Filipino Sinigang Soup

The other day I discovered this sour and savory soup out of curiosity at our local Filipino restaurant. How have I been missing out on this my entire life is beyond me! As a lover of Thai Tom Yum Gai soup and Chinese sweet and sour soup, Sinigang belongs in my repertoire! I adapted a recipe from here and made a successful first attempt! My Filipino Mr. gave the approval and requests it often now, saying that was one of the best meals I’ve made.

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients: 3 lbs pork ribs (chopped into 1 in pieces), instead of chopping the ribs before cooking, I cooked ribs whole and chopped after meat fell off the bone – 2 tblsp minced garlic – 1 medium onion, chopped – 1 packet Sinigang tamarind soup mix (found at any Asian market), be sure to read the water to mix ratio on the packet. I had to use 2 packets for the amount of water called in this recipe. – 16 cups water – 1 bok choy, chopped into 1-2 inch slices – 1 daikon radish, chopped into thin round slices (optional garnish) – 1 small tomato, chopped fine. I used 2 small tomatoes because I like the acidity tomatoes provide. – 2 small potatoes, chopped in large chunks – Salt to taste

Directions: 1) Saute ribs, garlic, onions, and salt to taste until brown 2) In a separate large pot, add water, Sinigang soup mix, I like the whole packet but less in more in this case if you don’t want it to be too sour 3) Add tomato, pork, potatoes, and cook for 40 minutes. Add the Bok Choy and radish and cook an additional 10 minutes 4) If you left the pork on the bone like I did, remove the meat and chop now, return to soup and cook 10 more minutes 5) Enjoy! You can eat this straight or over white rice.

Here’s the soup next to my Panang Curry.

XOXO, MT

Craving a Bit of Bali

I had an intense craving for this Balinese side dish we made during our cooking class in Munduk while we were there for our honeymoon. It’s a spicy, sweet, and sour combo of mixed vegetables that’s mouthwatering good. So… I decided to make it! It turned out delish even though we don’t have all the exact ingredients here in the US. It’s kind of amazing so I thought I’d share the recipe.

Here’s what it looked like when we made it in Bali….

And here’s what mine looked like….

How to make Balinese Jukut Urab at home… 1) Cut long beans in to small pieces, 2) add 1 cup blanched snake beans, 1 cup blanched bean sprouts, 1 cup roughly chopped blanched spinach, 1/2 cup chopped sauteed onions, 1/4 cup sauteed fresh red chile, 2/3 cup grated roasted coconut. 3)Blend 1 large red chile, de seeded and finely chopped, 3 wedges of kaffir lime, 1/4 tsp white pepper, 1/4 tsp sugar, salt to taste, and 1 tablespoon oil for dressing. 4) Mix dressing into the salad and plate. 5) Garnish with  roasted peanuts, crispy fried ginger and garlic.

Tip: It’s best after a few hours so it has time to soak in all the flavors. I used chinese long beans instead of snake beans, kale instead of spinach, green chile instead of red, and regular sweetened coconut from the baking aisle. It was still just as good as I’d remembered!

Recipe adapted from here.

Enjoy! XOXO, MT

MT eats… Chia Seed Pudding

Here’s a really easy recipe for a great grab-n-go breakfast if you do some light prep the night before. I hate when healthy foods actually taste healthy, and this my friends satisfies completely like store bought pudding in the best way! It’s my new go-to for those moments when I have all the ingredients and know I won’t have time the next morning to sit down and eat. I’m actually guilty of drinking this in the car when I’m really running late! Topped with some fresh fruit and a little something sweet and you’re off to start an amazing day.

Chia Seed Pudding

Active: 10 min  Total: 40 min (plus overnight chilling)  Serves: 4

1 cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk

1 cup plain low-fat greek yogurt

2 tblsp pure maple syrup (I love Trader Joe’s Organic version) plus 4 tsp for serving

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup chia seeds

1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced or chopped

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted for topping

1. In a medium bowl, gently whisk the almond milk, yogurt, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and vanilla until just blended. Whisk in the chia seeds; let stand 30 minutes. Stir to distribute the seeds if they have settled. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 2. The next day, in a medium bowl, toss the berries with the remaining syrup. Mix in the almonds. 3. Spoon the pudding into 4 bowls or glasses, mound the berry mixture on top, and serve.

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Enjoy! XOXO, MT