Leche Flan Recipe

Leche Flan

A Creamy Flan Treat

It is customary among Filipino households to serve Leche Flan on their dining tables during fiestas, parties and other meaningful festivities. Whenever I see one on the table, it gives me a reason to look forward to having my dessert.  Let’s face it. Most Filipinos have a sweet tooth. Aside from the melt-in-your-mouth creamy custard, the Leche Flan also has a coating of rich caramelized syrup that marvelously drips all the way down to the plate. Arm with a spoon, you can’t help but feel exhilarated to get a taste of this delectable sweetness, inch by inch. This famed dessert is made with a mixture of egg yolks and milk. You may save the egg whites for your next unforgettable dish.  

Now, let’s cook! 🥢

Recipe	Leche Flan
Serving	9
Prep Time	15 minutes
Cooking Time	1 hour and 10 minutes

Ingredients:

For the caramel syrup

◻️ 1 cup of brown granulated sugar

◻️ 3 tbsp of water

For the custard mixture

◻️ 12 pcs of egg yolks

◻️ 1 tsp of vanilla extract

◻️ 1 big can of evaporated milk

◻️ 1 big can of condensed milk 

      (or 2 small cans of condensed milk)

KITCHEN TOOLs:

◻️ 3 regular-sized molds (llaneras) 

      - or any size / shape of mold

◻️ Whisk or mixing spoon

◻️ Aluminum foil

◻️ Fine strainer

◻️ Mixing bowl

◻️ Small pan

◻️ Steamer

◻️ Spoon

Leche Flan's Other Ingredients

InsTructions:

1 Put the pan on the stove. Turn on the burner to medium high. Pour in the sugar and water. Stir the sugar mixture from time to time.

2 Once boiling, lower the flame a bit and constantly stir. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes or so until the sugar totally melts and the color of the syrup changes to golden honey. 

3 Scoop 3 - 4 spoonful of caramel syrup into each of the regular-sized mold (llanera) or 2 - 2 1/2 spoonful of syrup for small mold, depending on how much syrup you want to put inside the mold. Set aside. Wait for the syrup to harden. The hardening process will take about 10 minutes.

4 In a bowl, put in the egg yolks.  Whisk gradually. Don’t over mixed. Pour in the evaporated milk and condensed milk. Mix gradually.  Then, pour in the vanilla extract and mix gently again.

 

5 Get a fine strainer and a new bowl. Using the strainer, filter the mixture into the new bowl, leaving any unmixed egg whites residues behind. This will ensure the fine texture of the custard.

6 When the syrup has hardened, pour the mixture in each mold. Tap the molds a few times to release any presence of air in the custard mixture. Cover the molds with aluminum foil. 

7 Arrange the molds inside the steamer. Place the steamer on the stove and turn on the burner to medium flame. Steam the Leche Flan for about 50 minutes. 

8 To test if the flan is done, open the foil of one of the molds and insert a toothpick into the custard. If the toothpick comes out clean, the flan is done. Turn off the stove. Otherwise, let it steam for another 5 minutes and test again.

9 Let the Leche Flans cool down before chilling them inside the refrigerator. Serve chill and enjoy.

Indeed, Leche Flan will always have a special place in every Filipino’s heart. Time and again, this classic dessert has proven that its exquisite taste is something that one will definitely crave for. Have you ever tried making this kind of dessert? I would love to know your thoughts. 

If you like today's special, you may share this recipe and follow me here on Blogger and Facebook for more free recipes to try and enjoy. 

Till next time! 

Happy Holidays !🎄

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Crispy Dulong Fish Omelette| Dulong Okoy | Tortang Dulong Recipe

Crispy Dulong Okoy | Tortang Dulong

Crispy Fried Yumminess Made from Fresh Dulong Fish (Silver fish)

This dish is so easy to fry as the patties are made thinly so you can enjoy the crunchiness of the omelette in every bite. Yes, they are made from Dulong or Silver fish. Dulong fish are prevalent in the Philippine archipelago. They are caught in hordes like the sardines. Many of them are so tiny, about less than an inch in length, and their color range from silvery to almost transparent. These fish remind me of Bagoong (shrimps/fish paste), only that their smell is far better. I don’t know if my nose is playing a trick on me but I swear I can smell a hint of chicharon aroma coming from them (which, for me, is heavenly as I'm a fan of chicharon), making me want to cook them immediately while  fresh.

Fun Fact!

Did you know that Dulong fish, or Silver fish if you wish to call them, are rich in calcium which makes our bones and teeth strong? Aside from this, they also contain Omega-3 fatty acids which are good for our brain and heart. Plus, they are packed with vitamins A and E that are helpful in the prevention of poor vision and dull skin.

Now, let’s start cooking! 🥢

Dulong Fish

Recipe	Tortang Dulong/ Dulong Okoy (Dulong Fish Omelette)
Serving	8
Prep Time	15 minutes
Cooking Time	45 minutes

For the fish mixture

◻️ 500 g Dulong fish

◻️ 3 tbsp carrot, grated

◻️ 3 tbsp spring onions, chopped (optional) 

◻️ 3 tbsp red onion, minced

◻️ 3 tbsp garlic, grated

◻️ 1/2 tbsp black pepper, ground

◻️ 1/2 tsp Ajinomoto mix

      (or any seasoning mix - optional)

◻️ 4 tbsp all-purpose flour

◻️ 2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

◻️ 1 egg

other ingredient

◻️ 1/2 cup cooking oil

Dulong Okoy Basic Ingredients

◻️ chopping board

◻️ kitchen knife

◻️ frying pan or Wok

◻️ spider strainer or stainless oil drain rack

◻️ mixing bowl

◻️ mixing spoon

◻️ spatula (2 preferably)

1 In a bowl, combine ingredients for the fish mixture. Blend them well together with a spoon. Add the all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Mix them well in the mixture and set aside.

Dulong Fish mixture

2 Put a wok or pan on the stove. Turn on the stove to medium flame. If the burner is on high flame during frying, you might burn the outer part of your omelette way before it is even halfway cooked. Wait until the oil is hot. 

3 Scoop out the fish mixture from the bowl using a spoon. Pour in 3 - 4 spoonful of mixture in the wok or pan, depending on how big you want your patty to be. 

4 Spread the fish mixture evenly to create a thin layer of patty. You can fry around 2 - 3 patties at the same time if you are using a big wok. 

Dulong Fish Patty

5 Let the patties fry for about 2 - 3 minutes then turn it over to its other side by using two spatulas. Let the other side fry for another 2 - 3 minutes.  Remove from the wok or pan. Rest the omelette on an oil drain rack for a few seconds to remove the excess oil before transferring it on a serving plate. You may also use a spider strainer placed on top of an oil strainer pot container to drain the oil from your fried food.

Frying A Dulong Fish Patty

6 Repeat steps 3 - 5 until all the mixture is used up. Serve with ketchup or sweet chili sauce and enjoy.

👍 I find it convenient to use two spatulas, instead of only one, when it’s time to flip the omelette over to its other side during frying.

👍 Also the fish, by itself, is already salty so there’s no need to put salt anymore. It’s up to you if you wish to adjust the taste by seasoning the fish mixture with some salt, but please do it sparingly.

Have you ever tried cooking this dish? I would love to know your thoughts. 

If you like today's special, you may share this recipe and follow me here on Blogger and Facebook for more free recipes to try and enjoy. 

Till next time!

Happy Cooking ! 

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Misua Noodle Soup with Pork Meatballs Recipe

Misua Noodle Soup with Pork Meatballs Recipe

A Perfect Buddy for your Fried Dishes

What else can you complement your fried dishes with, other than having a bowl of misua noodle soup beside your plate?  Misua soup is always a perfect buddy for any fried food on the table. It had been a tradition in our family, when we were kids, to have a hot bowl of misua soup with every fried dish my mom would cook for us. Plus, it is so filling to the tummy that you can just choose to skip eating rice, grab a bowl or two of this noodle soup and your meal is good to go. Misua noodle soup recipe is a popular Filipino dish that contains pork meatballs made from ground pork mixture and shaped into bite-sized goodness. Of course, our main ingredient is the pack of misua noodles. These are thinly salted noodles made from wheat flour. They are also known as wheat vermicelli and originated in China.  On the other hand, patola (loofah or sponge gourd in English translation) is typically the vegetable of choice in cooking this satisfying noodle soup. You can try putting in other vegetables to enrich the flavors, but better cook this dish with patola. For me, this soup will not be the same misua soup that I have come to love all these years (a million thanks to my mom), without this unique flavor that only a humble patola can render to this dish. 

Fun Fact!

Did you know that the sponge gourd or patola has vitamins A and C which are good for our skin? Vitamin A promotes development of healthy skin cells and improves eyesight while vitamin C prevents aging, drying and wrinkling. This amazing vegetable is also good to combat anemia as it contains iron that helps boost oxygen movement in the body and increase production of red blood cells. The list can go on so eat as much sponge gourd or patola as you can from now on.

Now, let’s start cooking! 🥢

Recipe	Misua Noodle Soup with Pork Meatballs
Serving	8
Prep Time	20 minutes
Cooking Time	40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the pork meatball mixture

◻️1/4 kg of ground pork

◻️ 2 1/2 tbsp of carrots, chopped

◻️ 2 tbsp of garlics, chopped

◻️ 2 tbsp of onions, chopped

◻️ 1/2 tsp black pepper, ground

◻️ 1/2 tsp flavor seasoning mix powder

◻️ 180 g (6.35 oz) of misua noodles 

◻️ 1 big patola, thinly sliced

◻️  2 cups of any leafy greens of choice 

       (optional) 

◻️ 1 pc of chicken bouillon or broth cube

◻️ 2 tbsp of onions, chopped

◻️ 2 tbsp of garlic, chopped

◻️ 2 tbsp of  cooking oil

◻️ 2 tbsp of patis (fish sauce)

◻️ 8 cups of water

KITCHEN TOOLs:

◻️ Mixing bowl

◻️ Medium-sized pot

◻️ Spatula

◻️ Teaspoon 

◻️ Mixing spoon

Basic ingredients

InsTructions:

1 In a bowl, combine ground pork, carrots, garlics, onions, black pepper and flavor seasoning mix. Blend them together with a spoon.

2 Fill in a 1-tsp measuring spoon with the ground pork mixture and start forming the mixture into a ball, using your hands. Place the meatball on a tray or any plate / container with a flat surface. 

3 Heat the oil in a medium pot. First, sauté the garlics, followed by the red onions. Pour the water into the pot. Add chicken bouillon or broth cube. Stir the water mixture a bit to loosen the cube and cover the pot. Wait for the broth to boil. 

4 Once the broth is boiling, add the meatballs. Let it cook for another 10 minutes or until you see most of the meatballs are floating on top of the broth. 

5 Add the patola slices and other veggies (if you have). Cook for another 5 - 7 minutes or until the patola slices are tender. For the meantime, add the patis or fish sauce in the broth to give it an Umami flavor. As for the patola, you have to remove its skin first before you slice it thinly into cross sections.

6 Next, add the misua noodles. Simmer for another 3 minutes or until the misua noodles are soft. Adjust the flavor by seasoning the broth with black pepper and patis or salt. Serve hot and enjoy.

♨️TipS !

🍵It turns out that this noodle soup tastes better when you also add in any of your favorite leafy greens right into your cooking pot. I added in before some pechay Baguio (Chinese cabbage in English) in my misua soup and it just tasted awesome. As a matter of fact, my kids liked it so much. You may garnish your misua with spring onions or toasted onions to give it more flavors. 

🍵Also, it is better to put the patola slices in a container or bowl of water so they won’t start to get darkened or oxidized while they are set aside.

🍵The patis (fish sauce) adds an umami flavor to the misua soup. If you have an aversion to patis or fish sauce, you may substitute it with salt. No worries. 

There’s no doubt that this Misua noodle soup dish with pork meatballs is, by itself, a satisfying and filling meal. It is safe to say that it is a complete meal rolled into one as it’s packed with carbohydrate, protein and vitamins essential for a healthy body.  Have you ever tried cooking this kind of dish? I would love to know your thoughts. 

If you like today's special, you may share this recipe and follow me here on Blogger and Facebook for more free recipes to try and enjoy. 

Till next time!

Happy Cooking ! 

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