#FoodMemories: Pinsec frito

MANILA, Philippines – When my son Miggy was 15 years old, he was given an assignment. His group was to suggest a kind of food that they can serve on International Culture Day. They were asked to research on Chinese food and bring bite-size samples to school.

My immediate response was dimsum — perfect! But if my son had his way, he would have wanted Yang Chow rice. Kanin boy talaga!

Of my 5 suggestions, his team chose Pinsec Frito. It doesn’t sound Chinese at all like Siomai, Bam-i or Chopsuey, but Pinsec Frito is as traditional a Chinese dish as fried noodles, sweet and sour pork and steamed wonton.

It is a Spanish term for fried dumplings, part of “La Comida Tsina.” Like Pansit, Pinsec Frito is a big part of the history of the Filipino foodscape.

Sweet chili sauce is the perfect dip for these crunchy morsels. Just dip and pop them into your mouth. We eat it with Yang Chow — Chinese-style fried rice or, as my parents would call it, Morosquieta. Our side is a bowl of egg-drop soup or noodle soup. 

I usually cook by taste and “guess-timate.” For his assignment, Miggy and I tested the recipe so we could be ready for the big day. He did the prep: from chopping, to mixing, to wrapping. It is so simple, even a younger kid can do it. Make it your weekend project with your child!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg finely ground pork 
• 2 t finely chopped or grated ginger 
• 2 t sugar 
• 1/4 c finely chopped singkamas (jicama) 
• 1/4 c finely chopped carrots 
• 2 T finely chopped scallions 
• 1 egg 
• 3-4 T soy sauce 
• 1 T sesame oil 
• 1 T cornstarch 
• 1 pack large size wonton wrappers (molo wrappers)
• Oil for frying

Note: Bottled sweet chili sauce is available in supermarkets

1. Simply prep all ingredients and mix them well in a bowl.

Fill the middle of the wonton wrapper with one teaspoon of the meat mixture and gather up the sides to wrap around the filling. Try to keep the corners upright so it will “bloom” when deep fried.

The problem with wonton wrappers is that they easily get wet or damp, and stick to the tray or plate, causing it to rip.

Helpful tip: The trick is to line the tray with a cloth or tea towel.

2. Heat oil through, but make sure it is not smoking hot or else you will end up with cooked wrappers but raw meat.

Without the benefit of an oil thermometer, I got this easy to follow tip: Dip a barbecue stick in the oil, and when bubbles run up the stick, it is ready.

3. Gently drop about 4 to 5 pieces at a time. Too many pieces will cause the temperature of the oil to drop, resulting in greasy dumplings. What you want are golden brown and crispy bites.

4. To remove excess oil, place newly-fried wontons on kitchen paper towels. – Rappler.com

Check out our other recipes:

Cooking is one of Marie Pascual’s biggest expressions of love. She is a high-ranking executive in a retail company on weekdays. On weekends, she cooks up a storm for the 3 men in her life: her husband of 21 years Emi and her two college boys Jam and Miggy.

It is this same passion and curiosity that takes their family to places that are not normally included in a traveler’s itinerary.

Marie is a regular contributor to Appetite Magazine. Her food blog www.kitchenkitchiekoo.com is currently undergoing renovation so she can share more of her flavor adventures.