Sprouted Mung Bean and Sweet Bell Pepper Salad

The sprouted mung beans (from an experiment) have grown so lush, about 2 inches tall. I didn't want to throw them nor let them grow as big as the full grown ones. I tasted them first, they're fine, not grassy nor bitter and the stems are crunchy.

I mixed them with sweet yellow and orange bell peppers. I made a Korean style dressing: garlic, spring onions, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, salt and the most important ingredient, Korean sesame seed oil. I love it, it's delicious and very simple to prepare, no blanching required as the leaves are very tender. I think I'll make this salad regularly. I'm also considering sprouting adzuki and soy beans. My SIL suggested soft wheat but found out the calories are 200% more than mung and soy beans but will try it for the taste which she says is nutty.

dessert: Champagne grapes, aged Gouda and Manchego cheeses, homemade pistachio turron

Pancit Luglug

It's not easy making vegetarian pancit luglug but I tried anyway using tofu puffs and just 1 tablespoon of fish sauce for flavoring. I didn't use soy sauce as it will alter the taste of this Filipino dish. With other seasonings, boiled eggs, green onions and calamansi, puede na, it's not bad, I really like it. It's very light I had a large serving. It's a good thing our Philippine grocer sells these frozen calamansi in individual packets, very convenient. I can do without prawns and chicharon but not without calamansi and patis.

Tortang Talong And Salted Eggs/Tomato Salad

tortang talong with Jufran, don't you just love this vivid red banana ketchap? I do

I have a few Asian eggplants to make torta using tvp instead of ground beef. First cook the eggplant: pierce eggplant skin all over then grill over stovetop fire until skin is charred, place in a glass container, cover with plastic wrap, set aside to cool. Prepare the vegemeat filling: soak 1/2 cup tvp in 1/2 hot water mixed with 2 TBS kikkoman, set aside. Saute 2 crushed garlic clove and finely chopped half onion in 1 TBS olive oil until onion is soft and cooked. Add tvp and saute until heated through and excess liquid has evaporated. Cool slightly, then add 1 egg. Remove skin from eggplants, then flatten. Beat well 2 - 3 eggs, heat pan, spread 2 TBS beaten egg, put 1 flattened eggplant over egg, spread 3 TBS vegemeat over the eggplant, fry for 2 minutes on medium heat, spread another 2 TBS egg beside the eggplant and carefully flip the eggplant onto the egg, fry for another 1 -2 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the eggplants and vegemeat. You can also make this without meat filling and serve as a side dish.

chilled salad of salted eggs and tomatoes

Bibingka

I made bibingkas because I have some kesong puti (white cheese) and 2 salted eggs, ingredients for topping bibingka. I used rice flour (instead of soaking rice overnight and grinding it in the food processor) and lined the pans in banana leaves for that authentic Filipino flavor. I estimated the proportions and although the rice cakes are yummy, they don't have the same pillow softness of Ferino's. Maybe I should use less liquid, mostly coconut milk, butter and eggs, to make them more cakey. The white cheese, which I love in hot pandesal (buns) for breakfast, is good but they can't compare with the Los Baños kesong puti. I'm going to make putong puti and putong ube next.