Fresh Tofu

I love, love, love tofu. Not everybody likes tofu. I even have friend who referred to it as “sponge”. The only thing I don’t like about tofu is the smell. It has a strong pungent aroma.

Last week’s trip to Mall of Asia led me to the Holy Grail of Tofu in SM Hypermarket. I spotted two large aquariums with funny little white blocks . Cold water runs through the aquarium like a fountain. It was a strange site for I’d only expect to see live fish in aquariums.

The sign above it says “Temperature Controlled / Fresh Tofu”. There were 3 sizes available small, medium and large. I bought 2 blocks of  tofu for Php 24.50 each.

As soon as I got home I was anxious as to how it would taste like.

I made some quick deep fried tofu with cornstarch, paprika, cayenne, salt & pepper. Once the white sponges hit the oil I was glad my apartment didn’t smell. Hurray, it really didn’t stink!

The best part was the taste. It has none of the tofu after taste. It was just clean to the palate. This is the kind of tofu that would make fantastic veggie burgers.

The only trouble is, I have to go all the way to SM Mall of Asia to get them. Not every SM Supermarket carries my beloved fresh tofu. Now my only question if it’s GMO free. Before this discovery I only buy a particular brand that is GMO-free. I am tofu snob.

Filed under: Cuisine , fresh tofu, temperature tokwa controlled tofu, tofu

Chocolate Turon

Last Tuesday was Erika’s “room” warming party. After being friends for eight years, she is now my flat-mate. And no, we’re not lesbian  lovers. I was getting tired of the usual menu I prepare for get-togethers(grilled cheese sandwich, Charlie Chan copy cat Asian spaghetti, creamy fruit salad etc) I had to make a new one.

- Stewed Tomato Spaghetti
- Spicy Fried Chicken with Buttered Hot Sauce
- Chocolate Turon

A quick and easy dessert was needed, one that would fit into our room warming food budget. The chocolate turon was all I could remember that I saw from Heny Sison two years ago in her old baking/cooking show in IBC 13. What ever happened to that show? My brother and I love that show. Lazy Sundays back then meant drooling in front of the TV with all the sugar induced dessert she was making. Para syang fairy, *fairy dust* — “Ito na po ang ating finished product “ and a piece of either cake, cookies, brownies would appear from under the oven.

I Googled the recipe but stumbled upon this Pinoy version of the recipe from 80’s Breakfast. Credit is hers. It was rather brilliant to think of Pinoy flavored Chocnut and Flattops. However, when I reached the supermarket Flatops was out of stock. Wow, there is a shortage of Flattops in the Philippines? The Balikbayan’s are hoarding them! I used Curlytops instead as a substitute. You can pretty much use any chocolate you want. Do a kitchen test and experiment I think this would go well with Andes Chocolate Mint or any chocolate that has nougat, caramel for additional texture.

I modified the recipe a tiny bit and just added one ingredient that made the difference – cinnamon powder. The turon was instant hit at the party, many were asking for the recipe.

Ingredients:

Saging na Saba (Ripe Plantain)
Spring Roll Wrapper
Brown Sugar
Chocolate of your choice
Pandan leaves
Cinnamon powder

Use spring roll wrapper then cut banana’s lengthwise. Just add alternately the chocolates on one side. Put the sugar on the other side side. Use only one half lengthwise banana because one whole banana is a bit harder to wrap and cook. Plus we don’t want a fat turon, do we? Use only about half teaspoon sugar as chocolate is already sweet.

Then the one ingredient you don’t want to forget – dash turon with cinnamon powder. I love cinnamon so I put at least 1/4 teaspoon in each turon. Cinnamon makes the difference! I tried it before without cinnamon but preferred the version with it.

Wrap like you would wrap your lumpia, seal sides with a bit of water. Tie it with a pandan leave. This will make if fragrant. Deep fry in low heat. Sugar and chocolate have a tendency to get burnt easily so cook it with low heat. Cook both sides until golden brown.

Tadah! You can drizzle it with a bit of melted Belgian chocolate.

Filed under: Cuisine , chocnut, chocolate, curly tops, delicacy, dessert, flatops, peanut, pinoy, richoa, spring roll, turon

Halo-Halo @ Top Chef

Top Chef has been my addiction lately. I download the latest episodes since it’s not shown here in this side of the planet. This is Bravo reality show about the search for the most talented chef in the US. It’s like Iron Chef minus the celebrity chefs competitors. The contestants are the hottest up and coming chefs from the best restaurants in US.

My favorite is Richard because he’s into this type of cuisine technique — molecular gastronomy. It sounds like a science project but cuisine has always been about Chemistry (a subject I hated in high school. I prefer my vinegar on a pot of adobo and not on a test tube). Richard uses interesting non-traditional gadgets in the kitchen and unusual techniques. His concoctions are somewhat made from flavors that would you think you wouldn’t go together ( like wasabi and white chocolate in the movie theme challenge) and still his dishes ends among the judges’ favorite if not the winner.

Episode 7’s Quick Fire challenge was all about dessert. Then I heard someone say he is making “Halo-Halo”. It was Dave who was going to prepare this Pinoy traditional dessert. I had no idea Dave grew up in the Philippines. I thought he was Vietnamese. LOL. He did a fine dining twist to the Halo-Halo.

The Halo-Halo was among the three favorites for this challenge. It was a toss between the Halo Halo and Richard’s Banana scallop. Richard won the challenge though.

Personally I like my Halo-Halo simple like the ones at Razon’s. Razon’s Halo-Halo has three ingredients only – macapuno, bananas (saba) and leche flan for topping. I hate beans in Halo-Halo — always thought they didn’t belong there. Beans are veggies. Probably some parent in Philippine history tricked to his/her kids to eat veggies by concealing it in a cold glass of sweet Halo-Halo.

Dale’s Halo-Halo recipe can viewed here.

Filed under: Cuisine , Bravo TV, Dale Talde, dessert, Filipino, Halo-Halo, shaved ice dessert, Top Chef

Random Shots of Happiness

Wake up and smell the roses…

Hmmm. Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chips + Andes Creme de Mente Chocolate Chips equals…

…Chocolate Mint Cookies.

This is how you start a brand new day.

Filed under: C'est La Vie, Cuisine, Joy