Katherine Lorente is from the Philippines. Her bubbly persona masks her age, and makes her perfect for her daytime role as a receptionist for the Q-Gourmet head office based in Sharjah.
In Katherine I found yet another master chef! Katherine has an innate love for cooking, and has her very own culinary business back home in the Philippines.
Katherine is a queen in her own kitchen, and loves to try out many cuisines. Her stint as receptionist at Q-Gourmet has been a treat for this culinary goddess as she has picked up many tips and tricks on Italian cooking. However, her first love will always be authentic Filipino food.
My specialty cuisine is Chicken Adobo and My favorite Philippine Dish is Beef Kare Kare or Beef in Peanut Sauce served with shrimp paste.“Cooking by heart full of love” is what makes the dish taste so delicious.
Traditional Filipino cuisine has evolved over the centuries, and is greatly influenced by its Austronesian origins. Over time, the style of cooking has married into Malay, Spanish, Chinese and American flavors creating a blend that is uniquely Filipino.
Filipino cuisine is distinguished by its bold combination of sweet, sour and salty flavors that are often delivered all at once in a single serving.
Cooking and eating in the Philippines has traditionally been an informal, communal affair centered around the family kitchen. Filipinos traditionally eat three main meals a day, as well as an afternoon snack that is fondly called a ‘merienda‘.
For Filipinos, every main course is centered around rice. Rice is eaten with the fingers, and this act is called ‘kamayan’. Filipinos tend to feel the spirit of ‘kamayan’ when eating amidst nature during road-trips, beach vacations and town fiestas.
Katherine has two teenage daughters studying in the Philippines, and surely they must be missing their mother’s cooking! For the rest of us, Katherine has generously agreed to share her special recipe for Pancit Palabok, a flavorful rice noodle dish.
- Cook noodles according to package direction.
- Cook the palabok sauce.
- Sauté garlic, onion and the rest of ingredients (chicken first followed by other ingredients).
- Add 4 tablespoons of fish sauce to taste.
- Once cooked, set aside half the mixture for garnish.
- Add noodles and mix well.
- Add the sauce, leaving a little amount for topping.
- Top the noodles with the seafood mixture and garnish with onion leeks, boiled eggs and toasted garlic.
Serve hot, enjoy!
The Tezzy Files 