Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- For eggplant dishes, pierce the skin before grilling to prevent it from bursting.
- For salads, pat greens completely dry so the dressing clings instead of sliding off.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when sautéing vegetables — cook in batches if needed.
- Add a pinch of sugar to tomato-based vegetable dishes to balance acidity.
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.
Rice Pilaf
A vegetable-forward Filipino dish built on rice, chicken/vegetable broth, minced garlic and onions — simple, healthy, and full of flavor.
Instructions
- Set the oven to 350 F.
- Pour broth in a pot and heat it up over medium heat. In a separate pan, melt and heat the butter.
- Add onions and garlic to the pan and sauté until slightly brown. Add rice and stir to coat it with butter.
- Pour the chicken or vegetable broth into the pan with the rice. Allow it to come to a boil and then remove from heat.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake the rice until all the water is finished. This should take 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle seasoning and serve. Alternatively, you can leave the rice to boil on the stovetop until it is soft and fluffy.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- For eggplant dishes, pierce the skin before grilling to prevent it from bursting.
- For salads, pat greens completely dry so the dressing clings instead of sliding off.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when sautéing vegetables — cook in batches if needed.
- Add a pinch of sugar to tomato-based vegetable dishes to balance acidity.
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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