Karaoke + food = Fun!

(My kids singing Michael Jackson's Ben)

It's given that we Filipinos love to eat and love to sing. Well, maybe not as much...we sing as long as we know that we can sing well...I mean others would shy away from the microphone but let them have a bottle of beer or two and they'd be ready to hit those high notes too. It's possible we got this liking to singing from the Japanese (though they were brief in staying there and it wasn't always a good memory of the war)...and it would have been better if we don't care about our voice as them...I mean have you heard all their cute-y songs? hehe My kids love singing along with those songs...

It has been customary to have a karaoke party with friends when we're home and not only do I enjoy it...my kids would battle over the microphones (so whenever possible, I ask for 2 or more). So we had such fun when we went to a get together with my highschool buddies...with my best friend now based in Doha also coming back home and his ex (ehehe) who also went home then.

We sang Michael Jackson, Carpenters and other classics or any song we know that would evoke memories of those around us...doesn't matter if that's fond or painful.lol.

As mentioned, we love to eat too and you know with all those singing you really easily get tired. So what did we have then? Korean beef...sweet and tender with veggies on the side (bean sprouts, carrot strips, red bell pepper and onions sauteed in butter.)

Pancit or pansit is the term for noodles in Filipino cuisine. Noodles were introduced into the Philippines by the Chinese and have since been adopted into the local cuisine. The term pancit is derived from the Hokkien pian i sit (Chinese: 便ê食; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: piān-ê-si̍t) which means "something conveniently cooked fast."

Pancit malabon (above photo), is a stir-fried noodle dish, which originated in Malabon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It has a yellow-orange color due to its sauce that includes patis (fish sauce) and crab fat. Its toppings draw heavily from the fresh seafood that is available in the area and may include fresh shrimp, squid, oysters, and hard-boiled duck or hen eggs, as well as pork.

Pancit bihon is the type usually associated with the word "pancit", very thin rice noodles fried with soy sauce some citrus, possibly with patis, and some variation of sliced meat and chopped vegetables. The exact bihon composition depends on someone's personal recipe but usually, Chinese sausage and cabbage are the basic ingredients in a pancit bihon.

We also had puto (steamed rice cake) with a greenish color...blame the pandan flavor for it, which was really yummy! We enjoy puto everytime of the day, though it's mostly categorized under dessert, it can also be eaten as breakfast. It's filling being made from rice.

Lumpiang Sariwa, or fresh spring rolls in English, consist of minced ubod (heart of palm), flaked chicken, crushed peanuts, and turnips as an extender in a double wrapping of lettuce leaf and a yellowish egg crepe. The accompanying sauce is made from chicken or pork stock, a starch mixture, and fresh garlic. This variety is not fried and is usually around 2 inches in diameter and 6 inches in length; it is also the most popular among the Filipino variants. This is my favorite especially when it's served with my mom's homemade sauce.

We also had roast whole chicken then and sans rival and crunch as additional desserts...I can't locate my photos though lol. I think this is a feast in itself. I'm grateful that even for a little while I was able to see my friends and the kids get to know them and their kids as well.

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