Wednesday’s Helping: Peas

Green with vitamins a plenty
They’re the small and round morsels that may have made you cringe while you were a child. The sweet flavor of this all-natural ingredient can sweeten up any savory dish. Peas are a member of the legume family. The plant is scientifically known as Pisum Sativum and the growing season runs during the spring and summer months. The actual peas are the plant’s seeds, which develop inside a pod. Three main varieties of peas are available on the market: garden peas, sugar snap peas, and snow peas. Peas are one of only a few legumes that can be sold fresh. If selecting fresh peas, the pods should be crisp and snap without bending. Only five percent of the world’s production of peas is sold fresh. The majority is sold frozen or canned. Cooks can steam, blanch, boil, and stir-fry this ingredient. Peas are a good source of protein and dietary fiber. They also contain vitamins C, K, and A.

Tuesday’s Cupful: Pork Belly Cut

Look for the marbling in this fatty slab

Let’s face it. Pork belly doesn’t really bring on a smile from people looking for an elegant dinner; in fact, the marbling can cause cringes in most fat conscious eaters. The Mixed Stew crew admits that we do crave a pork belly dish every once in awhile. This cut of meat ranks high in Korean and Chinese cuisines. We've had it at Spanish tapas restaurants too. Butchers obtain this fatty piece from the pig’s abdomen -- right between the ham and picnic cuts of meat. Most people become familiar with pork belly from eating bacon. Besides braising, we also recommend roasting this cut until the skin turns crispy.

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Braised Pork Belly w/ Peas

Rich meat with a little splash of color

Mmm... go ahead. Be brave. If you haven't tried pork belly, this recipe is a fine introduction to the rich, buttery, decadent cut. The cooking process draws out the luscious qualities of the fat. The sweet flavor of peas enhances the tasty flavors of the savory ingredients that constitute this yummy entrée.

What you will need:

1 wooden spoon
1 frying pan with lid
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 lb pork belly, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup water
2 teaspoons tapioca starch
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 (16 oz) bag frozen peas
1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking and Directions:

Heat pan on medium-high heat. Add oil. Next, toss in salt, pepper, onion, and garlic. Stir and let everything cook until onion turns translucent. Add in pork belly. Then, toss in ginger. Let meat brown for 3-4 minutes while stirring. Now, pour in water. Cover and let ingredients braise for 35-40 minutes. Empty bag of peas into pot. Return lid and let everything simmer for another 10 minutes. Finally, add tapioca starch to liquid while constantly stirring. The sauce should thicken to a gravy-like consistency. Serve immediately.

Friday's Last Spoonful: Tapioca Starch

A product of the cassava/ yuca plant

This ingredient is used to thicken and flavor desserts, such as puddings and pie fillings, in Southeast Asian cuisines. The starch is made from repeated washing and then wet grinding the tuber roots of the cassava plant. Three qualities make tapioca starch preferable to cornstarch in some recipes: Tapioca starch thickens at a lower temperature, remains stable when frozen, and lends a glossy sheen to sauces. So basically, it's quicker to cook, more reliable after freezing, and makes sauces pretty. Tapioca starch completely dissolves when used as a thickening agent. Choose Tapioca starch works quickly so choose it to quickly correct the consistency of a sauce right before serving since it tends to work quickly. Sweetened tapioca has a flavor that’s very similar to vanilla. If you've ever tried tapioca pudding, you'll understand. Look for this ingredient at your local Asian food market or gourmet foods supermarket.

Thursday's Side Dish: Ahu

A sweet and soothing dessert soup

This coconut dumpling soup often found at parties in Guam is actually made for anyone who likes coconut and has a sweet tooth. This version of Ahu is made with manha (young coconut), sugar, water, and tapioca starch. The combination of tender young coconut flesh and cooked tapioca starch combine in a sweet and rich soup that can be served warm or cold. Here is our recipe:

What you will need:

1 wooden spoon
1 large stock pot
2 quarts water
1 (16 oz) bag of frozen young coconut (macapuno) strings in syrup
1 (12 oz) jar young coconut sport balls in syrup
1/4 cup sugar
½ cup tapioca starch

Cooking and Directions:

Put stock pot on burner and add water and set to high heat. Bring to a rolling boil. Lower heat to medium and gradually add macapuno bag and jar of coconut sports balls with syrup to boiling water while constantly stirring. Mix in tapioca starch and sugar. Lower heat again and let everything simmer for 15-20 minutes. Ahu should reach a bisque-like consistency but with lumps from the tapioca starch and macapuno. The lumps are part of the character of the soup. Remove pot from heat. Serve in cups or small bowls.

Wednesday's Helping: Macapuno

Sweet young coconut flesh flash
Macapuno lovers like the soft texture, coconut flavor, and sweetness of this ingredient. The use of macapuno (man’ha in Chamorro) in their native cuisines has created a commercial industry within Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands regions of the globe. Macapuno works well in ice cream, candies, and other deserts. Macapuno is made from the soft flesh of young and immature coconuts. The flesh is simmered in water and sugar until the mixture’s consistency resembles syrup. The concoction is cooled and ready for packaging. Commercial farmers in the Philippines have gone a step further and developed mutant coconuts that produce more and better macapuno. The flesh of these coconuts is softer than regular coconuts. Look for macapuno sold in bottles, cans, and frozen packages at many Asian markets. In The Mixed Stew's Ahu recipe, a jar of macapuno may be subtituted for frozen young coconut strings packed in syrup.

Tuesday's Cupful: Apigige'

A hand-held coconut treat from the Pacific

A rubbery texture and bland appearance initially makes apigige’ uninviting; however, you can’t judge this Guam delicacy by its cover. The Mixed Stew crew grew up eating these unique Chamorro treats in Guam. They are fairly simple to make and thanks to the growing diversity of U.S. communities, the ingredients may be found at Asian grocers, especially Filipino markets. The main ingredients are young coconut, grated cassava, and sugar. There are variations to the recipe. It's almost a homecoming of sorts for a Chamorro to see cooked apigige’, which come wrapped inside banana leaves and are grilled. Yes, un-wrapping these treats is part of the experience. Here is our recipe:

What you will need:

1 large bowl
1 large plastic spoon
1 (16-oz) bags frozen cassava, grated
1 (24-oz) jar of young coconut (macapuno) strings packed in sweetened syrup
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 (16-oz) bag frozen banana leaves
1 nonstick griddle-grill or large cast-iron fry-pan

Cooking and Directions:




Thaw banana leaves and grated cassava in their bags overnight in fridge. Clean and rinse banana leaves. Let dry. Cut dried banana leaves into 5 inch wide pieces. They should be at least 6 inches long -- full depth. Set aside. Next, combine cassava, coconut (with syrup), and sugar in large bowl. Mix well into a thick batter. Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of paste-like batter into centers of banana-leaf pieces. Spread mix into roughly 4 inch x 1.5 inch rectangles. You don't want the apigige' to be too thick. Carefully fold and roll like flattened burritos. If necessary, use long, thin strips to tie ends down so mixture doesn't spill out. Heat griddle or fry-pan on medium heat. After surface is hot, place wrapped apigige’ on surface. Let apigige’ cook on each side for at least 3-5 minutes. The cooked apigige’ should puff up and thicken and the banana-leaf wrapping should burn slightly on the outside. After removing from heat, let the apigige’ rest and cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. This recipe can make up to 25 apigige'. Store leftovers in the fridge.