Taal Vista Lodge, Tagaytay City, Philippines

Salad

Savor the best in center table offerings amidst shivery atmosphere,
crisp refreshing inhales of oxygen, atop views of world acclaimed Taal lake, greeneries
and hmmmmm re-invigorating breeze.
Join me as we delve into their “bragging rights”.
One sunday, was in my usual “alone again naturally” state,
my legs and driving acumen led me to, once more, dive into adventure and gear up to Tagaytay City,
the fave destination of many for food, sights and weather.
About 80-90 kms from Manila and 15-18 kms from my place.
Lunch time that was and found me seated by the buffet area.
Oh OK go for it…murmured to myself.

VERANDA

COFFEE SHOP & BAR

Create Your Own FIA Salad

Create Your Pinoy Salad

CEREALS & CAKES

HAM
Sisig Area

Dessert

First Batch

My second take post salad.

My 2nd batch

 …third

MY DESSERT

…dessert.
That’s about all. Am full. I am just the “tikim guy” anyway and shelled out Php1,300++ for such.
BTW, “tikim” means mainly savouring/taste test to find out whether outstanding
or should be delegated outside the mess hall for their ain’t appropriateness
…due to rancidity or blandness or toughness to wrong process utilization plus the other heck of criteria.
Seriously, for the food preps, I will rate Veranda 8 out of 10.
More so the overnight marination of grilled boneless chicken in honey, lots of honey,
soy sauce, brown sugar, ground black pepper, chili powder,
very subdued acidity of lemon (I think) or vinegar though gas grilled bit well done is a “must try”.
That prep caught my attention.
Did not show here the shot of roasted beef as some non-rare to mid-rare eater readers
might be horrified in sight of leaking off reddish-pink blood when sliced
…but they do welcome roasting further to medium-well to well-done.

Ham’s curved pork skin-brown seared to simulate “Hawaiian Style” was really tough.
Lean tasted sugar sweetened with hints of I don’t know. But “curing” is well attained.

The views worth staring at to re-charge:

BACK SIDE

BACK VIEW THRU THE GLASS SHOT OF LAKE

VIEW OF PENS

Rooms to stay-perfect site, function and event halls-ideal
and wide play ground awaits kids’ run and about.

Did not take shots of rooms and other facilities as I was not on pre-approved blog writing visit.
Anyway, here’s their link:
http://www.taalvistahotel.com/

Thumbs up.
Highly recommended to visit.

TENDERIZED DEEP FRIED “LIEMPO”

Liempo

TENDERIZED DEEP FRIED “LIEMPO”
(Parboiled Pork Belly Deep Fried To Crunchy Outside-Juicy Inside Bite)
As mentioned in my other post re “Liempo”,
pork belly is one of the most modifiable parts of pig meat.
Be it roasted, grilled, fried, BBQed, be processed into bacon strips, “sinigang” (tamarind soup base with veggies), “nilaga” (plain boiled and dumped with vegetables different from “sinigang”) and countless more divergence.
For now, we’ll dive into something simple.
Seasoned, tenderized in spices-filled boiling solution then
deep fried to “crispiest skin to juiciest meat bite”.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours
Serves: 4
Cooking media: suitable parboiling casserole, big frying pan with cover OR suitable deep fryer.

INGREDIENTS:
1 kilo fully cleaned, de-haired, nicely sliced liempo”
enough tap water to cover meat
80 grams fine salt
15 grams ground black pepper
OPTIONAL 10 grams MSG
20 pieces crushed fresh garlic cloves
3 pieces small onion (white or red), sliced
a small bunch of “tanglad” (lemon grass)
500 ml palm olein (if available) or soya/palm oil if not

PROCEDURES:

  1. Pour water and all other ingredients in casserole. Whisk a bit to dissolve granules faster.
  2. Add in “liempo slices” and, under medium heat, boil for 1 hour or until meat exhibits full tenderness when forked.
  3. Scoop out. Pat dry skin. Set aside.
  4. Heat oil in pan or deep fryer. When smoke is emitted, slice tiny bit of meat and throw unto hot oil and if small spinning bubbles from thrown meat going up are seen-then heat more. But if throwing the tiny piece of meat into hot oil produces BUBBLES…rumbling BUBBLES, then oil is ready.
  5. WITHOUT BRUSHING ANYTHING UNTO SKIN, deep fry the meat to desired done-ness and/or crunchy condition of skin.
  6. NO NEED TO SPRINKLE WATER UNTO HOT OIL to supposedly make the skin crispy. THIS IS A MYTH. Doing this will just make the oil VERY ANGRY THAT SPLATTERS occur.
  7. You’re DONE.
  8. Slice and garnish as desired. Serve with gar-vin-soy dip (garlic-vinegar-soy sauce mixture)

For more of “LIEMPO” preps, click here.

DISCLAIMER: Above are test kitchen and household-produced dishes. All ingredients utilized are of food grade quality passing international and domestic sanitary standards. While we find the results highly acceptable, no guarantee nor explicit assurance is hereby issued when recipe is performed by readers. For one, although of similar breed, spices, herbs and other ingredients vary from country to country/region to region that possibility of affecting end taste, aroma & bite-feel is great. Further thereto, mentioned sensory evaluation (aroma, taste, mouth-feel) is subjective.

 

CRAB “BIJON”

Crab Beehon

CRAB “BIJON”
(Sautéd Crab In Lightly Souped Rice Noodles )
Cellophane Noodles (Glass Noodles, Crystal Noodles,
Chinese Vermicelli, Bean Thread Noodles
or “Sotanghon” – Pilipino) denote one and the same.
Processed from mung beans (“monggo”), this type of thin, round,
glassy when cooked noodles is widely used in Oriental cuisines.
Careful not to confuse this with “rice noodle” which is our “Bihon”,
the center of our offering today.
There are different types of crabs.
Check here: https://owlcation.com/stem/types-of-crabs
(thank you owlcation)
A Singaporean Al Fresco street dining site offers this…
my inspiration to innovate such.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Cooking media: suitable pan,
INGREDIENTS:
1 big fully cleaned red crab or swimming crab body cut into 4, shell removed and left intact, legs cut from joint, pinchers cut and pounded for easier hand flesh-retrieving and munching
4 cloves crushed fresh garlic
1 small onion sliced
3 grams salt (any)
3 grams cracked black pepper
OPTIONAL 2 grams MSG
30 ml. palm oil or palm olein
20 ml sesame oil
15 grams oyster sauce
enough bunch of rice noodle (“Bijon”) soaked in water for 15 minutes-drained then set aside
3 pieces green onion (or scallion for lesser intense onion-y output), cut 2” long
4 pieces “wombok” (Chinese cabbage) sliced
250 ml tap water or chicken/meat broth
top garnish of your choice
PROCEDURES:

  1. In a suitable pan, pour in and combine sesame oil with palm oil/olein. Heat.
  2. Very lightly sauté together onion, spring onion and garlic.
  3. Add in crab pieces. Toss and tumble until crab turns light red.
  4. Pour in oyster sauce, salt, black pepper and the OPTIONAL MSG. Continue on tossing for about 1 minute.
  5. Pour water/broth, “Bijon”, wombok” and tumble-separate sticking “Bijon” and bring to boil. After 2 minutes. DONE.
  6. Garnish. Serve.

DISCLAIMER: Above are test kitchen and household-produced dishes. All ingredients utilized are of food grade quality passing international and domestic sanitary standards. While we find the results highly acceptable, no guarantee nor explicit assurance is hereby issued when recipe is performed by readers. For one, although of similar breed, spices, herbs and other ingredients vary from country to country/region to region that possibility of affecting end taste, aroma & bite-feel is great. Further thereto, mentioned sensory evaluation (aroma, taste, mouth-feel) is subjective.

 

FULLY MARINATED-ROLLED-BROILED “LIEMPO”

Roasted Pork Belly

FULLY MARINATED-ROLLED-BROILED “LIEMPO”
(Pork Belly Marinated for 5 Hours Rolled and Broiled to Perfect Tenderness)
2 years ago, November 21, 2014, I posted Baked “Liempo”. (click for recipe)
This time I will be utilizing the same versatile pork cut,
on a bit different marinade mix and new cooking prep.

Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 3 hours
Total time: 4 hours
Serves: 10
Cooking media: broiling pan, foil, thick thread for tying, oil brush

INGREDIENTS:
2 kilos boneless, skin-on pork belly-fully cleaned, trimmed
20 grams salt (sea or table)
12 grams sugar (white or brown)
8 grams cracked black pepper
10 grams chili powder
10 grams paprika powder
8 grams nutmeg powder
8 grams coriander powder
6 grams dry thyme
OPTIONAL 2 grams MSG
300 ml. red wine (any)
230 ml. 7-UP or Sprite
50 ml. EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bunch of big stalks’ spring onion without bulbs

PROCEDURES:

  1. In a suitable pan, pour in wine and 7-Up/Sprite. Add all powder/ground ingredients and blend well. Set aside.
    2. Slit belly 0.75 to 1 inch deep on flesh side and 1.5 to 2 inches apart. (These slits will let flavors in).
    3. Skin up place belly unto pan with marinade. Marinate for 5 hours in ref
    (NOT FREEZER).
  2. Line oven pan with foil.Brush ½ of EVOO unto all sides of belly.
  3. Put a bunch of spring onion in mid belly. Skin out-roll and tie with thick thread.
  4. Cover with 2 layers of foil to prevent flavor from seeping out during broiling.
  5. Set oven temp to 275degF (135degC). Pop in “liempo” and slow cook for 2.5 hours.
  6. After 2.5 hours remove foil. Brush the other half of EVOO unto all sides of belly again.
  7. Raise oven temp to 400degF (205degC) and skin up-sear in this last stage your masterpiece for 30 minutes.
  8. Summon. Slice some. Garnish. Serve.

Roasted Pork Belly2

Want to try Filipino “Lechon Belly”? Here’s the recipe. (click for prep)

DISCLAIMER: Above are test kitchen and household-produced dishes. All ingredients utilized are of food grade quality passing international and domestic sanitary standards. While we find the results highly acceptable, no guarantee nor explicit assurance is hereby issued when recipe is performed by readers. For one, although of similar breed, spices, herbs and other ingredients vary from country to country/region to region that possibility of affecting end taste, aroma & bite-feel is great. Further thereto, mentioned sensory evaluation (aroma, taste, mouth-feel) is subjective.

STEAMED “LAPU-LAPU” (RED GROUPER) IN GINGER SAUCE

Red Grouper

STEAMED “LAPU-LAPU” (RED GROUPER) IN GINGER SAUCE
(Red Grouper Steamed To Juiciness Drenched in Ginger-Oyster Sauce Mix)

The normal and usual Chinese fare, technologically tweaked a bit to render
a full flavored sauce where grouper is literally soaked and served.
Ready to gobble down ultra juicy fish meat where dipping a bit into its sauce
with satiate your distinct palate.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Cooking media: pan, steamer or slotted casserole, big-flat slotted turner, oil, brush

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium “Lapu-Lapu” (red grouper)-internals removed, butterflied through the
   belly side.
enough water for steaming fish with 5 grams salt and 2 grams ground black pepper

40 ml. palm or soya oil
5 cloves crushed fresh garlic
1 small de-skinned ginger-julienned
20 ml. oyster sauce (any…I prefer Lee Kum Kee)
15 ml. sesame oil
250 ml tap water for sauce
5 ml. soy sauce
2 grams salt (I prefer Himalayan)
2 grams ground black pepper
OPTIONAL 2 grams MSG

PROCEDURES:

  1. With enough water added with 5 grams salt and 2 grams ground black pepper, bring to boil and set fish on top via slotted steamer container brushed with a bit of oil to prevent fish sticking to bottom. Once boiling, steam “Lapu-Lapu” for 20 minutes. Using turner (not tongs) scoop carefully to avoid break-ups. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil, sauté garlic and ginger. Add in sesame oil and continue till brownish. Avoid over sautéing so as not to render burnt taste.
  3. Pour in oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, pepper and the OPTIONAL MSG. Stir in for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add in tap water, toss and tumble to disperse flavors and bring to boil.
  5. In a preferred center plate, lay your steamed “Lapu-Lapu” belly down and pour abundantly with your sauce. GARNISH. SERVE. ENJOY.

DISCLAIMER: Above are test kitchen and household-produced dishes. All ingredients utilized are of food grade quality passing international and domestic sanitary standards. While we find the results highly acceptable, no guarantee nor explicit assurance is hereby issued when recipe is performed by readers. For one, although of similar breed, spices, herbs and other ingredients vary from country to country/region to region that possibility of affecting end taste, aroma & bite-feel is great. Further thereto, mentioned sensory evaluation (aroma, taste, mouth-feel) is subjective.