Adobo and Brie Lumpia

Preparation Time: 10 minutes (to make adobo) 20 minutes (to make lumpia)

Cooking Time: 4 hours to cook adobo, ten minutes to fry lumpia

Serving Size: 6-8 people

This recipe combines two Pinoy favourites: lumpia and adobo.

Ingredients

½ kilo chicken pieces ¼ cup red wine vinegar ¼ cup red wine ¼ cup soy sauce 3 cups water 2 heads garlic, peeled Peppercorns, crushed 1 bunch tarragon Brown sugar, to taste 2 bay leaves Brie cheese Lumpia wrapper (small size) Honey

Preparation1. Put all ingredients, except for the brie, honey,

and, of course, the lumpia wrapper, in a big cooking pot. Do not stir.

2. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer.3. Simmer for 4 hours on low heat or until the

chicken meat is falling off the bone. 4. Shred chicken.5. At this point, you can store chicken in the

fridge overnight if you’re using it the next day or you can go straight to the next step.

6. Add shredded chicken to lumpia wrapper and add a sliver of brie. Wrap as you would a regular cheese stick and set aside. Repeat until you finish all the chicken and brie.

7. Deep fry until wrapper is golden brown and brie is melted. 

8. Serve with honey and adobo sauce as dipping sauces.

Sticky Hoisin Liempo (Pork Belly)

Photo by Joey de Larrazabal-Blanco

Preparation time: 5 minutes, plus 30 minutes-1 hour marinating time

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Serving Size: 2-3 people

Ingredients

500 grams grill-cut pork belly (liempo), about 1-cm in thickness, cut into 2-inch lengths

2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons sugar Vegetable oil for frying A couple of sprigs cilantro (wansoy) and green

onions/chives for garnish

Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, hoisin, and

sugar.

2. In a pyrex dish, or any dish that you can place in

the fridge, lay the liempo (pork belly) in one layer and pat dry with paper towels.

3. Pour half the hoisin mixture on the liempo. Turn

the liempo in the marinade making sure all pieces are evenly coated. Marinade for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Keep the other half of the hoisin mixture for basting later.

4. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add enough

vegetable oil so a thin layer coats the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the liempo pieces in one layer.  Do not overcrowd the pan. Do this in batches if necessary. Fry on one side for about 3-4 minutes and then flip. Baste the cooked side with the reserved hoisin mixture.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes more or until just cooked through. Flip again and baste the newly cooked side with more reserved hoisin mixture. Remove from pan and repeat with the remaining liempo.

5. Arrange the liempo on a serving dish and sprinkle

with chopped green onions and cilantro for garnish.

Tuna Quesadillas

Cooking Time: 10 minutes Serving Size: 4-6 people

You can also multiply the recipe to serve as appetizers for a party. If you like things spicy, place a few shakes of hot sauce inside the quesadillas before toasting/grilling; otherwise, serve the hot sauce on the side.

Ingredients 6 pieces small tortilla wrappers 2 180-gram cans of tuna, drained 6-7 small native tomatoes, about 350 grams, chopped 1 medium white onion, chopped 175-gram box of cheese, grated Salt and pepper

To serve:

Sour cream Hot sauce

Preparation

1. Mix the tomatoes and onions in a bowl. Season

with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. Take one piece of tortilla wrapper and spread

some tuna on it. Top with some tomato and onion mixture. Then top this with some grated cheese. Place another piece of tortilla on top. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. You will not use all the tomatoes and onions. Save this for later.

3. Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium high heat.

When the pan is hot, place one quesadilla on the pan and press down on it with a turner. When the underside is slightly toasted and the cheese has started to melt, use the turner to flip the quesadilla. Press down on the toasted side with your turner and cook until the other side is likewise toasted and the cheese has melted. Remove from the pan and repeat with the rest of the quesadillas you’ve assembled.

4. When all the quesadillas are done, slice each into

quarters and serve with any leftover tomato and onion mixture, sour cream, and hot sauce on the side.

Mexican Shrimp with Red Bean and Quinoa Salad

Photo by Joey de Larrazabal-BlancoPreparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves: 3-4

I used shrimp for this one instead of pork or beef, and replaced the rice or tortilla wrappers with a fresh and sprightly red bean and quinoa salad. This dish is packed with protein! You can use homemade or store-bought taco seasoning but adjust the amount accordingly as each mix is different and some are saltier than others.

Ingredients 3 cups cooked quinoa 3 small tomatoes, about 150 grams total weight,

chopped 1/2 small red onion, chopped 1 cob of cooked corn, about 275 grams peeled weight 1 400-gram can of red beans, drained and rinsed 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped roughly, plus

some sprigs to garnish Juice from 1 lemon 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 350 grams peeled and deveined shrimp, heads off but

tail intact 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning

Preparation1. Slice the kernels off the corncob. In a bowl, mix

together the quinoa, tomatoes, onion, corn kernels, red beans, cilantro, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Toss the shrimp with the taco seasoning to coat.

3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.

Add the vegetable oil and once the oil is hot, add the shrimp in one layer. Fry, tossing once or twice, just until the shrimp turn orange, 3-4 minutes. Do not overcook.

4. Serve the shrimp atop a mound of the bean and

quinoa salad and garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Breakfast #67: Frittata with Fried Bread and Cheese

I suppose what I really consider my thrifty side is the side that can’t abide by waste, especially food waste.  I’ve spoken about it before and perhaps you’ve noticed that every once in a while I’ve posted about ways to avoid food waste or dishes made with leftovers or other odds and ends.  I always get a sense of girl-scouty satisfaction every time I am able to use something that might have otherwise ended up in the waste bin.

This is a dish that does that.

Frittata with Fried Bread and Cheese

(Adapted from Ilva of Lucullian Delights)

Olive oil

1-2 slices day-old bread, torn or chopped into chunky cubes

3-4 tablespoons cooked peas

4 eggs, whisked

3-4 tablespoons grated cheese

- Heat a good swirl of olive oil in an 8-inch skillet.  When the oil is hot, add the bread cubes and toast, turning once or twice, until all sides are deeply golden and toasted.  Remove from pan and set aside.

- If the pan is dry, as the bread tends to sip up all the oil, add another generous swirl of olive oil.  Add the peas and toss once or twice, just to warm them up.  Add the bread back and try to distribute the peas and bread evenly around the pan without making too big a deal of it.  Pour in the eggs and cook over low heat until almost everything is set.  I sometimes cover the pan towards the end just to speed this process up.

- When the eggs are almost set, through still wet in the middle, sprinkle the cheese over the top and transfer the pan underneath a pre-heated grill and grill until the

cheese is melted.  This happens very fast so do not leave your grill!

- Serve warm, although I’ve had this at room temperature to no ill effects.

How much bread you use will depend on the size of your slices.  You could use only one, or may need two.  What I do is place my bread cubes into my skillet (an 8-inch skillet is just right for this frittata) and judge from there if I need to add more.  I like the bread to be evenly distributed throughout the pan without filling it up entirely.

This will make a lovely breakfast or brunch (or lunch) for two.  I had this with little C and we had enough leftover for a midafternoon snack for me.

I love so many things about this simple frittata.  Firstly, it is a fantastic way to make use of old bread!  I mention day-old bread in the recipe but truthfully I have never made this with bread only a day old.  I will go out on a limb here and confess that I often use bread that is already scratching-the-limits-of-decency old.  Old bread has the heft and structure that lends itself perfectly to toasting in olive oil and then cooking in runny eggs…softening just enough without ever getting soggy.  I have a bag of bread past its prime in the fridge especially for dishes like this (or for French toast…or bread crumbs).

This frittata is also a great way to make use of other leftovers.  Here I’ve used some leftover peas, and some grated cheese from another recipe that needed using up.  You can add whatever leftovers you have in sitting your fridge though that pairs well with egg (and that means a lot) – ham, bacon, potatoes, tuna, most vegetables, or herbs.  I imagine this would also be excellent with some sautéed onions mixed through, and then topped with Gruyere.  You can use any cheese you have on hand. 

Also, it makes for a nice light meal…so if you have any leftover chocolate cake lounging around somewhere you can feel fully justified in polishing that off and further cleaning your fridge out.  Lastly, it’s delicious!

If you have any good ideas for old bread, or for leftovers in general, do share. Meanwhile, let’s continue the battle against food waste!

Baked Fish Fillet with Tomato, Olive, and Capers

Baked Fish Fillet with Tomato, Olive, and Capers

500 grams fish fillet, cut into serving portions (I used cod)

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 lemon

1 white onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 small native tomatoes, chopped

3 anchovy fillets, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, packed and very roughly chopped

1/3 cup green olives, very roughly chopped

- Pat the fish fillets dry and place them in a baking tray.  I like to line mine with parchment but you certainly don’t have to.  Drizzle the fillets with olive oil.  Zest about half of the lemon over the fish.  Cut the lemon in half and spritz the fillets with half the lemon juice.  Sprinkle with just a touch of salt (your topping will be salty enough) and a good cracking of black pepper.  Place in a pre-heated 400F oven and baked for 12-15 minutes or until fillets as just cooked.  You know they are cooked when the meat flakes easily when poked with a small knife.

- While the fish is baking, heat a skillet over medium high heat.  When the pan is hot add a couple of generous swirls of olive oil.  Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.  Add the tomatoes and toss.  Sauté until the tomatoes just start to soften but still maintain their shape.  Add the anchovies and mix through, crushing them as you do.  Add the capers and olives and toss.  Cook for about a minute more then take off the heat.  Add a drizzle of olive oil, some cracked black pepper, and toss one last time.  Set aside.

- When the fish is done top each portion with the tomato mixture and serve.

Just some notes: When I say the capers and olives are very roughly chopped, I do mean roughly chopped.  No need to bother about same-sized pieces or uniformity of any kind.  For the capers I just place the pile under my knife and, quite literally, in two chops the work is done.  You don’t want little caper pieces; you just want to open them up a bit.  For the olives I use a little bit more than two chops but still, they remain messily uneven, some pieces bigger then others.  That is exactly the way it should be.  Everything about this topping, sauté, chunky sauce (call it what you will) is rough and unapologetic.  If you lucky enough to have some roasted red peppers lounging in your fridge somewhere, or perhaps the last of your fresh herbs, please feel free to add them in too.

You can use any white-fleshed fish fillet here, or, actually, any fish fillets at all.  I used Atlantic cod, but cobbler, dory, tilapia, or halibut would do just as nicely.  In fact, you could even bake a whole fish on the bone and top with this tomato-olive-caper sauté and I think it would work excellently as well.  This topping is as flexible as it is tasty. Use it for steamed chicken, atop a bunch of sautéed shrimp, or to stuff a baked potato.   I would even pile it on a thick slice of artisan bread, top with a fried egg, and call it brunch.

Baked Salmon with Mayonnaise and Dill 2 250-gram salmon fillets

Olive oil

1 onion, peeled and sliced

1 bunch of fresh dill

1 lemon

4-5 tablespoons mayonnaise

4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 

- Chop enough of the dill leaves to make 2 tablespoons and set aside.  Zest the lemon and set the lemon zest aside.- In the bottom of a baking dish that will fit both salmon fillets, spread the sliced onions.  Drizzle the onions with some olive oil, and then season with salt and pepper.  Lay the rest of your whole dill fronds on top of your onions.  Slice 4 slices from the middle of the lemon and lay on top of the dill.  Set the rest of the lemon aside to serve alongside the salmon.  Lay the salmon fillets on top of the lemon.  Season the fillets with salt and pepper.- In a bowl mix the mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons chopped dill, and lemon zest.  Season very lightly with salt and pepper.- Spread the dill mayonnaise evenly on top of the fillets.  Top with grated Parmesan cheese.- Bake the salmon in a pre-heated 350F oven for about 20-25 minutes.  The salmon can be slightly rare in the middle unless you are serving this to very small children or pregnant women (although that would depend on the kid or the woman!).  You know the fish is done when it flakes easily when pierced with a small knife.- Serve with your remaining lemon sliced into quarters.

This is a dish that I have made in one version or another, that I cannot imagine life without.  I’ll even make a solo portion if the craving comes along (simply reduce to 1 fillet and half all the ingredients).  The pairing of salmon and dill (and lemon) is known far and wide, covered in a generous blanket of mayonnaise and crowned with an equally generous grating of Parmesan cheese it is the perfect combination of fresh flavors and campy wickedness.

Garlic Butter Prawns 600 grams prawns

1/2 cup butter, halved

Olive oil

Sea salt

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons pimenton de La Vera (picante)

1-2 lemons, quartered, to serve

- Butterfly your prawns.  I followed this video.  Keep the heads attached (there is a lot of good stuff in there and you want this to seep out into the butter).  Sprinkle the cut side of the prawns with sea salt and 1 teaspoon of the pimenton.

- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add half the butter (1/4 cup) and a swirl of olive oil (this keeps the butter from burning).  When the butter is all melted and the froth subsiding, add the garlic, letting this sizzle for a bit but not get brown.- Add the prawns, cut side down, in one layer.  Do not crowd the pan – do this in batches if they don’t all fit (adding bits more butter if needed in between batches).  The prawns cook very fast so watch them closely as you do not want to overcook them.  As soon as you see the underside turn orange flip them and cook on the shell side.  Sprinkle in the other teaspoon of the pimenton between batches and shake the pan so the melted butter/oil becomes fragrant and red.  When the garlic starts to brown, fish them out with a spoon and set aside.- Melt the remaining 1/4 cup of butter in a small pan or in a bowl in the microwave.  Set aside.- Remove the cooked prawns to a dish or a plate.  Drizzle over the remaining buttery pan juices and the toasted garlic.  Serve with lemon wedges and the bowl of melted butter on the side for those who want more.  Serve and enjoy immediately!

I had a bit of an accident butterflying the prawns, so if you (like me) have never done this before, do be careful.  As the video instructs, use a serrated knife to cut through the shell as a regular knife can (and will) slip.  Or, you can do as my mother does and cut through the shells with kitchen shears – although, of course, I didn’t discover this until after she saw my bandaged finger!  Anyway, the little cut was a small price to pay for this wonderful meal. 

The garlicky, buttery prawns had just a hint of smoky spice, their soft sweet meat pulled easily from their shells to be treated to more lashings of freshly melted butter and spritz’s of lemon juice.  BothC and little C gave it a thumbs up, and on a bright and sunny Saturday (despite it being January, and despite the cool-for-us weather) it was just the thing.

Dilis/boquerones en vinagre.

Clean your fish – Remove the head, the guts, and the bones (leave the tail on or off, up to you), and butterfly the fish.  Or, like me, you can have your fish monger do it.  Over here they will do it with a smile – fish markets, it’s more fun in the Philippines!

Lay the filleted fish flat on a ceramic or glass dish – I used a Pyrex baking dish which worked perfectly.  They didn't all fit in one layer but I think that is fine.

Now, pour in your vinegar – Sherry or white wine vinegar is what’s prescribed mostly and I would stick to that, but I am sure you can use others in a pinch.  I also add some lemon juice.  Make sure the vinegar gets all over and in between the layers of fish.  Let this marinate until the fish is “cooked through”.  You know this has happened when the fillets turn white.  I looked all over the internet, and picked the brains of some boquerones-making relatives, and the marinating times vary from as little as 30-40 minutes to overnight.  At 30-40 minutes my dilis where nowhere near cooked through so I just let them sit longer.

Next – This juncture, before adding the oil, is where most recipes diverge.  Some instruct you to remove all the vinegar and rinse the fish, and then pat dry.  Some just remove the vinegar.  And some leave the vinegar and just add oil.  Some recipes actually add the vinegar and the oil at the same time.  I decided to marinate, then remove most of the vinegar, skip the washing (because I was lazy, it can’t be denied), and then pour in the oil.

Adding oil and aromatics – After I removed most of the vinegar, I transferred all but the first layer of fish to a plate.  Then I drizzled a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil over the first layer of fish, sprinkled a bit of salt (just a bit), some chopped garlic and parsley, a fresh squeeze of lemon, then covered with another layer of fish.  Repeat until you have used up all the fish and make sure your last drizzling of oil covers all the fish.  Cover the dish and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.  I would suggest letting it rest a bit like this before serving.  Some do without the garlic and parsley

but I love it this way and wholeheartedly recommend adding them in.

Serving – I just served this as is, but my much-more-experienced-in-boquerones-making cousintakes the fillets out and adds a fresh splash of olive oil and some drops of balsamic reduction.  So, the choice is yours.  Either way, this is good stuff!

Asian Mushroom Stir-fry

Canola oil

150-200 grams oyster mushrooms

4 leeks (I use the smaller local ones…if you use the fat Western ones, use less), white and light green parts, sliced on the diagonal

4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 small red onion, sliced in wedges

Small piece of ginger, about 5 grams or so, peeled and sliced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon sesame seeds

- Mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, sugar, and sesame oil.  Set aside.- Heat a couple of swirls of oil in a skillet or wok.  When the oil is hot add the garlic, onions, and ginger.  Sautee until the onion is soft and the smell of the aromatics waft up and make your mouth water.- Add the mushrooms and toss, cooking for a couple of minutes, until the mushrooms start to soften.  Add the leeks and cook some more, stirring a few times.- Once the mushrooms are soft, add the sauce and sesame seeds and quickly toss until all the mushrooms are coated.  Cook for a bit more until the mushrooms are completely cooked and have absorbed the sauce.- Serve warm.

White Beans & Cabbage

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or clarified butter, or unsalted butter) 4 ounces/115 grams potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into tiny cubes

Fine grain sea salt

1 large shallot thinly sliced

2 cups/12 ounces/340 grams cooked and cooled white beans or 1 425-gram can white beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups/8 ounces/225 grams very finely shredded green cabbage

A bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese

- Pour olive oil into a large skillet over medium high heat. Add potatoes and a big pinch of salt. Toss, cover, and cook until the potatoes are cooked through, 5-8 minutes. Be sure to scrape the pan and toss the potatoes once or twice along the way so all sides get color.- Stir in the shallot and the beans. Let the beans cook in a single layer for a couple of minutes, until they brown a bit, then scrape and toss again. Cook until the beans are nicely browned and a bit crispy on all sides.- Stir in the cabbage and cook for another minute, or until the cabbage loses a bit of its structure. Serve dusted with parmesan.- Serves 4.

Roasted Eggplant with Garlic Cumin Yogurt

(Inspired by Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce from Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi) 2 medium-sized eggplants (the fat oblong types, not the thin Asian eggplants, about 200 grams each)

Olive oil for brushing

1/3 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced

A couple of dashes ground cumin

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

- Slice the eggplants lengthways.  Score the cut side of the eggplants in a diagonal crisscross pattern, being careful not to cut the skin.- Place the eggplants on a baking tray and brush the cut and scored sides with olive oil.  Be generous!  Sprinkle with sea salt and a few good grinding of black pepper.- Place the eggplants in a pre-heated 350F oven and roast for 30-45 minutes or until completely soft and nicely browned.- While the eggplants are in the oven, put together your yogurt.  In a bowl mix together the yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Keep this in the fridge until ready to use.- Once the eggplants are ready, remove to a plate.  You can dress them with the yogurt sauce or serve this on the side.

The inspiration for this dish came not so much from a recipe but from a picture.  The picture on the cover of this book.  Just look at that.  Wouldn't you be moved to rush out and buy some eggplant based solely on that photo?  Me being me, I went and I did.

Shrimps with Sambal 500 grams shrimp, unpeeled

1/4 cup butter

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

3 long green chilies (sili pangsigang)

4 young leeks/pencil leeks (not the fat western hemisphere leeks!)

3 – 4 tablespoons full of sambal asli

Sea salt

- Heat a wok or pan over high heat.  When the wok is hot, bring heat down to medium and add the butter to the pan.  Let this melt and sizzle until most of the foam has subsided.- Add the ginger, garlic, and chilies and fry until the garlic is just a touch toasty in parts, under a minute.  Add the leeks and mix in.- Immediately add the sambal and shrimps to the pan and toss well.  Cover your wok and wait a couple of minutes, uncover, and toss again.  Try to flip the shrimp so the uncooked parts are underneath and the bright orange cooked parts are on top.  Cover again for a minute or less and repeat until all the shrimps are just cooked.  You don't want to overcook them so be vigilant!- Taste and season with salt as you like.  Remove from the hot pan and serve immediately.

This was a quick lunch I threw together for C and I.  I have to give credit where it’s due and let you know that the idea for this dish came totally from C…I was merely the executor.  It turned out so well though that I knew I had to share it with you.  How much or how little sambal you put will depend on your taste and the brand of sambal you use (some may be spicier than others).  We use ourabsolute favorite sambal asli that C’s bother, who lives in Jakarta, hand carries here for us every time he visits.  We have tried it, and loved it, on many things, but as part of the sauce for these shrimps it is amazing. 

We are so looking forward to sharing our favorite shellfish dishes with little C.  We will certainly create a version of this for her that is a little less spicy.  As always, the adventure of food is one of my favorites within this grander adventure of parenthood.  I’m eager to see what this third year has to bring…but I’m also going to enjoy it a bite and a morsel at a time.

Munggo with Gata and Kalabasa(mung beans with coconut milk and squash) 200 grams munggo (mung beans)

1 bay leaf

2 red onions, peeled, one chopped and one quartered

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

Canola oil (or any other mildly flavored vegetable oil)

5 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1/4 cup hibe (small dried shrimp)

400 ml coconut milk

450 gram wedge of squash, peeled and chopped into about 1-inch cubes (350 grams, cut weight)

1 bunch malunggay (moringa), leaves picked (yields about 2 cups leaves)

1/2 – 1 tablespoon patis (fish sauce)

- Rinse munggo and pick through for little stones.  After I check for stones I like to rinse the beans through a sieve to get rid of any dirt.- Place munggo, bay leaf, the quartered onion, and the ginger in a saucepan or pot that will hold double its volume.  Cover with cool water until about 2 inches above the beans.  Set pot on medium heat, cover, and cook until beans are soft.  This can take anywhere from 30 minutes – 1 hour (depending on how old your beans are).  Check occasionally and stir to make sure it is not drying out and sticking.  If it seems to be drying out just add more water.  Once the beans are soft, set aside.  At this point the level of liquid should be just at the same level as the beans.- Heat a kawali (wok) or saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add a few swirls of canola oil and, when hot, add the chopped onion and garlic.  Sautee, stirring, until the onion is soft and transluscent.  Add the hibe and keep sautéing  until the shrimp is coated in the oil and takes on a little moisture.  Add the cooked munggo and its liquid, the coconut milk, and the squash.  Turn the heat down to low.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is softened.  Add the malunggay leaves and cook for about 15 minutes more. - Season to taste with the patis (fish sauce).  You may need less or more depending on how salty you hibe is.  Give it a final stir and take off the heat.- Serve hot with lots of steamed rice.

I love munggo.  I also love coconut milk.  The two together work brilliantly.  The coconut milk’s silky creaminess is perfect with the munggo’s earthiness.  The hibe and the fish sauce give it a rounded savory depth that salt would not be able to replicate.  If you can’t find hibe where you are, just adjust the seasoning with a bit more fish sauce.  If you can't find malunggay you can use sweet potato leaves or, failing that, spinach.  Between the munggo, malunggay, and the squash, this is not only deliciously comforting, but highly nutritious as well.  If I weren’t feeding a little one, I also would throw in a couple of green finger chilis (sili pangsigang) to the pot.