The Ultimate Beginner`s Guide to having fun in the kitchen

HELLO
KITCHEN!
The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
to having fun in the kitchen
Welcome
to your
kitchen
Feeling lost in the kitchen? Worry no more!
This handy Del Monte Kitchenomics guide is here to
make you feel right at home. From equipment, to
ingredients, to basic cooking skills, we’ll let you know
exactly what you need to set up your kitchen and get
started in the wonderful world of Lutong Bahay.
What’s inside?
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The Basic Ingredients
Basic Kitchen Equipment
Get the tools that make
up a capable kitchen.
Keep your pantry stocked
with these essentials.
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well done
Essential Cooking Skills
“Is it Done Yet?”
The journey of a master chef
starts with these starter skills.
Know the right time to
turn the stove off.
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Let’s Get Cooking (Recipes)
Putting what you’ve learned
to the test.
Basic Kitchen
Equipment
When you’re fully equipped, you’ll feel
more confident in the kitchen. These kitchen must-haves will keep you
feeling ready to cook up a storm.
Your Go-To
equipment
sauce pan
mixing bowl
kitchen towel
chopping
board
frying pan
spatula
wooden spoon
Measuring
cups
Measuring
spoons
scissors
tongs
chef’s
knife
THE BASIC
INGREDIENTS
A cook without ingredients is like a carpenter without
wood. And take it from us, nothing wastes time like
prepping for hours only to discover you’re out of spaghetti
noodles. Always keep these staples handy and there won’t
be any dish you can’t handle.
pantry staples!
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Soy Sauce
Vinegar
Garlic
Onion
Oil
All-purpose flour
Cornstarch
Tomato sauce
Tomato paste
Ketchup
Rice
Pasta
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Essential
Cooking
Skills
While most of us know how to boil water and fry an egg,
it takes a bit more than that to be a proper cook. You'll
need to know the different basic cooking techniques and
when and how to use them. And that's exactly what this
next section is about.
Frying
Cooking any ingredient
in oil whether shallow
or deep.
boiling
Rapid and agitated cooking in
liquid over high heat.
basic cooking
know-how
stewing
Slow cooking of chunks of
meat or vegetables that are
submerged in liquid.
Ex. Afritada, Menudo
steaming
simmering
Cooking over steam.
Cooking an ingredient in hot liquid
just below boiling point
(few bubbles on the surface).
Sauteing
Cooking on medium to high
heat with a small amount
of oil, constantly moving
the ingredients around to
cook them.
“is it
done yet?”
Done-ness can make or break a meal experience.
Use this handy guide to make the jump from
“Luto na kaya siya?” to “Ang perfect ng pagkaluto!”
STEAK
“Is it done yet?”
To check if your meat is ready, just use your tongs.
Gently prod or squeeze the meat and check if it’s soft
or hard, springy or firm. Make sure to test before the
estimated cooking time to avoid overcooking.
rare
Spongy and very soft.
Must have large, deep red center.
MEDIUM
Springy but soft.
Must have rosy pink
to red center.
medium rare
Slightly bouncy and soft.
Must have bright red center.
well done
Very firm and bounces
quickly when pressed.
No red parts.
PORK
“Is it done yet?”
Cooking pork the right way ensures a safe and healthy
experience for your whole family. Not sure whether your
pork dish is ready? Here’s a short checklist to see if it’s
the best time to serve your dish.
Meat whitens and you
can’t see through it.
Juices when
poked are clear.
Fork-tender or
can be easily pierced
with a fork or knife.
poultry
Meat cannot be pink.
It should always be
well done.
“Is it done yet?”
Most of us are familiar with what cooked chicken looks
like. Pink meat means undercooked while white says
you’re good to go. Here are a few more things that will
determine if your chicken’s done.
Meat will be fork-tender.
Poke with fork and
let the juice drip;
if it is clear, then
it is cooked.
“Is it done yet?”
fish
Fish will still cook for a minute or two off the heat.
It’s best to stop cooking when the fish is almost
done. Otherwise, it’ll be overcooked when served.
Fish becomes
flaky but not dry.
“Is it done yet?”
Cut the veggies to same sizes so they cook at the
same time. It’s ok to mix veggies but note that
the more tender vegetables, like broccoli, will
cook faster than denser vegetables, like carrots.
Potatoes, root vegetables
like kamote, gabi, etc
will be easily pierced
with a knife or fork.
Fish is opaque;
you can’t see
through it.
veggies
Vegetables should still be crisp, not
taste starchy, and take only minutes
to cook as they turn a more vibrant
color when cooked.
Let’s Get
Cooking!
You have your tools. You have your ingredients. You have your
skills. What follows is a meal plan specially designed to put
those all together right away. Happy cooking!
INGREDIENTS
ORANGE
CHICKEN
400 g Chicken Thigh Fillet, cut into strips
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 pack (75 g) DEL MONTE Quick N Easy Breading Mix
Oil, for frying
Sauce:
2 packs (57 g each) DEL MONTE Quick N Easy Sweet & Sour Mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup Orange Marmalade
1/2 cup Green Bell Pepper cut into 1 inch squares
PROCEDURE
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Coat with
DEL MONTE Quick N Easy Breading Mix.
2. Fry the Chicken strips.
3. Dissolve the DEL MONTE Quick N Easy Sweet & Sour Mix
in water.
4. Cook the mixture in a pan until thick. Add the orange
marmalade.
5. Mix in the Fried Chicken Strips and the Bell Peppers.
kitch TIP:
Fry in small batches. Cooking all at
once will lower the oil’s temperature.
Lower temperature does not only
make cooking time longer, but more
importantly, it will make the product
soggy and greasy.
Chicken Adobo
with Pineapples
INGREDIENTS
800 g chicken cut into serving portions
MARINADE:
2 Tbsp Garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp DEL MONTE Red Cane Vinegar
2 Tbsp Soy sauce
1/2 tsp Peppercorns, crushed
reserved Pineapple syrup
1/4 cup Oil, for frying
1 pouch (200 g) DEL MONTE Pineapple Tidbits,
drained, reserve syrup
1/4 cup Garlic crushed, fried
PROCEDURE
1. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve
marinade.
2. Fry chicken in oil until golden brown.
3. Combine chicken with marinade then simmer until
chicken is tender. Add DEL MONTE Pineapple Tidbits.
Top with fried garlic.
kitch TIP:
Add the reserved syrup of the Del
Monte Pineapple Tidbits to your
marinade to tenderize the meat and
add a boost of flavor
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp Oil
400 g Pork Kasim, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
100 g Pork Liver, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 cup Water
1 pouch (80 g) DEL MONTE Quick N Easy Menudo Sauce
1 cup Potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
PROCEDURE
kitch TIP:
Pop the meat into the freezer until it’s
semi-frozen so that it’s easier to cut. Whe
n the
water inside the meat begins to turn to
ice, it
gives the meat more structure and firm
ness.
1. Brown the pork in oil. Add the liver
and cook until almost dry. Add water.
Bring to a boil and turn down to
simmer for 30 minutes or until pork is
almost tender.
2. Add DEL MONTE Quick N Easy
Menudo Sauce and potatoes. Cover
and simmer for another 15 minutes or
until vegetables are almost cooked.
3. Add bell peppers and simmer for
another 5 minutes. Season with salt
and pepper.
MENUDO
sweet &
sour fish
PROCEDURE
INGREDIENTS
1 pc (1/2 kg) Dalagang Bukid (whole fish)
1-1/2 tsp Calamansi Juice
1/2 tsp Iodized Fine Salt
1 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour (or cornstarch)
1 pouch (115 g) DEL MONTE Pineapple Tidbits,
drained (syrup reserved)
1 pc Red Bell Pepper, sliced
2 Tbsp Green Onion Strips (optional)
Sauce:
4 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Iodized Fine Salt
1-1/2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour (dissolved in ½
cup water)
1/2 cup DEL MONTE Tomato Ketchup or 5 tbsp
DEL MONTE Original Style Tomato Sauce
1-1/2 Tbsp Vinegar
1. Sprinkle fish with calamansi juice and 1/2 teaspoon
salt, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour or
cornstarch. Fry until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Sauce: Combine ketchup or DEL MONTE Original
Style Tomato Sauce, vinegar, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt
and pineapple syrup. Stir. Simmer uncovered for 2
minutes. Add the flour dissolved in 1/2 cup water.
Simmer with continuous stirring until thickened.
3. Add Del Monte Pineapple Tidbits and bell pepper.
Allow to simmer.
4. Pour over fish. Top with green onions.
kitch TIP:
Want to know if your fish is fresh?
The eyes must be clear and plump while the
gills are vibrant red. Its meat should bounce
back when pressed and the scent should
smell like the sea.
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PROCEDURE
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp Oil, for sautéing
1-1/4 Tbsp Garlic, crushed
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
400 g Chicken, cut up
1 can (227 g) DEL MONTE Pineapple Chunks,
drained and reserve syrup
1/8 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
1/3 cup Potatoes, cut into chunks
1/4 cup Carrots, cut into chunks
1/3 cup Frozen Green Peas, cooked
1/3 cup Baguio Beans, sliced
1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1 pouch (200 g) DEL MONTE Original Style Tomato Sauce
1. Sauté garlic, onion and chicken. Add pineapple reserved
syrup, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes or until
meat is tender.
2. Add potatoes and carrots. Boil then allow to simmer for
10 minutes. Add green peas, Baguio Beans, Bell pepper,
DEL MONTE Pineapple Chunks and DEL MONTE Original
Style Tomato Sauce. Cook for another 10 minutes or until
vegetables are tender.
kitch TIP:
Chicken gets tough when it dries out.
Keep chicken from drying out by
keeping it tightly wrapped when
stroring in the refrigirator.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 kg Labahita, deboned and cut into chunks
2/3 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 cup Oil, for frying
1/4 Tbsp Kasubha
1 Tbsp Hibe
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1/8 cup Garlic, crushed
1/4 Tbsp Ginger, cut into strips
3/4 tsp Curry powder
1 Tbsp DEL MONTE Sweet Chili Sauce
1/2 cup Thin Coconut Milk, second extraction
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Frozen Green Peas
1 can (227 g) DEL MONTE Pineapple Chunks,
drained, reserve syrup
1/3 cup Red Pell Pepper, cut into strips
fish pineapple
curry
kitch TIP:
Piña-level up your dishes by adding
pineapples to add both sweetness
and a healthy twist.
PROCEDURE
1. Marinate fish in pineapple syrup, salt and
pepper for 30 minutes. Fry until golden brown. Set
aside.
2. Pound together the next 4 ingredients. Sauté in
oil until golden brown. Add ginger, curry powder,
DEL MONTE Sweet Chili Sauce, thin coconut milk,
season with salt. Simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Add green peas, DEL MONTE Pineapple Chunks,
fish and bell peppers. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir
in thick coconut milk and simmer for 2 minutes.
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INGREDIENTS
1 pouch (200 ml) DEL MONTE Quick N Easy BBQ Marinade
1 kg Pork Pigue or Kasim with 10% fat, sliced thinly, then
cut into 3 x 1 1/2 inch pieces
22 pc Barbecue Sticks or Skewer
1/3 cup Oil
kitch TIP:
Even on a clean grill, lean food
may stick when placed directly on
the rack. Use your tongs or brush,
to apply oil on the rack to avoid
sticking!
PROCEDURE
1. In a bowl, combine DEL MONTE Quick N Easy BBQ
Marinade to pork slices and mix well. Cover and marinate
for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator. Thread every
5 to 6 pieces of meat on barbecue stick.
2. Heat grill pan with oil. Pan-grill barbecue until
thoroughly cooked on both sides, about 5 - 8 minutes (or
over charcoal until cooked).
INGREDIENTS
2 cups Mayonnaise
1 can (432 g) DEL MONTE Pineapple Tidbits drained
(reserve syrup)
400 g DEL MONTE Salad Macaroni cooked
320 g Chicken breast fillet cut into cubes, cooked
1 cup red bell pepper diced
2 cups Carrot boiled, peeled and cut into cubes
Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste
Sugar to taste
PROCEDURE
1 Mix mayonnaise and reserved pineapple syrup. Set aside.
2 Combine with DEL MONTE Pineapple Tidbits and remaining ingredients.
Season with salt, white pepper, and sugar to taste. Blend well.
3 Chill until ready to serve.
Chicken
macaroni salad
kitch TIP:
After cooking the macaroni, take the
time to let it stand in a covered
bowl with about a cup of water. This
is to prevent the dressing from
being “soaked in”, leaving the salad
too dry.
INGREDIENTS
1 can (836 g) DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail drained
(reserve 3 Tbsp syrup)
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
150 g Ripe Langka cut into strips
1/2 tsp Cinnamon (optional)
24 pc Large Lumpia Wrappers
2 cups Oil, for deep frying
Sauce:
1 cup All-Purpose Cream (250 ml)
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
PROCEDURE
1. Combine DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail,
cornstarch, ripe langka, cinnamon and reserved
fruit cocktail syrup. Cook until thick. Cool Slightly.
2. Separate wrappers by 2 pieces.
Wrap every 2 tablespoons of fruit mixture
into squares or rectangles, then seal edges.
Deep fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
3. To make a sauce, heat cream and brown sugar
then pour over turon.
fiesta
turon
kitch TIP:
Don’t let oil get in the way of the
flavor. Before digging in, place
the rolls on a paper towel-lined
plate to drain as much oil as
possible.
INGREDIENTS
3-1/2 cups white sago cooked
1 can (432 g) DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail
drained (reserve syrup)
1-1/3 cups Sugar
1-3/4 cups Fruit Cocktail Syrup
56 cups Ice, crushed
3-1/2 cups Milk
3-1/2 cups Leche Flan (optional)
7 cups Ube Macapuno Ice Cream
PROCEDURE
1. Cook sago and DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail
in 1-3/4 fruit cocktail syrup and sugar for 30 minutes.
Drain and cool.
2. In individual glass or cup, assemble
DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail and sago.
Fill with crushed ice then pour milk.
3. Top with leche flan and ice cream. Serve at once.
kitch TIP:
Packed with fiber and
vitamins, adding fruits make
the usual dessert healthier.
tropical
halo-halo
THE FINISHING TOUCH
Making your food look delicious is almost as important as making sure it
tastes delicious. These 5 plating tips make for truly Instagrammable spreads!
Use a bright white plate to make the
food stand out. Doing so makes the
colors vibrant and the food more
appealing.
Place items in odd numbers.
Play with height - do not flatten the food.
Pile the vegetables or stack the food so that
it creates an illusion of height.
Play with different colors and textures
like crunchy, smooth, and tender.
Garnish with herbs or other ingredients
that are already in the recipe
(ex. a nice piece of shrimp to top a shrimp soup).
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