Loving Hainanese Chicken

Hello there! :)

"Hainanese chicken rice is a dish of Chinese origin, and is most commonly associated with Hainanese, Singapore and Malaysia, although it is also commonly sold in neighbouring Thailand. It is based on the well-known Hainanese dish called Wenchang chicken (文昌雞), due to its roots in Hainan cuisine and its adoption by the Hainanese overseas Chinese population in the Nanyang area (present-day Southeast Asia)."                                                                                            Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainanese_chicken_rice

I really like hainanese chicken... :) It has this just-right flavor that excites every bite. What's best with this dish is having it with your special someone... :D    #iminlovewithyou

I tried looking for restaurants or shops that specializes on the said dish because there are times that I crave for hainanese yet I'm not in the comforts of our home to prepare it and most often than not, time won't allow. Unfortunately, there isn't. UNTIL................

Late last year (2011) was the first time I saw and ate at HAINANESE DELIGHTS. It is located at Robinsons Galleria at Ortigas Avenue (there is also one at Robinsons Pioneer in Boni Ave).

For Php120.00, you get to eat a quarter of a whole chicken cooked the hainanese way. Imagine!!! PHP120.00???! For a QUARTER OF A WHOLE CHICKEN plus UNLIMITED RICE? San ka pa?? :) Hehe! :) #takawmuch What makes it more "sulit" is that they keep on refilling your condiments whenever it is emptied #ilovegingersauce in addition to the big smile on their faces. #delightedontheservice

***Eat-all-you-can hainanese rice***

***A quarter of hainanese Chicken***

***Chicken Heaven with Sweet Soy Sauce***

***Unlimited condiments--Chili, Ginger Sauce and Soy Sauce***

My Own Hainanese Chicken

***My Hainanese Chicken with Raisin-Hainanese Rice***

Hainanese Chicken Recipe:

Ingredients:     Chicken
                     Chicken Stock
                     Fish Sauce
                     Sugar
                     Sesame Oil
Procedure:
1.) Mix all ingredients together excluding only the chicken. {I intended not to put measurements because it will really depend on your taste preference. Some people love salty food so more on the fish sauce. Personally, I love sesame oil so I marinate my chicken with sesame oil first before boiling it of steaming it.}
TIP: Using a flavorful base--which is in this case, the stock--is very important because it will be the one providing the richness of your dish.
2.) Boil/Steam chicken until cooked.
3.) Transfer chicken in a container then set aside to cool.
4.) Slice then serve. {Some refrigerate and serve the chicken cold--I personally like it warm. :D}

Until next time! :) Enjoy and God bless! :)

<3,

chefcams

Beijing 2008 Cake Decorating Competition

Hello there! :)

CAKE DECORATING! :) During my college days, this is how I rank my disposition when it comes to the departments in the kitchen... 1st Place = Interactive Kitchen, 2nd Place = Hot Kitchen, 3rd Place = Pastry then finally, the Cold Kitchen. But as time passed by and opportunities crossed my path, minor things have changed. So repeating, this is how I rank my disposition when it comes to the departments in the kitchen... 1st Place = Interactive Kitchen/Pastry, 2nd Place = Hot Kitchen then finally, the Cold Kitchen. :D

So here are the images of my first cake making EVER together with our final cake and the cake of the other groups... :D

 *My groupmates' Cla and JM*

 *My hand holding the styro with fondant*

 *My Hula-Doggie sculpture*

 *Our Cake*

*Cake of the other group... :)*

Until next time... :) Enjoy and God bless! :)

<3,

chefcams

Not your ordinary Bread Competition... :D

Hello there! :)

Last June 2008 at MAFBEX (Manila Food and Beverage Exposition), two of my friends and I joined an Artistic Bread Sculpture Competition... BIG MISTAKE! :D Haha!

"ARTISTIC" and "BREAD" are probably the two words that if added together won't equate to me... :D But since I like trying things, what the h*ll right?? :) And probably because my oh-so-good-friends cornered me then threatened my life if I didn't join them... Haha! JOKE! :) Kidding aside, I wanted to join mainly because of the experience, for my friends and for the fun of it... :)

We were tasked to make bread sculptures portraying Beijing Olympics 2008. We were 11 groups with 3 members each group.

 *Our Entry (picture above and below) :D*

Until next time... :) Enjoy and God bless! :)

<3,

chefcams

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day...

Hello there! :)

Last April 3, 2009, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (School of HRIM) in cooperation with Gardenia Bakeries Phils., conducted the first-ever Breakfast Royale Competition at DLS-CSB AKIC Building.

"In line with Gardenia's health and wellness advocacy campaign, the event was initiated to convey to the public the importance of having breakfast, including the perils of skipping it, and information as to the right food to eat."                                                                                Reference: Pamphlet of Breakfast Royale

In this competition, there were 6 groups having 3 members per group. We were tasked to produce 3 unique and/or healthy dishes to be presented to the judges using 3 kinds of Gardenia bread (1 kind per dish -- classic white bread, wheat bread and pandesal) as raw material. Please see list below... :)

Group 1 (1st Runner Up):
1. Bun - Adobo Flakes Sushi (Classic White Bread)
2. Jonalyn - Smoked Tinapa Quiche (Wheat Bread)
3. Bless - Chicken Pot Pie (Pandesal)

Group 2 (Grand Winner):
1. Aya - Oats and Banana Roll w/ Cinnamon Sugar and Honey (Classic White Bread)
2. Billie - "3x3x3" Sandwich (Wheat Bread)
3. Cams (me :D) - Breakfast Bowl (Pandesal)

Group 3 (2nd Runner Up):
1. Gabriel - Gardenia Ala Cubana (Classic White Bread)
2. Arvin - Healthy Barbeque Tofu (Wheat Bread)
3. Lutherese - Coffee Pandesal Toast (Pandesal)

Group 4:
1. Kevin - French Adobo Flakes (Classic White Bread)
2. Felice - Onion and Sardine Bread (Wheat Bread)
3. Katrina - Ground Beef Tapa in Pandesal (Pandesal)

Group 5:
1. Don - Baked Kangkong Ravioli (Classic White Bread)
2. Geoff - Omelette Panini (Wheat Bread)
3. Jay - Filipino Spring Roll (Pandesal)

Group 6:
1. Betty - French Toast Sticks (Classic White Bread)
2. Charisse - Trio Fantastica (Wheat Bread)
3. Charles - Vegetable Veggie Burger (Pandesal)


Before the competition, Gardenia was generous enough to send us samples for us to have something to  practice on before the actual competition. I took several pictures of the end result of my practice which you can see below together its recipe... :)

Using Gardenia's Classic White Bread

Oats and Banana Roll w/ Honey and Cinnamon Sugar
Ingredients:      Gardenia Classic White Bread            2 Slices
                       Banana (Lakatan)                            1 whole
                       Oatmeal, Instant                              50g
                       Fresh Milk                                      100ml
                       Honey                                             50g
                       Sugar, Refined                                 50g
                       Cinnamon, Ground                           to taste... :)
Procedure:       1.) Boil milk then pour onto instant oatmeal to cook and create a thick, creamy mixture.
                      2.) Slice banana lengthwise.
                      3.) In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar.
                      4.) Spread oatmeal mixture on top of 1 side of the bread.
                      5.) Place banana slice on top.
                      6.) Put cinnamon-sugar on top.
                      7.) Roll.
                      8.) Place toothpick to hold its shape or seal edge with honey.
                      9.) Slice.

Using Gardenia's Wheat Bread

"3x3x3" Sandwich
Ingredients:        Gardenia High Fiber Wheat Bread                 3 Slices
                       Lettuce                                                     2 Leaves
                       Tomato                                                     8 Slices
                       Cucumber                                                  8 Slices
                       Canned Tuna                                              100g
                       Egg, boiled                                                 1 pc
                       Kesong Puti                                               1 tablespoon
                       Cheese Slice                                               1 slice
Procedure:       1.) Boil egg for 15 minutes then peel and slice.
                      2.) On the top part of the base, spread kesong puti.
                      3.) Place 1/2 of the tuna, cucumber, tomato and 1/2 of the egg.
                      4.) Place the next slice of bread as second layer, then add lettuce, the remaining tuna, egg and
                                cheese slice.
                      5.) Top with the 3rd slice of bread. Cut into 4.

Using Gardenia's Pandesal

Breakfast Bowl
Ingredients:      Gardenia Pandesal                                                2 pcs
                       Canned Sardines in Tomato Sauce                          60g
                       Onion                                                                1/4 pc
                       Garlic                                                                 2 cloves
                       Tomato                                                               1/2 pc
                       Egg, beaten                                                          1 pc
                       Dilis (dried anchovies), chopped                               2 tablespoon
                       Salt, Pepper and Dried Basil                                   to taste... :)
Procedure:       1.) Toast dilis in pan then set aside.
                      2.) Saute half of the onion and tomato then add beaten egg. Mix until crumbled in form then
                                season with salt, pepper and dried basil. Set aside in a bowl or container.
                      3.) Using the same pan, saute garlic and onion. Add sardines then simmer. Set aside.
                      4.) Toast pandesal in a pan or oven. Slice 1/4 from the top of the pandesal then push inward
                                to create a bowl-like structure.
                      5.) Place sauteed sardines in one side and crumbled egg on the other side.
                      6.) Top with toasted dilis then half-cover with sliced part of the bread.

Until next time... :) Enjoy and God bless! :)

<3,

chefcams

My first blog... EVER! :D

Hello there! :)

So this is my first time to make and write my own blog. I have read several blogs before and was in awe with most of them, some even left me hanging and wanting for more. :D

I am a culinary graduate and a practitioner in the industry. I AM AN EATER!!! :) I CRAVE for GREAT FOOD and I LOVE to SHARE them with different PEOPLE. This is mainly the reason why I made this blog... :)

It will consist of almost anything under the sun (past events/present happenings/future plans), but majority I guess will be related to food... :) My sister and I was talking about travelling to different places for that certain "satisfaction", which will eventually be found here... :) But of course we will still save for our future... :D *Hello there SAVINGS! :)*

So there, I guess my first blog will also serve as an introduction to whatever it is that I'll be posting here... :) Until next time... :) Enjoy and God Bless! :D

<3,

chefcams