Always cook with passion, says this OFW

By Rodelia Villar

Visitacion Flores

Our guest cook for this issue is another active member of the Domestic Workers Corner, a group of Filipino migrant workers dedicated to helping each other make their stay in Hong Kong as easy, if not pleasurable, as possible.

Visitacion Flores, who is 51 years old and hails from Nueva Vizcaya, is busy practicing her culinary skills at her employers’ house in Ma On Shan, where she looks after two adults and two teenagers.

Flores says cooking is her passion, and believes in the saying, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

Thus, she gets overjoyed and overwhelmed when somebody praises her cooking, or tells her that she has prepared a great meal.

“That makes me more confident and determined to push through with my passion,” she says.

Having learned to cook a variety of dishes, from Western to Asian, she says learning to cook is not easy, but the hardships can disappear if the food that she prepared is appreciated.

Like most migrant workers, Flores is given a budget for the family’s daily meals. But with a daily budget of between $200-$280, her chore is relatively easy compared to most.

She says she is expected to cook mostly pasta, vegetable salad and pizza, but on occasions, is able to add dishes like adobo to the menu.

Having worked as an all-around domestic worker for decades, Flores says she is happy to share her recipes with fellow DWC members. But she is equally delighted to learn new dishes from their FB page, saying it is important for one to keep learning new things.

As an advice to fellow OFWs, she said “Let’s continue pursuing our passions.” But knowing that not everyone is keen to cook, or do particular chores, she says one must try her best at work, anyway: “Gawin natin ang mga bagay ng buong puso at siguradong magbubunga ito ng tagumpay.”

As in cooking. “Pag ikaw ay nagluluto gawin mo ito ng may kasiyahan at pagmamahal, at tiyak na ang kakain nito ay masisiyahan at malalasahan ang sarap ng pagkaing iyong ihinanda”.

Be yourself, she adds. Be the best that you can be.

Here are two of her quickie recipes:

Steamed tofu with abalone and carrots 
Ingredients: 
Soft tofu
Sliced abalone
Sliced carrots
Spring onion for garnish

Sauce:
Abalone sauce

Procedure:
1. Slice the tofu, then insert sliced abalone and carrots in between the sliced tofu.
2. Steam all for 8 minutes, then turn off the stove.
3. Pour the abalone sauce onto the steamed tofu, then garnish w/ sliced spring onion.
4. Dish up

Steamed minced pork in pumpkin
Ingredients 
Minced pork
Sliced pumpkin

For marinade:
Soy sauce
Sugar
Oil
White pepper
Cornstarch

Procedure:
1. Marinate minced pork.
2. Cut off pumpkin top. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and membrane of the pumpkin. Wash a pat dry using kitchen tissue.
3. Stuff the pumpkin with the marinated minced pork, then wrap in foil.
4. Boil water in a steamer, then put the pumpkin. Steam for  25-30 minutes.
5. Sliced the steamed pumpkin before serving.

Stir-fry mixed vegetables
Ingredients:
Snow peas
Baby corn
Lily bulb
Minced pork
Garlic
Oil
chicken powder

Procedure:
1. Wash all vegetables, then cut both ends of the snow peas.
2. Cut the bottom and top of the lily bulbs to separate the sections.
3. Cut baby corn into halves
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok, then garlic. Saute until fragrant.
5. Add the minced pork, then stir for a few minutes.
6. Add the baby corn and stir-fry for 3 minutes, before adding the snow peas and lily bulbs.
7. Season the mixture with chicken powder, then stir-fry for 3 more minutes or until the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
8. Serve hot.

Suportahan natin ang ating mga sponsor: