In May, a tweet about the nuances of Filipino cooking techniques made the rounds on the internet. In it, a user observes that most local dishes are named after how they are cooked, thus the derivative names, nilaga, prinito, inihaw, ginisa.
[READ: Banli, busa, sangkutsa, and other essential Filipino cooking terms you need to know]These just prove that there is interest in Filipino cooking among the youth and that more people are, in fact, keeping these recipes alive by cooking at home, contrary to a recent report saying more Filipinos are choosing to dine out than prepare their own meals.
So what then is hindering younger people from cooking at home?
Well, for one, knowledge. Only a few people have the know-how when it comes to matters of the kitchen. Most younger people resort to apocryphal facts, often instilled in them by elders who—no offense—have outdated notions about cooking.
I mean, not everything needs to be marinated overnight, for God’s sake there are already commercially available tenderizers and meat seasoning to do that in under an hour, like the new Knorr SavorRich, Knorr’s first-ever liquid seasoning.
This liquid meaty seasoning comes in two variants: chicken and pork. Derived from real meat, Knorr SavorRich is all you need to save homecooks prep time without compromising on flavor.
We’ve come up with three easy-to-prepare recipes that even a kitchen novice can do by themselves in under half an hour. These are not heirloom Filipino recipes—those really take time, and for good reason. But here are some dishes that taste just as good.
Low-calorie shrimp and garden vegetable stir-fry
Preparation time: 20 mins
Ingredients
1 cup shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup carrots, rondelle cut
1 cup bean sprouts
1⁄4 cup red and yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1⁄2 cup alugbati leaves, washed and towel dried
1 tbsp Knorr SavorRich
4 tbsp sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 cup white onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Procedure
- In a sauté pan placed over medium heat, put 1 tbsp of sesame oil and set aside the remaining oil for later.
- Put in garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Add shrimp and cook until it slightly curls and turns orange, set aside shrimp once cooked.
- Using the same pan, add remaining sesame oil then sauté white onions until it becomes translucent.
- Add carrots and cook until soft, then add bell pepper and bean sprouts, continue to stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Lastly, stir fry alugbati leaves until color brightens and season with Knorr Savor Rich while tossing everything together. Top with shrimp and serve.
Grilled pork chops in mango-ginger turmeric sauce
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Ingredients
4pcs 1/2 inch pork chops bone-in
1/2 cup fresh ripe mangoes
1/4 tbsp ginger
1/4 tbsp turmeric
4 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup vinegar
3 tbsp honey
1/2 cup coarsely chopped coriander leaves with stems
3 tbsp Knorr SavorRich pork
4 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
Procedure
- Using paper towels, pat dry the meat to absorb excess water and moisture.
- Put stove top griller over medium heat and add cooking oil. Season one side of the pork with salt and sugar then put this side down on the grill. Let it cook for 5 to 7 mins then season the top part with salt and pepper before flipping over. Let it rest for a few minutes.
For the sauce:
In a processor or blender, combine mangoes, ginger, turmeric, vinegar, honey sesame oil, and Knorr SavorRich and pulse everything until the mixture is well Heat the sauce on a pan over low heat. Let it simmer and serve on top of the pork chop or as a dipping sauce.
Chicken thigh fillet with plum sauce
Preparation Time: 25 mins
Ingredients
4 pcs chicken thigh fillet, skin on
1 cup plum jam
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
4 cloves garlic
Pepper to taste
4 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp Knorr Savor chicken
1 cup Knorr chicken stock
4 tbsp cooking oil
Procedure
- Place a non-stick pan over medium heat and put 4 tbsp of cooking oil.
- Season chicken thigh with salt and pepper and fry skin-down first until golden brown (around 4 to 7mins). Flip and continue cooking for another 3 to 5 mins. Let it rest on a plate.
- Using the same pan, sauté garlic until fragrant and add the stock, plum jam, lemon juice, and sesame oil and let it boil and reduce.
- Thicken the sauce by combining the cornstarch with water little by little until desired consistency is achieved.
- Lastly, add cooked chicken in sauce. Serve and enjoy.
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