Knowing that inspired dishes are made at home, leading cooking gas brand Solane organized the Cuisinera Challenge 2015 Mommy Edition. The challenge recently culminated with a cook-off at the Center for Culinary Arts, Manila, where 20 participants prepared their rendition of original recipes.

(L-R) Neneth Tiongkiao-Madrona, first Filipino contestant in World Food Championship 2015 in Las Vegas and Solane Cuisinera Challenge 2014 contestant, and her sister, Vivian Tiongkiao, the winner of the Solane Cuisinera Challenge Mommy Edition 2015
Moms would certainly do well to try these winning recipes of the Solane Cuisinera Challenge 2015 Mommy Edition:
Chicken Bourbon with Annatto Rice
by Vivian Tiongkiao, Grand Champion

Bagging the grand prize is Vivian Tiongkiao’s recipe called Chicken Bourbon with Annato Rice. It features chicken mixed with bourbon whiskey, placed on top of rice seasoned with annatto powder.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
400 grams chicken thigh fillet (no skin)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp ginger
¾ tsp crushed pepper
4 tbsp brown sugar
½ cup apple juice
1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
4 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp bourbon whiskey
1 can shiitake mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
cornstarch to thicken
For the rice:
2 cups cooked rice
1 tbsp annatto powder
1 onion
salt and pepper to taste
oil
Procedure:
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Saute ginger and garlic.
- Put the chicken until lightly golden brown. Add half of the bourbon and soy sauce. Add the shiitake mushrooms.
- Remove the chicken.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well and bring to boil.
- Add the chicken and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Thicken with cornstarch.
- For the rice: put oil and saute onion, add annatto powder and mix well. Add the rice. Enjoy.

Sanchos, the first runner-up recipe by Maria Luisa Juanson, is a dish made of shredded and creamed santol topped with cucumber, onions and carrots, with nachos on the side.
Sanchos by Maria Luisa Juanson, First runner-up
Ingredients:
½ kg shredded santol
250 ml all-purpose cream
¼ kg ground pork
300 ml fresh milk
5 pcs siling labuyo
1 pack nachos
2 pcs onion
half cloves garlic
1 carrot
1 cucumber
salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
- Heat the frying pan over medium heat.
- Saute the garlic and onion.
- Add the ground pork.
- After 5 minutes, add the shredded santol.
- Add some all purpose cream and fresh milk.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Plate the dish. Garnish it with carrots, cucumber, onion, and siling labuyo.
- Put the nachos on the side.
- Serve!

Placing third was Love Babasa’s Fried Adobong Hito sa Gata (catfish in coconut milk) with Malunggay Filling.
Fried Adobong Hito sa Gata with Malunggay Filling
By Love Babasa, Second runner-up
Ingredients:
500 grams or ½ kilo of hito (catfish)
¼ cup suka
6 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
½ cup manille liqueur de calamansi
2 cups gata
1 ginger, diced
1 onion, diced
Chili powder
Green chili
Basil
Malunggay
Wansoy, sliced calamansi and toasted garlic
Instructions:
- Clean the hito, season with salt and pepper, and leave in a tray.
- Mix calamansi, some pepper, and garlic.
- Put the seasoned hito in a strainer, pat dry, then deep fry. Set aside.
- Then, mix the following: 2 cups of the gata, sliced ginger, onion, chili powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper.
- Let it boil for 8 minutes, then put the green chili, basil and the malunggay leaves, and 5 to 6 tablespoons of the adobo sauce. Wait until the mixture thickens. Set aside.
- Pour the gata-malunggay sauce onto the fried hito.
- Sprinkle toasted garlic on top, and garnish with wansoy and calamansi.

Solane product and brand manager Ernest Loquinario, business development manager Kathy Mendez and Cuisinera Challenge Mommy Edition 2015 2nd runner-up Love Babasa
Karina is not your ordinary supermom. She juggles her time bonding with her three amazing kids while being in the loop on the latest happenings in the tech and lifestyle scene. Follow me on Instagram (@digitalfilipina) regularly visit www.digitalfilipina.com for daily dose of updates not just for moms but for everyone!