Have you seen the James Bond movie “Tomorrow Never Dies”? Were you mesmerized by the clear azure blue water that incessantly caresses the powder white sandy beaches? Didn’t the wide expanse of underwater garden with its variedly colored coral reefs and myriads of swimming fish entice you to be there… to actually feel the water and the sand on your feet and to be able to feel the “butterfly kisses” of the countless differently colored fish on your face?
The movie was shot in Palawan, the untouched island in the south-west part of the Philippines. Palawan is dubbed as the last ecological frontier of the Philippines and considered as one of Pacific’s last unexplored islands.

If you want to get away from the hurly burly of city life, Palawan is the prefect hideaway for you. There will be no neon lights, no blaring sounds as all the entertainments will be derived from nature. You can take a guided hiking trip to the rain forest where you can stay the night and be serenaded by the white noises of the crickets; be awakened by the chirping birds in time to see the rosy tinge of the sky that heralds a new day.

Diving, snorkeling, island hoping or watching the death defying antics of local people as they harvest the world famous edible bird’s nest from the rock indentations of dizzying cliffs are only some of the nature derived entertainments offered by Palawan to the world weary tourists.

The Calauit Wildife Reserve Sanctuary, the El Nido Marine Reserve and the Tubbataha Reef are all world renowned Palawan tourist destinations. Also gaining much popularity is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. This underground river that was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 1999 is reputed to be the longest and largest underground river in the world. The subterranean river is located in the Saint Paul Mountain range, about 60 kilometers north of Puerto Princesa, the largest city in the Philippines.

The Bukidnon plateau is home to seven of the 18 different indigenous groups found in Mindanao. After doing some research I decided it would be a great place to visit for starting the Katutubong Filipino Project. Although our travel to Bukidnon was fairly short we learned a lot about the Lumad people (the Visayan word collectively used for all indigenous people in Mindanao). We spent most of the week with a Manobo community high in the mountains of San Fernando municipality. The Manobo people are just one of the 18 Lumad groups found in Mindanao, however, they have a number of subgroups with slight language differences and practices. The different Manobo tribes are semi-autonomous from the Philippine government and have their own laws, practices and judgements given by tribal chieftains (Datus).

                                                                    -JACOB MAENTZ 

                                                                                 http://www.jacobimages.com/tags/indigenous-people

One of the quick and delicious dishes that I love to cook is Beef Stir Fry. This dish is so delicious and easy to prepare. Before we start, let me first give you some pointers so that your beef will be as tender as possible.

The key to making a successful Beef Stir fry lies on the meat itself. I recommend using tender parts such as beef sirloin or tenderloin. Since we are cooking this in a short span of time, it is important to use the softest meat. Another important factor is the thickness of the meat. The thinner the slice, the softer the meat becomes. Try to slice the meat as thinly as you can or have your butcher do it for you. It is a fact that tenderloin and sirloin cost more than other beef parts. If you are in a budget and still want to try this recipe using cheaper cuts, it is recommended that you pound the sliced meats using a meat tenderizer tool.

This recipe can go as it is or along with some vegetables. I used frozen chopped broccoli for this recipe. You may use fresh broccoli too. All you will need is chop the frozen broccoli before cooking them. You may also use other vegetables as an alternative to broccoli.

Beef Stir Fry with Chopped Broccoli Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef sirloin, thinly sliced
• 1 cup chopped broccoli (frozen or fresh)
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Cooking Procedure

1. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the beef. Add oyster sauce. Mix well and Marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Add cornstarch on the marinated beef mixture. Mix well using your clean hands.
3. Heat oil in a pan.
4. Stir fry the beef until both sides are done (about 10 minutes in high heat).
5. Add the chopped broccoli. Cook for 3 minutes more.
6. Tranfer to a serving plate.
7. Serve with brown rice. Share and enjoy!

http://panlasangpinoy.com/2012/04/10/beef-stir-fry-with-chopped-broccoli-recipe/

Morcon is a Filipino meat roll stuffed with sausage or hotdogs, carrots, pickles, cheese, and egg. This is considered as a holiday dish and is usually served during Christmas.

well, well, well its not true!!
Cook and share.
here's the Recipe..

Recipe: Morcon

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef eye of round or flank steak, 3/4 inch thick in one piece
• 2 pieces beef cubes dissolved in 3 cups boiling water (beef sotck/broth)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 piece lemon
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 piece medium sized carrot, cut into long strips
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 4 pieces hotdogs, cut in half lengthwise
• 2 pieces pickled dill or sweet pickled cucumber, cut lengthwise divided into 4 equal pieces
• 3 pieces hard boiled eggs, sliced
• 3 ounces cheddar cheese, cut in strips (about 1/2 inch thic
  
  
• Cooking Procedure and Video
• 
  
  1. Marinate the beef in soy sauce and lemon juice for at least 1 hour
  2. Place the beef in a flat surface and arrange the hotdogs, pickle, carrot, cheese, and egg on one side
  3. Roll the beef enclosing the fillings and tie with a cooking string to ensure that the meat will not open-up
  4. Place cooking oil in a pan and apply heat
  5. Dredge the rolled beef in flour and fry until the color of the outer part turns medium brown
  6. Transfer the fried rolled beef in a casserole and pour-in the beef broth then bring to a boil

  
  

  1. Pour-in half of the soy sauce-lemon juice marinade,salt and simmer until the beef is tender (about 2 hours using ordinary casserole or 30 minutes if a pressure cooker is used)

  1. Optional: Fry the simmered meat for at least 2 minutes
  2. Remove the strings and slice into serving pieces
  3. Place in a serving dish and add the sauce.
  4. Serve hot. Share and enjoy!
     
     http://panlasangpinoy.com

Great Food, for a Great date. :)

http://www.myfilipinokitchen.com/spare-ribs-recipe/

It might seem a little strange to include a fruit  salad and call it great food. But, in every country there is a selection of fruit, and each fruit salad is a little different. The Philippines has a fairly wide variety of fruits available, yet the fruit salad has a fairly set selection.

Watermelon, mango, pineapple and banana. That’s the basic. Then, just to make in Filippino, small chunks of hard jelly cubes are added. Red, green, or clear in color; these cubes add a little bite to the salad. There’s nearly always a dribble of condensed milk over the top too.

There is another type of fruit salad in the Philippines too. This one is just called Salad. It’s got pasta and cocount mixed into it.  And again, lots of jelly cubes. Not my favorite – pasta in a fruit salad??!

I keep thinking that in a land of great fruit variety it would be nice to see more fruit in a typical bowl.

Fruit salad is usually found in restaruants and homes. And can get expensive – 60 pesos and Up.
-http://www.thelongestwayhome.com/