Home Cooked Craving - Filipino Breakfast -

Woke up this morning with a craving for Filipino breakfast.  First off, I want to disclose I live a very veggie friendly/heavy diet.  7 days of the week  I eat heavily on greens and a variety of non-meat proteins.  Not quite vegetarian, but pretty much only eat meat if someone has gone out of there way to prepare it for me; not gonna turn a generous gesture down.  Plus, I think my Filipino DNA prevents me from going full vegetarian :P

So, to justify my cooking a meat dinner for myself, I took a walk to the local Filipino store to gather the main ingredients. Longganisa (a sweet, garlic-y, pork sausage), bitter-melon (a bitter melon :p), bagoong (tiny salted shrimp paste) and rice vinegar.  Also picked me up some shrimp crackers, coconut water, and Hawaiian sweet buns.

Hawaiian sweet bun; grew up with the plain, but these are honey wheat.  still tasty, but nothing beats the original.

Coconut water.  I find funny that the western market is totally just now jumping on this, selling small oz. containers for an arm and-a-leg.  Asian markets been selling 'em in large cans for a dollar or less since forever...

Oh, and shrimp chips (couldn't pass these up); def a thing you have to grow up with I think.  Found these ones spicy!!!

PINOY BREAKFAST -  My Attempt

I'm using a long grain rice which will be less sticky than what I'd rather, but is what I have on hand.

Gotta start by cleaning your rice like a good Filipino.  Rinse and drain 2-4 times to get rid of any dirt/dust and excess starch.

 Follow the water-line marker relative to the how many cups of rice you used; or me, the good-ol'-knuckle tip.  Barely touch the surface of the rice an fill slightly above first knuckle.

 Like the infomercial says: "Set it and forget it".

 Here dem tasty sausages, Longganisa.  If you know an old Filipino lady who makes these, talk to her.  Unfortuately on a whim, gotta suffice with the store bought, but still will hit the spot I'm sure :)

Give 'em a nice rinse and cut apart.

Drop in a pre-boiling pot and reduce to a healthy simmer and halfway cover to allow some evaporation.

Time to cut the bitter-melon.  Cut in half and gut the seed and middle pulp.  Cut into coins and half those.  Set aside.

 Smash and mince some garlic

After the water has reduced a bit drain, but leave a little of the juices left to evaporate out and let those puppies fry a bit to get that nice browning and glaze on the outside.

Next, drop the bitter-melon in with some oil and add the garlic a spoon full of bagoong and a splash of rice vinegar; let simmer and reduce, turning occasionally.

 On to the eggs.  Have to point out, these have to be hard fried the pinoy way.  relatively high heat and never flipping.  Gotta have the semi-soft yolk, but the crispy bottom and edging of the white part; just something about that contrast in texture, espcially with the rice...  mmm.

 Check the bitter-melon and set aside

Eggs should be done too.

 TA-DA!!

 Bon appetite 

 Also good to have a side of vinegar for dipping.

 Here's all the fixings together.  Nothing beats waking up at a cousin's house with an auntie cooking this in the morn.  Definitely something lost in my translation, especially in the bitter-melon recipe, but think I did a descent facsimile on the whole.

Well, I think that'll satisfy my meat craving for a while.  Next time I hope to break my streak at an actual family gathering; I will be going back for 4th's or more when that day comes.  Enjoy and hope this got you mouth watering.  Are there any dishes, cultural or not, that get you nostalgia bug in your gut going?  If so please comment and share your story.