Can Noche Buena be merry without food? Hardly! That’s why we always try to prepare the most delectable meals no matter how tiring and economically difficult it is. Why not? The yuletide season only happens once a year.
Because food is life for the Filipinos during Christmas, we like to make the best recipes for our family and friends. Here are three healthy recipes from two international award-winning PhilRice cookbooks, Mushroom Feast and Tapuy (Rice wine) Cookbook and Cocktails, that you can add to your menu.
1. KABUTE BISTEK CON PAELLA
Makes 2-3 servings, this rice and mushroom recipe can keep your tummies happy and satisfied.
Ingredients:
- For the Paella
- 250 g rice
- 2 c evaporated milk
- 2 c water
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ½ tsp garlic, minced
- 2 pc onion, minced
- 6 pc string beans, 1-in long pieces
- 4 pc tomato, chopped
- 125 g oyster mushroom, strips
- 125 g milky mushroom, strips
- 10 g salt and pepper
For the Bistek:
- 1 c cooking oil
- 250 g oyster mushroom
- ½ c all-purpose flour
- 1 pc egg
- ½ c bread crumbs
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 pc onion, minced
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 4 pc calamansi, juiced
Procedure:
- For paella, wash the rice and cook in milk and water. Set aside.
- Heat butter in a pan and sauté the garlic and onions until golden brown. Add string beans, tomato, oyster mushroom, and milky mushroom.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix the cooked rice and vegetables in a bowl. Set aside.
- For the bistek, heat the pan with cooking oil.
- Dredge the mushroom with flour, egg, and bread crumbs.
- Fry the mushroom until golden brown. Set aside.
- To prepare the sauce, sauté garlic and onion for 2 min in sauce pan. Add soy sauce and calamansi juice, and simmer for 5 min.
- Plate the paella mushroom and serve with bistek. Top with fried oyster mushroom and drizzle with sauce.
2. VEGE-MUSHROOM PUTO
This easy-to-follow dessert recipe can make up to 24 servings!
Ingredients:
- ¼ c carrots, grated
- ¼ c oyster mushroom, sliced
- ¼ c squash, grated
- 4 c all-purpose flour
- ¼ c white sugar
- 2 pc egg
- ¼ c condensed milk
Procedure:
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Put the mixture in molds.
- Steam for 25 min.
- Remove puto from mold and let stand to room temperature before serving.
3. NILASING NA SORBETES
Feasts are merrier with this simple refreshment with a twist of rice wine by Kelvin Nesty Tellez, an HRM student from La Fortuna College, Cabanatuan.
Ingredients:
- 1½ ounces gin
- ¾ ounce PhilRice Tapuy
- 3 ounces Irish cream
- ¾ ounce coffee liqueur
- 6 scoops vanilla ice cream
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- crushed ice
Procedure:
- In a blender, put crushed ice. Add gin, PhilRice Tapuy, Irish cream, coffee liqueur, ice cream, and cinnamon powder.
- Blend until smooth and serve in a pilsner or poco grande glass.
Choices of garnish: whipped cream, chocolate syrup, chocolate twirl, and maraschino cherry.
