Periplus Editions - Filipino Snacks and Sweets

Basic Ingredients

Banana leaves are often used in Asian cuisine to wrap food or to line trays before cooking, much as waxed paper or aluminum foil are. This imparts a subtle fragrance to the food.

Glutinous rice is a smaller, starchier version of short-grain rice. It is also know as sticky rice. Glutinous rice is used throughout Southeast Asia in desserts and cakes. Glutinous rice flour is also know as sweet rice flour.

Cornflour or cornstarch is a fine white powder often used as a thickening agent. It does not add much fat or change the flavor of a dish.

Palm sugar is obtained from the sap of palm trees. It ranges in color from golden brown to dark brown and has a distinctive, maple-syrup flavor. It is sold in blocks sealed in plastic bags or jars and is available in supermarkets.

Fish sauce also known as patis is a pungent sauce made from boiled, salted and fermented fish. It is a clear or golden brown liquid sold in bottles, and is often used to flavor marinades, dressings and dipping sauces for a distinctly Filipino flavour. Fish sauce keeps indefinitely and is available in the Asian section of the supermarket. Substitute Thai nam pla or Vietnamese nuoc mam.

Spring onion is also known as scallion. This popular green young onion is used as a flavoring in soups and a garnish on meat dishes.

Spring roll wrapper is a thin crpe made from a batter of rice flour, water and salt. The lumpia wrapper is steamed and dried in the sun, then used to wrap a variety of spring rolls. The rice wrapper must be moistened with a wet cloth before using, for greater flexibility.

Vanilla essence or vanilla extract, is used in cakes and to flavor desserts such as custards, ice creams and beverages. It is sold in small bottles in the baking section of supermarkets.

Vinegar, in Philippines suka, comes in different colorhues of black, red white. It is made from sago palm juice ( nipa ) or sugarcane ( kaong ). It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a fruity tang and is generally less sour than commercial white vinegar. Apple cider vinegar makes a good substitute. You may also use rice vinger or white vinger, but reduce the quantity by about a third.

Published by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

www.periplus.com

Copyright 2003 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

All rights reserved. The Publisher wishes to thank the following for the use of their tableware: Ugu Bigyan, Lanelle Abueva-Fernando and Rustan Supermarket Fresh. Recipe on page 38 by Victoria Reyes Ferrer.

ISBN: 978-1-4629-1393-0 (ebook)
Printed in Singapore

12 11
6 5 4 3 2

Distributors
Asia Pacific: Berkeley Books Pte Ltd,
61 Tai Seng Avenue #02-12
Singapore 534167
Tel (65) 6280 1330; Fax (65) 6280 6290.
Email: inquiries@periplus.com.sg
www.periplus.com

Indonesia: PT Java Books Indonesia,
Kawasan Industri Pulogadung
Jl. Rawa Gelam IV No. 9
Jakarta 13930, Indonesia
Tel: 62 (21) 4682 1088; Fax: 62 (21) 461 0206.
Email: cs@periplus.co.id

Photography: A. Chester Ong
Food Styling: Gina Navarro
Design: Periplus Design Team

Sweet Potato Fritters (Maruyang Camote)

280 g (2 cups) flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar, adding extra as needed for dusting

teaspoon salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

250 ml (1 cup) fresh milk

1-2 large sweet potatoes, grated (about 3 cups)

250 ml (1 cup) oil

Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl.

Combine the egg and milk in a separate bowl. Beat into the flour mixture to form a smooth batter. Blend in the grated sweet potatoes.

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. Scoop out about cup of the batter and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Remove from the wok and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the pan if necessary. Dust with sugar if desired.

Serves 8-10
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Cheese Pinwheel Rolls

A favorite at children's parties, these pinwheel sandwiches are easy to pick up and eat. Using bread that's pastel tinted (usually green or pink) makes them doubly attractive.

200 g (7 oz) cheddar cheese, grated (about cups)

200 g ( cup) butter, softened

cup finely chopped red capsicum (bell peppers)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 loaf fresh, unsliced bread, preferably pastel colored (must not be previously chilled or the bread will be too dry)

Combine cheese, butter, capsicum and sugar in a bowl. Stir well or blend in a blender or food processor until the mixture is smooth,

Trim the top crust from the bread with a bread knife. Slice the loaf lengthwise to make 4-5 thin slices.

Spread the cheese mixture onto each slice. Roll each slice lengthwise, pressing tightly. Wrap in waxed paper and chill 1-2 hours in a refrigerator, or until the cheese mixture is firm. Cut into thin slices and serve.

Serves 8-10
Preparation time: 10-15 mins + 1-2 hours for chilling

Banana Spring Rolls

12 spring roll wrappers

6 cooking bananas

60 ml ( cup) water

40 g ( cup) dark brown sugar or palm sugar

250 ml (1 cup) oil

Steam the spring roll wrappers for about 5 minutes.

Cut each banana lengthwise into two. Mix water with 20 g (2 tablespoons) of the brown sugar. Moisten the edges of each spring roll wrapper with the sugar-water mixture. Place 1 slice of the banana onto a wrapper. Sprinkle a little of the brown sugar over the banana. Fold the top edge of the wrapper over the banana and roll tightly, sealing the edges. Sprinkle a little of the brown sugar lightly on the wrapper. Repeat with remaining bananas and wrappers.

Heat oil in a wok over medium heat for 1 minute, then reduce heat to low and fry the wrapped bananas. Use low heat so the bananas will have time to cook before the wrapper turns golden brown. When the wrapper browns, remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Cool slightly before serving.

Makes 12 pieces
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins