Ginisang Monggo at Chicharon (Mung Bean Soup with Pork Cracklings)

I have been craving my mom's Filipino cooking! Living so far away from her compared to when I used to come home and visit almost every other weekend back in college has been such a drastic change for me. Now that I don't have much family up here in the Bay area anymore, I've decided to learn more Filipino dishes when I am able to see my mom. I tried my hand the other week at re-creating her dish that I hope will do her version justice. So, I present to you my feeble attempt at Filipino food.

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Ginisang Monggo at Chicharon (Mung Bean Soup with Pork Cracklings)

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 1 hour 20 mins

Total time: 1 hour 25 mins

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried monggo (mung beans), washed and drained
• salt
• pepper
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and minced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 pound shrimp--cleaned
• 1-2 tablespoons fish flakes (fish seasoning) or 1 packet of Mama Sita's Ginisang Monggo seasoning
• 7 cups shrimp stalk (I boiled the shrimp shells and pork bones in some water to create a stalk before-hand. This is optional, but highly recommended.)
• 2 cups chicharon (pork cracklings with attached meat) or very crisp lechon kawali (I recommend the later, but at this time I only had chicharon. in my pantry.)
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, stems trimmed
• fish sauce to taste with your level of saltiness
• 2 medium sized bitter-melon
• 1/2 pound pork (cut into bite sized strips)

Instructions

1. In a pot over medium heat, combine mung beans (or you may pre-soak them in water the nigh before to decrease cooking time--your preference), shrimp stalk, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, skimming off froth that accumulates and any beans that float on top. Lower heat, cover and cook for about 1 hour or until beans are softened and skins have burst.
2. In another pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender and aromatic. Add tomatoes and cook, mashing with back of spoon, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until softened and release juice. Add fish sauce and continue to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add pork and saute until cooked. Then add the shrimp and bitter-melon.
4. Once shrimp change color, add to the cooked mung bean including liquid. Bring to a boil. Continue to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until softened. Season with additional salt, fish sauce, fish flakes, and pepper to taste. 
5. Add spinach, turn off heat and cover pot for about 2 to 3 minutes or until spinach are just wilted. Top with pork cracklings before serving. Serve hot and over rice.

Vacation Dreamin'

I made a couple of collages for some pieces that are currently on my wishlist--outfits that I would wear for "springtime" here in San Francisco. Unfortunately, not pictured would be tights, sweaters, and a coat because let's face it. It's always the same lower 60 degree temperature year-round--which is the reason why I love living in the Bay Area. It's the perfect environment for becoming an expert at layering. 

I've been experiencing a bit of a wanderlust lately. I've seen pictures of my friends traveling to various places around the world. I haven't been on a proper vacation in such a long time that I think I may have forgotten how to have fun outside of work and school. I'm hoping to plan a trip this summer to get away from the City-life for a bit. Hopefully it comes to fruition! 

Making these collages showed me that I am loving anything with a pale pink color. I never used to like the color pink before because most "pink" items were the gaudy hot pink shade reminiscent of Barbie's plastic shoes, but when paired with darker accessories (to ground the outfit) or objects in the similar pastel neutral shades--it really works! Now I want fill my closet with more items in this dreamy shade. To see my previous Polyvore collages, click to view this post and to view additional information on any of the items I used, click through to my Polyvore.

Pink / Plants by kamanaka featuring an artificial arrangement

Shoes / Bracelet / Shay diamond stud earrings / Leather cord necklace / Sunglasses / NARS Cosmetics lips makeup / Makeup / Lux Art Silks flower arrangement / Lux Art Silks artificial arrangement / Lux Art Silks flower arrangement / Black and Natural Zipper Linen Pouch Amelia / Dress / Clutch / Drinkware / Artificial bouquet / Pinterest / Color Block Planner Poketo / Ca Va Aelfie / Monstera

Spring Fling by kamanaka featuring fake bouquets

Dusen Dusen pink pleated dress / Ankle booties / Ring / NARS Cosmetics satin lipstick, $30 / West Elm new york home decor / Geometric home decor / Madewell fragrance candle / Dusen Dusen Cube Tube Dog Sweater, $37 / Convertible Dot Clutch / Necklace / Fake bouquet / Fake bouquet / Snake Plant Sansevieria trifasciata / Monstera

Pink Lemonade by kamanaka featuring ceramic planters

ASOS felt hat, $25 / Coral wall art / Watercolor painting / Nautical home decor / Ceramic planter / Takeya Modern Glass Water Bottle with Silicone Sleeve, Snow/Ice Blue,... / Cotton & Flax Linen Plus Print Tea Towel | LEIF / Antibes / Lizzie Fortunato Palm Zip Pouch Black – Beklina / Rachel Comey - Tulip - Sandals - Shoes - Women's Store / R1601W / Kertis Leather Sunglasses Case / NLD Seaweed (4).png / Juniper Shift- Black – Fable / LARGE ZIPPER-TOP TOTE : BOOK/SHOP / Sunday Mornings Pin Pack – Explorer's Press / Shapes Clay Necklace Poketo | Nuji

Lastly, I would also recommend listening to Tennis because they are the perfect blend of dreamy vibes for any relaxing vacation.

The Green Room

I've had success so far (still crossing my fingers) at keeping the plants alive in our low light apartment alive this year. I've had a few casualties, but have learned from those mistake in the hopes of keeping our apartment green! When my cousin moved, I adopted a couple of their plants that they were not able to take with them. Initially, I was worried that the plants would perish in our apartment because they would be coming from a well-lit, warm environment--everything our apartment does not have.  Much to my surprise (actually, I hope that my plant nurturing skills might have improved), the plants have been thriving with a bunch of "budding" new growth. I think I may have finally figured out a watering schedule that works with the plants and their new environment! I've been wants to de-clutter / re-decorate everything and just have plants as decor with a minimal backdrop setting with basic functional furniture. This is still a work in progress! I have other plants scattered through-out the apartment, but pictured are some of the ones in our bedroom. The plants make be feel like we're sleeping in a Green Room nursery, which I guess might be weird for some but works for me!

I have also been gathering new decor for the bedroom that is functional, yet still a bit stylish. Z and I were lucky to find this beautiful antique brass bed frame 4 years ago, and it has held up well thus far. Wanting to keep this brass motif in the bedroom, I found some interesting angular-shaped  brass jewelry display cases from Urban Outfitters and these white lamps from IKEA. I really hope to save enough money to purchase new matching (grown up-style and not hand me downs from your family) night stands for Z and I--similar to these ones here. I'll see if I can thrift a similar looking set when I have a break from work. After I took these photos, Z installed a lamp above the bed in this style to replace his bed-side lamp, which looks pretty fabulous as well.  Other than that, Z and I did not do much this weekend. We had dinner at our favorite pupuseria on 18th street and then walked around the Mission district--amazed at how much has changed in the tiny time that we've lived here. There are more people moving into the neighborhood, but we don't want it to loose the charm that we fell in love with upon first moving here. The next day was spent doing laundry and cleaning up the apartment for the week. It's ridiculous how much fur comes from a little pug. If I did not constantly sweep up or vacuum the fur, we could be living in a huge black fur ball! Hope you all had a nice, relaxing weekend! Let's get this week started off right!

The Pugs Bunny Wishing You a Hoppy Be-lated Easter!

 I finally decided to succumb to my crazy-pug lady ways and start an Instagram featuring my one and only spoiled pug--Finnegan McDuff. Make sure to follow him and his ridiculous adventures on Instagram!

Burgers, Beer, Bands, and Boobs

Z and I spent the last weekend of March traveling down to Southern California (specifically Los Angeles and Santa Ana) to meet up with friends, family, and to attend Burgerama IV! Before driving down for Burgerama IV, Z and I stopped in Burbank to have lunch at Porto's Bakery & Cafe and feasted on their Cuban sandwiches, potato balls, and horchatta / dulce de leche lattes. Since we were going to stay at our old friend from UCSD's apartment in Silverlake, we decided to drive through Griffith Park and check out the scenery. I forgot that LA does have its beautiful parts that can sometimes be forgotten among the traffic congested freeways and urban sprawl. 

We arrived to our friend Di's apartment who's area that had the cutest little streets leading down to Sunset Blvd, where we went and grabbed a quick cup of coffee at Intelligentsia Coffee before heading to see a Comedy Central taping of The Meltdown With Jonah and Kumail at Meltdown Comics. In this comic book shop's backroom basement, we were able to see comedy sketches by Fred Armisen and more thanks to Di's boyfriend! After the show, we drove into the boroughs of South LA to find a little food stand at a Tire Shop that only opens late at night after the tire shops closes. (No permits, but whatever--good food!) This Tire Shop taqueria has Tijuana style tacos that I absolutely miss since leaving San Diego to move up to San Francisco.  Finally putting my Spanish skills to use, we ordered tacos upon tacos and I am going to cry right now reminiscing about the handmade tortillas and grilled to perfection meats and spicy salsas. Could I have been shot or mugged going to obtain these tacos? Yes, but at least my stomach would have been extremely happy. TOTALLY WORTH IT.

After spending time with Di, we headed down to Santa Ana to stay with my sister and her boyfriend. I miss my sister so much! Seeing her made me wish that we lived closer to each other, but she is the happiest I have seen her for the longest time and it just makes me happy to see her this way! We ate at BCD Tofu House (for the best silken tofu dumpling soup around) and Alerto's (to fulfill Z's California burrito cravings)  while we were there, but also managed to sneak in some Guitar Hero and Mario Party Wii battles in-between.

Burgers, beer, bands and boobs--Burgerama IV definitely brought the essentials. For Christmas, I bought Z and I tickets to Burgerama IV because the line-up was ridiculously amazing and any excuse to come down South and eat better Mexican food is okay with us. The sold-out two-day festival at the Observatory also showed its ability to super-size itself with big-budget headliners while still keeping the local flavor of a packed parking lot festival filled with tie-dyed Burger ilk of all ages. Going into its fourth year, the festival wasn't short on growing pains as it continued to figure out the constraints of holding a massive festival in the middle of a business park. Some of my favorite bands at Burgerama this year were: Cherry Glazerr, Tennis, Death Valley Girls, Gang of Four, Weezer, Bone Thugs, La Luz, The Aquadolls, and ummm...I guess just about every band that played. Thanks Burger!

After that jam-packed weekend, Z and I drove up the 101 North this time instead of taking the dreary 5 North and toured the little coastal town that I was born and raised in:  Lompoc. Where is Lompoc exactly? It is probably best summarized by this Fresh Prince of Bel Air clip. Growing up in a predominately Caucasian-small town definitely had its ups and downs for me, but I'll save that for another blog post. We drove by my parents' old house and my old high school--Cabrillo High . The school looks exactly the same from the day that I first attended. Glad to see that some things don't change. Hope you all had a great weekend as well! Cheers!