Last weekend my mom and I went to a popular restaurant in the province of Batangas, Philippines. This was her favorite restaurant, and we would eat there every time we’re in Batangas. Ever since I started cooking everyday and started this blog I would notice how expensive it is to eat out.
Over the weekend we ordered three (3) dishes, a) Grilled Squid b) Sauteed String Beans and c) Fried Milkfish (bangus). I was in utter disbelief when the price of a very simple sauteed string beans is priced at Php 200 ($ 4.47). Sauteing string is fairly simple and it only requires a few ingredients. I mean, I get it all there ingredients are fresh and their vegetables are delivered straight to them from the farm but I think its pretty steep to price something as simple as sauteed vegetables at P200 – and the grand total of what we ate is at Php 2,240 ($ 50.06).
My mom kept on telling me that we’re not only paying for the food but we are also paying for the ambiance and name of the restaurant. That when you do the cooking all the time and do the groceries yourself you’ll notice how practical and cheaper it is to eat at home than eating out. So my mom challenged me to make the same stuff in a lower price tag and here are the results.
Grilled Squid
What you’ll need
3 medium or large squid
2 tablespoons of garlic, minced
4 pieces of onions, diced
4 pieces of small tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of calamansi juice
1/2 cup of Sprite or 7 Up
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste
How to do it
– First of all clean the squids. You have to remove their black ink and transparent stick-like membrane.
Also, wash its body cavity under running water then drain.
– In a large bowl, mix the following ingredients together:
– 2 tablespoons of garlic
– 1/8 tablespoons of pepper
– 1/2 cup of soy sauce
– 2 tablespoons of calamansi juice
– 1/2 cup of Sprite or 7 Up
and marinate your squid for at least an hour.
– Chop up your onions and tomatoes, and add in your salt and pepper and mix well.
– Drain your squid then stuff it with your vegetable mixture.
– In your grill pan, it set it to medium heat, and grill your squids for three (3) to six (6) minutes on
each side.
– Cut the squid crosswise, and you’re good to go.
Serves three (3) people | Best served with spicy vinegar and soy sauce as your dip. 🙂
Sauteed String Beans
What you’ll need
1 bundle of string beans
2 tablespoons of garlic, crushed
1 red onion, sliced crosswise
3 pieces of red tomato, sliced crosswise
1/4 kilo of ground beef
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
1 cup of beef stock
* To make the beef stock: 1 beef bouillon and 1 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste
How to do it
– In small casserole, in medium heat, saute garlic until golden brown. Saute onions until translucent.
Add in the tomatoes saute until they’re soft.
– Add in the ground beef and cook for ten (10) minutes.
– Add in the beef stock, and the string beans. Let the beef stock boil and cook for 15 minutes.
Serves three (3) to four (4) people | Best served with hot rice. 🙂
Fried Milkfish
What you’ll need
1 piece of boneless milkfish (bangus), butterflied with skin-on
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper corns
1 head of garlic, crushed
3/4 cup of white vinegar
8 tablespoons of cooking oil (or 1/2 cup)
How to do it
– In a large ziplock bag or deep tupperware, mix the following ingredients together:
– 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
– 1/4 teaspoon of pepper corns
– 1 head of garlic, crushed
– 3/4 cup of white vinegar
this will serve as your marinade.
– Place your milkfish in the marinade and leave it overnight
– Once its ready, in a frying pan over medium heat, fry each side for four (4) minutes frying the skin
side first.
Serves three (3) people | Best served with onion and tomato mix with spicy vinegar and soy sauce dip. 🙂
How much did everything cost?
Squid Php 84.00 (for 3 pieces)
Ground beef Php 108.50 (for 1/2 kilo)
Boneless milkfish (bangus), butterflied with skin-on Php 150.00 (for 2 pieces)
Garlic Php 30.00 (for 1/4 kilo)
Red Onions Php 19.95
Red Tomatoes diced Php 23.72
String beans Php 18.49
Salt Php 12.00 (for 1 kilo)
Peppercorns Php 40.00 (1 pack)
Beef bouillon Php 7.00 (for two (2) pieces)
Soy sauce Php 7.00 (for soy sauce tetra pack re-fill)
White vinegar Php 7.00 (for vinegar tetra pack re-fill)
Calamansi juice Php 17.40
Sprite or 7 Up 20.00
Cooking oil Php 239.00 (for 1.42 liters)
Total: Php 784.06 ($ 17.52)
The home-schooled chef 