AMPALAYA GUISADO

Ampalaya is one of my favorite veggies. If it's present in a dish, Ampalaya is the first that I usually eat. It's bitter that's why others don't like it but I love the bitterness of Ampalaya to bits. I can't remember how it became my favorite vegetable but I could remember my father grows Ampalaya in the backyard when I still a kid so we had Ampalaya almost everyday. One of the dishes that I love with this bitter gourd is Ampalaya Guisado. For the recipe of this dish, read on...

You will need:

5     cloves garlic, crushed
2     medium (100 g) onions, chopped
200 g ground pork
1     cup water
1     pouch (200 g) DEL MONTE Tomato Sauce
2     medium (300 g) ampalaya, seeds removed then cut into squares
2     stalks celery, sliced
2     tbsp salted black beans (tausi)
3     squares tokwa, cut into cubes then fried
2     eggs, beaten

Here's how:

1. Saute garlic, onions and pork.
2. Add water, DEL MONTE Tomato Sauce, ampalaya celery and tokwa.
3. Simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Add black beans and egg. Simmer once.

Jhosie's Heart Okoy

You will need:

OKOY

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup Del Monte Tomato Sauce

1 pc egg, beaten

1 tsp pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium (50 g) onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp iodized fine salt (or 1/2 tbsp iodized rock salt)

1 1/2 cups banana heart (saba), trimmed and thinly sliced

1 cup fresh alamang (tagunton) or dried shrimps

DIP

1/4 cup Del Monte Red Cane Vinegar

1 small (30 g) onion, finely chopped

2 pcs siling labuyo, chopped

1/3 tsp iodized fine salt (or 1/3 tbsp iodized rock salt)

1 tsp sugar

Here's how:

1) Combine ingredients for okoy. Mix well. Fry by 2 tbsp until cooked. Drain on paper towels.

2) Combine all ingredients for dip. Serve.

Hearty Lumpia

You will need:

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large (75 g) onion, chopped

200 g ground pork

1/2 kilo banana heart, trimmed then finely chopped

1 pouch (200 g) Del Monte Tomato Sauce

14 pcs medium lumpia wrappers

Here's how:

1) Saute garlic, onion, pork and banana heart. Cook for 10 minutes. Add Del Monte Tomato Sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes or until almost dry.

2) Place 2 tbsp of mixture on each lumpia wrapper. Roll and seal edges with water. Fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with Del Monte Chili Ketchup.

Misua con Mais

You will need:

1 tbsp ginger stripe

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium (50 g) onion, sliced

4 ears (1 kilo) yellow corn, shredded

1 can (140 g) Del Monte Tomato Sauce

1 pc pork bouillon cube

1 1/2 liters water

2 rolls misua

2 stalks green onions, chopped

Here's how:

1) Saute ginger, garlic, onion and corn. Add Del Monte Tomato Sauce, bouillon cube, water, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until corn is tender.

2) Add misua. Simmer for 2 minutes. Top with green onions.

Beef Ampalaya with Sotanghon

You will need:

1/4 kg ampalaya, seeded and sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 pc medium onion, sliced

150 g beef sirloin, cut into thin strips

1 pc beef bouillon cube

1 pouch (200g) Del Monte Original Style Tomato Sauce

50 g sotanghon, cut into shorter strands

Here's how:

1) PREPARE brine solution by mixing 1 tsp iodized salt (or 1 tbsp iodized rock salt) with 1-1/2 cups water. Soak ampalaya in brine solution for 10 minutes. Squeeze and set aside.

2) SAUTE garlic, onion and beef. Add bouillon cube, DEL MONTE Tomato Sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp iodized fine salt (or 1/2 tbsp iodized rock salt) and 1-1/2 cups water. Simmer for 10 minutes.

3) ADD sotanghon and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add ampalaya and cook for 3 minutes or until tender.

Lusog note: High in Vitamin B12 - prevents anemia.