Filipinos have a knack for handing down generations of recipes that came from their grandparents’ grandparents – or probably even before that. In today’s age however, apart from the classic, traditional way of cooking, more and more Filipinos have been innovating and infusing flavors to make the dishes more palatable.
Including milk in viands is something that’s practiced already in the Philippines – however, with the right choice of milk such as Rainbow Milk here in the UAE, you’ll be sure that the viand is taken to the next level regardless if it’s eaten on its own or with its perfect pair: Rice!
Here are a few of those viands:
Pininyahang Manok (Creamy Chicken Stew with Pineapples)
A staple in the kitchens of many Filipino homes, Pininyahang Manok has been a favorite of the majority of Filipinos with the fusion of tastes of sweetness and saltiness in one dish.
Recipe:
– 3/4 cup Rainbow Milk’s Evaporated Milk
– 500 grams chicken pieces, bone-in
– 1 small yellow onion, sliced
– 3 cloves garlic finely, sliced
– 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
– 2 tablespoons fish sauce
– 1/2 cup pineapple juice
– 1/2 cup water, add more if needed
– 2 medium potatoes, cut into wedges
– 1 medium carrot, sliced
– 1/2 cup pineapple cubes, fresh or canned
– 2 pieces long green chilies (sili pangsigang), sliced, seeds removed
– cooking oil
– salt and pepper to taste
Steps:
Heat oil over medium heat in the pan. Add the chicken pieces and add the onions, garlic, and fish sauce. Once the chicken absorbs the fish sauce, add the pineapple juice and continue cooking until the juices simmer and reduce in volume.
Add the carrots, potatoes, and pineapple cubes in the mix. Stir and then add the water. Cover the lid and cook for around 15 minutes until chicken and vegetables become tender.
Put the evaporated milk, cook and occasionally stir until sauce slightly thickens for around five minutes. Put the red bell pepper and long green chilies and allow to simmer for around two minutes until the chilies have softened.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Creamy Pinoy Bistek
One Filipino viand that really resonates with many nationalities is our iteration of the infamous Beef Steak – that we managed to rename as ‘Bistek’. Known for its salty savory taste that brings out the flavors of the beef, its taste is even boosted further with the creaminess of milk within it.
Recipe:
– 300g sirloin beef, cut into thin strips
– ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
– 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
– ¼ cup soy sauce
– 1 small red onion, chopped
– 1 cup of Rainbow Milk’s Evaporated Milk
– 2 teaspoons of calamansi or lime juice
Steps:
Tenderize the beef strips by poking holes in each of the strips.
Mix the soy sauce with pepper and marinate the beef strips for around 20 minutes.
Saute the chopped small onion in a large frying pan under medium heat.
Once the onions soften a bit, place the beef and the marinade on the pan and cover with the lid.
Simmer on low heat for around 25 minutes.
Once the beef is tender, infuse creaminess in your dish by adding Rainbow Milk’s Evaporated Milk and let it simmer for around 10 minutes.
When the sauce thickens, remove the pan from the heat and add the calamansi or lime juice and stir with the sauce.
Pinoy Spaghetti
At last, the secret is revealed: While most people opt to take the shortcut and just buy a huge can of Spaghetti sauce, the addition of Rainbow Milk’s Evaporated Milk is sure to enrich and add to that sweet signature of the Pinoy spaghetti.
Recipe:
– 1 cup of Rainbow Milk’s Evaporated Milk
– 1 lb. spaghetti noodles
– 1 can tomato sauce (the kind they used was called “Italian” but tasted sweet and was very smooth in texture)
– 1 cup tomato paste
– 2 tablespoons minced onion
– 2 tablespoons minced garlic
– 2 tablespoons oil
– 1 lb. ground beef
– ½ cup minced carrots and red peppers
– 2 cups diced or thinly sliced hot dogs
– 1 cup water
– 1 tablespoon salt
– 1 teaspoon seasoning mix
– Grated Cheese
Steps:
Cook your pasta on low heat in a pan until firm, set aside.
Saute your garlics and onions for around four minutes, add ground beef and cook until the meat turns golden brown.
Add minced vegetables and hotdog pieces and stir as you continuously combine ingredients. Add water and simmer the mixture for around 15 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste afterwards and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Add one cup of Rainbow Milk’s Evaporated Milk into the mix until the creaminess of the mixture forms.
Place the pasta on plates and pour a generous serving of sauce, and put cheese as desired on top of the piping hot sauce to let it melt and fuse with the sauces.
Rainbow Milk is known for being sourced directly from FrieslandCampina’s member farms across Western Europe, made out of pure cow’s milk with no preservatives. From its humble beginnings in 1955 here in the Arab world, Rainbow Milk has been trusted by the UAE’s residents for over 60 years here in the Middle East.
Various Rainbow Milk products are available across grocery stores and convenience stores across the UAE at affordable prices.
