Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Cook shrimp and squid quickly over high heat — they turn rubbery in under 3 minutes.
- Do not overcook shrimp — they are done as soon as they turn pink and curl into a C-shape.
- For roasted vegetables, spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet for even caramelization.
- Cook vegetables in the same pan after searing meat to absorb the leftover flavors.
Cooking Tips
Blanch leafy vegetables in boiling salted water for 30–60 seconds, then plunge into ice water. This locks in their bright color and crisp texture. Add vegetables in stages — hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes) go in first, tender ones (leafy greens, beansprouts) at the very end. Have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking — quick dishes leave no time for chopping mid-recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Bananacue
Bananacue — fresh vegetables prepared Filipino-style with garlic and shrimp paste. A light and flavorful side dish.
Instructions
- Heat a cooking pot then pour-in cooking oil.
- When the oil becomes hot, deep fry the bananas for 2 minutes.
- Gradually put-in the brown sugar, adjust the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the melted brown sugar coats the bananas. Note: Gently stir the bananas so that it can get coated with melted brown sugar easily.
- Remove the cooked bananas one by one and immediately skewer using a bamboo skewer. Note: 2 pieces per skewer is recommended.
- Let cool then serve with cold soda.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Cook shrimp and squid quickly over high heat — they turn rubbery in under 3 minutes.
- Do not overcook shrimp — they are done as soon as they turn pink and curl into a C-shape.
- For roasted vegetables, spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet for even caramelization.
- Cook vegetables in the same pan after searing meat to absorb the leftover flavors.
Cooking Tips
Add vegetables in stages — hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes) go in first, tender ones (leafy greens, beansprouts) at the very end.
Have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking — quick dishes leave no time for chopping mid-recipe.
Substitutions
Storage & Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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