Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Season vegetables with fish sauce or salt sparingly — they absorb seasoning faster than meat.
- For grilled vegetables, toss them in oil first to prevent sticking and promote char marks.
- Toast nuts or seeds separately and add them as a garnish for extra texture.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when sautéing vegetables — cook in batches if needed.
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.
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.
Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Boiled potatoes are mashed until smooth with melted butter, warm milk, and cream cheese until the mixture becomes velvety and luscious, then seasoned with salt and pepper for a rich, creamy, and indulgent side dish.
Instructions
- Start by washing and peeling the potatoes thoroughly with water and a brush, especially if leaving the skin on. Make sure to remove all dirt.
- Peel the potatoes using a vegetable peeler or a paring knife.
- Cut the potatoes into smaller pieces, dividing them into quarters or more depending on their size to ensure even cooking and speed up the process.
- Boil the potatoes in a cooking pot with 2 quarts of water, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Cover the pot to speed up boiling, then simmer for around 12 minutes until the potato pieces soften completely.
- Drain the water and let the potatoes cool in a large mixing bowl, discarding any remaining liquid that comes out as they cool. (see notes below)
- Prepare the milk mixture by combining milk, butter, and cream cheese in a bowl, microwaving for 45 seconds.
- Mash the potatoes using a potato masher to your desired consistency. Mashing potatoes manually is the best; avoid a food processor to prevent mushiness. (See notes2)
- Gradually fold in the milk mixture until well combined. (see notes below)
- Add seasoning of the mashed potatoes with salt and ground black pepper to taste, adjusting salt levels as needed.
- Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped chives or green onion.
- Serve as a side dish, best paired with beef stroganoff, fried chicken and gravy, roast turkey, meatloaf, steak, or pork chops.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Season vegetables with fish sauce or salt sparingly — they absorb seasoning faster than meat.
- For grilled vegetables, toss them in oil first to prevent sticking and promote char marks.
- Toast nuts or seeds separately and add them as a garnish for extra texture.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when sautéing vegetables — cook in batches if needed.
Cooking Tips
Add vegetables in stages — hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes) go in first, tender ones (leafy greens, beansprouts) at the very end.
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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