We used to freak out when I suddenly had to put a lunch out for guests with just a couple of hours notice. But lately, we have become much more efficient and relaxed about our meals, and while I can still plan a meal for several weeks in advance, I can also pull one off in less than two hours if necessary. And I am NOT averse to buying some of the food already cooked if it happens to be a weekend and some of my sources are in nearby markets. So this was part of our meal last Sunday. When I found out about the lunch guests, Mrs. MM and I headed out to the Legazpi Sunday market and got a kilo of shrimp that we turned into the drunken recipe I featured yesterday, here. Then I stopped by Tita Cely Kalaw’s stall and purchased two orders of Paksiw na Pata that was inredibly rich and sticky. A bit sweet for me, but the guests loved it.
We also bought several bunches of fresh kangkong and we quickly stir fried this with some garlic and thai patis or fish sauce. Served with some boiled rice it was a terrific lunch, and took less than an hour to assemble and serve. Fresh chilled mangoes for dessert. Easy. Yum.
17 Responses
All the fatty goodness of Paksiw na Pata neutralized by the healthy Kangkong. Talk about a balanced, easy & delicious meal.
its a very typical filipino lunch. simple yet delicious..
you didn’t even break a sweat.. wow! that’s a plus.
versatile and life saver talaga ang kangkong. it can be steamed or adobo or stir fry, salad etc. and yummy in whichever way it is prepared. another favorite life saver for me is okra. both can be paired with meat,fish and seafod. that paksiw na pata looks really rich.
cely’s laing is also quite good. her binagoongan baboy used to be yummy too but lately, it has been disappointing.
that pata looks scrumptious. I’m for everything heartstoppingly calorific.
Ang Kang Kong ;)….stiry fry it with belachan (Malaysian version of bagoong), hibe (dried shrimp) with a touch of siling labuyo and olive oil. You have a great meal in less than 5 mins.
Try watercress sauteed with garlic instead of the kangkong… I think the bite offsets the paksiw very well. I usually buy Tita Cely’s Bicol Express and Guinataang Langka… then mix the two for a nice veggie meal.
Jun, that sounds like an interesting recipe for kangkong and I actually have the odorous belachan in the fridge :-) My usual recipe for kangkong is fry some grated garlic and ginger, throw in kangkong and a little salt, then drizzle with sesame oil before serving. Also yum!
Great impromptu meal Marketman!! When I feel lazy on Sunday but want something different,I run to Sidcor (nearer to us than Makati) and get a combination of food which becomes a great Sunday spread.I love this blog MM. It makes my “free time” really wonderful—reading all this food finds,recipes etc. I feel so connected to people from other parts of the planet. The only problem is,just reading all this food makes me fat already.Harharhar…
I have a daughter who lives in Singapore who introduced me to your blog…and I’m really hooked.It’s only now when most of my children have flown the coop have I had time to join the comments….Thanks Marketman!! You’re a blessing!!
When I go to Singapore,we go around and binge and remember you in our food trips…hahahaha…..
Kangkong is great stuff, full of fiber and inexpensive. I stir fry kangkong in garlic, oyster sauce and dried chili flakes or powder. It is delicious.
Cumin, Kang-kong belachan is actually common here in Singapore. Sautee the belachan, then add the garlic and chili till fragrant then add the kangkong as simple as that ;)
paksiw na pata, now there is a dish I have not had in a while. I remember my mom used to make this for me all the time and I loved it as a child. All these new ways to prepare kangkong from the comments.. fantastic!
once in a while, me and my daughters enjoy pork pata cooked jumba-style. my wife adds sake into this dish when she cooks it. the sauce is soooo good this is maybe the only time i get my kids to finish their rice. and when they’re finished, their plates are soooo clean it looks as if they haven’t started.
This post is making me hungry!
MM, were your guests Anthony Bourdain and company? He wrote in his Travel Channel web post that he was in Philippines.
steamed kangkong is almost always a mainstay in our menu whenever we have guests to entertain at home. it is very versatile; we usually serve it with bagoong or oyster sauce. we drizzle it with sesame oil to make it more flavorful.
OMG – paksiw na pata looks so yummy! Being based here in middle east I can only feast on pork during our annual vacation. I miss pork and I’m craving for one now!