Cream of Mushroom has always been my go-to order at Max’s Restaurant, a popular Filipino restaurant in the Philippines. Back then, Max’s was still somewhat fine dining, with white linen table cloth, waiters wearing formal uniforms, and food that seemed should be ordered in courses. My dad brought us here as a special treat almost…
Dried Goods Challenge: Oatscaldo Porridge
By the end of April, my husband Chris and I packed our bags to move to the Philippines. During this time, the pandemic, especially in Manila, was still fragile, with many lives and livelihoods affected by both the virus and the lockdown. But to continue with our unfinished business in Manila, we cautiously proceeded and…
Vegan Lugaw Buffet
Lugaw is a Filipino rice congee either known as arroz caldo (with chicken) or goto (with beef). Sometimes, it has other kinds of ingredients like shrimp, tofu, and eggs. My old neighborhood eatery had one with ground beef crumbles (I suspect out of budget restrictions). And of course, it could be vegan too! Lugaw by itself is…
Quinoa Lugaw
Lugaw is a Filipino porridge with rice as its main ingredient. I love having a hot bowl of it during rainy days, to enjoy by myself or with family and friends. Lately though, my parents have been watching their sugar intake. My dad is diabetic and avoids white rice (which could be tough when you love Filipino food)….
Champorado Recipe
Champorado is a chocolate lover’s dream. It’s rich, decadent, sweet, and a mild nutty. Nutty? That’s because the rice brings out a certain nuttiness to the porridge. Not to mention it makes it rich and creamy. I would say that it’s comforting for a cold season like fall or winter, but it could also be served cold so…
Asian Greens Soup with Squash, Tofu, & Enoki Mushrooms
Living in San Francisco, I feel lucky for having many vegan options when dining out. One of these options is my favorite soup called “Braised Pea Leaves” with pumpkin, pressed tofu, and salted chili broth served at a restaurant called Mission Chinese. Mission Chinese is a quaint restaurant in the Mission district. Some people frown upon this place, calling it…
Vegan Lugaw Recipe
Aside from this blog, I also share my recipes on my YouTube channel. At first I thought I would have an instant slew of subscribers. Little did I know that it takes a lot of hard work to produce a shoot and there’s no guarantee if somebody, aside from family and friends who I urged to check…
Patola Soup with Tempeh
Patola, also known as Loofa Squash/Snake Gourd/Sponge Gourd/Chinese Okra, is a kind of vegetable gourd that is popular in Filipino soups. The patola vegetable has a dark green skin on the outside and tender, light green flesh inside. It has a nice chewy texture that is easy to cook and incorporate in any dish. Here…
Ginataang Bilo bilo Recipe
Ginataang Bilo-bilo is a type of sweet coconut milk soup. Usually, Filipinos enjoy it as a snack or dessert. As you might notice, it has an interesting name. In Tagalog, the word, “ginataang” refers to coconut milk-based dishes, and bilo-bilo means chewy rice balls, which are made of sweet rice flour and water. I love having Ginataang Bilo-bilo served…
Vegan Filipino: Rice Porridge aka Vegan “Goto”
I heard the “Spring sneak peek” in the Bay Area isn’t going to last long because rain and cooler temperature will find their way again. I’m not a big fan of rain but I wouldn’t mind it this time around because nothing beats weather blues like a bowl of warm soup, make that porridge soup…