Ginataang Sitaw at Kalabasa & Porkchop Combinacion

Daddy Mark VS Sitaw, Kalabasa, & Porkchop
Season 1 Episode 2


This was the second time I cooked over the span of my lifetime. I am a rookie in the field of cooking and with all the help of people around me I will explore all corners of my wife’s kitchen, and exploit their secret recipes!

Today’s recipe is my very own version of Ginataang Sitaw & Kalabasa, partnered with Fried Porkchop.

The ingredients:

• 1/4 kalabasa, chopped
• 4 strings sitaw, cut to how it was shown in the picture
• 1 porkchop, diced, pang-lahok
• Luya, chopped
• 1 med onion, sliced
• 5 pcs garlic, minced
• 1 coconut milk
• 1/2 knorr pork cubes
• 1 siling berder (pang sigang)
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 5 pcs porkchop, patis & kalamansi for marinate

Cooking Procedure:

1. Marinate the porkchops to patis and kalamansi combo for 30 minutes, this will give the the porkchop some flavor.
2. While marinating the porkchops, prepare the ginataang kalabasa dish, but if you are laking aircon and have a 2 burner stove, you can cook the porkchops and the veggies at the same time. but marinate the porkies before you fry them.
3. Heat the pan, put the oil, then saute ginger, garlic, and onions - Error #1 this was what I did but my wife have a better way of doing it! See notes below.
4. Put the meat and give it a good stir, when it's already golden brown, it's time to put on the veggies. Add kalabasa and sitaw.
5. Add pepper and patis
6. Add water and leave it for about 3 minutes to boil
7. Then add the gata or coconut milk then give another 3 minutes then add the sili
8. Savor the aroma, taste it, if a little short on flavor add pepper and patis.
9. Now, the veggies are done.
10. Get another pan, heat it, put cooking oil, then start frying the porkchops. Observe the color, i like it a little toasted that's why I waited until it gets a little dark brown. I really don't have tricks in frying the porkchop so i just flipped from side to side whenever i want.

The porkchop and veggie combo did a good job in our dining table. Serve it with steamed rice and you should be all set.

Now for the the things that you should not do!

• I saute the luya, garlic and onion before putting the veggies - WRONG! said the wife. I should have done it her way by putting the onions, luya, garlic and the veggies all at the same time.
• I forgot to include vinegar. Vinegar is a must for all dish with gata. 
• Dilute a portion of coconut milk to water instead of just using water to simmer. Error on step # 6. By using the actual gata, it will give more flavor.

I will give this combo another try, and I will add shrimps & crabs to shake it up a little!

Not bad for my second dish, my wife gave it 7 out of 10 stars because for the lack of vinegar. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Until next time...

Daddy Mark VS Pininyahang Manok

Daddy Mark VS Pininyahang Manok
Season 1 Episode 1

In English, Chicken with Pineapple. With the help of my wife, Rhian, I will prepare and cook my version of. . .  "Pininyahang Manok - The Basic!"

There are different variations of preparing this dish, some uses coconut milk, some uses evaporated milk - i will use the evap since it's already available.

The ingredients that I used:

• 1 chicken breast, cut it to serving pieces
• 1 can pineapple chunks
• 2 potatoes, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 60ml evaporated milk (1 small can is 130ml)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 pcs garlic, minced
• very small luya, cut into very very small squares
• 2 tbsp patis
• ground pepper
• cooking oil
• 1 cup water

Cooking Procedures:

The dish looks very easy to prepare but I'm a rookie in the kitchen so here it goes -

1. Marinate the chicken with the pineapple juice from the pineapple chunks.
2. Heat the pan, at lagyan ng  cooking oil (put the cooking oil).
3. If natatalsikan ka na ng oil sa braso, add luya, haluin, at idagdag ang garlic. before it gets golden brown add the onion. (saute the garlic, onion and luya)
4. Add the chicken but do not include the pineapple juice
5. Leave it for two minutes
6. Add patis, pepper and pineapple juice, stir and leave it for 1 minute 
7. When the chicken is almost brown, add the potatoes and carrots so that the chicken will absorb the flavor
8. Add water and simmer for 5 minutes
9. Add the pineapple chunks and then milk, bring to boil
10. Once the vegetables are cooked, turn off the stove, remove from the pot and put to serving dish

Serve hot. Best with steamed rice.

This serving is good for 2-5 people, depende sa lasa ng luto!

My wife Rhian gave my Pininyahang Manok 8 out of 10 stars. This is my first home cooked meal served to my family, no one gets hurt after finishing my pininyahang manok.

Until my next cooking session....