FOOD LAB: Pompano Fish Curry in Garlic and Cinnamon

Pompano Fish Curry in Garlic and Cinnamon

Just like I promised I will make a fish recipe after being inspired at the I LOVE FISH video contest awarding night showcasing different fish dishes. Now its time to make my own. Well from the title itself it looks really complicated, and did the combination of garlic and cinnamon surprize you? Well find out as we go and prepare another successful experiment of Food Lab only here at FudFyt! And aside from the dish itself the fish we will use is Pompano, a wide yet very tasty fish distributed by FISHTA Seafoods.

THE POMPANO FISH

 The Ingredients

• 1 whole Pompano Fish (Cleaned and sliced a vertically into 4 parts)
• Oil
• water
• Margarine
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 can evaporated milk
• Curry powder
• Cinnamon powder
• Dried garlic flakes

Procedure:

• After cleaning and slicing the fish into four parts, rub salt unto fish to infuse flavor
• Heat oil and fry fish but do not deep fry.

• Remove fish from heat and set aside

• To prepare sauce, boil 2 cups of water and add pepper, salt, and milk. simmer for 2 minutes.

• Add curry powder and cinnamon powder and add the fish into the sauce. Add margarine to add for flavor and creaminess.

• Simmer for 2 minutes and sprinkle with garlic flakes upon serving.

And viola! Pompano Fish Curry in Garlic and Cinnamon! A fusion of fish goodness with a kick of spiciness and a twist of cinnamon to tease your taste buds! The Pompano fish is not bony unlike the BangusJust in case you were wondering where you can buy Pompano . They can be purchased at these stores. And for more updates and also visit the I LOVE FISH FACEBOOK PAGE and also FISHTA SEAFOODS FACEBOOK PAGE for more information and for other exciting news and promotions.

Winners of the 'I Love Fish video contest' Awarded by FISHTA Seafoods

Cooking is indeed a passion of many Filipinos which is also reflected in our culture. In a archepelago surrounded by rich waters filled with marine life, gives us a lot of reasons to come up with exciting fish dishes. FISHTA Seafoods, a division of Santeh Feeds and also a provider of fresh seafood to leading supermarkets in the Metro sees this riches of our seas and our passion for cooking and that is why they launched the "I LOVE FISH VIDEO CONTEST", an online competition for food lovers who wants to showcase their cooking prowess and creativity. The contest is not limited to just one variety of fish which give liberty for the participants to use different kinds of fishes to come up with their unique dish.

The mechanics were posted at http://ilovefish.ph/  Each of the videos are uploaded to the I love fish Youtube channel for everyone to see and also for those who wants to try the dishes for themselves.  There were a lot of amazing videos on how fish dishes were prepared, though I would like to know how each dish would taste like. Some are surprisingly easy to prepare yet look really good and delicious on plate. And since fish is a natural source of more protein and omega-3 which is good for the heart, it would make think to always have more dishes which would benefit my health in the long run. 

And after extensive deliberation of all the videos, the winners are announced and awarded last May 24, 2011 together with FISHTA management and Ms. Janette Toral who organized the said contest. Also present were the other video participants who will also take home prizes courtesy of FISHTA Seafoods, every goes home a winner.

And now here are the winners!

 

Grand prize winner:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER
EDGAR JOSEPH BALTAZAR JR
 TAKES HOME P50,000 FOR HIS DISH
LAPU-LAPU TEREYAKI WITH ASPARAGUS

Lapu-Lapu Teriyaki with Asparagus

by Edgar Joseph Baltazar Jr

Second prize winner: 

Baked Seabass

by Czarina Khamille Sacaguing

Three third prize winners:

a. Broiled Parmesan Tilapia (Marichu Zablan)

b. Fish with Tofu (Camille Georgia Uy)

c. Fish and Chips (Paul Le)

The following entries shall also receive Fishta gift packs:

Fried Pompano Nuggets (Jenny Uy)

Broiled Parmesan Tilapia (Marichu Zablan)

Pinaputok na Tilapia (Richard Mamuyac)

Tilapia sa Gata (Luming Manalili)

Steam Lapu-Lapu (Theresa Barde)

Sarciadong Tilapia by Pekeng Hapon (James Gatlabayan)

Fish and Chips (Paul Le)

Ginataang Tilapia (Jamie Tan)

Fish with Tofu (Camille Georgia Uy)

Pinoy Sweet and Sour Fried Maya-Maya (April Rose Kwong)

As an added bonus, outside of the announced contest prizes, organizer Janette Toral is also gave gift packs to the following who submitted an entry to this contest:

• Erlinda Deliso
• Ernesto Flores
• Carlo Camilo Valenzona
• Anefah Sarip
• Vanisa Clavite
• Betty Fabregas
• Illuminada Bella
• Violeta Kleiber
• Pionestor Dres Jr.
• Nora Espijo
• Hirro Mac Kuizon
• Melrose Co

For the complete list of I LOVE FISH videos, just visit http://ilovefish.ph/ .

And for more updates and also visit the I LOVE FISH FACEBOOK PAGE and also FISHTA SEAFOODS FACEBOOK PAGE for more information and for other exciting news and promotions. And also stay tuned to FudFyt for my own fish recipe which I cooked up with this fish in only on Food Lab!

FOOD STOPS: Cerealicious

Cereals are one of my favorite breakfast treats and today it is not exclusively eaten in the morning. The fun is, you can be very creative and thematic for your bowl of this breakfast treat. With new shows and movies showing on movie houses, wouldn't be great to make it as your food adventure? Cerealicious is the only one of its kind to provide these sweet pleasures plus more!

JUMANGO

PIRATES OF THE CADBURRY-EAN

Unlike we got used to, we only have either one kind of cereal plus milk, which we just normally eat. But cerealicious made this experience more exciting by mixing and matching different cereals, fruits and even snacks like M&M's  and wafer sticks. To make things more interesting they also made themes based on movies foe example, I got the Hurt Loacker which is a mix of M&Ms, Loacker wafer and  syrup. 

NUTTING HILL

Other 'titles' are NUTTING HILL, CHARLIE AND THE CHOC NUT FACTORY, MUNCHTERS INC., MY BEST FRIEND'S PUDDING, OREO AND JULIET, MINTCEPTION, APPLE-O 13, CASHEWBLANCA, A WALK TO REM&MBER,  THE K AFTER TOMORROW  and many more titles and as long there will be movies, there will be new cereal mixes. There are two sizes, Blockbuster for Php 120 and Trailer for Php 60. 

CREAMY CHICKEN CASSEROLE WITH RICE CRISPIES

SAUSAGE PESTO

But more than just cereals, Cerealicious also have the Cerealicous cafe wherein they can also dine with delicious food for the whole family. You can choose from pastas, rice meals, and sandwiches. Which makes it a one stop shop for dining and desserts.  I liked how they made pesto pasta which is just right without losing the flavor of both the meat and the pesto. There are two variants, one with chicken and the other one with sausages and both served with  garlic rice on the side. You can also go with rice meals like the Creamy Chicken Casserole which is topped with rice crispies that gives more texture to the creamy mix of chicken and vegetables. I think this would be great for parents wanting to let their child eat vegetables. And there is also the Shrimp tempura that is cooked with perfection since the breading does not fall off when you bite. And the shrimp they have is very tasty inside as if they were marinated. There are also the cordon bleu chicken which is very packed with chicken, cheese etc. Also like the shrimp, the outer layer is so firm and packed inside making sure that you are getting the most from each serving. And though they don't sell burgers, they do have a burger steak meal served with mashed potatoes on the side for those who love beef. All these dishes are served with herbed rice which also brings out the flavor of the dishes.

CHICKEN PESTO

BUBBA SHRIMP

CORDON BLEU CHICKEN

BEEF STEAK WITH MASHED POTATO

GAMBERETTI

The look at this pasta already entices the appetite.  This pasta is a perfect combination of shrimp and also creamy cheese that gives its sweet taste which most Pinoys love. I think we were used to buttered shimps and ground pork on our pasta that is why this would be one of the best pasta combination so far. Of course, there is also garlic bread served on the side.

And also here is a treat from Cerealicious!

Cerealicous

Official Website:

http://www.cerealicious-ph.com/

Official Facebook Account:

http://www.facebook.com/cerealicious

FOOD STOPS: Spoon Meals by FIGARO

 

Figaro never fails to surprize us as it is not just your ordinary coffee store but also a place where you can dine and enjoy your time. Plus they also have wifi for those who loves to stay connected. Now we have stopped by another Figaro store (Shangri La Plaza, 3rd floor) for new meals that they offer. These are the SPOON MEALS by Figaro.

For this offer they have two variants available and each is paired with a drink of your choice, either iced or brewed coffee or iced tea. The first is the CHICKEN THYME IN CREAMY CHEESE SAUCE (Php 215). Served with buttered corn and carrots and rice. These semi-bite sized portions are really packed with delicious chicken with the thyme just right to bring out the flavor. The creamy cheese  adds flair to the dish as it neutralizes the solid chicken texture. More than a plateful of colors, it serves a very full meal.

Now next is CHICKEN ALA KING (Php 215) made from diced chicken in special creamy sauce with vegetables served with buttered corn and carrots, steamed rice and your choice of  iced or brewed coffee or iced tea. A regular dish at parties and usually served with bread but also perfect with rice. With a rich creamy texture and taste of peppers and mushrooms.And since I do love creamy dishes makes this one my favorites. 

These dishes are perfect for people who wants to reward themselves after a hard days work. And indeed these dish combination served with drinks makes you enjoy your day at Figaro's. No need for a knife because its perfect for a spoonful of flavor and delight.

Also when you have your spoon meals you can also take a bite on these delicious desserts that brings out more smiles on your taste-buds. These are the Old English Matrimonial bar and The Banana Hazelnut Turnover.  Distinctively different but both gives your sweet tooth a treat with the right fruity goodness. Among the two I chose the Banana Hazelnut Turnover as it is oozing with sweet banana filling, not too hot nor too cold, but just right and easy to chew. The Matrimony Bar on the other hand is crunchy yet very tasty and even the bread crumbs are fun to eat.

OLD ENGLISH MATRIMONIAL BAR

BANANA HAZELNUT TURNOVER

Figaro Coffee Company Official Website:
http://www.figarocoffee.com/

Official Facebook Account:
https://www.facebook.com/figarocoffeecompany

FOOD STOPS: Tapella

Tapella

Greenbelt 5

The Food Stops now takes you on a Spanish journey to TAPELLA restaurant located in Greenbelt 5. We were invited for a cooking demonstration by Executive Chef Alexandra Cacho. Although we Filipinos have been infused with Spanish cusine, it would be great to experience the authentic Spanish dishes. Chef Alexandra came from Spain but she has been here for quite some time that she can incorporate Filipino words with her cooking. Tapella actually came from Tapas and Paella, two of the most known Spanish dishes and the restaurant's specialty. 

manchego cheese, chicken, and shrimp paella (P500)

The Philippines have known Spanish dishes and have also integrated into the culture. However the authentic Spanish taste is also hard to define because in Spain there is also a wide diversity of cuisine that are exclusively in their region. TAPELLA is considered Gaudi. 

Cojonudos

Perfectly paired with light punch of Sangria or their quality Wines makes the experience unforgettable. It was also my first time to taste their garlic cold soup which breaks the norm of having something hot to start with. Bread meals like the camembert and caramelized onions on flueted bread also increases your appetite with its juicy texture and semi-sweet taste.

Sangria

Let us not forget their set of unique seafood dishes in TAPELLA which are the Skewered Octopus and Calamari el Bulli. Both realy tasty but you might find the Calamari a little bit weird because of its color, but definitely better the regular ones. The black pigment is because of the squid's ink that is mixed with the batter.

white garlic and almond cold soup (P70)

Sampicao on a glass cup with brocolli bits is just right to cap off  the first round. Because desserts are next! And with a wide variety of dessert options like an Oreo cake or a leche flan-like with a right amount of sweetness and falvor.

camembert and caramelized onions on flueted bread (180)

Paella!

Octopus Skewered with potatoes

calamari el bulli (P255)

Sampicao

Desserts!

chorizo in red wine (P245)

Proven to be a great place to dine, Tapella's specialty tops our highly recommended list as the perfect Gaudi experinece. The Paella is also great no doubt, but the Chorizo in red wine is a new taste that is very unique yet satisfying. Its would also be a great "pulutan" but avery high class one. And who needs drinks if its in the food already? Definitely you would keep coming back to order another plate.

Executive Chef Alexandra Cacho

We would like to thank Tapella and Chef Alexandra for the wonderful dish she prepared. She will be included in our roster of featured chefs in FudFyt called Chef in Command. 

Tapella is open daily from 11am until 12mn. Wine all-you-can paired with tapas and canapé’s is served every Friday from 6 to 9 pm. Dinning at Tapella comes with complimentary WIFI. For more information or reservations, call 7572710 and 7572711.