Happy New Year mula sa Happy Kitchen!

Itinayo noong 1984 ang Amigo Terrace Hotel, isa sa mga pinakamagagandang hotel sa Iloilo City. Matatagpuan ito sa panulukan ng Iznart at Delgado.

Ang Amigo ang naging tahanan ko noong huling pagbisita ko sa Iloilo. Bukod sa malinis at maayos ang mga kuwarto, magagalang at efficient ang staff ng hotel.

Ang isa sa mga nagustuhan ko sa hotel ay ang kanilang buffet breakfast na tinatampukan ng mga Iloilo delicacies tulad ng pancit molo at puto manapla.

Mayroon din silang mga standard na fresh fruit, garlic rice at iba’t ibang luto ng itlog, daing at adobong manok. Masasabi ko na ang aking breakfast experience sa Amigo Terraces Hotel ay isa sa mga hindi ko malilimutan.

Ang kusina ng Amigo Terraces ay pinamamahalaan ng Happy Kitchen.  Noong nakaraang Tabu-an, Western Visayas Ilonggo Heritage Cooking Competiton ay itinanghal ang Happy Kitchen bilang 3rd place para sa over-all championship.

Ang kanilang mga handog na ulam ay mga tradisyonal ngunit may “twist” na lutuin.  Ang team ng Happy Kitchen ay binubuo nina Bengie Ballesteros, Richmond Calambro, Bhen Angelo Zuniega, George Catigan, Greg Delos Reyes , Michael John Camingay, at Juliet Benitez bilang coach.

Ngayong bagong taon, bakit hindi ninyo subukin ang mga natatanging recipe ng Happy Kitchen tulad ng kilawin na mukha ng baboy, ang tradisyonal na pork binakol sa kamias at ang mala-maja blanca na coconut jelly with papaya and pineapple in lemon grass syrup.

(Editor: May tanong, reaksyon o komento ka ba sa artikulong ito?
May nais ba kayong ipasulat o ipatalakay sa Bandera?  I-text ang pangalan, edad, lugar at mensahe sa 09178052374.)

APPETIZER

Kilawin nga mascara sang baboy (Pickled Pork Mask)

Ingredients
1 kg pork boneless head (maskara)
1/4 kg pork liver
1 small can  pork liver spread
1 salted egg
1 tsp brown sugar
Juice from five calamansi
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup tuba vinegar
1 red onion, chopped
1 head garlic, crushed
1 tbsp ginger
Peanuts
Mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot chili pepper and green onion leaves for garnishing

Procedure
Deep fry pork maskara and liver until crispy. Rinse with vinegar and strain. Add calamansi, salt and pepper,onions, garlic and peanuts. Fold in the pork liver spread and mayonnaise. Garnish with salted egg, green onion leaves and hot chilli pepper.

MAIN COURSE

Binakol nga baboy sa iba (Pork binakol in kamias)

Ingredients
1 kg pork ribs
1/4 k kamias
1 cup coconut milk
2 liter coconut water
1 cup coconut meat (fresh buko)
2 stalks, tanglad (lemon grass)
5 medium ripe tomatoes
10 Kutitut (siling labuyo)
Oil for sauteeing
Tomato
Salt and pepper to taste
Green onion leaves for garnishing

Procedure
In a heated casserole add oil. Saute onions, tanglad and tomatoes until it caramelize. Add the pork ribs with coconut milk and simmer in low heat until it is tender. Add the coconut meat and juice and simmer for three minutes. Add kamias and siling labuyo and simmer for another two minutes. Season with salt and pepper. When ready to serve remove the tanglad and garnish with green onion leaves.

DESSERT

Coconut jam nga may dinulce nga kapayas kag pinya sa tanglad (Coconut jelly with papaya and pineapple in lemongrass syrup)

Ingredients
For the coconut jelly
250 ml cream
100 g caster sugar
80 ml hot water
1 tbsp gelatin powder
500 ml shredded coconut

For the papaya and pineapple lemongrass syrup
200 g ripe pineapple, thinly sliced
200 g ripe red papaya, thinly sliced
250 ml water
21 g caster Sugar
1 stalk tanglad, bruised and cut into about 10 cm

Procedure
Coconut jelly
Place the cream and sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. In bowl of hot water dilute the gelatin and simmer in medium heat working quickly until gelatin is dissolved. Add the cream mixture in the gelatin and fold in the coconut cream until well-blended. Strain in a fine sieve. Pour in serving glass containers and individually cover with cling wrap and chill.

Papaya and pineapple in lemongrass syrup
In a saucepan put sugar and water (without stirring it) and add the tanglad. Bring to boil until the mixture turns into a light syrup. Add the papaya and pineapple and simmer for another two to three minutes without stirring it until it thickens. Set aside to cool. To serve, top the chilled coconut jelly with the candied papaya and pineapple.