Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Pat all salad ingredients completely dry so the dressing clings evenly.
- Add the dressing just before serving to keep the greens crisp.
- For grilled vegetables, toss them in oil first to prevent sticking and promote char marks.
- 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.
Classic Macaroni Salad
Classic Filipino macaroni salad — elbow macaroni with chicken, pineapple, raisins, and cheese in a sweet, creamy dressing.
Instructions
- Pour in water into a cooking pot. Let boil.
- Add 2 teaspoons salt and then put-in the elbow macaroni. Continue to boil for 6 minutes.
- Drain the water and add cold water into the pot. Let is stay for 3 minutes and then drain. Set the macaroni aside.
- Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard powder, ground black pepper, salt, and sugar. Mix well.
- Add the minced vegetables (onion, carrot, celery, and bell peppers). Fold the mixture until blended.
- Add the macaroni. Continue to fold until all the ingredients are well blended.
- Cover the bowl. Refrigerate the macaroni salad for at least 3 hours.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve cold.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Pat all salad ingredients completely dry so the dressing clings evenly.
- Add the dressing just before serving to keep the greens crisp.
- For grilled vegetables, toss them in oil first to prevent sticking and promote char marks.
- 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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