Chicken Chicharon Recipe

Chicken Chicharon Recipe

(Fried Chicken Skin) 

 

Hello Everyone!
I'm so excited to share with you all my very own HOMEMADE Chicken Chicharon- Wohoo! I felt like I accomplished something so big (hahahha) I just get so excited having Chicken Chicharon in front me and it taste just like what I have back home. I'm such a big fan of Chicharon wether its pork,chicken or beef- they are all delicious and addicting.
This snack is such a guilty pleasure because we all know that its not good for us BUT the good news is- it won't hurt you if you only eat Chicharon in moderation. That's basically what I did just enough to satisfy my cravings!(hahaha) And to make the whole experience fun invite your friends to come over and have Chicharon for lunch! or maybe cook Chicharon together and remembering all those fun moments:)
Have I told you that making Chicharon is easy as pie? Oh yeah! easy peasy and it only require 3 ingredients. Hello! that is amazingly good right? So, are you excited to make your very own homemade Chicharon? Come on and don't forget to invite your friends and have FUN cooking!

Ingredients:
Chicken Skin- cut into pieces
Salt n Pepper- to taste
Cooking Oil-

Sauce (Optional)- Adjust the taste according to your preference.
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1 small red onion
1 medium size tomato
Ginger- thinly sliced
- Combine all the ingredients above and serve it along with your very own homemade Chicharon.

Directions:
1.) Put little salt and pepper into the chicken skin. Set aside.
2.) Pour decent amount of oil in medium size pan. (If you do have a deep fryer then that would work too:) Let it heat through maybe about 15-20 minutes medium heat.
3.) Once the oil is hot. Slowly add the chicken skin cutlets. Let it fry until its golden brown and crispy. (Be careful of splashing oil) Check the Chicharon every once in awhile and make sure the every part of the skin is covered with oil.
4.) Once the Chicharon is cooked. Lay them out in paper towel to drain excess oil.
5.) Serve HOT or COLD along with your favorite sauce and rice (wink)
Enjoy your very own homemade Chicharon. Its also perfect for snacks with friends!:)

I promise you! It won't hurt you if you eat Chicharon once in awhile and its DELISH! I can't help myself going back for more..(hahahha) Its addicting, crunchy, and super yummy! Definitely took me back in Pinas. I'm so proud that I finally make my first Chicken Chicharon and I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. I'll see you in few days for more scrumptious recipes and stay gorgeous everyone!

xoxo- Melgie

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Lumpia Shanghai Espesyal Recipe

Lumpia Shanghai Recipe -Updated

Hello Everyone!

Did you get excited seeing Lumpia on the photo? I'll do! This is my second favorite food next to Pansit. This is like updated version recipe, Since, I posted Lumpia recipe back when I started this blog which is like two years ago. I've seen few variations of lumpia recipe, so far I tried the Lumpia Shanghai-  which compose of meat usually ground pork and Vege Lumpia- which compose of vegetables but some folks add some rice noodles into the mix. What kind of Lumpia is your favorite? I prefer the Lumpia Shanghai myself, Since, I always made them for my daughter's birthday and some special occasions. Actually one of my favorite!  In this blog post, I'll be showing the step by step on how easy it is to wrap the Lumpia. Awesome!

Now, let's talk about the main ingredients? The Lumpia Wrapper-  If you are living abroad, you'll find lumpia wrapper at any Asian store. The Lumpia wrapper is so thin, delicate and easy to dry up. Make sure that you put towel on the top to make sure that it will stay soft and easy for the wrapping process later on. 

What to do if the Lumpia wrapper is frozen? which is so typical when your living abroad.

* Defrost- I leave the wrapper on the counter for like an hour or so while I'll make the filling

* Put in your microwave on DEFROST for like 25-30 second. Once you feel its soft and you can bend it. Then its good to go.:)

Some folks put some peppers, cabbage and other vegetables. I think they are equally delicious and I Love them all. What are your favorites on your Lumpia? 

The recipe that I'll be sharing you today is the recipe that my Mom taught me. So simple and so easy! C'mon you guys join me in my kitchen and I'll show you how easy it is to make this cute babies. So perfect for any occasion and surely impress everyone.

 Notes: Adjust the taste according to your preference. Don't forget to add your favorite vegetables. Double the quantity for larger crowd..wink:)-

 Lumpia Shanghai Recipe

Ingredients:
1 lbs. ground pork
2 medium size carrots- peeled and chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Lumpia wrapper
1 medium onion- chopped
3 garlic cloved
Salt and Pepper
Water- used to seal the tip on the lumpia

Filling Recipe
 * Put the carrots, onion and garlic in food processor ( if you have one) or chopped into little pieces. Set aside. In large bowl, mix all the ingredients ground pork, chopped veggies,breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Mix it together until everything is combine. Set aside.
* Defrost your Lumpia wrapper-

Instructions:
1.) Carefully separate the Lumpia wrapper.
2.) Put spoonful of lumpia filling towards the center of Lumpia wrapper.
3.) Fold the two side towards the middle. Make sure that you leave a space on the middle.
4.) Then, fold the other pieces towards the middle. It should look like the photo above ref.#4
5.) Start rolling the lumpia and make it tighter as you go. Make sure that you leave a little space. Brush it with water and it should seal the lumpia.
6.)  Put the perfect rolled lumpia onto the container.  DONE! Just do it all over again until your finish.
- See the photo above for super easy tutorial.:)

How likely are you going to make Lumpia on your next potluck party? Anyway, I hope you find this recipe so easy and delicious. Its so perfect with sweet chilli sauce by the way. Yum!
P.S- To all my lovely readers and followers- I'll be out for a week of vacation with my family. I'm beyond excited, we are going to Outerbanks! When I get back I'll be sharing my adventures and food escapade..:) Just keep checking and reading my blog and I hope my recipes inspire you to cook. Keep the comments coming, guys! I'll be reading them all. I'll see you next next week. Have great day.:)

xoxoxo- Melgie

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Butsi Espesyal Recipe

Butsi Espesyal Recipe

Hello Everyone!

Hungry for some snack or merienda today? Perfect!, I got a scrumptious recipe for you to try at home. As you all know me, I love sweets, and who doesn't? Especially if it is made from scratch just like how I remembered it back home. Do you remember my post from last year of Butsi Recipe?  I can't get enough of this classic merienda that I dearly love. It's not only its my favorite merienda growing up, It also remind me of my grandma, she made butsi all the time, that's were I learned how to make them. Thank you, Grandma!:) Anyways, the recipe from previous post is no different this time. The only thing that I change is the size of the Butsi, that's all! I love making little butsi but I found it easier to fry when they are little larger and less time spent in the kitchen as well. 

We call it Butsi-( Butsi with sweet coconut filling inside and coated with granulated sugar) back home especially in Mindanao area where this sweet treat is very popular. There is also Butchi with sweet monggo filling rolled into a sesame seeds which you can get at( Chowking) famous fast food chain in the Philippines. I love those kind of Butchi too. They are different in terms of ingredients but both are equally delicious.

Anyways, which one do you prefer to eat? I would go with Butsi that I'm familiar with and I know exactly how to make them. Are you hungry already just by talking about it? Me too, Come on join me in my kitchen as I made this delicious and super easy treat that is so perfect for everyone.:)

 

Ingredients:

2 cups All purpose flour

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup butter- cold and chopped into cube

1 pack yeast or (2 1/4 teaspoon yeast)

1 tsp. salt

granulated sugar- for coating

oil for frying- I used canola oil

Coconut Filling-

- combine 2 1/2 cups of shredded coconut/ or coconut flakes and 1/2 cup brown sugar let it set overnight. Note: Used fresh coconut if you have one if the above method is pretty close.:)

Procedure:

* NOTE: Flip the Butsi ONE to avoid greasy butsi. Stay close to the fryer, because it cook FAST! 

1.) In large bowl combine the flour, salt, sugar, yeast and chopped butter. Mix until well combined.

2.) Add the lukewarm water and egg and mix it well.

3.) Knead the dough into clean surface until it become elastic. Let the dough rise 1-2 hours.

4.) Divide the dough into 8 parts. Form the dough into balls, flatten it out using rolling pin. Add as much coconut filling as you want as long as it close tightly for frying. Repeat the process until everything is done.

5.) Let it rise dor like 25-30 minutes. It also gives you time to heat up your oil or frying..:)

6.) Fry the butsi in medium low for about 2-3 minutes on each side.  Make sure that its cook all the way before turning it over.  Drop this cuties into granulated sugar for coating. YUM!

7.) DONE! Serve it hot or cold along with your favorite drink and let your friends come over. 

In large bowl combine flour, sugar, yeast, salt and butter. Mix well until everything incorporated.

2.) Add the egg into the mixture and lukewarm water and start mixing together.

3.) Knead the dough in clean floured surface until smooth and elastic. Let is rise for 1-2 hours.

4.) Divide the dough into 20 pieces. Start forming the dough into little balls, flatten it out using the rolling pin, and fill the coconut filling. Do this process until everything is done.

- See more at: http://pinayexplorer21.blogspot.com/2013/05/butsi-recipe.html#sthash.8pV68cD1.dpuf

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup water, lukewarm

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter - cold and chopped into cube

1 pack yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon yeast)

1 tsp. salt

extra sugar- for coating

oil- for frying ( if u have deep fryer, much better:)

Filling:

1 1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup brown sugar

- Put this 2 ingredients in a food processor, pause for couple minutes. Set aside.

Note: Just use something you like for filling if you don't like sweet coconut filling. - See more at: http://pinayexplorer21.blogspot.com/2013/05/butsi-recipe.html#sthash.VxJNAdWg.dpuf

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup water, lukewarm

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter - cold and chopped into cube

1 pack yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon yeast)

1 tsp. salt

extra sugar- for coating

oil- for frying ( if u have deep fryer, much better:)

Filling:

1 1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup brown sugar

- Put this 2 ingredients in a food processor, pause for couple minutes. Set aside.

Note: Just use something you like for filling if you don't like sweet coconut filling. - See more at: http://pinayexplorer21.blogspot.com/2013/05/butsi-recipe.html#sthash.8pV68cD1.dpuf

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup water, lukewarm

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter - cold and chopped into cube

1 pack yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon yeast)

1 tsp. salt

extra sugar- for coating

oil- for frying ( if u have deep fryer, much better:)

Filling:

1 1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup brown sugar

- Put this 2 ingredients in a food processor, pause for couple minutes. Set aside.

Note: Just use something you like for filling if you don't like sweet coconut filling. - See more at: http://pinayexplorer21.blogspot.com/2013/05/butsi-recipe.html#sthash.8pV68cD1.dpuf

Would you love to come over and grab some? C'mon! I promise its delicious. I hope you find this recipe so appetizing and make your merienda moments so fun and give this Butsi Espesyal a try. I gotta grab some butsi before its gone. (hehehe) So, until next time everyone for more fun and exciting recipe. Enjoy the rest of the day.:) Stay inspired and cook with your heart:)
 P.S-Kudos to Chemist Dad for very easy tutorial- 
Note: ( I added the print this page for easy printing to my lovely readers.)
 xoxoxo- Melgie
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Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe

Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe

Crispy fried chicken is a standard dish in the Cantonese cuisine of southern China and Hong Kong.^[1] The chicken is fried in such a way that the skin is extremely crunchy, but the white meat is relatively soft.
source: ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crispy_fried_chicken )

 I grew up eating fried chicken, this is one of my favorite food! It always makes me excited maybe because I don't ate it as often when I was little kid. I missed those days!!! I missed the chicken served at Jollibee-- popular fast food chain in the Philippines and some places here in the US. So, when cravings strike I decided to make my own version. How hard could it be to fry chicken? It's not that hard at all especially if your using deep fryer it makes the whole cooking process 10x faster, No deep fryer? worry no more a big pot and oil still as god as deep fryer. So, I was watching this cooking show (Food-network) and I found out that cornstarch is the key ingredients to make the fried chicken extra crispy.. Yay! you heard it right, I did tried it and it always work... This is like so perfect if your also missing the cripsy chicken served at Jollibee.. My kiddies loved them..!This is also perfect for like birthday party, family gathering and potluck party. C'mon try it at home. Below is the recipe:)
Hang out on my kitchen...:)

 Ingredients:

Chicken- I used (4) bone-in chicken breast

1 Cup Flour

1/4 Cup cornstarch

1 egg

1 Lemon

Salt and Pepper- to taste

Seasoning of your choice- optional

Chicken Gravy for sauce- optional

Oil - for frying

Directions:

1.) Marinate the chicken with salt, pepper and lemon. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

2.) In large pan, heat 2 cups of oil or enough to cover the chicken when your frying. In this recipe I used deep fryer:)

4.) Meanwhile, In large bowl combine the flour, cornstarch and salt and pepper. In medium size bowl beat the egg and set aside;

5.)Take the marinated chicken one at a time, soak in egg mixture then in the flour mixture, make sure that you covered the whole part of the chicken the shake the chicken for some excess flour. Do it again until everything is done and ready for frying.

6.) Fry the chicken until golden brown 8-10 minutes for white meat and 13-15 minutes for dark meat.

7.) Serve hot with chicken gravy and rice. Enjoy!

Notes:

- You can used combination of dark meat and white meat for this recipe.

-  The bigger the meat; the longer the cooking process, make sure that the chicken is cook properly before eating.

- Taste according to your preference and used your favorite seasoning.

Butsi Recipe

Butsi/Butchi Recipe

(my grandma's butsi recipe)

If you're a big fan of Butsi or Butchi at chowking ( chinese fast food, popular in the Philippines )  you probably thinking, there's no way this is BUTSI RECIPE! I know! This is not the typical Butsi, the fried sesame balls with sweet bean filling inside.  If you get a chance to travel in Bukidnon, the pineapple capital of the Philippines, then you probably have a sweet encounter with this native delicacy. This quite popular from where I'm from.  My grandma loved to make Butsi  and sold to our neighbors and friends.

What I like most about BUTSI, is the sweet coconut filling inside is just perfect with the soft chewy dough and coated with sugar to top if off.

The inspiration behind the making of this delicious delicacy, is when I have lot of left over coconut filling from the Pan de Coco and the perfect Shakoy/ Donut dough, combine the two and the BUTSI was born. The process of making it is exactly the same making Shakoy, the only difference are the shape and there's coconut filling inside the dough. It's been years I haven't have butsi, and I'm so happy to have it fresh in my kitchen. It's taste closer to my grandma's recipe, but, HEY! practice makes perfect. Sooner its gonna taste even better than the first try.. C'mon let's start BUTSI!

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup water, lukewarm

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter - cold and chopped into cube

1 pack yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon yeast)

1 tsp. salt

extra sugar- for coating

oil- for frying ( if u have deep fryer, much better:)

Filling:

1 1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup brown sugar

- Put this 2 ingredients in a food processor, pause for couple minutes. Set aside.

Note: Just use something you like for filling if you don't like sweet coconut filling.

Filling the Butsi with sweet coconut filling

NOTE: It only take few minutes to cook BUTSI, So, stay close to the fryer.
             To avoid greasy BUTSI, flip it only ONCE:)

 Directions:

1.) In large bowl combine flour, sugar, yeast, salt and butter. Mix well until everything incorporated.

2.) Add the egg into the mixture and lukewarm water and start mixing together.

3.) Knead the dough in clean floured surface until smooth and elastic. Let is rise for 1-2 hours.

4.) Divide the dough into 20 pieces. Start forming the dough into little balls, flatten it out using the rolling pin, and fill the coconut filling. Do this process until everything is done.

5.) Let it rise for 20-30 minutes. (Enough time to heat the deep fryer on medium low)

6.) Fry it for about 1-2 minutes each side. Let is cool. Put in the plastic bag with sugar and shake it.

7.) Serve hot or cold for mid-afternoon snacks. Taste even better if you share this with family and friends. ENJOY!

I'm munching this goodies while blogging about it..YUM!

Banana Que

Banana Que 

( Deep fried banana covered with caramelized brown sugar )

 

This is one of the things I missed the Philippines, Banana Que! Can't beat this classic mid-afternoon snack, fulfilling and simply delicious. Every time the clock strike at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, I have this intense craving for Banana Que. I don't know why? hahah.  I guess I just missed it that much, that I been thinking about it for quite sometime now. I wished that ( Saba-banana ) is that popular from where I lived right now in that way, I can make it whenever I want to.This is one of my favorite street food back in the Philippines until nowadays still craving for it. Last week, I guess it's my lucky day, I finally found this (Saba-Banana) at Asian market while picking up some few stuff for my weekly consumptions ( hahah ) Oh! boy!! I just grabbed it right away with big smile on my face, heading to the check out with a thing on my mind.. Banana Que here I come!! haha..

The process of making this fulfilling mid-afternoon snack is no different in making Kamote Que ,just simply replaced the sweet potato with banana.

 Everyone can master Banana Que just by reading this... that's how simple it is:) C'mon lets start cooking!!

Ingredients:

SABA- banana particularly used on banana que

Barbeque stick

Brown sugar

Oil

Directions:

1.) Put oil into the pan about, 10-15 minutes until its HOT enough to fry.

2.) Add the brown sugar, wait until the brown sugar floats and then you can add the banana

3.) Turn the banana from time to time to spread the caramelized sugar coating.

4.) It probably takes 8-10 minutes and its done.

5.) Take it out in the pan, and skew it into the barbeque stick. Enjoy!

( My mid-afternoon snack..yummo! )

Kamote Que

Kamote Que

( Deep fried sweet potatoes covered with caramelized brown sugar )

Spring is little shy this year, I'm just hoping that we gonna have nice weather this coming Sunday for Easter egg hunt, at Aunt Mo's house, Luckily I'm off to work! yay!!! I noticed that, when Easter season is coming up, the sweet potatoes is always on sale. So, I grab couple the other day at the store and make this Kamote Que yesterday. 

Kamote Que is one of the very popular snack in the Philippines,you can find this at market street just flooded with Kamote Que vendors, on the schools area, just basically everywhere. Every Filipino I know, knew how to make this delectable snacks.  What I like most about this snack, they are very affordable, fulfilling and just simply good. 

Below is the recipe for: Kamote Que

Ingredients:

2 Large Sweet Potatoes

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup oil

Barbeque sticks

Directions:

1.) Put oil into the pan about, 10-15 minutes until its HOT enough to fry.

2.) Add the brown sugar, wait until the brown sugar floats and then you can add the sweet potatoes.

3.) Turn the sweet potatoes from time to time to spread the caramelized sugar coating.

4.) Try the sweet potatoes by poking it, using the barbeque stick. You know when its DONE when the sticks comes out so easily.

5.) Take it out in the pan, and skew it into the barbeque stick. Enjoy!

 Happy Easter Everyone!:)