Let's Cook with Nora - New Edition

Let’s Cook with Nora, a favorite recipe book of mine, provides documentation of Philippine cooking for 1965 when it made its appearance. In its new, 21st-century, classic version—lovingly restyled by her daughter Nina Daza Puyat—Nora Daza’s legacy is ready for today’s cooks, brides to be, and food lovers.

Felice Prudente Sta. Maria

Food historian and author of The Governor-General's Kitchen

Leafing through the latest edition of Let’s Cook with Nora is like revisiting an old aunt’s house where one has partaken a lot of her memorable dishes. The aunt has long passed on, but her legacy is honored with her daughter Nina’s update of the original recipes to make them relevant for today’s home cooks. As a bonus treat, new recipes have been added by Nina, continuing the culinary tradition started by Tita Nora some fifty years ago.

Claude Tayag

Artist, food writer and TV host of Chasing Flavors

Why, indeed, should this classic, this best-selling Filipino cookbook need an update? Because after half a century since it was published, there are new terminologies, access to ingredients that weren't available then, and improved technology. But more than just bringing the recipes into a new century, this effort by Nora V. Daza's daughter, Nina Daza Puyat, is to let new generations know of her mother's role in preserving recipes, not necessarily all Filipino, but which Filipinos cook in their kitchens and consider their own.

Micky Fenix

Food writer and author of Country Cooking

Nora’s cookbook is a Mother Ship, setting sail to hundreds of thousands of happy honeymoons and newlyweds’ first cooking lessons. How many generations has it been that her recipes have come alive on Sunday lunches and in everyday cooking? Nina Daza Puyat has lovingly given a new lease to the cookbook of several printings. The Nora Daza cooking magic, flavor and love are still preserved.

Nancy Reyes Lumen

Food writer, Adobo Queen, and author of The Adobo Book

The magic of Nora Daza wasn’t just in recipes and tips. It was her ability to inspire confidence in her reader, whether he be a young boy, months removed from blowing up the oven or a chef creating recipes for a cooking show. Nina continues that tradition with this new edition through clearer instructions and updated ingredients. It is the ultimate book for any Filipino who cooks.

Sharwin Tee

Chef and author of So, You Want To Be A Chef?

Let’s Cook with Nora

New Edition

Let's Cook With Nora: New Edition

Copyright © 2019 by Nina Daza Puyat

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher.

Published and exclusively distributed by

ANVIL PUBLISHING, INC.

7th Floor Quad Alpha Centrum

125 Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City

1550 Philippines

Telephones: (+632) 8477-4752, 8477-4755 to 57

Fax: (+632) 8747-1622

sales@anvilpublishing.com

onlinesales@anvilpublishing.com

marketing@anvilpublishing.com

www.anvilpublishing.com

Original text by Nora V. Daza

Recipes kitchen-tested by Nina Daza Puyat

Recipes edited by Nina Daza Puyat and Cris C. Abiva

Print and e-book design by JP Meneses

Photographs by Pat Mateo

Cover design and illustrations by Regine Velilla

Food styling by Tina Concepcion Diaz

eISBN: 978-971-27-3590-5

Contents

Foreword

Dedication

AppetizerS

Shrimp Toast

Pork Balls with Ginger

Dilis Crisps

Rumaki (Chicken Liver Wrapped in Bacon)

Shrimp Cocktail

Deviled Eggs

Pinsec Prito

Pork and Shrimp Siomai

Homemade Thin-Crust Pizza

Empanada

Siopao Asado

Onion Quiche

Sardine Bruschetta

SOUPS

Pancit Molo

Chicken Tinola

Sinigang na Hipon

Sopa de Ajo

Chicken Sotanghon Soup

Fresh Corn Soup (Sinuwam na Mais)

Egg and Mushroom Soup

Ho To Tay

New England Clam Chowder

Chinese Rice Soup

Corned Beef and Asparagus Soup

Cream of Chicken Soup

Lentil and Chorizo Soup

Sopa de Asparagus con Picadillo de Gallina (Chicken Asparagus Soup)

Gazpacho (Bean and Vegetable Soup)

Sopa de Mariscos

Easy Onion Soup

Homemade Beef Stock

Homemade Chicken Stock

Homemade Fish Stock

Homemade Shrimp Stock

Homemade Pork Stock

FISH & SEAFOOD

Bangus en Tocho

Bangus Sardines (à la Arsenio Lacson)

Rellenong Bangus

Lapu-Lapu with Tausi

Pan-Fried Sole with Lemon Butter Sauce

Baked Fish with Bread Sauce

Parmesan Fish Sticks

Pescado al Horno

Lapu-Lapu Relleno

Royal Apahap

Poached Fish with Hollandaise Sauce

Pesang Dalag with Miso-Tomato Sauce

Pinangat with Shrimps and Buko

Camaron con Pellejo

Shrimp Rolls

Rellenong Hipon

Ebi and Vegetable Tempura

Stir-Fried Shrimps with Sweet Peas

Saucy Gambas

Gambas à la Plancha

Shrimps in White Wine and Tomato Sauce

Shrimps Shantung-Style

Shrimp Croquettes

Shrimp Rebosado

Crab Foo Yong

Adobong Pusit

Almejas con Salsa Verde

Prawns in Tomato Sauce

BEEF

Beef Teriyaki

Beef with Kutsay

Puchero with Eggplant Sauce

Sukiyaki

Beef with Oyster Sauce

Beef Cordon Bleu

Caldereta

Oriental Beef with Fried Noodles

Meat Loaf De Luxe

Cocido (Spanish Boiled Dinner)

Batangas Beef Adobo with Fried Liver

Pepper Steak à la Crème

Continental Beef Roll

Morcon

Mechado

Beef Stroganoff

Roast Beef

Beef Tapa

Pot Roast with Mushroom-Tomato Sauce

Delicious Hamburger

Shepherd's Pie

CHICKEN

Pollo à la Naranja (Chicken in Red Wine and Orange Sauce)

Pepitoria (Chicken Dinuguan)

Pinatisang Manok

Chicken and Pork Adobo

Chicken Curry in Coco-Tomato Sauce

Daza Chicken Relleno (Spanish Stuffed Chicken)

Diced Chicken Breast with Cashew Nuts

Ginger and Spring Onion Chicken

Chicken à la Kiev

Chicken à la King

Chicken and Asparagus Casserole

Chicken Marengo

Fried Chicken

Chicken Pastel

Chicken Mexican-Style

Chicken Sauce Suprême

Gallina con Guisantes (Chicken with Green Peas)

Chicken Indienne

Roast Chicken

Chinese-Style Fried Chicken

Pato Tim

PORK

Pork Ribs Sinigang

Meaty Pork Dinuguan

Pork Estofado

Embutido

Humba

Pork Kilawin

Rekado Longganisa

Homemade Ham

Lechon Kawali

Chinese Pork Asado

Paksiw na Pata

Lechon Belly Roll

Pork Suam

Pork Afritada

Fried Kikiam

Lumpiang Shanghai

Sweet and Sour Pork

Orange Spareribs

Party Pork & Beans

Baked Spareribs with Honey Glaze

Saté Babi (Indonesian Pork Barbecue with Peanut Sauce)

Pork Chops with Mushroom Sauce

Spareribs and Sausage Stew

Pearl Balls (Dimsum Rice and Pork Balls)

Cabbage Rolls

OFFAL

Callos

Bachoy

Binangis

Kilawing Librillo at Labanos

Tokwa't Baboy

Kare-Kareng Buntot at Tuwalya

Menudong Goto

Sweet and Sour Kidneys

Lengua con Champignon (Ox Tongue with Mushroom-Tomato Sauce)

Ox Tongue with Creamy Green Pea Sauce

Lengua Estofado

Pastel de Lengua

VEGETABLES, PICKLES, & SALADS

Menestra de Verduras

Laswa with Sotanghon

Gulay na Mais

Adobong Kangkong

Pinakbet

Fresh Vegetable Lumpia

Monggo Guisado

Ukoy

Fresh Lumpiang Ubod

Braised Ampalaya with Beef

Cauliflower con Camaron

Chop Suey

Stir-Fried Vegetables with Cashews and Quail Eggs

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Radish Pickles

Burong Mangga

Mango Chutney

Sayote Mixed Pickles

Mixed Vegetable Achara

Pickled Eggs and Green Papaya

Simple Burong Santol

Santol Achara

Caesar Salad

Chicken Potato Salad

Coleslaw

Chef's Salad

Royal Russian Salad

Hot German Potato Salad

Green Salad

Summer Vegetable Salad

French Dressing

Homemade Mayonnaise

RICE, NOODLES, & PASTA

Arroz Caldo with Goto

Chinese Fried Rice

Chinese Rice Porridge (Lugaw Macao)

Pancit Canton

Paella Valenciana

Bringhe (Turmeric-Coconut Chicken Rice)

Tamales Pampango

Pancit Palabok

Chow Mein

Creamy Crab Omelette on Crispy Noodles (Fried Milk)

Pancit Bihon Guisado

Cannelloni à la Toscana

Pinoy Carbonara

Chicken Tetrazzini

Sopa Seca Italiana (Chicken Pasta Casserole)

Lasagna Verde

Ravioli in Tomato Sauce

Spaghetti Bolognese

CAKES

Basic Sponge Cake

Orange Chiffon Cake

Butter Cake

Basic Chocolate Cake

Moist Chocolate Cake

Cheese Chiffon Cake with Brûléed Queso de Bola Icing By Virginia Ocampo

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Sugar and Spice Cake

Dark Fruitcake

Chocolate Beehives

Prune Cake

Mocha Praline Roll

Macapuno Yema Cake

Coconut-Pili Chocolate Cake

Mango Cake

Pili Cream Cake

Blitz Torte

Chocolate and Strawberry Meringue Torte

Cake from Blums

Butter Icing

Quick Butter Frosting

White Mountain Frosting

Whipped Chocolate Ganache

PIES, PASTRIES, & COOKIES

Standard Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie

Standard Pastry for a Double-Crust Pie

Stir and Roll Pastry

Pie Meringue Topping

Apple Pie

Apple Pie with Streusel Topping

Banana Cream Pie

Au Bon Vivant Orange Tart

Butterscotch Pie

Graham Cracker Chocolate Pie

Nut Pie

No-Bake Cheesecake

Lemon Cheesecake

Lemon Curd Pie

Fruit Tarts

Boat Tarts

Caramel Tarts

Cream Puffs

Lengua de Gato

Scottish Shortbread

Spritz Cookies

Pinipig Cookies

Walnut Brownies

Sweet and Salty Cornell Fudge

FILIPINO MERIENDA

Royal Bibingka

White Puto

Cassava Bibingka By Nena Zafra

Buko Pie

Banana Bread Pudding

Ensaymada Espesyal

Ginataang Halo-Halo

Maja Blanca con Mais

Maruya

Canonigo

Empanaditas

Brazo de Mercedes

Sans Rival

Silvanas

Ube Jam

Leche Flan

Tocino del Cielo

Suspiros de Pili

Pampango Frozen Fruit Salad

Pineapple-Lychee Buko Salad

Almond Jelly with Lychees

Recipe Index

MEMORIES OF MOMMY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Foreword

THE NORA DAZA LEGACY

When my mother, Nora Daza, first wrote Let's Cook with Nora in 1965, the world of food in the Philippines was very different. People’s tastes were simpler, ingredients for cooking were limited, and not many enjoyed spending time in the kitchen. Chefs were mostly foreigners who worked in hotels and cooking shows on TV were not as visually compelling as they are today.

As a wife and working mother of five children, Nora Daza knew that Filipino families deserved to have hot meals on the table—two, three, or even four times (merienda included)—every single day. And someone was assigned with the daunting task of cooking at home.

Over the years, I witnessed how it gave her great satisfaction and pride whenever someone described her book as the bible for Filipino cooks. Her formula of sharing kitchen-tested, easy-to-follow recipes worked, allowing home cooks to slowly but surely gain more confidence in the kitchen. Finally, they could whip up dishes on their own, even tweaking the basic recipes to suit their tastes. When she passed away at the age of 84 in September 2013, social media was flooded with people recounting how this basic manual taught them how to cook, and how it eventually sparked their love for cooking.

Updating a Classic

As a passionate home cook myself, I have been using this iconic book for decades now. Its worn-out pages, splattered with oil and stained with toyo and tomato sauce, is proof that no matter how many beautiful cookbooks I own or how many recipes and cooking videos I find online, I still go back to this one.

But the world of food has changed dramatically. Globalization, as well as more local and international travel, has opened our palates to a wider range of ingredients coming from all corners of the world. The love and interest for cooking, both here and abroad, has deepened. Our collective tastes are now more diverse and sophisticated. These many reasons led us to a decision to update Let’s Cook with Nora.

Keeping in mind my mother’s primary intention of empowering Filipinos in the kitchen, I personally retested all the recipes in this book in my own home kitchen. Procedures were rewritten for clarity and a few new ingredients were added in some recipes to give the dishes a fresh and contemporary flavor.

Cooking as A LOVE LANGUAGE

Knowing how to cook is a lifelong skill that serves many purposes. For most people, cooking is a job or a chore. To some, it might be an outlet for creative expression, while for others it could even be a stress reliever. For many, cooking has become their language of love. While we already know that healthy food nourishes our bodies, we now appreciate how the simple act of sharing a meal with people we hold dear promotes a strong sense of community and camaraderie.

To all home cooks, culinary students, chefs, and food business owners, whose lives were somehow touched by Nora Daza through Let’s Cook with Nora and her TV show Cooking It Up with Nora, my siblings Bong (+), Sandy, Mariles, Stella, and I—dedicate this cookbook. Her legacy to all reminds us that a homespun meal cooked with love is the best and sweetest way to celebrate the gift of family.

NINA DAZA PUYAT

********

Working on this updated cookbook took a full year of retesting and rewriting 260 recipes. It was a long and difficult process, but an important and necessary one—as this project is very personal to me. When the last page was finally submitted, I felt a great sense of relief and immense gratitude. Relief for the task completed, but most of all, a profound sense of gratitude to have been supported by so many people who dedicated their time and effort to the completion of this book.

I was fortunate to have been assigned Cris Abiva as a partner in this new edition of Let’s Cook with Nora. More than an editor, she has helped tremendously by giving her honest opinion and sound advice. Over several working lunches when we read through each of the original recipes, scribbling copious notes (hers and mine); over numerous emails and countless text messages of mostly triumph, but sometimes doubt (with photos of the dishes to match), she waited patiently until I was 100% satisfied with the final body of work.

It was such a daunting project to take on, and I’m thankful to have found a test-kitchen assistant in Chef Jordan Rina who cheerfully prepared the mise en place at home even when I was sometimes still in the market or supermarket.

And because baking is not my strong suit, I needed the expertise of pastry instructor Chef Annalisa Mariano who helped in testing the baked sweets and shared her recipe for Walnut Brownies. Together with Jordan, we would taste and discuss the merits of each cake, cookie, or pie, and if we weren’t satisfied, repeat until we got it right.

The beautiful food photographs in this book were a perfectly synced collaboration between master lens man Patrick Mateo and expert food stylist Tina Diaz, who made the dishes come to life ably assisted by Cecille Esperanza.

My sincerest thanks go to our sponsors: Maggi, Magnolia Chicken, Solane; and to Maya, whose generosity and support has made this endeavor possible.

Of course, credit goes to the Anvil team headed by Ms. Andrea Pasion-Flores, and the formidable team of art director JP Meneses, senior editors Sharmaine Hernandez and Hannah Go, and editorial assistants Meryl Medel and Trisha Antonio.

Thanks to the convenience of group chats, my siblings Sandy and two sisters abroad, Mariles and Stella, were just a text or call away. They have decades of experience in their own home kitchens, too, so when a dish didn’t measure up to my expectations, I would run to them for help and guidance. We asked ourselves the question: What would Mommy do?

I’m also grateful to my household staff—cook Minda, helpers Margie, Loda, and Gemma, who tirelessly washed all our pots, pans, and kitchen utensils. They assisted us in prepping and sorting out endless bags of assorted fresh and dry ingredients. I couldn’t have done this without my trusty driver Mang Leo who brought me around the different supermarkets and wet markets, on an almost daily basis.

Although they were not directly involved in the development of this cookbook, I am grateful to:

My dearest husband Louie for his continuous love and support—and for not minding too much if my car sometimes smelled of the market because he knew there were several dishes to enjoy at the end of the day.

My children Gio, Billie and son-in-law Vince, Joe, and Mario—who constantly cheered me on and always gave their honest feedback.

To my Dad, Atty. Gabriel Boy Daza Jr., who taught me simple lessons in life: Be kind, be honest, follow the law, and do what is right.

To my U.S.-based nephew Eduardo Daza Taylor, who lived in our house for the first seven months of testing, giving his candid comments on each finished dish. We had lengthy discussions about his Lola Nora—her journey with food and her life as a restaurateur in Paris, New York, and Manila. Throughout those days of reminiscing, I was constantly reminded of what drove my mother to work so passionately in wanting people to enjoy food. It fueled my determination to do the work earnestly, with all the Filipino home cooks—whether in the Philippines or abroad, in mind.

And of course, to my mom Nora Daza, for teaching me about the importance of kitchen-testing and the value of a good recipe; for exposing my palate to fine food; for showing us by example and hard work that we should be proud of our Filipino culinary heritage; and for teaching me how to live life with a purpose.

To God, for His infinite love, mercy, and wisdom. To Our Blessed Mother, for reminding me that work in the kitchen is the best example of selfless love.

To the next fifty years and beyond.

NINA DAZA PUYAT

Dedication

In Loving Memory of my father,

Alejandro J. Villanueva,

the noblest man I have ever known.

This cookbook is dedicated to my father. I saw him that last day and the moment I entered his hospital room I whispered into his ear, Papa, I am writing an improved edition of my cookbook and I am dedicating it to you.

It may be somewhat odd as far as cookbooks go to include a memorial like this, but since this work is a little of me which I am sharing with you, I ask your kind indulgence to allow me to include here a part that is very dear to me: the memory of my father.

It was in the home of his grandparents, Estanislao Villanueva and Isabel Romualdez that my father, Alejandro Jose Villanueva was born on May 3, 1894 in Batangas, Batangas. A much loved aunt, Luisa Villanueva cared for him, taught him how to read and write, and kept a close and warm relationship with him until her death in 1965. Until Papa went to school at the age of six, he did not know his parents, Jose Villanueva and Cresenciana Reyes. His formal education continued in the province until he graduated from the Batangas High School in 1914 as valedictorian of his class. From there, he enrolled at the University of the Philippines where he graduated five years later with both a bachelor and a master’s degree in Civil Engineering. Again, he was at the head of his class.

That same year, 1919, Papa was sent as a pensionado to the United States where he took a year’s course in Structural Engineering at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. From 1920 to 1921, he gained practical experience as a designing engineer for the Highway Commission of Wisconsin, the American Bridge Company in Chicago, and the US Steel Company in Gary, Indiana. After this short work experience, he again went back to school. This time, it was at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where he took up a course in Foundations of Buildings and Bridges under Professor Henry S. Jacovey. (I mention this professor especially for I have heard my father mention him often and when I went to Cornell thirty-five years later, he wanted me to find out what became of this favorite professor of his.)

Back in the Philippines, Papa was assigned to the construction of Pier 7, now Pier 13. After the completion of this project, he was asked to make a study of a highway system that would link Aparri to Jolo. It was about this time that he decided to settle down and marry Encarnacion Guanzon, the daughter of the then Governor of Pampanga, Olympio Guanzon. This was on September 7, 1924.

In one of Papa’s writings, he says, As I recall, it was in 1926 with the cooperation of the Division of Highways and the support of the Secretary of Public Works and Highways and the support of the Secretary of Public Works Filimon Perez that we endeavored to locate ferry landings between Sorsogon and Samar, Leyte and Surigao, Zamboanga to Basilan and on to Jolo. With this ambitious project, I traveled through different land and water routes and in the subsequent development and construction of ports and harbors, we kept this idea of a Pan Philippines Highway in mind.

One of the projects Papa considered most challenging was the construction of the retaining wall along Dewey Boulevard, now Roxas Boulevard. At that time, he had no data on which to base his work. In his writings he says, I could not determine the proper length of piles to be used until I had studied the behavior of the scouring process along the site of the seawall.

So he had to experiment, taking two or three profiles during each season. As a child, I remember hearing Papa get up in the middle of the night to visit the work being done along the seawall. I used to go with him occasionally, dressing hurriedly for he would leave me behind if I was not ready when he was. I remember the look of disappointment on his face whenever a portion of the wall gave way to the pounding waves. But Papa solved the problem and by 1941, we had a solid retaining wall along our scenic Dewey Boulevard. In fact, after the war, Papa was reassigned to this project and he completed the seawall up to Tomas Claudio in 1950.

Another major project my father worked on was the construction of seven piers in the North Harbor. In fact, Engineer Antonio Villacorta told me when I asked him about Papa’s work:

You can say that your father organized, began and built what is now the Manila North and South Harbors. Of course, port and harbor works are a continuous thing and work goes on. But about the work on the Manila North Harbor, my father wrote: President Quezon expressed satisfaction when he learned that the main construction of the seven piers cost about 6 million while that of Pier 7 (Pier 13) alone cost 13 million almost ten years earlier.

In 1965, after 35 years of service, my father retired from the government as Chief of the Division of Ports and Harbors. That same year, J. Amado Araneta asked my father to join his organization as Consulting Engineer. In this capacity, he helped plan an extensive subdivision in Quezon City; worked out plans for the structural foundation of the solid concrete dome of the Araneta Coliseum, which incidentally withstood the