Foot and Fire

I have a handful of walnut on my pantry mixed with a few almonds so I looked for a recipe utilizing them. This vegan dish is a perfect try and I got some frozen flatbread/pita so try I did right away. Persians have many versions of this recipe but the foundation is the walnut & eggplants. 4T olive oil 1 big white onion 200g walnut, ground to paste 400g panfried eggplant 1t cinnamon 1/2 t turmeric 1/2 t black pepper 2T tomato paste  4T muscuvado + 2T lime juice 200g ice cube In a pan, saute onion in oil until trasluscent. Add the ground walnut, and continue to stir for 5 minutes. Add the pan-fried eggplants and mix well. Add the three spices. In a bowl mix tomato paste, muscuvado sugar and lime juice, add a bit of water to thin the paste. Add to the walnut mixture. Mix well. Add the ice cubes to shock the walnut & emit its natural oil. Let cook for 20 minutes to reduce. Serve over rice or with bread. Notes: Pomegranate molasses is in the o...

From Left to right: A salty gravy which must be made of fish; roasted beans; fried garlic slices, small dried shrimps, and a dish like laing (made of gabi tubers with salty fish) or this must be the pickled tea leaves, I am not sure. These are complimentary to the orders of Rice and fish/meat, and served as dips for raw and steamed vegetables. ***  The yellowing leaves are tough but they were served steamed, must be tree leaves; the miniature eggplants which were steamed, raw carrots, raw calamansi leaves, and another steamed green leaves, must be the tops of squash or sayote. These are dipped in the condiments and serve as side dish for the main dish of rice and fish/meat. I tried tearing up the calamnsi leaves and mix with my rice, they make my rice fragrant and savory, just like our pandan leaves. Another idea in serving rice! ***  A soup made of potato, sweet potato or squash.  Very thin one so that I cannot really identify. *** Two more saucers of red, which is mild ...

By GERLIE M. UY Mongo Soup with the green leafy vegetable called Lupo 1 cup mongo water 2 cloves garlic crushed 1 onion, quartered 2 ripe tomatoes, quartered Water dried fish (or dried shrimp) salt 250 gms squash, cubed 2 eggplants, sliced in half lengthwise and quartered 6 cups lupo Boil Mongo in enough water until tender. Mash. Set aside In another soup pot, saute garlic, onion and then tomatoes. Add water and the mashed mongo. Add dried fish. Bring to boil. Add salt to taste. Add quash and eggplant. Let cook. Adjust taste with fish sauce, if preferred. While boiling, add the lupo and cover pot with lid. Remove from fire. Serve hot with rice and fried dreied fish on the side.

By GERLIE M. UY For Fries: 2 sweet potatoes, peeled cut lengthwise 1/8 of a medium squash, peeled and cut lengthwise canola oil for deep fry iodized salt for seasoning Heat the oil. deep fry the sweet potatoes and the squash. Serve with tomato ketchup. ***** For Grilled Eggplant, Pasta and sauce 5 pcs long eggplants, cut into half vertically and horizontally. If too thick, slice vertically once more until desired thickness. Tip: Not too thin as it will shrink after grilling. Also, immerse in water to avoid discoloration. Just before grilling, sprinkle with rock salt and dry or fresh basil leaves. Pan grill but put a small amount of olive oil. 1kg spaghetti, cook as package direction 1T of olive oil 3 cloves garlic, chopped Drain a 200g canned green peas 1/2 cup of slice black olives Grilled eggplant 1kl Tomato Sauce (I used the sweet Filipino Style as my eaters are not accustomed to the three-cheeses and italian-style version and the advantage here is that I am no longer putting sugar...

We had a Persian Dinner in an obscure resto in Quezon City and we loved their offering. Here are the photos of the food we had. Lamb kebab must be. Hummus or Tahini is so pasty and goes well with the flat bread.  Yogurt Shake to shake off the spiciness.      Baklava. I'm dreaming of having Baklava again. This sweet crusty nutty layers are so memorable and best paired with tea. Shall make one in the future.

By GERLIE M. UY The spaghetti served with saltine crackers.  500gms spaghetti 1 T canola and 1 T olive oil 3 big cloves of garlic, chopped 1 big white onion, chopped 1 cup beef broth (or beef and mushroom in tomato sauce) 1 cup carrots, cubed 1 cup eggplant, cubed 1 T basil leaves (or Italian herbs) salt and ground pepper 500 gms sweet style tomato sauce 100ml cream grated cheese Cook Spaghetti according to package direction. Saute garlic and onions, add carrots and eggplants. Stir-fry and herbs. Add broth and tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let cook for 8 minutes and add cream and let cook for another 2 minutes. Add spaghetti and cheese. Remove from fire and serve with crackers. Sauteeing  the vegetables... The yummy vegetable spaghetti Up close and personal. DISCLAIMER: HAVING YOUR TONGUE OUT IS NOT THE  RESULT OF EATING THIS SPAGHETTI!

By GERLIE M. UY Bamboo Shoot or Tambo is made into pickle or achara. 24 cups young bamboo shoot, matchstick 1 liter can vinegar  Reserved pineapple juice Spices: salt and ground pepper 5-6 cups brown sugar 3-4 thumbs of ginger, matchstick 1 whole clove of garlic, crushed and sliced 5-6 medium red onions, sliced lengthwise turmeric powder Vegetables: 20 -24  pieces Stringbeans, 1 inch long 2-3 pcs eggplant, sliced lengthwise into eight and cut crosswise, abou 1 inch long 6 -8 pcs medium carrots, matchstick 1 300ml pineapple chunks (juice reserved) Glass Jars for storing  Prepare the bamboo shoot by blanching the same in boiling water for about five minutes. Drain and Set aside.   In a wok, put the vinegar, pineapple juice, and all the spices. Blend with wooden laddle to dissolve sugar. Cook in medium to to high heat for about 15 minutes. Let boil until the liquid tastes sweet, sour and spicy. Adjust taste with salt and pepper. Add the vegetables. Cover and let c...

By GERLIE M. UY 1 kilo eggplants, cut lengthwise into two  and cut crosswise into 6-inch long Italian dry herbs (oregano, basil etc) 1 T ground pepper 2 T rock salt 1/2 t chicken powder (optional) 1/2 cup canola oil for deep frying  Toppings 1/3 of small block of shredded quickmelt cheese ketchup  In a bowl, mix the first five ingredients. Let stand for five minutes for flavors to sit in.   Heat oil and fry the eggplants, at least 1 minute on each side or until well done. While frying another batch of eggplants, spread cheese and ketchup over fried eggplants arranged in the platter. Cheese. Cheese and ketchup.   Place atop the first batch of fried eggplant the second batch and spread cheese and ketchup again. repeat procedure until all eggplants are fried.  Make sure to put cheese and ketchup on top of it all for presentation.  Serve hot in pair with boiled rice... related post. eggplant salad.