HALO HALO, filipino dessert thats taking over New York City

 

Halo-halo is traditionally served in layers in a cup or bowl: First comes a hodgepodge of ingredients that can range from red beans and cocoa to fresh fruit, followed by a healthy scoop of shaved ice. This is all topped with evaporated milk, leche flan, ube(purple yam) ice cream, caramelized plantains, and strands of macapuno (coconut).

Ingredients     

INGREDIENTS

- Sweetened red beans
- Sweetened garbanzos
- Sweetened saba banana
- Sweetened sweet potato
- Sweetened jackfrui- Sweetened kaong
- Cooked sago
- Pinipig
- Macapuno
- Shaved/Crushed ice
- Ice cream
- Ube haleya
- Leche flan
- Milk
- White sugar

How To Make Halo-halo:
- Half-fill a tall glass with your choice of sweets. Fill with shaved/crushed ice. Top with ice cream, ube haleya or leche flan. Serve with milk and sugar.

Coconut Salad

 

Every Filipino household has their own version of this delicious concoction . While buko salad is mostly made with canned fruits, young coconut, palm fruits, cream and sweetened milk, she likes to add corn kernels and cubed cheese in hers. These are not typical ingredients you’ll find in buko salad but you gotta trust the woman. She knows what’s up. The corn provides additional texture while the saltiness of the cheese balances the overall sweetness dessert

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups young coconut, shredded
• 1 (30 ounces) can fruit cocktail, drained
• 1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained
• 1 (15 ounces) can sweet corn kernels, drained
• 1 (12 ounces)sugar palm fruit, drained
• 1 (12 ounces) nata de coco, drained
• 1 cup Eden or Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1 (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (14 ounces) can table cream

METTHOD

In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients and mix

serve when its cold

Brown Rice Cake

Kutsinta or Cuchinta is one of the popular Filipino sticky rice cakes, reddish-brown in color, made from rice flour and served with shredded coconut.

I use both glutinous and regular rice flours, dark brown sugar and the key ingredient : Lye water.

                               

A lot of Filipinos considered kutsinta the top dessert since the chewy and unique taste of the sticky brown dessert brings comfort. It is a delicious dessert and merienda, no doubt about it, and a must try if you are on a Filipino food trip

Read more at: http://cathy.snydle.com/filipino-dessert-recipes.html | Cath

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/4 cups water
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp. lye (lihiya) water, for cooking
• grated fresh coconut

METHOD

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil. Let cool. Add to flour, stir until smooth. Add lye water (lihiya) and mix well.
2. Boil some water in the steamer. Stir flour mixture to recombine.
3. Fill greased small muffin pans 3/4 full with mixture. Steam for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool before removing from pans.
4. Before refilling molds for a second batch, stir batter very well because the flour tends to settle at the bottom and may cause thekutsinta to be too soft or soggy on top. Do this before refilling each batch of molds.
5. Loosen sides of molds with spatula before unmolding kutsinta onto plate. Serve with grated fresh coconut sprinkled on top. Do not substitute packaged coconut flakes for freshly grated coconut for this recipe.
6. This recipe may also be steamed in an 8″ square casserole for 30-45 minutes, unmold onto serving plate and cut into squares or diamond shapes.
7. Makes 10pcs of Kutsinta.

Sweet bukarilyo

                                               

 Bukayo is another popular Filipino dessert made from young coconut strips cooked in a boiling syrup of brown sugar then stir until thicken. This dish is one of the popular delicacy and pasalubong by most Filipino

INGREDIENTS

4 young coconuts, grate into strips and reserve juice
a knot of pandan leaves
1/2 kilo brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch(dissolved in 4 tablespoons water)
1 tablespoon cooking oil

METHOD

1. In a pan, heat oil then stir fry coconut strips until light brown. Set aside.
Part 2
1. In pot, boil coconut juice then add pandan leaves and brown sugar. Keep stirring until dissolves and start to thickens.
2. Remove pandan leaves then add vanilla extract. Stir until well blended.
3. Add coconut strips and dissolved cornstarch then stir frequently until thicken and caramelize.
4. While still hot, scoop a spoonful of mixture into a banana leaves or wax paper.
5. Repeat with the remaining mixture then let it cool for a few hours to harden. Serve.

Ube Halaya

                              

Ube Halaya is a Filipino dessert made from purple yam or “Ube ” as we call it. The recipe is actually really simple and so is the process, but I have to warn you though that it requires muscle power and patience

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 500 grams frozen purple yam, thawed and grated
• 1 can (300 ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can (400 ml)coconut milk
• 1 can (370 ml) evaporated milk
• ¾ cup butter
• ½ cup sugar

METHOD

1. Melt the butter in a wide, deep pan over medium heat. Add the grated yam and coconut milk. Bring it to a boil while stirring occasionally. Let it cook for 15 minutes. Transfer the yam mixture in a blender or use a stab mixer to turn it into fine puree.
2. Return the yam mixture back to the pan and add the remaining ingredients. Turn heat into medium-low and let it simmer, while stirring regularly, for another 20-30 minutes or until it turns into a thick, sticky dough and pulls away from the side of the pan when stirring.
3. Grease 2 -3 llanera generously with butter. Divide the Ube Halaya into the llanera and let it cool down to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.

Mais Con Yelo....

    
      

Mais Con Yelo or Maíz con hielo means corn with ice in Spanish. It is another popular drink dessert in the Philippines made out of shaved ice, corn kernels, sugar and milk. Similar to halo halo but way much easier to prepare as it contains less ingredients and preparation is cloese to none, a very good 

way of cooling down during a hot summer day.

INGREDIENTS

      Cooked sweet corn kernels
      Frozen Milk, shaved (I used the same shaving process I did with Halo Halo)
      Sugar
      Vanilla Ice Cream

METHOD

1. Place 1 tbsp sugar and corn in a tall glass (up to 1/3 of the height of the glass).

Yema

                           

Yema is a traditional sweet and native delicacy. A Filipino dessert seen in restaurants and shops everywhere, it's m

Ingredients

• 6 egg yolks
  
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  
• 1/2 kilo white sugar
  

Procedure

1. In a frying pan or pot, mix the egg yolks, condensed milk, and vanilla until well blended.
   
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat to prevent the mixture from burning.
   
3. Using a metal spatula, stir the milk as if you are scraping the bottom of the pan. Stir constantly.
   
4. This must be done continuously to avoid burning the milk and to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
   
5. The mixture is ready when it forms a ball. Let it cool.
   
6. When cool, form the mixture into balls about 2 to 3 cm in diameter.
   
7. Place the yema balls on a wide plate with white sugar then roll; once coated, pick up each ball with a toothpick. Set aside to cool.
   
8. When cool, wrap the balls in cellophane and twist both ends to secure.
   

Buko Pandan

Buko Pandan is a popular Filipino Dessert; this is made using young coconut and Screw-pine leaves (locally known as “Pandan”). At first glance, this sumptuous dessert can be mistaken for Buko Salad because of the similarity in texture and dairy ingredients used. However, the green gelatin which contains the aroma and flavor of the Pandan gives the distinction.

Ingredients

• 1½ cup young coconut strips (Buko)
• 5 ounces condensed milk
• 8 ounces Table cream or all-purpose cream
• 3 ounces powdered gelatin
• 1¼ cups water
• 6 drops Buko Pandan flavoring
• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream (optional)
• ½ cup small tapioca pearls, cooked (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine water and powdered gelatin then stir using a spoon.
2. Add Buko Pandan flavoring then stir until everything is evenly distributed.
3. Heat a saucepan and pour-in the mixture. Bring to a boil while continuously stirring.
4. Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to a mold. Allow the temperature to cool. The texture of the mixture should be firm once cooled. You may also place this inside the refrigerator for faster results (allow the temperature to go down before putting-in the refrigerator).
5. Combine condensed milk, table cream, tapioca pearls, and young coconut then mix well. Allow the texture to thicken by chilling in the refrigerator or freezer for a few hours.
6. Slice the firm gelatin into 1 inch cubes then combine with the condensed milk-cream-young coconut-tapioca mixture.
7. Transfer to individual serving platters or cups then top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.
8. Serve for dessert. Share and enjoy!

Leche Flan

       Leche flan is the Pinoy version of creme caramel, a rich custard cake dessert with dozing caramel on top.

                            
Ingredients
10 egg yolks(pula ng itlog)
1 can(390 grams) evaporated milk
1 can(390 grams) condensed milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup water
Utensils:
4-5 Llanera aluminum molds
Steamer
Strainer
Whisk
Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a sauce pan, dissolve brown sugar and water over low heat until color turns to pale brown.(do not stir just swirl the pan gently)
2. Pour the syrup in the aluminum molds, spread the caramel on the bottom of the molds.
Part 2
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla. Use whisk to mix gently, prevent bubbles from forming. Remove any solids by using a strainer.
4. Pour the mixture on top of the caramel on the aluminum molds. Fill the molds to about 1 to 1 1/4 inch thick.
5. Cover molds with an aluminum foil, so that the moisture from the steam won’t come in the molds as it will become watery.
6. Steam for about 40-45 minutes.
7. Remove the molds and let it cool at room temperature then refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Mango float

 

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Graham crackers
• 1 box of Graham crumbs (optional)
• 2 small cans Nestle cream
• 1 can of Condensed milk
• 1 can of Evaporated milk
• 6 ripe mangoes, sliced

(Cooking Measurements)

Instructions:

1. Prepare a rectangular glass dish with or without lid.
2. In a bowl, whisk Nestle cream until smooth. Add the condensed and evaporated milk. Whisk until well combined.
3. Using a ladle, place a small amount of the milk mixture into the bottom of the dish, then place a layer of Graham crackers and top with the sliced mangoes.
4. Ladle a mixture again, slowly pour over the crackers and the mangoes, making sure it covers all of the Graham crackers.
5. Repeat by placing layers of crackers, mangoes and milk mixture. Top off with Graham crumbs (or just crushed some Graham crackers).
6. Cover and freeze overnight.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Tagaytay(Taal Volcano)

Taal Volcano is the smallest active volcano in the world. Its unexplained shape and location on an island within a lake within an island, makes it a unique geologic wonder, enthralling thousands of tourists and geologists yearly. This island covers an area of about 23 km², and consists of forty-seven different overlapping cones and craters. It is one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines and part of the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’.

Leyte (islands of the Gods)

                      

                                

According to an ancient Filipino legend, when the bathalas (gods) made the world, they took special time in creating the verdant and lovely island nation of the Philippines. The expenditure of extra time was worth it as they saw how beautiful the country is. They were so impressed with their creation that they decided to make 7,107 more of these islands, each with its own geologic, historical, and cultural characteristic. Kalanggaman Island in Palompon, Leyte is one of these beautiful paradises.

Benguet (Mount Pulag)

                        

As the highest mountain in Luzon, Mount Pulag attracts a lot of mountain climbers. Highlights of the climb include the montane forests and the grassland summit with its "sea of clouds" phenomenon. There are four major trails up the summit: the Ambangeg, Akiki, and Tawangan trails from Benguet and the Ambaguio trail from Nueva Viscaya. These trails are managed by the Mount Pulag National Park, under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Palawan (Puerto Princesa)

A must-see for first time visitors and tourists in Palawan. The longest navigable underground river and reputedly the most beautiful subterranean river in the world.
Its main attraction is an 8.2 kilometer Underground River that winds through a spectacular cave before emptying into the South China Sea.
At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water's edge. Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near the cave.
Visitors can also enjoy bird watching, mountain trekking, and exploring the deeper part of the forest .
The park was declared a premier ecotourism destination and has been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage lists for its outstanding universal value and ecological significance as a natural site of intense beauty.

Leyte(Douglas Mc Arthur)

The McArthur Landing Site in Palo, Leyte was created to commemorate McArthur’s famous parting words “I Shall Return” that he made good of his promise before he left the country after its downfall to the Japanese Imperial Army during

World War II. This famous event took place on October 20, 1944. The Allied landing on Leyte Island’sea shores was a pivotal moment in the history of the War in the Pacific and in the human struggle for liberty.

The Leyte landing is a central event in the long history

of friendship between the peoples of the Philippines and the United States.

.

Alaminos Pangasinan (hundred Islands)

                          

 The islands are believed to be about two million years old. They are actually ancient corals that extend well inland, in an area previously comprising the seabed of an ancient sea. The lowering of the sea level have exposed them to the surface. The peculiar "mushroom-like" shapes of some of the islands were caused by the eroding action of the ocean waves.

Negros (tanon Strait)

                           

 It is located between Cebu Island and Negros Island and connects the Bohol Sea in the south and the Visayan Sea in the north. Though it is very narrow (27 kilometers-wide), its waters are deep reaching 500 meters.

There are 14 species of dolphins and whales in the strait. That's almost half of the 27 species of dolphins and whales in the entire Philippines. It is home to spinner dolphins, dwarf sperm whales, pygmy killer whales and spotted dolphins.

 The rare chambered nautilus, giant diamond-backed squid and critically-endangered dugong can also be found in its waters. It boasts 70 species of fish, 20 species of crustaceans, 26 species of mangroves, and 18,830 hectares of coral reef.

Donsol Sorsogon (whale shark)

 

 

                 

Swimming with whale sharks, locally known as butanding, was featured as the Best Animal Encounter in Asia by Time magazine in 2004. Whale sharks can be seen between November and June, with presence peaking between February and May.

The presence of whale sharks in the town of Donsol was known to the local residents over 100 years. But the locals believed these gentle giants were dangerous. This wrong notion changed when in December 26, 1997, a group of scuba divers led by Romir Aglugub – a PADI diving instructor, discovered its presence, and interacted and came in contact with the whale sharks. Even the members of the diving group of Romir was having second thought if the fish is docile, until the instructor led the way into the water and came in contact with the whale shark. Copy of video footage taken by the group was passed on to the media and the WWF-Philippines. By March 1998, Donsol became world-class tourist destination and now known as the “Whale Shark Capital of the World”.

Dipolog(dakak)

                       

Dipolog, officially the City of Dipolog (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Dipolog; Fili[pino: Lungsod ng Dipolog; Chavacano/Spanish: Ciudad de Dipolog; Subanen: Gembagel G'benwa Dipuleg/Bagbenwa Dipuleg), is a third class city and the capital of the province of Zambaonga  on the southern Philippines island of Mindanao. Geographically, the city is surrounded by rolling hills to the southeast and the Sulu Seato the north.

Dipolog is known for its wild orchids and its sardine industry which stems from the rich fishing area off its shores. It is known as the "Gateway to Western Mindanao" through the Western Nautical Highway and has also been called the "Bottled Sardines Capital of the Philippines."

Cagayan de Oro Rafting

 

               

               

When arriving as a tourist in Cagayan de Oro you will probably be advised ot certainly try the White Water Rafting in Cagayan River or, if you prepared for your trip, you would have found out already about it. Or maybe, or even most likely, you ended up here because you're planning your holiday or rafting trip.

In the mid 80's and mid 90's people from Cagayan de Oro City started rafting on the Cagayan River. This was done with inflated interior tire tubes, raft made of bamboo and banana trunks. This 'rafting thing' became the habit of some Cagayanon's and finally, some people had developed this adventure through the efforts of White Water Rafting has become since the most popular adventure activity in Cagayan de Oro City.

Pagudpud( Ilocos Norte)

                             

   Pagudpud is a fourth class municipality and a coastal resort town of Ilocos Norte province, in the northern Ilocos Region of the Philippines According to the 2010 census, Pagudpud has a population of 21,877 people. It is the northernmost settlement on LuzonIsland and a popular tourist destination because of its resorts and beaches.

Pagudpud was made a municipality on July 5, 1954. Unlike Loag City, the province's only autonomous city, Pagudpud derives its authority from the provincial government. It had previously been a part of the neighboring town of Bangui

Mount Mayon

Mount Mayon, is in the Philippine province of Albay, on the island of Luon in the Philippines. Renowned as the "perfect cone" because of its almost symmetric conical shape, the mountain and its surrounding landscape was declared a National Prk on July 20, 1938, the first in the country. It was reclassified a Natural Park and renamed National Volcano National Park in the year 2000.
Local folklore refers to the volcano being named after the legendary heroine Daragang Magayon(English: Beautiful Lady).

Land of Plenty (Davao)

 

                      


                 

         Kadayawan sa Dabaw" is Davao City's premier festival and showcases the natural and cultural bounty of the land.

A movable feast in August, the week-long merrymaking highlights the manifold tribal cultures of the region which are vividly expressed in traditional songs, dances, games and crafts. It is also on this occasion when a lively trade fair, capped by a flower-and-fruit float parade, takes place. Street dancing and popular entertainment complete the celebration.

Agriculture-based industries thrive in the Davao region. A major exporter of bananas, citrus, mangosteen and other tropical fruits, it is also the biggest producer of cultured flowers in the country. Its surrounding waters are rich sources for commercial fishing.

The world's largest city in terms of land area, Davao covers all of 244,000 hectares.

Luneta Manila, National Hero Statue

 The capital of the Philippines - its heart and soul -- is Manila. It sets the rhythm of life in this archipelago and is a pulsating hub that blends the Oriental with the Occidental, the quaint with the modern, the mundane with the extraordinary.

Manila was born out of the ashes of a once flourishing Malay settlement by the banks of the Pasig River. In 1571, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi established the Ever Loyal City of Manila which, until 1898, was the seat of Spanish colonial rule in Asia. He built the city within walls and called it Intramuros.

An anchor tourist destination, Manila is the very core of the 7,000 times more islands that make up the Philippines. It is a center for the performing arts in Asia.

Old Town Vigan

           

        

               

 Vigan, with its centuries-old edifices, is a breathing reminder of what was once a royal city.
One of the earliest Spanish settlements in the country, Vigan was founded in 1572 by Juan de Salcedo who patterned its design to that of Intramuros (Old Manila). It became the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia and was called Ciudad Fernandina in honor of King Ferdinand.

Today, Vigan retains much of the patina of 18th century Castillan architecture as seen in some 150 stone houses which stand in the town's Mestizo District, notably Mena Crisologo Street. Many of these ancestral homes are still in good condition and some have been turned into cozy inns, museums, and souvenir shops.

The Last Frontier ( Palawan)

 

Unique to Palawan is its mega diversity.

For a long time, Palawan's bountiful resources, abundant wildlife and extraordinary natural beauty are known only to the many ethnic communities that thrive in these islands and a few other daring settlers who wanted to live in unpolluted surroundings.

The island-province first attracted foreign attention in the 1970's when it became a United Nations Vietnamese Refugee Center. At this time, a disturbance in Kenya also saw the transport of endangered animals from its savannas to the plains of Calauit Island.

However, it was only a sea accident in 1979 that eventually led to the opening of Palawan into tourism big time.

As the story goes, a tuna line disabled a dive boat's propeller in the middle of the night forcing it to drop anchor in an inlet. The following morning, the divers woke up to an amazing scenery of skyscraping dark cliffs, thick green forest, white-sand beach, sparkling water and, rising above it, a series of magnificently sculpted jade islands. And thus was how El Nido was discovered.

Ecology awareness is at a high level throughout the province. Puerto Princesa prides itself as the cleanest city in the Philippines. To protect its mega diversity, only Eco-friendly programs are adhered to by tourist establishments. And there are strict ordinances against dynamite fishing, with only net and line fishing allowed.

Mt. Pinatubo

                           

   Mount Pinatubo is an active strato volcano in the Cabusilan Mountains on the island of Luzon, near the tripoint of the Philippine provinces of  Zambales, Tarlac, Pampannga. Before the volcanic activities of 1991, its eruptive history was unknown to most people. It was heavily erode, inconspicuous and obscured from view. It was covered with dense forest  which supported a population of several thousand indigenous people belonging to the Aetas.
The volcano's eruption on 15 June 1991 produced the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century.
         The volcano today is a safe place to visit. The crater of the volcano is a beautiful lake that is 2.7 kilometers wide and the water is crystal clear. However it is advised not to swim in the water of the lake.
Trekking Mount Pinatubo is a popular activity among locals and foreigners alike. The mountain is located only about 3 hours away from Manila. It is easy to get there by oneself but it is best advised to join a tour.

Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills are a geological formation in the Bohol province of the Philippines. There are at least 1,260 hills but there may be as many as 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers (20 sq mi).They are covered in green grass that turns brown (like chocolate) during the dry season, hence the name.
The Chocolate Hills are a famous tourist attraction of Bohol. They are featured in the provincial flag and seal to symbolize the abundance of natural attractions in the province. They are in the Philippine Tourism Authority's list of tourist destinations in the Philippines; t hey have been declared the country's third National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Boracay Beach (white sand)

 

Boracay is a small island in the Philippnes located approximately 315 km (196 mi) south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Western Visaya region of the Philippines Boracay Island and its beaches have received awards from numerous travel publications and agencies. The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak in the municipality of Malay, in Aklan Province. The island is administered by the Philippine Tourism Authority  and the provincial government of Aklan. Apart from its white sand beaches, Boracay is also famous for being one of the world's top destinations for relaxation. It is also emerging among the top destinations for tranquility and nightlife.
In 2012, Boracay was awarded as the best island in the world from the international travel magazine

Banaue Rice Terraces

The Banaue Rice Terraces (Filipino: Hagdan-hagdang Palayan ng Banawe) are 2,000-year-old teraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the indigenous people . The Rice Terraces are commonly referred to as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".^[ It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipment, largely by hand. The terraces are located approximately 1500 meters (5000 ft) above sea level. They are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rain forests above the terraces. It is said that if the steps were put end to end, it would encircle half the globe.
Locals to this day still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing, often opting for the more lucrative hospitality industry generated by the terraces^. The result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic "steps", which need constant reconstruction and care. In 2010, a further problem was drought, with the terraces drying up completely in March of that year.