strawberry ice cream? nope. it’s actually chili flavored ice cream, using small native chili peppers/ wild chili that packs a lot of heat. it’s stunning– sweet and spicy and hot and cold… it’ll make your tastebuds go crazy. 🙂 a surprisingly good twist 🙂
I was planning on posting this next week for Frizztext’s ‘Tagged S- Simple Seaweed Salad’ but plans changed and I decided to pass it off as Tagged R- Raw Recipe. ^^ I simply couldn’t wait to share this recipe on my blog coz it’s been such a long time since I posted one. But this one’s bound to be interesting coz it’s Rare and Refreshing
Lato (Caulerpa lentillifera) is an edible seaweed farmed in the Philippines and in Japan where it is known as umi-budō (海ぶどう) or sea grapes because of its grape-like appearance. Compared to grapes though, they’re pretty tiny and has a mild, very slightly salty taste. The best thing about this seaweed also known as ‘sea caviar’ is probably the texture; it’s robust, watery, a li’l slimy and they pop in your mouth while you eat ‘em. Fun. ^^ They are known to be a rich source of essential minerals such as iron, iodine, and calcium as well as vitamins A and C.
Lato is usually sold fresh and eaten raw. Be warned that this seaweed with its delicate structure tends to wilt quickly. Hence, careful handling is required. Unlike most seaweeds, it’s impossible to dry and preserve the Lato. Also, cleaning it with bare hands requires effort and plenty of patience on the part of the market vendors. Nevertheless, they’re quite inexpensive. The great thing about preparing the salad is that it’s pretty easy and doesn’t take much of your time. ^^
First of course is that you have to wash the Lato well. Salted water may be used.
Then mix the seaweed with chopped onions or shallots, chopped tomatoes, and the vinaigrette of your choice. (vinegar with some salt and sugar usually works best). However, be sure to add the vinaigrette just before eating the salad unless of course you wanna end up with a dish of shriveled seaweed. lol ^^
I prefer my Lato salad with just some calamansi (a local citrus fruit) and plenty of sesame seeds. (shown above). Another dish to try if you ever find yourself in my part of the world 😉
xo
I have one obsession this summer… HALO- HALO!
halo-halo from max’s
halo-halo from Biggs Diner
halohalo from chowking
‘Halo’ is a Tagalog word that means mix. And one can easily see why this favorite Filipino summer dessert was named as such ^^ Usually served in a bowl or in a tall glass, halo-halo consists of a mixture of shaved ice, evaporated milk, ube (purple yam) and leche flan. It contains a colorful blend of preserved fruits (nata de coco, sugar palm fruit, macapuno) and fresh fruits (bananas, jackfruit), and sweet beans (kidney beans, garbanzos, red beans). It also has gulaman, tapioca, and of course, a scoop or two (or three) of ice cream on top. It is sprinkled with fragrant pinipig (crushed young rice) and sugar, sometimes even shredded cheese.
Halo-halo is widely available in most restaurants here in the Philippines, even in fast food chains. Summers here are sweltering so they’re everywhere. Matter of fact, you can even get a cheaper version of Halo-halo from street vendors that use different ingredients such as thin slices of ripe mango and gulaman on shaved ice. It’s also pretty easy to make halo-halo at home. ^^ All you have to do is purchase some milk, ice cream and jars of dried fruits, sweet beans, etc from the grocery store. That way, you‘re able to control the portions.
When I was a kid, I’d make my own halo-halo filled with lotsa kaong, macapuno, and nata de coco – all my favorites – so I kinda end up having a snowy white halo-halo instead of the typically colorful one ^^
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Culture
Tagged Q ~ Quench the Thirst
Last year our Christmas eve was pretty silent. Some relatives living abroad weren’t able to make it. There was too much food, too little to do 😦 So unlike Christmas Eve 2010 when the whole family’s there… We all dressed up in green, each one trying to outdo the other.lol And we wrote our names down in little pieces of paper for our little Monito Monita/ Exchange gifts. To me Christmas Eve with family means a lot of things and one of the words that I can’t help but associate with the season is FOOD —- like LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of it. We eat like the world’s about to end.lol In fact, I feel like I eat more on Christmas Eve than the rest of the year combined. Oh boy.. ^^ Below are photos from Christmas Eve 2010.
lechon / roasted pig — a must in every huge Filipino festivity ^^
chef wang — kind enough to work overtime and spend Christmas eve with our family
palabok or rice noodles with shrimp gravy, seafood, pork cracklings and deep fried pork and eggs
cordon bleu
shrimp tempura
steamed fish by mommy (my grandma)
rellenong bangus — milkfish stuffed and deep fried
chicken stuffed and baked
embutido — ground meat stuffed
crema de fruta
mixed buttered veggies — an attempt to have “something healthy”– as if! lol
lumpia 2 variations fresh and fried aka spring rolls
caldereta — beef stew with tomatoes, carrots and potatoes. i know it looks gross but it’s yummy!!! my specialty
buko salad – young coconut strips with condensed milk, cream, preserved fruits
gulaman/ gelatine
By the time you reach the end of this post, you’re prolly already suffering from a stroke. ^^
Here’s my happy news… This year, the family’s complete again– well almost.. we’re doing exchange gifts again and dress up in green and it’ gonna be awesome! ^^
see and share how Christmas is celebrated all over the world at Sunday Post by Jake
Merry Christmas from my fam’ly to yours 🙂
The Eclectic Eccentric 