Thai Pomelo Salad Recipe (Yam Som-o)

Yam Som-O is how people in Thailand call Pomelo Salad.  I first got introduced to this salad a couple of years back when my sister took me to eat at People's Palace - a modern Thai cuisine restaurant in Greenbelt 3 ran by Chef Colin Mackay.  The salad was so good I was blown away by the mix of fresh flavors with just the right amounts of acidity and seasoning.  I remember listing the ingredients after we ate the salad but I never got to try and make the dish myself.  That is until recently, when sacks of Pink Pomelo from Davao, landed on our doorsteps.  I do not claim this to be anything like the Pomelo Salad at People's Palace because only emotional remnants of that experience remain.  I have to back there and eat that salad again.  And then maybe I can come up with a new version of this refreshing and healthy dish.  Regardless, this version of the Pomelo Salad by A Billion Chefs is as good and memorable as well.  

Thai Pomelo Salad (Yam Som-o)

Thai Pomelo Salad (Yam Som-O)

By: Chef $B

(2-3 individual servings)

BBQ Baby Back Ribs (American Style) Recipe

One very intriguing dish is the very succulent and juicy Barbecued Baby Back Ribs!  First and foremost, the size of the meat is quite intimidating.  And since you don't normally see this cut of meat cooked at home,  one is led to believe that it's hard and complicated to prepare.  You'd be surprised that it actually is quite easy to prepare!  While it takes a lot of time to make the meat really tender, the process is very simple.  You can just leave the mixture behind and let the heat and the braising liquid do their job.

While watching season 2 of MasterChef Australia, chefs and hosts Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris held a Master Class teaching the contestants how to make American-style Sticky BBQ Pork Ribs!  All the contestants were dying to try the dish and it left my mouth watering after the said episode.  And so now that I know how easy it is to make, I tried cooking a batch last night.  I adopted this Baby Back Ribs recipe from Gary's version.  It's an absolute winner! Enjoy!  

Chorizo Garlic Pasta Recipe ala Petra and Pilar

Chorizo is the Spanish term for sausage.  It usually refers to several types of pork sausages.  One famous chorizo in the Philippines is the Chorizo de Bilbao.  While Bilbao may refer to a municipality in Spain many believe that Chorizo de Bilbao is actually a Filipino creation.  It is generally made with lots of Spanish Paprika which is probably the reason why some would refer to it as Spanish sausage.  It's garlicky taste adds a lot of flavor to any dish you mix it with.  

There's a very good Chorizo Bilbao with Garlic Pasta at Petra and Pilar at the JAKA Bldg. (Chino Roces) in Makati.  I often craved for this dish every time I'm in the area.  And then it dawned on me that I should just have made my own!  One order can set you back for around 350 pesos while you can buy a pack of Chorizo de Bilbao from the same restaurant for just around 100 pesos.  And that's exactly what I did.  Here's the recipe for Chorizo Garlic Spaghetti in White Sauce.  My own take on this delectable dish from Petra and Pilar.

Cupcake Recipes: Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcake Recipe: Red Velvet Cupcakes

The Red Velvet Cake or Cupcake is a cake with a dark red, bright red, or red-brown color.  Originally, the reddish brown color comes from the reaction of the chocolate to an acidic substance like buttermilk.  The cake is mostly chocolate flavored but it can also just be plain vanilla.  It is then topped with a white frosting that can either be a white Buttercream frosting or a Cream Cheese Frosting.  A Cream Cheese frosting is better suited since there is not much flavor in the cake itself.

The reference to the word "velvet" is to associate the cake with luxury and also to describe the cake's texture which is suppose to be smooth and silky just like the fabric.  In this recipe, the use of vegetable oil instead of butter makes this Red Velvet Cupcake recipe smooth and fluffy.  Get the recipe after the jump.

Ginanggang: Filipino-style Grilled Bananas

Ginanggang Grilled Cardaba Bananas with Coke Light!

If you ever get to visit the southern region, the islands of Mindanao, of the Republic of the Philippines, look for this unique and delectable street food called Ginanggang.  It's semi-ripe Cardaba Bananas skewered and grilled in charcoal then brushed with Margarine and then rolled in sugar.  Grilling gives the Bananas a smokey flavor that complements the natural sweetness of the fruit.  While adding Margarine and Sugar rounds off the taste in the end with a little creaminess adding moisture to the somewhat dry texture of the semi-ripe Cardaba Bananas.  Locally, these Bananas are called "Saba."  It is used in a variety of banana snacks like Maruya, Toron, Nilagang Saba, and BananaQue / BananaCue.  It is also mixed in different Filipino soups and stews.

Hello Kitty Themed Birthday Cake

Children's Birthday parties have evolved over the years.  We used to just have square Buttercream-frosted Chiffon cakes decorated with a figurine of our favorite cartoon character on top with Spaghetti with minced meat in Tomato sauce.  Now, while the Spaghetti lives on, the cakes are definitely grander.  Aside from the food, kids and adults are also entertained by Clowns, Magicians, Dancers, Singers, and even human Beatboxers.  On a recent Birthday party, I got to witness this Hello Kitty themed Birthday cake surrounded by cupcakes with lovely decorations on top.  More pictures after the jump.

Citrus (Orange) Cookies with Chocolate Chips Recipe

Orange Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Coffee

On my way back to one of my trips in Europe, I got hold of Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Ministry of Food cookbook.  I got it tax free but I wasn't quite sure whether it really was a bargain.  Regardless, I was impress with the chef's advocacy of teaching people how to cook at home so they can have healthier and more nutritious options rather than eating out or buying at convenient stores all the time.  According to the book, anyone can learn to cook in 24 hours.  And Jamie Oliver actually encourages his readers to pass on the simple recipes that they learn so that everyone can learn how to cook.  It's the same concept as paying it forward. 

While I don't really use this book as reference for dessert recipes, I was intrigued by one of his cookie recipes.  I tried it yesterday and you can get Jamie Oliver's recipe for Citrus Cookies after the jump.