Sago at Gulaman

I'm in a Filipino mood. Been somewhat craving summer treats from the motherland. Summer days equals air conditioning and ice cold refreshing drinks. I'm digging deep down into my roots and sharing with you a classic treat. This is a common drink served by street vendors with their homemade foods. Sold for less than P5 per cup. Pesos. That's like a few US cents. I'm horrible with exchange rates, but I know it's considerably really cheap. You'd also find this at any, if not most, Filipino gatherings.

Every time I visit The Peach Kitchen, a fantastic blog that is run by Peachkins, I'm always reminded of the foods I grew up on. I did grow up in Los Angeles, I'm fortunate that there's so many stores and restaurants and parties that serve and make foods from the Philippines. On one of her recent posts (here) I saw a picture of a large container of this delicious drink and took it upon myself to make some. Actually, it's been on my agenda of things to make, but I've just finally had to push myself to make it. Besides, this is a "hot weather" drink.

Sago at Gulaman, which in English is translated to tapioca pearls and agar jelly, is served in a simple syrup as a shaved ice dessert or as a refreshing drink.


Sago (sa-go) are practically the same stuff you'd find in boba. Cooking tapioca pearls is a bit of a process. Not hard. It just takes a bit of time. There are three ways you can to do them:

1. Boiling the pearls the day before waiting 12 hours, boiling them again and wait another three hours or more before serving.
2. Boiling the pearls for 2 hours straight (constantly stirring)
3. Buy the "ready made in syrup" kind.

Option 2 and 3 are for those who can't wait that long and don't have much time. But you can still do the first one even if you have a time limit. Knowing me, I'll take option 1 and 2. For some reason, I feel like I'm cheating if I use option #3. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just how I roll. I've got some time anyway. Besides, this drink isn't hard to make. You just want the tapioca pearls for be really soft ad slightly firm and tender at the center.

Gulaman (gu-la-man) is a type of firm jelly made from agar-agar, which is process seaweed. Many Asian countries use them as well. You can use jello, but the consistency won't be the same. Or you can omit it all together. It's up to you. You can find them in three varieties:

1. The canned version, which is the jelly already made and preserved in syrup. The other side had an the English name of it. It didn't occur to me to picture the other side until I threw the can away. I think it had "ai jar jelly" written on it. I spiked it with a couple drops of banana extract.


2. A dry seaweed block. Similar to the consistency of nori sheets, but in different colors.

3. The boxed version like jello.

I took option 1. It's what I'm used to using. It's also has to be unflavored. You can these two items in many Asian markets.

There's really no special way to serve this. Put the tapioca pearls and agar jelly in a cup. Mix it with some simple syrup (brown sugar and water) and have it as a shaved ice dessert or as a iced drink. Eat it the tapioca pearls with a spoon or if you can get your hands on one of those jumbo straws.

I have one of those manual hand crank ice shavers. That thing it probably close to 20-years-old and still works like a charm. *knock on wood* It's like a workout just getting a cup-worth of ice shavings, but I'm happy to put the effort into it. Burn a calorie or two and add it back on with a sweet drink. The ice melts when I drizzle the syrup over creating instant liquid.

You can make a large batch for a party, too. I guess you can call it the Filipino version of the punch bowl because it's usually served in large containers. I've put the instruction for those who are adventurous to try the making the tapioca pearls the old fashioned way.

Easy-peasy and minutes to make that will satisfy the sweet tooth. It's a refreshing drink that beats the heat any day.



Sago at Gulaman

Sago (Tapioca Pearls):
8oz tapioca pearls
2 1/2 liters water

Gulaman (Agar Jelly):
12 oz agar jelly or jello (unflavored)
a couple drops of Banana extract

Simple Syrup:
1 c Brown sugar
1 1/2 water


(Note: you can also speed up the process by boiling the tapioca balls for 2 hours straight or until all or most of the white starch has disappeared. Be sure to stir occasionally to keep them from sticking. Make sure to replenish the water to prevent them from burning. Put into a container filled with water to cool them before serving.)


Bring the 2 1/2 liters of water to a boil. Add in the tapioca pearls and let them cook for 15 min. Stir constantly to keep them from sticking.

It will look like this after the first cooking. Still small, but a bit plump.

Drain and remove from pot. Rinse them in cold water to cool them down, then put them in a container full of water and let it rest for at least 12 hours or over night.

Slightly plumper.

Then boil them again with another 2 1/2 liters of water for 10 min. Rinse them in cold water to cool and then put them in a container full of water and let it rest for 3 hours in the fridge or until all the white parts have disappeared.

Fully grown. Doubled in size.

Putting it all together:
Cut the jelly into square chunks. Size is your choice. Add a couple drops of banana extract and gently mix. Set aside.

Make the simple syrup by bringing the 1 1/2 c water to a boil. Add the brown sugar and stir occasionally. You want all the granules to dissolve. Let it cool completely before using.

Take a large cup or drinking glass and place some of the tapioca pearls and agar jelly. Top with some shaved ice or or regular ice and drizzle in some of the simple syrup. Add water, if needed

Note: If not using all the cooked tapioca pearls, keep them soaked in water in the fridge or they will harden and stick to each other.

Caramelized Onion Crostini

For some reason when it's unreasonably hot outside, I'm not in the mood to talk or write much. I just feel like vegging out. Here's a little idea for a crostini. Me and my appetizers, right? Okay, its some caramelized sweet onion mixed into a balsamic vinegar reduction placed over a piece of swiss cheese and a garlic flavored crostini made from a pan de sal mini loaf. Phew...that was a mouthful. Try saying that ten times fast! Oh and a sprinkle pinch of grated parmesan on top.

You can use whichever bread you desire. Traditionally, a crostini is made from slices of a french baguette. This is a great way to start the meal.

This recipe will generally make about a dozen. It's a good snack or meal in itself. Either way, it's a yummy time!



Caramelized Onion Crostini

1 medium sweet onion (sliced into half moons)
1 Tbsp dry thyme
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 french baguette (cut into 1/2 slices)
Olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
Garlic powder
Swiss cheese slices (cut into sizable pieces for the bread)
grated parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 350˚F

Baste both sides of the the bread slices with some olive oil and sprinkle a little garlic powder over them.

Place them on an ungreased baking sheet and toast them for roughly 5-10 min.

In a sauce pan, melt the butter and heat the oil. Add in the onions. Cook them until they slightly turn brown in color. Season with the dry thyme. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Using that same pan, add in the balsamic vinegar. Heat it until it slightly thickens. Add in the onions once again and stir, coating them.

Putting it together:
Take a crostini place one of the cheese slices on top followed by some of the onion. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of parmesan on top and voila!

Pita Pizza #2: Sweet & Sour

Here's part 2 from the leftover goodies from my fridge and pantry. If you haven't seen part-1: Pita Pizza #1: Sausage. Check it out. Number 2 is a a sweet and sour pita pizza. It's a take on the pineapple and Canadian bacon pizza. Just minus the bacon, but full of fresh garlic.

I still had some sweet and sour sauce left. The nice thing about that sauce is that it keeps for a long time due to the vinegar. I had gotten a fresh pineapple from the grocery from last weekend that had just gotten ripe and cheese. It was perfect timing. Simple, easy and only takes minutes to put together.

All I can say is that it's really good. The sweet and sour sauce blends perfectly with the pineapple and cheese. The garlic adds a nice touch to it. I love my garlic. Have your favorite drink on hand because this is too good to not try.

Serves 1 or 2.



Sweet & Sour Pita Pizza

1 large pita bread
1/3 c sweet and sour sauce
1/2 c pineapple tidbits
1 c shredded mozzarella
2 large garlic clove (minced)


Preheat oven to 400˚F
Spread the sweet and sour sauce on the pita bread leaving room around the edge for the crust.

Top with the pineapple then cheese and garlic.

Baked for 10 min.

Pita Pizza #1: Sausage

For those of you who saw the little previews I posted yesterday, here's part 1 of 2. As you may know by now, I like to use up any leftovers I may have in the fridge and pantry.

I had a craving of tacos, but I didn't have any ground beef. Oh well. Next time. I have plans to recreate one of my favorite Taco Bell items. And it's a supreme with a nice crunch that's wrapped!!

So, what were the leftovers for this dish: sour cream, red leaf lettuce, that huge Hickory Farms beef sausage stick (it's finally dwindled down to a nub), sweet onion, cheese (mozzarella and parmesan), wheat pita bread.

This is a tomatoless pizza. I used the sour cream as the base and piled everything else on top. The pita has a nice crunch when bite into it. Almost like a thin crust. Mmmmm... An super easy weeknight dinner. Tune in tomorrow for part-2. But for now, sit back, relax and grab yourself a can of pop or a bottle of beer and please enjoy part-1.

Serves 1-2.



Sausage Pita Pizza

1 Large Pita Bread
3 Tbsp Sour Cream
1/4 c sausage (minced)
1/4 c sweet onion (chopped)
1/2 c shredded lettuce
grated parmesan
shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven 400˚F

Spread the sour cream on the pita leaving room for the crust. Top it with the onion, sausage, lettuce, a couple handfuls of parmesan and mozzarella.

Bake for 10 min

Kreativ Blogger

Really? Am I a Kreativ Blogger? I never really thought of it as anything else, but a way for me to share my cooking and baking experiments with you, the reader, a la Dr. Frankenstein mode. Me in my little laboratory (the kitchen) and proclaiming "IT'S ALIVE!!!!!" This blog has definitely come a long way since it's birth in March. Though, I've been blogging for a few years with The Misadvenutres of Little J. I'm wondering where this melancholic mood of mine came from. Now I know. I think it a bad idea be listening to Radiohead while trying to write a food post because now it's putting me in a very nostalgic frame of mind. Wait...okay, now it's Poker Face by Lady Gaga. Very catchy. Nice beat. Good for working out. (singing: *Po-Po-Po-Poker Face, Po-Po-Poker Face. Mum mum mum mah*) Much better.

Early this week, Kamran from The Sophisticated Gourmet passed along this award to me. Thanks, Kamran! Folks, here's a young bright fellow, who's new to the food blogging world, yet he's already made some fantastic meals right off from the start. I can see him going far with it. He's definitely got a fan right here. Keep it up! You must check out his blog. Go after reading this!!!! I'm serious. ;-)



Of course, some awards have RULES to abide by. What was that saying? Rules are meant to be broken. Well, in this case, I'll just stick with them. Besides, they aren't that hard. The rules are as follows:

1. Thank the person who has given you the award
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog
3. Link to the person who has nominated you for the award
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate
7. Leave a comment on which of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated.


I've posted 7, no wait 14 things about myself already here and here. Just my those 14 things alone you can practically know who I am.

Now the 7 recipients for this award. I've love to give this to everyone, but rules are rules and only choosing a few makes it a tougher decision. But I love all those who come and visit my blog every day. Makes doing this a lot more fun. Don't be a stranger and say "Hi". I'm pint-sized and wouldn't hurt a fly, so I won't bite.

In no particular order:

Kim from The Ungourmet
Miranda from My Food and Life Encounters
Finsmom from Latest Addictions
Heavenly Housewife from Donuts to Delirium: My Life as a Housewife
Dara from Cookin' Canuck
Zerrin from Give Recipe
Mel from Bouchon for Two

So, that's the seven. Finally, here's a little preview of what you'll be seeing the next two day. It's a 2-parter. Ooooooo... Does this whet your appetite or what???????

Teaser #1

Teaser #2

Chicken Parmesan Pita Sammies

I love chicken parmesan. I remember having it once in a sandwich and well...it wasn't the best thing I ever ate. And I'm saying that nicely. This had occured many years ago and I haven't had it since. Now I'm replacing that "not-so-great" memory with a good, better and tastier one with my version of the chicken parmesan pita sammie.

Baked the chicken in the oven with melted mozzarella and made a simple marinara sauce. Placed it in a warm pita bread with a bed of red leaf lettuce inside.

This will make 4 sammies.



Chicken Parmesan Pita Sammies

2 pita rounds (cut in half)
1 large chicken breast (cut into chunks) or 4 chicken tenders
1 large egg
3 Tbsp milk
2 c panko crumbs
salt
pepper
1 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 c shredded mozzarella
pieces of red leaf lettuce

Preheat your oven to 400˚F

Pat the chicken dry of any water. Season all sides with some salt and pepper.

In two separate dishes 1-beat egg and combine with milk 2-panko crumbs mixed with 1 c of the parmesan cheese.. Coat the chicken pieces with the egg mix. Wiggle off any excess, then coat with the panko crumbs and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake for 20 min. Flip after about 10 min for an even browning. 2-3 min before removing from the oven, top the chicken with the shredded mozzarella and the remain half of the parmesan.

Remove from the oven and let it rest.

Note: you may also pan fry the chicken strips for 3-5 min on a medium flame.


Quick Marinara Sauce:
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1/2 small sweet onion (diced)
salt
pepper
1 large garlic clove (minced)
1 Tbsp dry thyme
1 Tbsp dry basil
1 Tbsp dry oregano
Olive oil
1 fresh tomato diced (optional)

In a sauce pan, heat a small drizzle of oil and saute the garlic and onions until they are tender and slightly translucent.

Add the tomato sauce and optional diced tomato. Season with some salt and pepper, then add in the thyme, basil and oregano. Stir well and bring the sauce to a simmer. Remove from heat and cover until ready to use.


Putting it all together:
Wrap the pita bread in foil and warm in the oven for a few minutes.

Take one of the halves of the pita bread and open it. Layer some of the lettuce pieces at the bottom. This will be like a bedding for the sauce and chicken. Take some of the sauce them place a piece of the chicken on top. Do the same with the other three.

Enjoy!

Sugar Cookie with Lemon-Pom Icing

I had all day, Wednesday, to rest and relax. Although, me being me...I just can't sit still and do nothing. I have to keep myself busy some way some how. My solution was to bake something. I remember in the sixth grade my teacher had made some sugar cookies for our class. I pestered...no I kindly asked her for the recipe, which she eventually gave to me after a while.

I changed it up a bit. Doubled on the vanilla extract and used cake flour instead of all purpose. The cookies had a nice consistency of almost cake-like. It was pretty neat. I paired it with a spread of a lemon-pomegranate icing.

Makes close to 3 dozen cookies. I can't really say how much as I munched on them while I was still making them. No one can resist the power of a cookie!



Sugar Cookie with Lemon Pom Frosting

Cookie:
1 c unsalted butter
1 1/s c granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 c cake flour

Preheat you oven to 375˚F

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg then add in the vanilla extract and milk.

Mix in the flour mixture and combine well.

Scoop out a teaspoon worth onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Bake for 5-10 min or the until the edges had slightly browned. Let them cool completely before spreading the icing.


Lemon-Pomegrante icing:

4 Tbsp cream cheese
6 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
zest of 1 lemon (optional)
2 Tbsp Pomegranate Juice

Combine all ingredients together.

Spread a nice layer over the cookie.