Mango Parfait

Summer!  The only thing I like about it is that it brings with it all the wonderful fruits that I like.  One of those fruits is mango... something that is abundant in the Philippines.  Growing up, I do not remember doing much with mangoes in terms of using it in dishes.  My mom would occasionally use it as an ingredient for agogo ... hehehe not a-gogo dancers but a homemade frozen snack wrapped in a small plastic container made up of milk, fruits, sugar, and water.


... back to mangoes, we usually just eat it raw, either ripe or unripe.  For ripe ones, we just peel and eat.  Of course, you have to discard the pit...hehehe.  For unripe mangoes, we peel it then eat it with salt and soy sauce or with bagoong (fermented shrimp paste)...so delish,

Living in Southern California, I am thankful that we get a lot of tropical fruits such as mango, papaya, buko (young coconut fruit),  and rambutan (occasionally)....even at the regular grocery stores, if you're lucky.



Making this dish is quite simple since the only hard part is peeling, slicing, and throwing the mango flesh into the blender to puree it.  The rest is just layering the other ingredients.  Depending on how sweet the mango is, you can opt to add sugar or not.  I didn't add any on mine since it is sweet enough.  I also puree the fruit since it was ripe and soft without adding any water.  The result is thick and concentrated just like I wanted.

Both the yogurt and granola were bought from WholeFoods the other day.  For yogurt, you can use anything that you prefer- part skim, low fat, non-fat, regular- just make sure that it is plain (or, at least I prefer it that way) to prevent it from competing with the flavor of the mango.



This recipe is great for breakfast and can even be prepared in advance for those mornings when you are in a rush to leave the house.  You can prepare the dish in an airtight container that's easy to transport by placing a layer of mango puree at the bottom then top with a layer of yogurt.  I'd leave adding the granola until the following day though since I am not sure how it will taste after it has been in the refrigerator overnight.  I prefer mine crunchy, not soggy.



This can be a cheaper and healthier alternative to those parfaits sold at places like Starbuck's which you may not think cost that much but the amount can add up if you buy the thing (like I used to) often enough.  Of course, I used to get not only the parfait but also a cup of coffee and bottle of Odwalla juice so I'd spend around $12- $14 easily in the morning.  That adds up to a significant amount in a year.  Money that you can use for more important stuff...like, say a new ice cream maker....opps, was I thinking loudly?  hehehe.  But seriously,for $12- $14 I can already make several servings of this parfait. The other good thing it that you can substitute mango for any fruit or berry that you prefer.



Ingredients:

Mango, peeled and pitted

Plain yogurt

granola

sugar, as needed

1. Place mango slices in a blender and puree.  Add sugar depending on your desired sweetness.

2. In a tall glass, place 3-4 spoonful of pureed mango, then top with a layer of  yogurt and top with granola.

Mango Popsicle

Whew! Summer's definitely here...well, technically it is not quite summer yet since summer solstice is not until the 20th of June this year but the weather definitely says summer since it is so warm outside. I'd say that it is definitely beyond 80 degrees just from the feel of it. I can only imagine what the temperature would go up to in the actual summer months. While it may be a welcome change for those in the cold areas, it is not my favorite time of the year. Los Angeles is already warm most part part of the year but in the summer months, it is even warmer. I just hope that we won't have any heat wave this year.

I remember my first visit in LA (before I moved here permanently) was in the summer of 2000.  It seemed like the hottest time of the year and LA was experiencing a heat wave.  Can you imagine being in a theme park in the middle of a heat wave?  Ughhh, it was way too warm for me that I nearly fainted.  We had to cut our trip at Universal Studios short because I could not tolerate the heat. Maybe because of that bad experience that I have never ventured back to Universal studios.  I have been to Universal Citywalk more times that I can count (or care to count...hehehe) but not in the actual theme park.

Although summer months here in the US is between June to mid-September, summer in the Philippines is from the end of March to end of May.  Coincidentally, this falls around the same time as the summer break from school.  Summer, in the Philippines, is so harsh as temperature goes up to record high. The good thing is that there's breeze to help cool you down...although, for me, that is really not enough.  In my almost 20 years here in the States, I have only been back to the Philippines during summertime once and will probably not go back in the summer if I can help it.  I was drenched in sweat as soon as I step out of the house.  My dad's water and electricity bill rose up to a record high during our stayed there since hubby and I was taking showers probably 5-6 times a day as well as had the air conditioner runner almost 24 hours a day...hehehe

The summers spent in the Philippines did not bother me when I was growing.  In fact, we welcomed it with open arms as it meant that there's no school.  My friends and I used to play from morning until night with no care in the world.  We played traditional games like tumba-patis, hide-and-seek, Chinese garter, piko, pityaw, and enter-enter.  Okay, do not ask me to translate some of these game names to english because I have no clue ...Hahaha! These games allowed us to develop interpersonal relationships with our peers, get our daily dose of sunshine, and exercise.  This is what differentiates our generation from the children of today who are more into computer games and modern technologies.  We did not have Wii or iPad but we had so much fun. 

Summer months also meant local basketball leagues played by teams from the different villages in our housing compound.  I remember my friend Archie and I along with my aunts, siblings, and cousins will go to the village plaza every afternoon to watch the game and to root for our village's team.  Sometimes we will buy Indian mango (a local variety of mango that's best eaten when it is not quite ripe yet) or halo-halo (shaved ice with all kinds of preserved fruits and tapioca) to eat from the stands at the far end of the plaza while watching the game.  Thinking back, those games seemed really exciting ...  a lot of cheering and screaming in support of our team.  We would sometimes wake up the following day with hoarse voice from too much shouting...ah, those good ol' days...

Another summertime treat are those locally-made popsicles.  They are referred to as ice candy or ice drop in the area where I grew up and are sold as street food.  The vendor often carry his product in an ice bucket, a container with cover made of entirely from styrofoam to keep it from melting in the summer heat.  The vendor would often sell his product on foot and carries a bell which he rings while shouting "iccceeee drooopppp, bakal na kamo sang iccceeee drooooppp" (Ice drop, come and buy some ice drop).  Children would often beg their parents for money to buy these delicious goodies.  We were no different from any children...we would ask my mom for money and buy these things despite the fact that we own a convenience store that carries different goodies.

This dish, while it taste slightly different, is my homage to the summertime treat that I do not only love but also evokes fond memories of my childhood... a time when everything was so simple, basic, uncomplicated, and problem-free.  This taste different because I am using more milk and fruits as well as less sugar so it taste richer than the ones that are sold by the street vendors. 

Ingredients:

1 whole ripe mango, peeled and flesh removed.

1 cup milk (whole, 2%, non-fat- your choice)

Sugar, according to taste

1. Place mango and milk in a blender

2. Blend until well incorporated.

3. Add sugar according to taste then blend some more.

4. Pour in popsicle molds and freeze until frozen solid  (preferably 6-12 hours or overnight)

5. To unmold: place the mold in a pan of water for a minute or two to loosen.

6. Remove popsicle from mold and serve immediately.

NOTE: 

1.  If you do not have a popsicle mold, you can use a disposable cup or any kind of freezer-proof small cup.  

2. Pour the mixture into the cup and freezer until it freezes or solidify slightly before inserting your popsicle sticks in the center of the mold.  

3. Place back in the freezer to solidify (preferably 6-12 hours or overnight)

4. Unmold and serve.

Mango Jam

I miss mango jam but unfortunately I cannot find any that is sold in the supermarket. Solution? Make my own mango jam from scratch. Jam making is actually easier than it looks and requires just a few basic ingredients. You really do not need some fancy schmancy equipment to make a decent jam. You have to make sure though that you sterilize the bottles to prevent early spoilage. Be very careful when moving handling hot containers as it may burn your fingers and hand. I used a large and heavy pan with lid to sterilize my mason jars as well as boiling filled jars afterwards.

Mango jam is really good with bread or crackers. I remember this particular brand that they sell in the Philippines called Clara Ole' that makes really good mango and pineapple jams. I wish they sell this brand here but even Filipino stores do not seem to carry them :(

Mango jam was easy enough for me to make. I used firm but ripe mangoes, peeled the skin and then slice as much of the flesh off the bone or seed as possible. Using a food processor, I processed the mango slices until they become chunky consistency. Next is to bring a cup of water to a boil then add pureed mango, lemon juice, sugar, pectin, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved then lower the heat to simmer it until it thickens to gel consistency. Transfer them to sterilized bottles and seal then boil the whole thing for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool. From 4 mangoes, I was able to make 2 (8 oz) bottles of mango jam. I did taste test by spreading it on crackers...yummy...taste like I remembered a mango jam should taste. Next project will have to be the persimmon jam then maybe, just maybe, I will try to make guava jelly... another favorite of mine which unfortunately I am unable to find here in the States.

Ingredients:

4 ripe (but firm) mangoes, peeled and flesh removed
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp pectin

1. Sterilize mason jars according to direction.
2 Peel and chop mangoes then process in a food processor until it reaches a chunky consistency.
3. Place sauce pan over medium heat and add water. Bring to a boil.
4. Add mango, sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, and pectin. Bring to a boil until sugar and pectin is dissolved.
5. Lower the heat to let the mango mixture simmer until it reaches the desired consistency. Make sure you stir frequently to prevent burning.
6. Test for gelling by using a cold spoon: take a spoonful of mixture and let it drop from spoon. If it drops in globs instead of being runny, it should be done.
7. Transfer to sterilized hot mason jars and seal using a two-piece lid.
8. Process filled and sealed mason jars according to manufacturer's instruction. Remove from heat and let it cool then store.

Burong Mangga (Pickled Mango)

Pickled mango...yummy! This is a Filipino appetizer recipe that is sure to whet your appetite and make you eat a lot. This dish is made by slicing unripe or slightly under-ripe mango and then pickling it in a vinegar, sugar, and salt mixture. This is a good accompaniment to any Filipino meal of pork, chicken, beef, or seafood.

I remember having mango in vinegar while I was growing up in the the province in the Philippines during summertime when ripe and green mango are in season and abundantly available. We have a variety of mango in the Philippines known as Indian mango which is perfect for this recipe but since that is not readily available, I just used the ones that are sold in the regular supermarket. One thing to remember though is that you need to use mangoes that are firm and slightly under-ripe to ensure that it is crisp and won't disintegrate when pickled. You need to peel the skin off and then slice the mango any way you want. I like slicing them in strips and thinly. Make sure you remove as much of the flesh from the stone as possible. If you choose to pickle whole mangoes, it is perfectly okay to do so as well. They can be refrigerated for about a week or so...that is, if they last that long. For me, it would be a miracle if they last more than 3-4 days as I can eat it with every single meal.

Ingredients:

3-4 unripe mangoes, peeled and sliced
1 cup white vinegar (I use cane vinegar)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/8 cup salt

1. Heat pan over medium heat.
2. Add vinegar, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil until everything is dissolved then remove from heat and let it cool.
3. Peel and slice mangoes then pack the sliced in a sterilized container.
4. Ladle the cooled vinegar mixture over mango and cover with top tightly.
5. Keep refrigerated.

Mango-Cantaloupe Cooler

Last day of summer 2011! Whoa, time flew by so fast. It seems like it was only yesterday when 2011 started and now we are entering the fourth quarter of the year. I am so not ready to bid goodbye to this year because it would mean I will be turning a year older. Ah, I was just coming to terms with the fact that I entered a milestone,make that two milestones, this year and now what? I am turning another year older? Does that even make sense? I guess that's life. Although we cannot make it slow down, the least we can do is make the journey as enjoyable as possible right? Enjoy each passing moment because once it is gone, it is gone for good...no second chances,no undoing, and yes, it it becomes part of a memory. Some memories are good for reminiscing, others are best left where they are... the best memories though are those that makes us feel happy and contented...


I made this refreshing drink as a way to send off summer and welcome autumn. Hopefully the weather cools down considerably so I can turn off the air conditioner and open the windows. I am getting tired of using the exhaust vent instead of opening the windows to get rid of the smell from the cooking that I have been doing these days. The weather outside though has been too warm, at least to me, to allow me to open the windows :( Actually, living in LA makes me long for cool autumn nights in Tennessee where the weather dips down slightly but not too low like other parts of the country. Funny how man is never really satisfied with what he has. I remember complaining about the cold weather when I lived in Tn but now longing for them since I live in LA where it is practically summer all year long...ha ha ha.


Ingredients:

2 cups roughly chopped cantaloupe
1 cup chopped mango flesh
1/2 tsp orange blossom water
sugar, according to desired sweetness
30 ml water



1. Place cantaloupe, water, and mango in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Add orange blossom water and sugar and blend some more until sugar is dissolved.
3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until well chilled then serve.

Ripe Mango Smoothie

Woke up today feeling tired after staying up too late watching Korean variety shows online. Ha! I just love them shows as well as Korean dramas and movies. There is something about them that just draws me in. I always tell my friends that I may have been Korean in my previous lifetime because I can just feel the connestion. It is weird because the first time that I watched a Korean drama (Lovers in Paris), I just instinctively know what was going to happen next. It was like I was having deja vu... all the scenes, drama characters, and actors were so familiar...so weird. I was wracking my brains to see if I watched it somewhere or maybe caught an episode or two on cable but there was nothing that I could remember of. The only foreign shows that I used to watch on tv was Takeshi's Castle which is a Japanese show back in the 80s I think and that surely was no Korean drama...hehehe

It was late 2004 (i think) when I saw the drama Lovers in Paris. Little did I know that encounter with Korean drama would turn into an obssession with everything that has to do with South Korea (food, Korean culture, language, variety shows, k-pop, korean movies, and Korean drama). It has been quite a journey from that first encouter to the present. I met a lot of wonderful people along the way, learned about other cultures, and developed an appreciation for everything that makes each and every one of us unique. How's that for a cultural diversity? Oh, and don't get me started on the many new things that I was able to learn along the way - photoshop, video editing, gif making are just some of the new things that I have learned...things that I would never have learned or reason to learn had it not for my Korean drama obssession...



Ahhh...back to my energy booster drink that I made this morning. Mango is a fruit that I would probably never going to get tired of. There is just so many dishes that you can create with it- drinks, salsa, salad, etc.

Ingredients:

2 Large ripe mango, peeled and pitted
sugar, according to desired sweetness
ice cubes
30 cc water


1. Chop mango coarsely and place in a blender.
2. Add 30 cc water and blend until smooth.
3. Add sugar according to taste and blend until sugar is dissolved.
4. Add ice and blend until smooth and well incorporated.
5. Transfer to tall glasses and serve immediately.

Sweet and Sour Mango Sauce

I love mango and have used it in a variaty of dishes either as a sauce or in a drink. I am lucky that it is locally available at the regular supermarket that I go to. The variety though is not the same as the ones that I am accustomed to back in the Philippines but it is good enough. The particular variety that is locally available are those that comes from Mexico. They are somewhat similar to the carabao mango that we have in the Philippines which we do not use in cooking but is usually eaten when it is still slightly unripe with sauteed bagoong. Bagoong is a shrimp paste which has been fermented then pounded using a giant mortar and pestle like contraption. Salt is usually added during the fermentation process so bagoong is slightly salty with a distinct pungent smell. The smell and taste is acquired which may not suite the taste of some people but Filipinos love them.

This is a variation of the usual sweet and sour sauce that I concocted to go with my squid and shrimp mini lumpia. I substituted mango puree for the catsup which is one of the components of sweet and sour sauce. The result is a refreshingly fruity sauce that goes so well with the lumpia that I made.



Ingredients:

1 cup slightly underripe mango, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 cup vinegar
1 thumb sized ginger, peeled and sliced
sugar (the amount will have to depend on how sweet the mangoes are and your preference)
30 water
1 Tbsp flour dissolved in 3 Tbsp water

1. Place mango, sugar, 30 cc water, and vinegar in a blender and blend until pureed and sugar has been dissolved.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve flour in water
3. Heat sauce pan in medium heat. Add mango puree and vinegar. Stir to incorporate.
4. Let the mixture simmer for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add flour mixture 1 tsp at a time until the desired thickness is reached.
6. Remove from heat then strain to remove anu undissolved flor and mango fibers. Use the back of a spoon to help it along.
7. Let it cool and serve with lumpia or other fried dishes as a dipping sauce.

Mango Panna Cotta with Honey Mango Sauce

What can I say? I rediscovered panna cotta and fell in love with it. This recipe is different from the mango jelly panna cotta which I posted here. This one is just as delish as the other one. Again, I used the nestle table cream which I got from the Filipino store but I had to cut it down to 1/2 cup instead of the usual 1 cup because it was too creamy and used more milk instead. The result is still very creamy, light, and very flavorful. The mango lends a nice refreshing taste to the dish. I also drizzled it with honey mango sauce which made it taste so divine. You can totally skip the honey mango sauce though if you prefer. The mango panna cotta is able to hold its own without any accompaniment. I also strained the mixture three time: after I pureed the ingredients, after I took it off the stove, and when I poured in the molds.



Ingredients:

Mango Panna Cotta

1/2 cup mango puree
1/4 nestle cream
1 1/2 cup milk
2 tsp unflavored gelatin
1 Tbsp water
1/4 cup sugar (you can adjust according to taste and how sweet your mango is)


1. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water to soften
2. Peel and dice mango, place in a blender with sugar and blend until smooth.
3. Add milk and blend some more. Transfer into the sauce pan, add cream and stir to incorporate well. NOTE: I accidentally added my cream to the mixture in the blender which whipped it up a little bit and explained why there was a lot of bubbles on top when I transferred the finish product to the mold :)
4. Simmer, but do not let it boil,for a few minutes until hot.
5. Scoop a ladle or two of the hot cream mixture and add it to the gelatin mixture, mix until gelatin is dissolved.
6. Add gelatin mixture into the cream mixture and simmer for a minute or two.
7. Remove from heat and strain into a container with spout ( for easy pouring into the molds) and let it cool a little bit.
8. Using a small strainer, strain mixture while pouring into the mold. Make sure that it has cooled down before you cover it and refrigerate for 4 or more hours.
9. When ready to unmold, place the mold in warm water to loosen the edges. When loose, invert the mold into the serving dish and serve with honey mango sauce.



Honey Mango Sauce:

1/2 cup mango puree
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water

1. Peel and dice mango and place in blender
2. Add honey and water and then blend until smooth
3. Serve with mango panna cotta

Mango Jelly Panna Cotta

Oh, darn I am in trouble now. This is my third panna cotta recipe since the other day...hehehe...my brain just keeps churning more and more ideas on what other flavors I can come up. The idea to this recipe came from Technicolor Kitchen blog. She had this passion fruit jelly panna cotta with the jelly in the bottom and panna cotta on top which looked really nice. Since passion fruit is not readily available here in the US (The last time I saw a passion fruit was eons ago), I used my favorite mango for the jelly instead.

I run out of regular whipping cream so I used a canned table cream which I got from the Filipino market. This cream is a lot thicker in consistency and taste creamier than regular whipping cream which taste much better, in my opinion. The color of the mango jelly really turned out nicely and provided a really nice contrast to the white color of panna cotta.

Note: this takes a little bit more work and wait time compared to the regular panna cotta since the jelly has to solidify first before you can prepare and pour the panna cotta over it. The taste though more than makes up for the wait and double work.



Ingredients:

Mango Jelly
1 large ripe mango (about 1/2 cup mango pulp)
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (depending on how sweet your mango is)
1 Tbsp unflavored gelatin
2 Tbsp + 1 1/4 cups water


.

1. Place 2 Tbsp of water in a bowl and sprinkle gelatin to soften. Let it stand for about 5-10 minutes
2. Peel mango then slice flesh into chunks.
3. Place mango in a blender and puree.
4. Add 1 1/4 cups water and sugar. Blend until smooth and sugar is dissolved.
5. Strain mango mixture and get rid of fibers.
6. Place mango mixture in a pan over medium low heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until slightly thick.
7. Scoop some some of the warm mango mixture into the gelatin bowl and dissolve gelatin.

8. Add gelatin mixture into the mango mixture and simmer for a minute or two longer.
9. Remove from heat and let ti cool down a little bit before pouring into ramekins or servng dish.
10. Refrigerate for about 4 hours or more.

Panna Cotta

Ingredients:

1 cup cream
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 tsp water

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over water to soften it. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes.
2. Mix cream, milk, and sugar in a bowl until sugar is dissolved and cream has been mixed well with milk.
3. Transfer mixture to a pan and simmer over medium low for about 3-4 minutes
4.Scoop some of the cream mixture into the bowl containing gelatin and stir to dissolve gelatin.
5. Add gelatin mixture into the cream mixture and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Strain cream-gelatin mixture and discard any particles.
7. Let it cool down before pouring over the mango jelly base.
8. After pouring the panna cotta into the jelly base, refrigerate for 4 hours or more.
9. You can serve as is or lossen from the cup and transfer into a serving dish. top with mango slices, if you want