Sesame Barbecue Cruncher

Usually, I stay at home alone during this limbo land-esque destiny for non-post grad students during the wait for the board exam results. Usually, too, I just buy my lunch from the local canteens. But yesterday, I decided to cook, for a change. I rilly missed the kitchen craft, and I rilly missed eating healthy as well, so I thought I’d experiment with some local ingredients. I came up with a really easy and quite affordable yet exquisitely palatable recipe using leftover barbecue from dinner the night before.

Ingredients (for 2-3 servings):

• A tablespoon of vegetable oil
• A tablespoon of butter
• A bulb of white onion, sliced
• A dash of salt and pepper
• A tablespoon of sesame oil
• 2 pork barbecues, cooked (grilled) and separated into pieces
• 3 bouquets of pechay, chopped as desired
• A handful of green beans (Baguio beans or bitsuwelas chopped as preferred)
• 2 red and 1 green bell peppers (or as many or little as desired), squared
• 2-3 pieces of tofu, quartered, seasoned (try Aji Ginisa Flavor Mix!) and fried in vegetable oil
• Optional: Red or green chili peppers, finely chopped for a spicier dish

Steps:

1. Caramelize the onion in the vegetable oil and butter with a dash of salt.
2. Add the sesame oil and sautee the barbecue pieces. Add the optional red or green chili peppers here.
3. One at a time, toss in the pechay then the beans then the bell peppers. Season with salt and pepper and/or a mix (I used the family’s favorite Aji Ginisa). You can add the bell peppers earlier, say after the sesame oil, but I added it second to last for an extra crunchy mix. Adding some water, about half a cup, can make the dish richer in sauce. Just flavor it as necessary.
4. Lastly, add the tofu. Toss a little, and serve warm paired with white rice.

And the verdict? It yields smoky, crunchy and flavor-packed bites – just a great feast for the mouth. I know it says that the recipe serves two to three people, but I was able to consume it all for myself during my lunch and my afternoon merienda. Now I know it may seem quite unhealthy, what with all the oils, but the right, healthy choices and the little portions do the trick. The dish is also highly rich in the “dark green leafy,” the variety of protein sources (meat, tofu and beans) and antioxidants from the peppers. Try it for yourselves! And don’t be afraid to experiment with other ingredients!

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Tipidums Recipe No.2: Microwave-Baked Buttered Meatballs

One exhausting, fateful day, I get home and was tasked to cook up some dinner. We had some meatballs in the freezer and I was supposed to steam them. I thought, what would that taste like? I mean, it had no added flavor or anything. And so, I decided to bake them, with what little ingredients we had lying around at home. And the finished product was quite exquisite.

*I'm very sorry for the lack of a high-res photo. This was taken using my age-old phone cam.

I put the meatballs in an oven-safe bowl, topped it with some crushed garlic, diced red onions, some salt and pepper and covered the whole dish with lots of butter. To add a more gourmet feel, I also topped it with the grated Parmesan cheese lying around the house. I popped it in the microwave on medium high for 5 minutes, then on high for 3 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown. Voila! These microwave-baked buttered meatballs were a big hit with my siblings, mom and dad. It was very gourmet yet very inexpensive and easy to make. Try it for yourself!

The meatballs may be bought in your deli market if any are available. Or you can choose to make your own by balling a mixture of ground beef and/or pork (yes, you can combine them), salt and pepper and an egg. You can also incorporate some veggies like tiny diced carrots and your chosen greens or other spices.

Tipidums Score: a perfect 5