian figs or tuna is edible, although it has to be peeled carefully to remove the small spines on the outer skin before consumption. If the outer layer is not properly removed, glochids   can be ingested causing discomfort of the throat, lips, and tongue as the small spines are easily lodged in the skin.

Author’s note:

The author together with Mr. Botchie Canicula was featured in Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho episode aired last January 10 ,2009 saturday

Recipe for a Delightful Orchid Flower Salad

Orchid Flower Salad

Ms. Nancy Lumen (culinary expert )- She Ka co-host

By: Mr. Lawrence Chan

Ingredients:

¼ kilo fresh lettuce

2 pcs. medium size carrots grated

chopped celery

3 pcs. medium size shallot onion (sibuyas tagalog ) finely chopped

¼ kilo bacon bits /  1 piece chicken breast

24 pcs. medium size  Dendrobium hybrids  (Organically grown, not chemically sprayed and pollinia must be removed). ( The orchid flower may be blanch for several seconds- optional )

Definition: This term means to plunge vegetable  into boiling water for a few seconds or a few minutes, then remove and place in ice water. This process sets the color of vegetables, lets you easily peel fruits, and slip the skins off nuts. The food does not cook all the way through, so crisp texture is preserved.

12 pcs. small tomato chopped

½ cup squeeze lemon juice

2 cups mayonnaise

2-4 tablespoon sugar

Pinch of iodized salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese for toppings (optional)

author with Ms. Nancy Lumen during the February 14, 2008 episode ” She Ka” NBN channel 4

Preparations:

1.)     Mix 2-4 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 cup lemon juice, 2 cups of mayonnaise in a bowl and mix well ( This would be your salad dressing)

2.)     In a separate bowl add fresh lettuce , chopped celery , chopped tomato , chopped shallot onion, grated carrots , bacon bits,  orchid flower  and add the salad dressings

3.)      Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste and toss the salad

4.)     Sprinkle parmesan cheese as the final topping and add garnish for final presentation.

5.)     Serve and enjoy the orchid flower salad!

” Ang Barangay ” community  newspaper of

Lakandula High School, Tondo -Manila taken last July 5, 2009

with Ms. Alexandra Balingit editor- in-chief  and staff  .

Note* This recipe is common in some countries like Thailand , Southern China and Hawaii were Dendrobium orchid plantations are very common sight .

In the Philippines, few exclusive organic and exotic restaurant may offer this dish.