Monggo Bean Soup

This was one of our favorite meals in the Philippines. My girls ate several bowls apiece. 1 c. green mongo (mung beans), soaked in water for 30 minutes 6 - 8 c. chicken broth (or more) 1 Tbsp cooking oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tomato, chopped 1/2 c. pork, sliced into strips 1/2 c. shrimp, peeled and deveined (can use a can of small shrimp) 1 c. chopped spinach

Instructions: Soak Mung beans in water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat cooking oil. Add pork and fry until brown. Add garlic, onions, and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the chicken broth. When soup starts to boil, add soaked mung beans. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour. Add shrimp and spinach. Add more broth until it's "soupy" enough for your tastes. Serve with white rice.

Halo-Halo

This is a popular Filipino dessert. It quite literally means "mix-mix," which is an appropriate name.

1 glass filled 2/3 full of crushed ice

Top with evaporated or whole milk until the ice is covered.

Then top with a spoonful each of:

Creamed canned corn

Sweetened adzuki beans

Gelatin set very firm and cut into small cubes (often green)

Cubed cooked ube (you may substitute sweet potato)

Canned Kaong (very tasty - try an Asian market)

Cubed Mango

Shredded fresh coconut

Place a scoopful of ice cream on top our pour over a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. This is sometimes served with sliced bananas.