Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding ingredients for the best sear.
- Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding — lowering the temperature makes food greasy.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking for more even doneness.
- For crispy chicken, avoid flipping too often — let each side cook undisturbed to develop a crust.
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.
Veggie Balls with Manong Sauce
Veggie balls with manong sauce — plant-based meatballs in a sweet-savory brown sauce. All the street-food satisfaction without the meat.
Instructions
- Make the manong sauce by boiling water in a cooking pot. Add star anise, brown sugar, Knorr Liquid Seasoning, garlic powder, chili pepper, and onion powder. Stir until well blended. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Combine cornstarch and 1/4 cup water. Stir and pour into the pot. Continue cooking while constantly stirring the mixture until your desired consistency is achieved. Transfer to a sauce bottle and let it cool down. Set aside.
- Make the spicy vinegar dipping sauce by combining all the ingredients as listed above in a jar or bowl. Mix well. Set aside.
- Make the veggie balls by combining flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Mix well and then gradually add water while mixing.
- Add carrot, green onion, kalabasa, and green peas. Mix well.
- Season with Knorr Liquid Seasoning. Mix until all ingredients are well blended.
- Heat cooking oil in a deep cooking pot. Mold the mixture into balls and then fry in medium heat until it floats, and the exterior part turns golden brown in color.
- Remove from the pot and skewer using bamboo sticks. Dip in manong sauce or spicy vinegar before eating.
- Make the eggplant balls by boiling the peeled eggplant until it gets tender. Cut it into smaller pieces and then mash. Combine with egg, all-purpose flour, onion, garlic, salt, and ground black pepper. Mix well. Form into balls and roll it over the panko breadcrumbs. Deep fry in low to medium heat until the color turns golden brown. Remove from the pot and let it cool down. Dip in manong sauce or spicy vinegar before eating.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding ingredients for the best sear.
- Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding — lowering the temperature makes food greasy.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking for more even doneness.
- For crispy chicken, avoid flipping too often — let each side cook undisturbed to develop a crust.
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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