PATIENCE AND BEEF POCHERO NA MAY KALABASA

Slow cooking is not the method of choice for many home cooks. It requires time and as the cliche goes, "time is gold." But I like cooking food that requires a lot of my time because I can multi-task and do other things like write my blog entry or watch a movie  online or simply stare into space while my brain cells refuse to do any  work. 

Slow food is meditation. It gives me time to not think. 

Slow food is zen. It allows me to focus and hear myself.

Slow food is an art. It is the art of patience. A rare commodity in this age of insta-everything.

Pochero is one dish I like to make when I need time for myself. If you buy the meat cut, all that needs prep time are the veggies. Your only job is to put each ingredient at the right time.

Here's my soupy version of the dish that uses kalabasa (squash) instead of patatas (potatoes).

BEEF POCHERO NA MAY KALABASA (SQUASH)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg beef pochero cut (brisket cubes)
• 6 cups water
• 1 small cabbage, quartered
• 1 bunch Baguio beans (long beans), ends removed
• 1 quarter small kalabasa (squash), cubed
• 3 large saba (plantain), sliced
• 2 corn-on-the-cob, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 onions, diced
• 1 bunch celery stalks, chopped
• 2 tbsp whole pepper corn
• 1 tbsp salt
• Pepper to taste

DIPPING SAUCE

• 3 medium sized eggplants, ends removed
• Garlic, finely minced 
• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 1 bunch fresh coriander, minced

TO MAKE

• Pour water in the pan, turn on to high heat and add the beef. Let it boil for a few minutes then turn the stove down to low heat. Add the salt. Allow the beef to simmer for an hour.
• Add half the carrots, onions and celery. This will give a natural sweetness to your broth.
• Add more water as needed, making sure the beef is fully submerged.
• After  another hour, add the kalabasa. You want it to be super soft and add a little sweetness and starchiness to the broth.
• After 30 minutes, add the corn and pepper to taste. When the corn becomes tender, add the green beans. 
• When the green beans turn bright, add the cabbage.
• Turn off the stove and cover the pot for 5 minutes to allow the cabbage to cook.
  

•  Chop off the ends of the eggplants and boil in water (you can also grill or fry it but I like it boiled).
• Once the eggplant is cooked take it out of the water. Let it dry and cool before mincing it.
• Add the garlic, coriander and fish sauce. Mix. Put in the ref.

Serve the Pochero hot  and the dipping sauce cold.  Enjoy the meal with plain steamed rice.

FOUND ONLINE: FUNNY FOOD ART

Went on a Googling spree again and this time I went looking for funny food art and here's what I found.

If you want to share any pics of funny food art you found online, just click here to get linked to the Cooking in Small Spaces Facebook page.

FOOD QUOTE OF THE WEEK

TRIVIA: JOSE RIZAL FOOD TIDBITS

Back in 2011, the hubby and I worked on the first-ever food documentary on our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, "Piging Para kay Pepe."

 

It was there that we met several food historians, including Felice Prudente Sta. Maria, whom I gladly found out published "The Foods of Jose Rizal"  a year later in 2012.  In this era of humanizing heroes we'd all like to know what this outstanding human being liked to eat. When it came to his gustatory demnds, was Rizal as common as you and I?

June being the month of our nation's independence, let me share with you some more interesting tidbits about our beloved Pepe and his gustatory inclinations.

ORDINARY FOOD, ORDINARY MAN

In his book "Rizal Without the Overcoat," historian Ambeth Ocampo writes, "I discovered that Rizal usually had hot chocolate, a cup of rice and sardinas secas for breakfast."  What is sardinas secas?  Tuyo.  And the man loved fish because for lunch he usually had ayungin (silver perch). When it comes to his meals, Rizal, the man who sparked the fires of independence of our nation was as simple as every Juan.

 

CHICKEN!
In the third chapter of "Noli Me Tangere," Rizal described how the tinola, a soup with chicken and vegetables, was served to the guests- the meatier parts for important people while the neck and wings for the least welcome guests. Did you know that during Rizal's time, the soupy dish was made not just with green papaya or sayote but also with squash (or sometimes potatoes) for added starchiness in the broth.

SA PANSITAN

The 25th chapter of "El Filibusterismo, fourteen young Indio lads spend their time  at the Pansiteria Macanista de Buen Gusto. In his translation of the historical novel, National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario describes Pancit Langlang: "... may kabute, hipon, pasta ng itlog, sotanghon, mga hinimay-himay na manok at kung ano-ano pa." Did you know that during his stay in Belgium as a student, the young Pepe cooked too much Pancit and ate it for two days?

TATLONG ITLOG

Three boiled eggs. That was Dr. Jose Rizal's last meal according to the accounts of Asuncion Lopez Bantug in her book "Lolo Jose." He ate two of them but, was said to have thrown the third egg away for the rats who shared his cell.

 

Next time, you eat rgular PInoy fare, remember, ang hindi marunong magmagahal sa sariling pagkain, ay mas malansa pa sa bilasang ayungin.

FOUND ONLINE: FREE RICE!

Sorry, I didn't mean to dupe you. You are not going to get free rice. Instead, you will be giving grains of rice if you play an online game called "Free Rice."

There are eight (8) subjects to choose from: Humanities, English, Math,Chemistry, Language Learning, Geography, Sciences and Test Preparation. After clicking on the challenge of your choice, you just need to answer the questions and every answer you get right, Freerice donates 10 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program. You can also invite friends to help them spread the word.

 

This is what 10 grains of rice look like.

You can fill the plate of one hungry person from a poor country by simply playing a game.  

I checked out the website. You know, in case this was just some scam. It turns out that Freerice is  a non-profit website owned by the United Nations World Food Programme and it has two goals:

• Provide education to everyone for free 
• Help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.  

And if you're feeling a bit more generous, you can also partner with them by placing ads on their website. You will need about US$5,000 worth to spend on ads.

It's a good cause that doesn't require much from you. So, go and play that game now!

Website: http://freerice.com
E-mail: wfp.freerice@wfp.org

FOOD QUOTE OF THE WEEK

HAKONE- MEMORIES OF JAPAN (Part 4)

I am not a breakfast person. Morning meals usually consists of caffeine. Period.

But when I travel, I always take advantage of the free breakfast that comes with the hotel room reservation. And usually it would be a western-breakfast meal with bread, eggs and  some kind of ham. So it was a delight when the hubby and I were served full  traditional Japanese breakfasts during our trip to Hakone, Japan back in 2014. 

Hakone, located at the eastern Kanagawa prefecture, is sparsely populated with145 persons living per km². The tranquil environs are reflected in the gentleness of Hakone's people. The locals we encountered were all soft-spoken, unharried and courteous.

 

 

We were booked at Tounosawa Quatre Saison, a small hotel at the edge of a winding road. The hotel was rather old but the room was spacious with fluffy comfortable beds and a tatami area by the window which had a wonderful view of the river.

The wonderful view, seen from all floors of the hotels, was reason enough to spend leisurely time at the breakfast table.

 

We were served traditional breakfast sets that consisted of rice, yakizakana, tamagoyaki,  tsukemono (pickled vegetables) and a variety of kobachi (vegetable side dishes). This might sound heavy but the portions are small, just enough to fill you and get started for the day.

The rice was usually mixed with other whole grains and served with natto, sticky fermented soy beans.

Tamagoyaki, more popularly known as tamago, is a Japanese omelette made of rolled eggs. The Yakizakana is usually broiled fish, seasoned only with salt. Salmon and dried horse mackerel are often used.

 

There were other days that we were served vegetable nabemono. The nabe or pot was filled with vegetables, mushrooms, fermented beans and soup stock then placed atop a metal coal stove. the food attendant (who was also the doorman, just changing caps when he switched tasks), seeing we were unfamiliar with the cooking process, turned off the heat when the stew was ready to be eaten.

A Japanese-style breakfast is definitely worth the try, even for non-breakfast eating carnivores like me!

Sharing with you some more black and white pics of Hakone. Enjoy the view!

 

 

 

Check out my other Japan blog posts by clicking on the titles:

FUGU, EXTREME CUISINE- MEMORIES OF JAPAN (Part 1) 

IT'S A HOOT! OWL FAMILY CAFE IN OSAKA- MEMORIES OF JAPAN (Part 2)

HUNGRY IN OSAKA- MEMORIES OF JAPAN (PART 3)

Tounosawa Quatre Saison
Address: 120 Tonosawa, Ashigarashimo-gun, Hakone-machi 250-0315 , Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Telephone: 00 81 460-85-6531