30 May 2025

Infinity LOVE cake - A tribute to Love for humanity !

Kya log tthey wo diwane, kya log tthey wo abhimaani
Jo shaheed huye hain unki, jara yaad karoo mein kurbani

Jab hum baithe tthey gharon mein, wo jhel rahe tthey goli
Tthey dhanya jawan wo apne, thi dhanya wo unki jawani
Jo shaheed huye hain unki, zara yaad karoo mein kurbani

Koyi Sikh, koyi Jatt-Maratha,Koyi Gurkha koyi Madrasi,

Sarhadd pe marnewala, har VEER tha Bharatwaasi............

A few of my favourite lines from the famous Indian patriotic song , " Aye mere vatan ke logo " sung by the legendary singer Late Ms.Lata Mangeshkar ji on 26th January,1963 for the first time ,commemorating the Indian soldiers who sacrificed/fought their lives bravely for the India in the 1962 war.

I dedicate all these patriotic songs mentioned in this blogpost honoring all precious human beings who lost their lives in the brutal Pahalgaam attack recently in the Kashmir that tore my heart into 26 pieces.This blogpost is also my way of healing and consoling my heart .Genuinely, from the bottom of my heart,I may smile,I may laugh,I may celebrate now and then but that wound and pain will always remain with me till my last breath.Needless to say,it hurts !

I remind myself of those beautiful lines from the movie,Kesari "Terri Mitti" to solace myself

Aye meri zameen mehboob meri,meri nass nass mein tera ishq bahe

Pheeka na pade kabhi rang tera,Jismon se nikal ke khoon kahe

Ho watna ve, mere watna ve Tera mera pyar nirala tha

Kurbaan hua teri asmat pe,Main kitna naseebon wala thaa..

Also thinking of all wars going around and innocent bravehearts fighting all around the globe,family suffering the loss helplessly ,the Sindoor on my forehead reminds me and operates my crying heart reminding of the beautiful lines of the song "Karr chale hum fida jano tann saathiyon" from the movie ,Haqeeqat..

जिन्दा रहने के मौसम बहुत हैं मगर,
जान देने की रुत रोज आती नही ।
हुस्न और इश्क दोनो को रुसवा करे,

वो जवानी जो खूँ में नहाती नही ।
बाँध लो अपने सर पर कफ़न साथीयों,
अब तुम्हारे हवाले वतन साथियो ।।

It is indeed painful beyond words for me to see all those tears of families who lost their precious braveheart sons of Mother India for no valid reason ,who were simply enjoying and entertaining their beloved,gone forever from this realm but always in heart ,a few bodies clad in our Indian flag still carrying the faint stain of the last blood ....Salute to my hidden heroes of my India !!

May the brave sons of Mother India rest in peace and may their families get immense strength and healing to bear this loss beyond repair . Atleast their last memories were sweet and precious .Harm to none,simply love...Short or long life,it was sudden yet memorable in its own .Bravehearts and broken hearts...Hats off ! Gone forever but will never be forgotten with regretful memories...

I feel the departed souls singing those heart touching lines for their loved ones...

मेरी माँ के पैरों को छूँ के तू उसे उसके बेटे का नाम दे
ऐ गुजरनेवाली हवा ज़रा
मेरे दोस्तों मेरी दिलरुबा मेरी माँ को मेरा पयाम दे (Sandese song..from the movie,Border)

O Heer meri tu hansti rahe
Teri aankh ghadi bhar numm na ho
Main martha tha jis mukhde pe
Kabhi uska ujaala kumm na ho

O Maai meri kya fiqr tujhe
Kyun aankh se dariya behta hai
Tu kehti thi tera chaand hoon main
Aur chaand hamesha rehta hai ..........

(Song "Terri Mitti" from the movie "Kesari")

All I could do is pray for the families and the least I could do is requesting them,jo gaye ,so gaye,jo amanath aap ko chhod ke gaye hai,unki achchi tarah se khyaal rakhein ,unkey aatmao ke shaanthi keliye.Baaki sab beshakk maya ka khel tha...I know you all will for sure but mere tootey dil ke sukoon keliye ek choti si reminder/request...

Kabhi bhi ek dost ka jaroorath padey toh yaad rakhiyega,sarhadd parr ek insaan hai jo mere veer jawaano keliye ,apne jaan ko bhi de sakthi hai...matlab mere pati ke saath ya hamare saath ek date keliye mil sakthey hai (safe and healthy with your parent's/elder's permission)..matlab with my hubby's permission I can sacrifice him for those women who lost their better halves life for no factual reason.The least I can do and I would be proud to do so.#ForHimanshe I saw a few video clips where I felt you all (Victim's family members) were thinking about me even in your unbearable moments.So grateful !

I am using all these movie dialogues and songs to express my emotions rather ,as my heart and head are still kinda frozen in pain and healing from this heartbreaking incident.Haan wo sab mere apne hi tthey,mujhey beintaha pyaar hai unsab se...

Like that another dialogues from the movie,Veer Zara, " Sachi mohabbat zindagi mein sirf ek baar hoti hai…Aur jab hoti hai… Toh koi Bhagwan ya khuda usey nakamyab nahi hone deta...

Mohabbat kya hoti hai yeh toh main nahin jaanti...Lekin,wo sab mere bhi ek tarah se andekha sa,anjaana sa healthy wala Mohabbat ttheyy,isliye

Yeh khuda ke roop mein Insaan hai… ya Insaan ke roop mein Khuda..jinlogo ke mann mein mere liye pyaar tha,respect tha nafrath nahi....The vibe I got/I feel/My intuition...

So as a token of love,respect,gratitude and broken heart, I made an Infinity love cake for the VEER Jawans and their families .

Infact my 6th sense says this cake idea was perhaps suggested by late Mr.Vinay Narwal /HiMANshe because I think I felt his presence while I was commenting to console his beloved wife and family members in a Youtube video and after baking the cake when I was looking for a box to store,it was written "Happy Birthday" and I saw a You tube video where his birthday was on May 1st and was being celebrated recently .I feel this cake is his way of expressing his untold feelings to all....Also,during the recent occassion of pitru Amavasya,I was praying for all those 26 souls and after a while when I closed my eyes,I had ,kind of vision of late Mr.Shubham ,wearing an army dress,smiling and eyes closing...May be this is their way of informing their families that wherever they are ,they are happy and in peace.

So,I am happy to cook something for them atleast like this and also since this incident tortured my head and hurt ,I have even sung dedicated two songs,devotional and a patriotic song for all of them which may torture your ear but hopefully everyone will bear with me...Last but not the least tribute from my heart to all those 26 souls ...

This Love cake recipe is adapted from many types of Love cake recipes around the world to make it extra special.

Love cake recipe

Ingredients

To make Homemade fresh rose water

Fresh rose petals a few preferably red or pink for dark color

Saffron strands

Water 1/2 cup

To make dry ingredients:

All Purpose Flour - 1 Cup

Almond flour - 3/4Th cup

Semolina Flour - 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder 1/4Th Tsp

Baking Powder 2 Tsps

Butter,room temp - 1/2 Cup

Sugar 1 Cup

Eggs ,room temp - 3 Nos.

Oil 1 Tbsp

Yogurt 1 Cup

Vanilla essence 2 Tsps

Orange and green food colors

3 Bowls of same size

Cake Pan

Oven

How to bake a homemade Love cake :

Preheat the oven at 350 degree F.
Heat water in a pan.Lower the flame and add the rose petals and saffron strands.
Once it releases colors,turn the cooking gas off.
The homemade rose water is ready .
Allow it to cool off.
Keep it aside.
Next seive all the dry ingredients one by one for fine powder.
Keep it aside.
Beat the butter (which should always be kept at room temp and slightly melted) in a deep pan with a hand beater or stand mixer until creamy.
Add sugar,powdered sugar will help to soften it fast.So,beat the sugar until dissolved and creamy.
Break and add egg one by one into the batter and beat well.
Add oil ,vanilla essence and yogurt and beat well.
Add all the seived dry powders into it and beat well until well-mixed.
Do Scrap when necessary .
The cake batter is ready,tap it to release any bubbles.
Divide the batter into three bowls .
Add orange color as needed into one bowl (I mixed red + yellow color to get an orange color) and mix well until orangish.
Similarly add the green color to the cake batter and mix well.
Take the cake pan,add the Orange batter first,next layer it with the white/plain batter gently making sure it doesn't get mixed with the orange cake batter and finally add the green cake batter gently on top of it spreading evenly throughout.
Place the cake batter into the oven for 45-60 minutes or until well baked.The baking time may vary as per different ovens.
Donot open the oven too often or it will disrupt the baking procedure.After 45 minutes,insert a knife to check if the inside of the cake is well-cooked or not.
Bake it until the knife comes out clean.Try to poke 1-2 sides to make sure all sides are well baked.
That's it my infinity Love cake is ready !
The right type of tea goes best with a slice of cake..like I did !

(Dear Parineeti ma'am and Raghav Sir,not planned but I am surprised how the songs I selected suits the beautiful jodi ..The song is so beautifully sung by Parineeti ma'am .Please pardon me for singing it non-melodiously...the only song that could express my emotions as a musical dedication to the unsung heroes ! )

Since people have already stained me,I want to use that stain and rather say its ME,I love them ALL regardless, who have love and respect for me in their heart ,with no strings attached,pure,healthy ..nice and harmlessly naughty...Being Humane! Insaniyath mera dharam hai !

Dear world,

Kindly allow us all to be hopelessly , harmlessly ,innocently romantic , smile,blush,laugh and just LIVE well.

In this monotonous stressful life,let us be love and spread love.For some lust is love and for some love is just a pure emotion ! Some feelings are hidden and other expressed in different ways...Call it being romantic or jumantic or vellapanti (head over heel) !

There are so many critical and heart breaking humanitarian crisis/disaster unfolding day by day that needless to say,needs everyone concerned's attention,intervention and humongous help the most....With power comes responsibility afterall ! Like Gandhi ji said,"An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind." Live and let live!

Love for humanity is my religion !

Not preaching but doing my bit, at least for my relief/peace of mind, if it can remind,refresh and enlighten somebody towards right steps and action for the betterment of humanity, keeping our personal agendas aside.The Ripple effect.

Hoping and praying no more painful and worthless incidents like these will ever happen in future .Hoping there will be more love,cooperation,understanding and compromises and less hatredness , revenge,power battle and superiority complex ...Our ordinary lives matters !!


What is heaven and who/what is hell ?

Well,I am venting my frustration and pain out,hoping for the best ....I know people will understand my point of view as per their perceptions and limitations but my intentions are harmless and as always with best interest for everyone's well being .

There was a rock on my heart ,now I feel light ..


The world is already suffering immensely,silently and helplessly trying hard to get the needful intervention ,attention and aid.#WhatMattersTheMost (Kindly donot overthink/overeact about these pics,emotions behind the images matters )

Maalik ne har insaan Ko insaan banaya

Hum ne use Hindu Ya Musalman banaya

Kudrat ne toh hume baksi thi ek hi Dharti

Humne kahi Bharat Kahi Iran banaya

Nafrat wo sikhaaye wo Dharam tera nahi hai

Insaan ko jo ronde wo kadam tera nahi hai

Quran na ho jisme wo mandir nahi tera

Geeta na ho jisme wo dharam tera nahi hai

Tu aman ka aur sulah ka armaan banega

Insaan ki aulad hai Insaan banega

(Tu Hindu banega na Musalmaan banega song – Dhool ka Phool movie)

I hope and humbly request - any date or incidents related to me (if at all/just incase directly or indirectly) brings the right change or put a positive impact on the society, ignoring the harmless aspects and bringing a subtle solution to anything harmful with a graceful outcome for the betterment of all.

Now I am so scared to wave goodbye...I meant bye for now not forever !! Good bye to all my harmful heartless enemies though ...

United we stand,divided we fall

From the bottom of my heart I will be praying for all. Considering many incidents happening out of control ,just for my peace of mind ,on a serious note,I would request you all to please take extra protection measures like wearing energized amulets,pray to the Divine sincerely and stay EXTRA VIGILANT and careful wherever you all are.

I would also request all practitioners/priests connected with Spirituality to please send positivity ,protection and blessings ,promoting all the spiritual protection methods to keep humanity safe and secure.Kindly do protection homas/yagya/Havans/poojas for the welfare of humanity and planet Earth.

My BodyGuard - Baal Brahmacharya Hanuman Ji !JaiSiyaRam JaiHanuman

By the way my enemies are still trying their best to punish me as well .Guess what..now witchcraft teams are using binding spells/Mental magic/mirror magic/voodoo/doing astral travel or using some kind of mind controlling techniques to psychic-ally possess and control me something like the Hindi movie "Shaitaan"and Malayalam movie Brahmayugam.They want to prove me and others that I am pagal/lunatic .It's so funny ..I HOPE it is working ! :D #VinashkaaleyVipreethBuddhi

Dear enemies,it will be one of your biggest mistake of your life and a sin beyond repair with all my faith in Divine.Mind your life and manners so that I can mind mine in the best way,which I will by Divine's grace !

Dear God make them stop !

My Divine Father-Beti hu Mahakaal ki aur MaaKaali ki

Love and light

Rest in peace regardless

Rest in next !

Please take care,stay safe and be kind

See you all soon...

23 March 2025

My favourite Filipino recipes -Adobo Fried rice,Bola Bola,Yema Candy,Maruya,Halo Halo,Pancit

Ang buhay ay parang gulong, minsang nasa ibabaw, minsang nasa ilalim.Batu-bato sa langit, tamaan huwag magagalit.

Anak Ng Kamote !! - Son of a Sweet Potato/Shark/Tofu/Smoked Fish (Oops...Pardon my language but I found this commonly used slang of Filipino quite funny and I felt it.. like sharing.So, (Suit yourself)!! LOL

Does that language sounds gibberish ???? It did to me as well initially but guess what it is a famous Filipino saying meaning "Life is like a wheel: Sometimes you're up and sometimes you're down.You will have good times and bad times. Don't overreact to your current situation.

If someone throws stones at you, throw back bread.Instead of looking for revenge, show love and forgiveness. " .

Amen! In Divine I trust

Mabuhay.Kumusta po kayo? Pagbati!

Hi there ! How are you all doing ?

Makes sense ? Well,as a matter of fact that's Greetings in the Filipino style !

So,this blogpost is all about my take on my favourite Filipino recipes .Somebody in my family is married to a lovely Filipino lady renamed as Meera ,my sister-in-law's(Anju chechi/Bhabhi's) sister-in-law !

I remember,when my my sister-in-law's family visited Philippines ,they said that the food over there are too sweet as their nature are !! So ,out of my curiosity and passion to create something new ,try one-of-a-kind recipes,I wanted to cook Filipino recipes one day for sure!

And here I am !!

Before I jump into my favourite recipes of Philippines I dared to cook and eat .Let me share with you some amazing facts I came across about Philippines .

Did You Know - Philippines Facts !!

(Credit - as per Google articles )

Filipino households usually greet guests asking "Have you eaten yet ?" instead of directly asking Hi,how are you ? ...(I second that ! The foodie in me is jumping with joy with butterflies in my stomach). Being an Indian ,that struck a chord with me as it reminds me of our Indian saying,"Athithi Devo Bhavo !" (meaning Guests are God and should be treated with immense respect ,love and care)
In the Philippines, the term "Bumbay" is often used to call people of Indian origin because of Sikh people who migrated from Punjab/Mumbai as Sikh people refer Bhum BHAI as brothers of the Earth.
There is a commonly used word called "Hindi" meaning No or Do not !!
Filipino foods are influenced by Chinese,Thailand,Malaysian,Japanese,Spanish,Indian and western culinaries.Hence each region have their own twist to every Filipino recipes.
Rice is a staple food in Philippines served with every meal of the day including the breakfast.There are almost 300 varieties of rice in the Philippines. The heirloom rice varieties come in black, green, yellow, purple, red, and green colors.The Philippine Rice Research Institute is even developing drought-resistant, pest-resistant, and high-yield rice varieties.
‘The Eighth Wonder of the World’, the hand-carved rice terraces in Banaue ,a world-renowned symbol of Philipine's heritage are the world's oldest rice terraces long enough to stretch halfway around the globe.
Philippines is the third-highest nation for coconut production after Indonesia and India.
The Philippines ranks as the sixth-largest Banana producer in the world, producing around six million tons of Banana every year.Saba Banana is the most grown and widely used Banana in the filipino cuisine.
Indian soldiers who settled in the Philippines during the British invasion, are said to have introduced kare-kare (traditional oxtail stew).Perhaps, the use of Pepper and Bay leaves became quite popular in Filipino cuisine since then I think.
Filipinos love Cassava and Cassava recipes.The Malayali in me is so happy to know that !!
Filipino also prefer to use green mango,tamarind,tomatoes as souring agents in their recipes just like Indians.
Pork is the most popular go-to source of protein and it appears in almost all sorts of Filipino dishes.No animal part goes to waste.Lechon, a whole roasted pig, is a quite popular and sought-after centerpiece dish in many celebrations and gatherings of Philippines.Poor Pig !! Sigh ! My heart goes out for you dear Pig !!
Bulalo, a famous meaty beef bone marrow soup, is popular for its powerful flavour. (Nope Cow and Buffalos ,likewise are not welcome to Philippines !!) Seriously!!
Tinola is another popular Filipino recipe, a light, ginger-infused chicken or seafood broth whereas batchoy is a savoury noodle soup made with pork parts infused in pork blood and chicken/beef stew and egg noodles. Holy Moly !!
Balut is another unique sought-after Filipino delicacy,considered also an Aphrodisiac.A partly developed duck or chicken embryo,when a duck egg is between two to three weeks old, is hard-boiled in brine which retains some features of its development like the beak, bones, or feathers intact.Vendors insulate the freshly made Balut with a warm rug to serve it warm in the shell itself. HOW CRUEL !!(Wait a minute,I do eat duck meat though ! ...Even so guilty for that , looks less cruelty comparatively!)
Etag is another famous recipe of Philippines .A salt-cured pork stored in earthen jars for weeks before hanging it out to dry, at which point it will be crawling with maggots and is considered edible and another unique delicacy of Philippines.How SALTY !! OMG!!
Soup Number Five is another sought-after Filipino recipe with Aphrodisiac properties which contains the testicles and (sometimes) the penis of a bull.ROFL !!
Other popular Filipino recipes includes Helmet, the name for barbequed chicken heads. Adidas , the name for barbequed chicken feet. Betamax is the name for coagulated chicken blood,nilaga monggo is the name for a Pork infused Mung Beans soup.Wonder full!!
Dinuguan is a Dugo (is a Filipino word for blood) /blood-infused stew , so rich and flavorful made with a pig’s offals, ears, intestines, and snout that was simmered in its own blood. (What the Puck !!haha...This Filipino recipe I won't try to eat or cook even if someone offers me million dollar.Na-aah !!My dear Pig ,may you stay away from Philippines for good !!..Hardcore animal lover -Yours truly !)..Dear Pig,tumse ka bhool hui jo ye saza tumka mili....
I read somewhere that the Filipino farmers just to outsmart the pests attacking their crops ,they came out with many recipes to eat them out instead as a revenge from ant eggs, to crickets, grasshoppers,snakes, bats, field mice, frogs, snails to name a few. (What the F-ood...For the first time I hate those farmers and supporters..No offense,that's too much and heartbreaking!!!..They are an important part of our eco-system afterall!)
Bicol Express is another popular stew,a comfort food of Filipinos , made with pork, especially the fatty parts such as the belly and shoulder, and uses mainly coconut milk,chili peppers and coconut cream to prepare the recipe.(Like that famous dialogue from the movie,Chennai express,"Don't underestimate the power of a common man especially of Philippines " !!) ThangaFili lol
Filipino's Ice cream carts would usually have two to three unique ice cream flavors which includes purple yam (Ube), cheese, and avocado.Ube Ice Cream is the most wanted ice cream of Filipino with a purple tint made with Ube or Purple Yam as the main ingredient. Anyone screaming for that?? (Is the letter "r" missing? 😉😈😎😍)

Napakaganda/Ang Ganda...Don't take me wrong,no it is not Hindi ,it is in fact Filipino way of saying..WOW !!...I lab/Love those wonderful facts of Philippines !!💗

Looks like for me especially it can be a bit challenging to eat Filipino foods in the Philippines carefreely ...but guess what I have got some of my favourite Filipino recipes that are quite safe to eat,look ,cook and gulp with eyes closed,tongue-worthy and satisfied to the core.

So,kain na..I mean Let's eat...I will cook and eat myself while you can look and eat it with your eyes.Deal??

Deal or no deal,here I go...to introduce y'all to my favourite Filipino recipes.

. Halo Halo - is a quite popular Filipino dessert.Halo Halo in Filipino means "mixed" and hence Halo Halo is a cold dessert made up of a mix of unusual edible things which myself for sure would hardly imagine in a dessert.

Halo Halo is made up of crushed/shaved ice,condensed milk/evaporated milk/coconut milk,Jellos,fruits like chopped Mangoes,coconut shavings,jackfruit,palm fruits etc,sweetened kidney beans/Lima beans/Garbanzo beans,taro/yam cubes,tapioca Pearls,flan/pudding topped with scoops of Ube Icecream mainly.Halo Halo is quite flexible and accommodating as anything can be added to this unique drink mix to suit one's taste.

What made me interested in this unique dessert drink of the Filipino is our Indian "Falooda" drink made similarly with more universally appealing edible ingredients I believe.

You can check my Falooda post and find the similarities and differences between these two drinks as if they are non-identical twins jo kumbh ke mele mein bhichad gaye theyy shayad :D.

Indian Falooda in three ways

The addition of beans covered in sugary syrup made me wonder how did they get into such a delicious drink .Did any mother invent this cold dessert like a cheat nutritional (kinda) drink to make sure any kid would enjoy the drink for sure with a good mix of beans,fruits,vegetables like Taro/Yam along with ice cream and sugar .However the addition of beans soaked in sugar syrup was not that appealing to me ,still I was scratching my head ..wondering the taste ,challenging my morons err I mean neurons..

And as I was shopping in an Asian store I came across the ready made Halo Halo mix with most of the ingredients little hard to find like palm fruit chunks,coconut shavings ,beans dunked in sugary syrup.Since Corona mainly, I feel like I have a supporting spirit team by my side and my spirit team was indicating me to make Halo Halo for sure.Also the Ube ice cream peaked my interest as this ice cream is made up of Purple Yam.Coincidently,I also found the readymade Purple yam powder called Ube powder, which is the key ingredient to make the home-made Ube Icecream which is hardly easily available at any stores here.

I used most of the store-bought pre-mix of ingredients needed for making super easy homemade Halo Halo .However,I did make the homemade Ube Ice cream at home .

What is Ube Ice cream?

Ube Ice cream is the most sought-after ice cream of the Filipino made with Purple Yam and hence the Purple tint the ice cream has.Not to mention,I was quite taken aback when I came across this "Ube" icecream of Philippines.(I feel, my divine spiritual support team of my highest good is quite funny .Reminds me of a DIY staircase makeover video I made, which made sense once I was done with making the video and many such instances like I have specifically highlighted in this video)

How to make Ube ice cream at home :

Ube Icecream

Ingredients

Condensed milk (Preferably cold) - 1 can (14 ounces)

Cold Heavy whipping cream - 2 cups

Pure vanilla - 2 teaspoons

A pinch or two of salt.

Ube extract powder ready-made - 1-4 Tablespoons (flavor to your taste)

Purple food color as needed

(Or a mix of Red and Dark Blue = Purple color)

How to prepare Ube Ice cream at home :

In a large bowl,using an electric mixer/hand mixer,beat the heavy whipping cream on a medium-high speed for 3 minutes approx until stiff yet soft peaks forms .Do not mix for longer or it may become butter.
In another bowl ,stir condensed milk ,vanilla ,pinch of salt (balances the sugar) ,purple color as needed and Ube powder/extract and mix well until well-combined.
Finally add the above mixture into the whipped cream with soft peaks and mix well until well combined .
Pour it into a rectangular glass container or a loaf pan (easy to scoop out later) and freeze it for 6 hours approx or more or until firm.
That's it purple-y colored Ube Ice cream is ready to serve!!!
Scoop it in a bowl /cup or an ice cream cone and enjoy !!

Notes:

Always use COLD condensed milk and heavy whipping cream.
You can either use any store-bought Ube liquid extract or Ube extract in powder form for the purple yam taste and flavor.
I also used a purple icing tube thinking that would be enough to get that purple-y tint to my ice cream but it didn't ,however, it did enhance the taste but was not needed.So,I used a combo of red and dark blue food color for a purple-y tint for the ice cream instead.I used a very light purple color as too much food color scares me .So adjust as per your preference !

Not to mention,I found the name itself of this ice cream ,"UBE" ,one-of-a-kind and the color fascinated me as well as I do not remember eating any purple ice cream yet in my life and to add a vegetable like purple yam which is not my favourite vegetable anyways was beyond my imagination.Any Mother's trick again ??

If it was not Ube Ice cream, I would have hardly included purple yam in any dessert to the least.I must say the ice cream didn't disappoint me at all.Ube Icecream rocked to my palette !!

Mmmmm...Masarap (Yummy in Filipino !!) Wink !

So,here is how I made the quick and easy Halo Halo Filipino dessert at home:

Halo Halo

Ingredients

Readymade mix of sweetened red beans/lima beans,coconut shavings,palm fruit chunks,jackfruit chunks,pearls

dunk in sugary syrup.

Cherry/Raspberry Jello cubes as needed

Watermelon/Any green colored Jello cubes as needed

Ready made Flan

Crushed ice/Shaved Ice

Ube Icecream as needed

How to prepare Halo Halo at home :

I used the store-bought ready-to-eat Halo Halo mix which had red beans,Lima beans,coconut shavings,palm fruit chunks,pearls dunk in sugar syrup.

Otherwise to make it fresh,just soak beans overnight and the next day pressure cook it until soft in sugary water as per taste until well cooked.Similarly with tapioca pearls ,soak for a few hours and cook it in water until soft.
Chop any fruits of your choice preferably Mango,Plantain/Banana,Jackfruit ,Cooked Taro/Yam palm fruit chunks , coconut thin strips but I used only the palm fruit and coconut shavings dunked in the pre-made Halo Halo mix.

2.I made red and green colored jellos as per the store-bought Jello's package instructions and chopped them all. It looks like those colors(red and green) dominate any other jellos used for the Halo Halo mix.But suit your taste!

3.I also made the store-bought flan as per the package instructions and used as preferred.

4.Now take a tall glass and add all ingredients as per your wish making sure every ingredients of your choice will fit in beautifully.

5.Finally top it with crushed ice and scoops of Ube ice cream as per your wish.

6.That's it my quick and easy Halo Halo Filipino dessert is ready to be served and enjoy using a long spoon preferably .

To be frank I loved how Halo Halo Filipino dessert looked finally but the taste was too sweet for me even though I am a sweet lover . May be because of the ready-to-make store bought Halo Halo mix .Otherwise I would adjust the sugar easily to my taste .So,you can too or add not too much.And for my taste buds the inclusion of sweetened beans didn't entice me but it was good to know this rare Filipino touch which I respect for sure.Halo Halo is indeed a unique cold dessert/drink of Philippines !

That was my edible style to say "Hello Hello " to Filipino foods I think.

. Adobo chicken Fried rice

Adobo originated from the word ‘adouber’ which means “to coat and marinate meat in vinegar ,sauces and/or spices”. Adobo fried rice is usually cooked rice integrated with garlic-vinegar-flavored soy sauce,spices and the main ingredient pork or chicken meat, or perhaps both.In Philippines ,Adobo fried rice is served for breakfast as a comfort food as this Filipino fried rice can be quickly made with some leftover rice with good source of protein and vegetables to one's choice.

How to make Adobo chicken fried rice at home

Adobo fried rice

Ingredients

Cooked rice/Leftover rice 1-2 Cups

Peas and carrots chopped as needed (optional) 1/4 cup each

Onions chopped 1/4 Cup

Green chili chopped 2-4 Nos.

Garlic chopped (medium-large size) 4-7 Nos.

Spring onions chopped as needed

Bay leaves 1-3 Nos.

Soy sauce 1-3 Tablespoons or 1/4 Cup

Sugar a bit

For Chicken fry :

Ingredients

Chicken Breast,chopped - 1 cup

Pepper powder - 1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Vinegar Liquid - 1 Tbsp

(I used readymade store bought dry Vinegar+Sea salt powder)

Oil for frying 1/4 Cup or adjust as needed

Preparation method to make Adobo chicken fried rice :

Marinate the chopped chicken pieces with pepper powder,salt and vinegar or I used dry version of Vinegar-salt combo and keep it aside for a few minutes.This will tenderize the chicken pieces and make it flavorful.
Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the marinated chicken pieces until tender on low flame preferably.
Keep the cooked chicken pieces aside.
Heat oil in a pan,add bay leaves,chopped garlic.Saute until the garlic is lightly browned not burnt though.
Throw in chopped onions,peas and carrots and saute well.
Add in soy sauce to taste.Saute well.
Cover with a lid and let everything cook.
Remove the lid .
Add in the cooked fried chicken pieces,leftover rice and mix well.Fresh rice can also be added but the leftover rice gives the recipe the perfect crunch,texture and taste.
Add more soy sauce if needed.More soy sauce enhances the color of rice as well.I am not a fan of soy sauce so I added as per my taste only.
Mix everything well.
That's it my easy peasy quick to make Adobo Chicken Fried rice is ready to serve !
Enjoy it hot !

.Bola Bola

Bola Bola means Ball Ball .Bola Bola are Filipino style deeply fried meatballs made with the main ingredient Pork or chicken and served as an appetizer/snack with a dipping sauce or dunked in a warm soup or like a side dish to rice .

How to make Bola Bola with chicken at home

Bola Bola

Makes 10 Nos.

Ingredients

Chicken breast - 1 No./ 1-2 cups of ground chicken

Salt to taste

Pepper 1 Tsp

Egg 1 No.

Onion ,chopped

Garlic cloves,chopped 4-7 No.s

Bell pepper,chopped 3 Tbsps - 1/4 cup

Carrots,chopped 3 Tbsps-1/4 cup

Red chilies chopped 1-2 Nos.

Parsley/Cilantro chopped as needed

Spring onions,chopped as needed

Breadcrumbs 1/2 cup (approx)

Water for boiling

Soy Sauce/Ketchup/Sauce of your choice

Oil for deep frying

Preparation method to make Bola Bola:

Boil water.Then add the chicken breast into it with pepper powder and salt to taste.Reduce the flame and cover it with a lid until the chicken is tender.Or You can also use the ground chicken directly ,then you don't have to boil them just add the below made ground paste to the ground chicken and make meatballs directly which will take little bit more time to fry as the chicken is raw yet soft.
Then turn off the cooking gas and keep it aside.
Break an egg into a mixer jar and add the shredded chicken into it.
Now add in all the chopped veges like garlic,chilies,carrots,bell peppers,cilantro leaves or parsley leaves ,spring onions as well into the jar.
Add breadcrumbs and grind everything into a paste (smooth or coarse doesn't matter) but it should be easy to make ball shapes properly and hold the shape .Adjust breadcrumbs to make the paste easy to shape aptly.
Heat oil for deep frying.
Once the paste/dough is ready ,make golf-sized balls out it and keep them all aside.
Put a bit of dough into the oil and try to fry it and if it springs to the top the oil is ready for deep frying aptly.
Reduce the flame and fry all meatballs batch by batch without over crowding ,flipping to make sure all sides are well-cooked.
Once they turn golden brown,remove them to another plate.Do not burn them to fry them fast.
Once all meatballs as needed are fried ,sprinkle a few chopped spring onions on them and enjoy them with soy sauce.
That's it Bola Bola recipe,Filipino style meatballs are ready to serve !
Enjoy Bola Bola as it is or with pasta/noodles/rice etc.

Chicken Sisig

Sisig in Filipino means sour and Sisig is a dish made popularly with Pig parts and looks like a Non-veg salad where the meat is fried (marinated with a pinch of spice and sauce ) and mixed with chopped onions,chillies,ginger-garlic , liver and topped with bulls eye/fried egg.

I read somewhere that Filipinos make Sisig also with Python parts like an exotic food. Now that's "Savage" !!

I made with my go-to protein ,chicken pieces omitting the liver .

How to make Chicken Sisig at home :

Sisig Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken Breasts - 3 Nos.

Pepper Powder 1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for frying 4-5 Tbsps

Chopped garlic 4-7 Nos.

Chopped Ginger - 1 Tbsp

Chopped red and green chillies 1-2 Nos.

Sliced bell peppers 1/3 Cup

Chopped onions as needed

Soy sauce 1 Tbsps or as preferred

Mayonnaise 1-2 Tbsps

Lime juice,as preferred

Spring onions as preferred

Egg 1 No.

Preparation method to make Sisig :

Coat the chicken breasts with salt and pepper powder and keep them aside.
Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the chicken breasts until tender /well-cooked.
Once done, turn off the cooking gas.Allow the chicken pieces to cool down.
Then chop all the chicken breasts and keep them aside.
In the same leftover oil,add in the chopped ginger,garlic,chillies,bell peppers,onions and saute well.
Add in soy sauce as preferred.Mix.
Add in Mayo and mix well.
Add in the fried chicken pieces to it and saute well.
Squeeze lime juice as needed.
Saute for a few minutes and top it with chopped onions and spring onions.Mix well.
Make little space in the center to make an egg bulls eye .So,break an egg and make one.
Now leave it as it is or you can also mix the egg into the Sisig completely .
That's it my homemade sisig recipe is ready to serve !

.Yema Candy/Balls

Yema means "Egg yolk" and Yema candy is a quite famous sweet confectionery of Philippines made with egg yolks,condensed milk,butter and nuts.

How to make Yema candy at home :

Yema Candy/Balls

Ingredients

Egg Yolks 2 Nos.

Butter 2 Tablespoons

Condensed milk 1 can 14 Oz

Crushed Peanuts/walnuts

Salt to taste a bit (optional)

Wax paper strips square shaped /Cellopane strips

How to prepare Yema candy/Yema Ball recipe at home :

Break eggs and separate the egg yolks from them and keep them aside.
Add the condensed milk and the egg yolks into a container and beat well.
Heat butter in a pan on low flame and let it melt down.
Then add the condensed milk mixture into it and stir well on low flame until the mixture thickens up.It is quite time taking ,attention seeking and a great hand exercise procedure.
Keep an eye always as the mixture has got a tendency to get burned.
Once the mixture thickens up ,add the crushed peanuts and mix well.
A pinch of salt or two will help in balancing the sweetness .
Keep on sauteing it until the mixture leaves the edges and starts to accumulate to the center.
Turn off the cooking gas.
Allow the mixture to cool off.
The candy mixture/dough is ready.
I prefer to keep this candy mixture in the fridge for a few hours /overnight so that the mixture becomes more flavorful and pliable.
Then make square strips of paper out of parchment paper/wax paper or Cellopane.
Then as shown in the video ,make a small marble sized balls out of the mixture and place each one of them on a wax strip/cellopane strip and pinch from all side in such a way that the ball turns into a cone shape .
Repeat with all the candy mixture/candy balls .
That's it Yema candy,Filipino style candy is ready !

Masarap - Delish !!!

. Maruya/Banana Fritters

Maruya are a classic Filipino Banana Fritters ,popular street food/snack of Philippines .Traditionally, the batter- coated Saba Bananas (sliced/mashed) are either deeply fried and coated with sugar.Bananas can be cut long or mashed into the batter .The former looks like a Banana Fritter and the latter looks like a Banana pancake.

This recipe reminded me of our Kerala style Pazham Pori/Banana Fritters or American banana pancake.

Kerala Pazham Pori recipe

Pancake recipe

How to make Maruya ,Banana fritters recipe at home

Maruya Recipe

Ingredients

Ripe Bananas (Saba Preferred) 2-3 Nos.

Sugar 1/2 cup

All-purpose flour 1 cup

Baking powder 1 tsp

Vanilla essence 1 Tsp

Egg 1 No.

Milk 3/4th cup

Salt a pinch

Oil 1/2 cup

Powdered sugar

Preparation method to make Filipino Maruya at home :

Break the Bananas and mash it into a smooth/coarse batter with sugar in a mixer jar.
In a wide ball, mix all purpose flour and baking powder,add in the mashed Banana mixture,vanilla essence and break an egg into it.
Mix everything well until it forms a well-combined batter.
Keep it aside for fluffier Maruya.
Heat oil in a pan.
Mix the batter once again and pour ladle full of batter on the pan.
On medium-low flame,once the bottom is cooked/golden brown,flip and fry the other side until golden brown.
Remove the fritter/pancake onto another plate.
Repeat with all batter as preferred.
Then sprinkle powdered sugar on top of all Maruya/Banana Fritters/Filipino Banana Pancakes.
That's it Maruya,Filipino style Banana Pancake/fritters are ready to eat.
Alternatively,you can make a batter of all purpose flour,baking powder,powdered sugar,vanilla essence, egg and water into a smooth but thick batter.
Then slice the Bananas into long strips and dip them into the batter and deep fry each of them into Maruya Banana Fritters.Coat with powdered sugar.

Masarap ...Take a bite!!

.Pancit

Pancit is a staple food of Philippines made with thin/fine rice noodles,pork/Chicken and vegetables and soy sauce.The fine rice noodles when done tasted just like our Kerala style Idiappam.

Kerala style Idiappam/String hoppers

How to make Filipino Pancit at home :

Pancit recipe

Ingredients

Chicken strips 1 cup

Pepper powder 1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Oil 1/3 Cup

Chicken Boullion 1-2 Nos.

Water to boil 2-4 Cups

Oil 4 Tbsps

Garlic ,chopped 4-5 Nos.

Onion,chopped handful

Bell peppers,chopped handful

Carrots,chopped handful

Spring onions chopped

Crushed red chilli flakes as preferred

Cabbage sliced as preferred

Soy sauce 1-4 Tbsps

Snow Peas as preferred

Vermicelli Thai fine rice noodles 1 packet

Preparation method to make Pancit

Marinate the chicken strips with salt and pepper powder and keep them aside.
Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry them until tender and keep them all aside.
Boil water in a pan and add 1-2 Chicken boullion cubes and let it melt down .Reduce the flame.
Heat oil in a flame,add in the chopped garlic,onions,bell peppers,carrots and saute well.Cover it for a minute until tender but not too much or the veges will be too soggy.
Add in the crushed red chilli flakes,cabbage , soy sauce and snow peas and saute well.
Stir in the chicken boullion cube until mixed well in water.
Add the noodles into it and gently stir and let them sit their for a while until tender.These noodles cook very fast.Do not overcook it.
Then strain the noodles and keep them aside.
Add the fried chicken strips into the veges and mix well.
Add in the cooked noodles and mix well gently .
Add more soy sauce/oyster sauce as preferred.
Turn off the cooking gas.
That's it Pancit is ready to eat !

So,those where my favourite Filipino recipes I was excited to store it in my blog and share it with all foodies like me.Hope you will like it and give it a try as they are not that time-consuming and tasty.

Here are my Filipino food ideas demonstrated in this video/vlog showcasing my favourite homemade Filipino recipes .

Since this is my first post of 2025 .I would like to wish you the best and share with you all a few amazing Filipino quotes I came across as a token of inspiration and reminder to me and others if you wish .

Habang may buhay, may pag-asa.

Meaning ,"As long as there is life, there is hope."This quote encourages people to not give up, even in the face of adversity. There is always an opportunity to make a change, learn from mistakes, or start anew. It promotes resilience, optimism, and a positive outlook on life.

Pulutin ang mabuti, ang masama ay iwaksi.

This quote emphasizes the importance of discernment, being able to distinguish between good and bad. Good influences and behaviors should be emulated and bad influences and behaviors ignored or rejected.

Also remembering those who left us to be by Divine's side ....Everyone has to leave this realm one day....some go sooner..some leave later.Sincerely my heart goes out to them who left us in tragedy or organically....All I can do is pray for peace !