Sizzling Tofu Sisig Recipe

Finding out that I was co-hosting with Thea of Words and Nosh for the start of this wonderful year was such a pleasure, just in time when I got back to blogging again. As Thea celebrates her big 3-0 this month -- Happy Birthday Thea!!! --, we were more than excited to challenge the Kulinarya Cooking Club members to cook up their favorite birthday treat, but at a healthier note to start of the year right. :)

A dish that I never fail to ask for when it's my birthday is a sizzling plate of pork sisig, with yummy pork cheeks and ears, mixed with onions and chili, and topped with a ton of crushed chicharon. And although I am no fan of mayonnaise, I can't help but love the mayo dressing we mix with it just before serving.

click photos to enlarge

Now, making a dish healthier doesn't mean it has to be boring. Well, tofu can be boring sometimes, but not when substituting the meat in this dish. Less salt, no fatty chunks of meat, and a ton of protein should make those abdominal muscles appear sometime sooner - so long as I stay away from extra cups of rice! :)

Sizzling Tofu Sisig Recipe

Ingredients:

500-gram pack of Chinese tofu
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 white onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
a pinch of ground black pepper

2 finger chilies, sliced

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a deep pan.
2. Cut up the Chinese tofu into cubes and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain in paper towels.
3. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, oyster sauce, sugar, parsley, and pepper. Mix well, and add water until desired thickness is achieved. (I stopped at two tablespoons). Adjust taste accordingly.
4. Heat the mayo mixture in low heat while stirring for two minutes, then add the bell pepper and continue stirring for one more minute.
5. Take your heated sizzling plate and add a small amount of vegetable oil. Saute garlic and onions until cooked, add in the tofu and mayo dressing and mix well.
6. Sprinkle with sliced finger chili and more onions.

Sharing this with my fellow KCC foodies! :)

Lunch in Kangaroo Jack - SM North EDSA

It's been a busy couple of weeks, and so far this year turns out to be more of a challenge than I thought. I couldn't find time to cook or bake anything, and with both Alex and I being busy in our own separate ways, we decided to just eat out every now and then. After watching Coriolanus in SM North we decided to head on to Kangaroo Jack for a late lunch. A warm plate of ribs seemed fitting after that tragic movie.

For our appetizer, we had their Nacho Jacko. Warm nacho chips smothered generously with nacho cheese, white onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and beef. I like the sweet saucy beef contrasting sharply with the chunks of green chili, but the dip is a disappointment. I thought it's just the packaged sweet spaghetti sauce dumped into the ramekin.

Alex ordered Hickory Ribs, with the sweet-savory sauce heavily drenching the meat. It's the usual smokey flavor that melts in your mouth with the meat, and the sauce mixed nicely with the rice. The meat was very tender and nicely charred in some places.

I got myself the Honey Bourbon Ribs. Sweet and sticky sauce lightly covers the meat, with just the right amount of honey. There's no hint of soy or rib sauce, and the meat is tender and almost creamy. We asked both our ribs to be well-done, as we already had our fill of blood from the movie. :p Both were served with rice, corn, and crisp steamed vegetables.

For dessert, we shared Banana Fritters With Vanilla Ice Cream. The waitress who served this to us didn't provide a dessert spoon, and when I asked for a spoon, the waiter just picked up the spoon laid at the next table. With no manager in sight and eager not to ruin the day, I let it pass.

I found the banana fritters (turon) small but very sweet and a bit hard. Alex didn't mind, but the whole plate was overly sweet. The turon seemed to be honeyed, and drizzled with chocolate and strawberry syrup.

Kangaroo Jack is at The Block, SM North EDSA, near the Sky Garden. With drinks (forgot to take photos), our total bill for this meal is Php 726. Not bad for a nice lunch, though they could improve their customer service. The couple at the table next to us spent a long time trying to catch the attention of the waitresses, but they just kept on chatting and by the looks of it, exchanging gossip.

hosted at Food Trip Friday