When it comes to westernized foods, Filipinos here in the Philippines love them with lots of creams. For example, we love creamy carbonara, lasagna, spaghetti, and baked salmon. So, when Prime Pacific, the leading distributor of Omni fillets in the country, asked me to develop a recipe for them, I knew it had to be with…
Vegan Pancit Sotanghon
Sotangwho? Pancit Sotanghon is a type of pancit that uses vermicelli noodles (instead of the popular bihon or thin cornstarch noodles.) Bihon usually breaks easily while vermicelli still holds, yet it’s not as tough as the luglug or thick cornstarch noodles or the canton or chow mein noodles. Pancit Sotanghon is similar to the Korean…
Vegan Tortang Talong
Thank you to Sekaya Philippines for sponsoring this post! Tortang talong or eggplant omelet is a Filipino dish usually served as a home-cooked fare with rice and banana ketchup. Very rarely do I see this dish at restaurants. Maybe people think it’s too simple to be at dining establishments. When I was a kid, my…
Unspoken rules at palengke/public markets
Doing your grocery shopping at a public market or palengke may seem like a no-brainer. Just head there, get the stuff you want and pay, then get out of there. But after several trips to different palengkes, I realized palengkes have unspoken codes or rules. So, I thought of sharing my observations with you in…
Vegan Mechado Stew Recipe (Filipino Meat-and-Potato Stew)
Meat stews in Filipino food come in many forms. My favorite is Mechado. It’s a meat-and-potato stew with an incredibly creamy sauce and savory ingredients. Just like most Filipino food especially when it’s saucy, Mechado goes well with a side of rice. I have written a recipe for vegan Mechado before, but over time I…
Vegan Filipino Chicharon, Two Ways
Vegan Filipino Chicharon is a fun little snack that has dried shiitake mushrooms coated in rice flour and sweet rice flour then deep-fried. Another way to make it is by deep-frying dried yuba skin. You could serve vegan Filipino Chicharon as a snack, appetizer, or party food. For best results, I suggest serving them with spicy vinegar…
Astig Vegan Resource List
A few of my friends have recently told me they’re thinking of going plant-based (I heard angels singing hallelujah in the background). My friends said they don’t know where to start so they would like to find out what I buy at stores and order at restaurants (well, well, I thought you’d never ask!). While I don’t like to self-promote, I don’t shy…
Common Ingredients in Filipino Cooking that You Should Try
Sometimes, when I look at an ethnic recipe, I get intimidated with the ingredients I haven’t heard or used before. What do these ingredients look like at the store? Which stores carry them? How am I supposed to prepare them? These are just few questions surrounding my thoughts. I wonder if those not familiar with Filipino cuisine think…
ASK ASTIG VEGAN (tofu, black bean sauce, vegan hotdogs)
Hello again fellow Astig Vegans! It’s Tuesday once again and you know what that means -it’s “Ask Astig Vegan” time. In this episode, I’ll be answering three questions about the recipes on the blog and on the Astig Vegan Cooking playlist on YouTube. Thank you for sending your questions. I love hearing from you and…
Ask Astig Vegan (white rice, white sugar, vegan fish sauce)
Hello fellow Astig Vegans! Thank you for sending your questions. I want to make sure that I’m answering any concerns you may have that’s holding you back from trying the recipes, so thanks for expressing yourselves. Plus, it’s just great to hear from you and to create a dialogue with you. Let’s keep the conversation going….