Clara Ole Asian Salad Dressing, California and Kani Maki

Here are some photos and thoughts form my recent encounters with some oriental flavors.

Salad prepared by Adrienne Nicole Bernal

I love the taste of sesame seeds and any other product used with it. Sesame oil, for instance, gives off such a powerful oriental flavor. I remember using it in my burger patty recipe that I blogged about before. This is the same flavor that can be found in Clara Ole's Asian Salad Dressing. For around 40 pesos, if I remember correctly, you can get those small budget packs that will surely enhance your salads or anything you want to add a wonderful asian flavor to.

For example, in the salad you'll notice that there's chicken meat from the breast part. I usually hate the white meat part of the chicken but with the asian dressing makes it so flavorful and appetizing, I swear. It's surely a must-try! This is something you can use not just for salads and in my opinion slays any other kind of salad dressing being that I am partial to oriental flavors.

Home made California and Kani maki
Speaking of Asian and oriental flavors, I recently had a chance to learn more about making your own maki/sushi. My mom's friends with the owner of the Japanese restaurant Hanakazu, located in BF, Parañaque. We got to borrow some of their knowledgable employees for a day and they prepared some maki for us.
It's much easier than I thought. The rice is basically just flavored with some special vinegar and sugar then you just roll whatever you want inside with the seaweed wrapper and then maybe add some roe around it if you want.
In my blog post about Raw Fish Recipes, I expressed how much I love Japanese cuisine. It's been one of my top favorites since I was young. I've always been so intrigued by its complexity. Their cuisine reminds me of origami, their artform of paper folding, very delicate and requires skill, technique, and discipline. I've always been thinking that unlocking the secrets of Japanese cuisine can make one's life better.
You may have noticed a bit of change in the design of this blog. I'm really just experimenting with the ad placements, hopefully to increase my earnings. I plan to blog about it more over at my other blog Beating the Search Engine, so be sure to check that out if you are curious.

How to Cook Poached Eggs

Sick of fried egg? Just a few moments ago, I decided to cook some poached eggs for the first time in my life.

my not so helpful tutorial video on how to make poached eggs
I used to watch Top Chef all the time and I remember some challenges would require the contestants to cook poached eggs because it requires a lot of skills and techniques. Basically it's just boiled egg but making it look perfect requires a lot of delicate movements and timing. So I decided to make some for myself and try it out instead of just going for the typical fried egg.
I still prefer fried egg, of course. Healthy food would usually sacrifice taste. But hey, it's my first time so I'm sure I'll learn more about it as I cook it more times. I need to practice on sauces and other things that will compliment the egg. I'm sure eventually my poached eggs will be more preferable than my fried eggs (and more presentable too).
There's really no excuse anymore in having conventional and boring meals. The internet gives us all these information on different recipes and cuisines most with step-by-step guides and tutorials. Plus, even without the internet, there will always be the imagination that provides reckless and unrestricted creativity.
I am the eggman.

---

If you liked this post then you might also like:
1. Burger Patties Recipe
2. How to Fry Dumplings Properly

3. Tapsilog Recipe

Longganisa for Breakfast

Nagluluto ng longganisa
piniprito ang itlog
yan ang aking almusallongsilog; wag kalimutan ang spicy vinegar

---

#NowPlaying: M Black - Heartbreak (Bare Noize Remix)

Our Calamansi Tree

I remember when this tree was very small and now it's way taller than me. Many times, this is where we get our calamansi, something that Anthony Bourdain referred to as ubiquitous to the Philippine cuisine. So it's really very useful to have our own calamansi tree.

Our Calamansi Tree
Growing your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs make a lot of sense. This has a lot to do with the concept of sustainability. We also have a sili (chili) plant. And they're not that hard to grow, I am assuming. We don't really bother buying complex fertilizers or minerals for the soil. Just watering it from time to time is fine. And during the rainy season, you don't even have to do anything.
One day I want to have my own garden complete with my favorite herbs, spices, and vegetables (fruits too, but I think they're too big for a home garden).

---

#NowPlaying: Phaeleh feat. Soundmouse - Afterglow (Akira Kiteshi Remix)

Alabang Country Club Chicken Satay Recipe

Satay is actually originally a Thai dish, I think. The first time I was able to try it was in chinatown in Singapore. Talk about complex fusions and overlapping cultures.

Here's the one that's available in the menu of Alabang Country Club. It's actually pretty good. A friend once commented that it's even better than what she tried in Singapore. One of the chefs is actually a friend of my parents and his Singaporean. I think his name is Joseph and he's from Sta. Elena (they're currently the food concessionaire in the club).

I really love the complex combinations of flavors of satay. It's very unique and not so prevalent in Philippine cuisine. And so right after coming back from Singapore, I wanted to try cooking it right away. Luckily, you can buy these instant mixes of the marinade and the sauce. I found mine in South Supermarket in Alabang.
I'm actually still here in the club, in the library. I just came from the sauna. Such a lovely experience. I feel so healthy and detoxified. Just using the wifi here. But yeah, I'm so sleepy. If you follow me on my twitter you'll know why. So be sure to follow me to get updated on my latest blog posts and other random things happening in my life: @harryinitiative

Mga Kwentong Alinsunod sa Kakulangan sa Pagtulog

Gusto ko sanang kumain sa Jollibee. Alas-dos na ng umaga. Naalala kong 24 hours nga pala sila dito malapit sa bahay ko sa Laguna.

Kaarawan din nga pala ni Rizal noong isang araw at naisip kong ito’y magandang oportinidad na mabawi ang aking pagiging higit pa sa hayop o malansang isda. Dito sa bayan ng Laguna lumaki si Jose Rizal, sa may dulo lang ng SLEX, sa Calamba.

Ang Jollibee ay isang institusyon na sa Pilipinas. Basta pritong manok, makakaasa kang hindi magsasawa ang mga tao (lalo na ang kabataan) sa kanilang chicken joy na talaga namang huling-huli at swak na swak sa panlasang pinoy. Ika nga nila, “laman muna, balat later!” Talaga namang panalo at nakakatakam.

Natakot silang mapatumba ng inihaw na manok ng Bacolod kaya’t binili nila ang Mang Inasal na siya namang hinahamon ngayon ng Chic-Boy. Nakakamangha talaga ang mga benipisyo ng kompetisyon sa merkado (yan ang tunay na apelyido ni Pepe!).

Naging laganap at popular ang konsepto ng unlimted rice. Isang bagay na talaga namang nakakaakit at tinatangkilik ng mamamayang Pilipino. Ang ating bansa ay mayaman sa agrikultura at ang kanin ay talaga namang parte na ng ating araw-araw na buhay.

Konting ulam para sa maraming kanin—isang isyu ng kahirapan o kaya naman ng katakawan? Hindi ko alam. Pero may kilala ako na nakapag 9 na extra rice sa Tokyo Tokyo. Meron din namang may kaya ng apat na siomai ipapagkasya sa apat na kanin, idaan na lang sa toyo at chili oil. Bukod sa panlasa, para sa mga pinoy, mas importante na nakakabusog. Kanin all you can = kanin all the way.

Sa pagtuloy ng aking kwento, hindi na ako kumain sa Jollibee. May bayad pa kasi ang parking doon sa Paseo De Sta. Rosa (aba, extra rice na din ang sampung piso!). Bumili na lang ako ng siopao sa 711 (bumili din kasi ako ng prepaid load).

Kaninang hapon bumili nga din pala ako ng manggang sorbetes, mga instant noodles (si Jose Rizal ay mahilig sa pancit), liempo, at ang matagal ko ng pinagiisipan bilihin na salami milano (ang alam ko ay isa to sa mga naging paborito ni Rizal noong siya ay nasa Europa). Di ko alam kung ano talaga ang patutunguhan ng sinusulat kong ito. Basta tunkol sa pagkain ang blog na ito, diba? Maaga pa ang gising ko bukas at wala akong shower water heater kaya dapat ako’y matulog na (mahirap maligo ng malamig na tubig kapag puyat ngunit hindi pa ako inaantok).

May mga nagsasabi na muntik na daw mag retract si Jose Rizal dahil sa kanyang chicks na si Josephine. Sabi ko nga: kahit si Superman ay meron din namang kryptonite. Parang ikaw, ikaw ang aking kryptonite.

Bukod sa extra rice mahilig tayong mga Pilipino sa libreng sabaw. Beleyted na Happy Birthday, Dr. Jose Rizal.

---

Kung nagustuhan mo ang sulating ito baka magustahan mo din ang:

1. HarryLeaks - gusto mo bang umunlad ang ating bayan? halina't bisitahin ang blog na ito at alamin kung paano.

2. Ang Aking Twitter - maging una sa mga makakaalam ng mga bago kong blog post at iba pang nangyayari sa buhay ko.

Why is Omakase so Successful?

The concept of "by word of mouth" has certainly evolved because of social media. And I think Omakase has really penetrated this evolved "by word of mouth" marketing. There's Facebook, Twitter, Foursqaure, blogs, and many others. Without having to promote themselves, their own customers become their marketing agents.

To put this in Twitter terms, Omakase is trending. Most of my friends are staunch believers of Omakase and will stand by their experience of eating there. It is always full and many times you will have to wait before you can get a table. I actually just ate there a while ago for lunch and figured I should write about my thoughts.
Follow me on Twitter: @harryinitiative to get updates on my latest blog posts and other random things happening with my life

In any competitive market, patronage goes to those who are innovative. Suppliers are always kept at their feet and forced to provide better service in fear that their competitors will outsell them. And that's what makes the market economy so democratic: the fact that consumers can voluntarily vote with their money and decide who stays and who goes. Innovators are rewarded with profit and it is this profit incentive that keeps the competition running.
So I guess we can consider Omakase as innovative. Their recipes are certainly very different from competing Japanese restaurants. They've provided something unique and the market responded well.
I'm personally not so fond of it. I mean, deep frying, adding Japanese mayo and other fancy designs and plating—these things won't impress me. I'm more of a purist, I guess. I'm the type who'd prefer the traditional and authentic Japanese cuisine. But then again that's just me and the majority of consumers, as I have said, have voted otherwise. And, of course, I must commend them for their innovations and creativity regardless of my own personal preference.
The internet and social media really gives power to consumers. I was eating there a while ago and now I am writing about them. So restaurants of the world beware—every single customer can share their experience, good or bad, to their own personal networks and to the world (in realtime!).
So I guess I'm writing here again. It's more of observations, I guess. I mean, I'm constantly training myself to see what others can't see, to look beyond what is apparent, you know. The love for eating or my "cooking" may eventually return as well, we never know. Ah, women, they are my Waterloo, yeah? Even superman had his kryptonite. Weaknesses does not define one's super-ness, okay? So leave me alone hahaha.
It seems that in spite of not writing here, it has proven to be the highest contributor in my earnings among my blogspot blogs. Gotta suck it up and blog! On that note I leave you with a beautiful song I've been listening to all day:

Google's New Recipe View

Google now has the "recipe view" feature that will surely revolutionize the way we look for recipes online.

You can filter your search queries by ingredients, cook time, and even calories! You can even put what ingredients you have and those that you don't have.

The search results are a bit biased toward the more credible authority sites though and seem to have disregard for small time recipe blogs. This could really be a bad thing, I think. There is that different feel when an independent blogger shares an experience as compared to just reading about ingredients and directions in big recipe websites.

Of course a part of me is somewhat annoyed, also being that I had a similar website idea and that some of my ranking articles are about recipes and my traffic might be affected. But hey, this will only force me to innovate even more and really test the limits of my creativity. Competition is good, even when your competing against a giant like Google.

Speaking of competing with Google, the reason I haven't been blogging here is because I've been focusing on the more lucrative side of blogging for now. But of course this does not mean that I will no longer be posting here, no way. As useless as it may seem compared to my other blogs, Libreng Sabaw is probably the closest to my heart.

So anyways, introducing my newest blog about technology, social media, and search engine optimization: Beating the Search Engine.