In the Kitchen: Pork Adobo with Banana

 

It's rainy today and I felt like I wanted some pork on the table. I couldn't leave the house because as you know it's only me and K here during the day. Fortunately, our suki pedicab driver, happened to pass by so I requested him to buy me ingredients from the wet market.

He bought 1/2 kg of pork and sliced unripe jackfruit. I was craving for that eh. But then I found some saging na saba in the tray which were already too ripe. No one in the house likes to eat them in that state but I thought it would be better to cook them rather than throw them away.

I remember Mark cooked adobo with this banana plus sweet potato, so I decided to cook the other half of the pork like that one minus the sweet potato.

Ingredients:

1/4 kg pork

salt

Ginisa Mix (seasoning)

3 cups water

1 cup sliced saging na saba banana

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup soysauce

1 bulb onion chopped

4 cloves garlic chopped

Procedure:

1. In a pan, saute the garlic onion and pork.

2. Put a pinch of salt and seasoning.

3. Add the water and boil until pork is tender. Add the vinegar and soy sauce. Simmer.

4. If only a little water (sauce) is left, add 1 more cup and put the banana. Let it cook.

5. Taste and adjust according to your preference.

Guys, I'm not born in a family of cooks or chefs, but I am teaching myself, experimenting, trying, documenting, and always inspired to make it. Just like my sister who has become a pastry chef in a cruise ship. 

As long as the people I love enjoyed the meal I prepared, I'm satisfied with what I made and I'm happy to share them with you. If you happen to have suggestions to make the dish better, I am happy to read it from you. Please feel free to comment on. I love learning!

I'd like to leave you with a quote that has inspired me not to be hopeless in the kitchen ever since I heard it:

"Anyone can cook"

                                                                                                   - Gusteau in the movie Ratatouille

From the Heart of the Seaman's Wife

As of this time, Mark is on his way to the US to join his ship, Kristoff and Mom are sound asleep. And I have just finished evaluating my students in the online report.

It's a little bit busy today, running errands with Kristoff in my arms, getting rid of the virus while K was asleep and while he's playing around, doing the house chores while he's watching the Brainy Baby video which has now become his favorite instead of Lion King. And in every moment of each, there was Mark calling me or me calling him.

We could only hear our voices, I know. So it might as well be the same if we talk through phone while he's still in Manila or when he's already on board. But no. There's really a difference, psychologically when the person is physically miles and miles away from you. Manila is reachable in less than a day. But continents? 

I am not whining at all. I'm just expressing a humanly emotion - the longing for my other half........thinking of the 9 months that we're going to be apart.

But then again, we have to bear it, if it's the way we can give brighter future for our family, especially for the kids. Mark and I promised that we would never let our kids experience the kind of hardship that we had due to poverty. And I feel so blessed that he's very responsible to reach that dream of ours.

We always say, 9 months is short, so as to ease the longing. There's Facebook and Skype and the mobile phone to be updated with each other.

But I hope someday, someday...we can have the option of him living with us while still providing well-enough for the family.

I miss him. But I must be strong. And I will be. For him. For K. For me.

'Til we touch you again...dad...