Roasted Chicken with Lemongrass Stuffing




What are your plans for Noche Buena tonight?

I guess, your holiday meals are lavish,

Smoked salmon, foie grass, oysters, stuffed turkey and sparkling wine.
 
I'd like to come, please invite me. lol!



Last week, my Tito (uncle) roasted chicken for my cousin.

'twas Kuya Meme's birthday.

With the easiest ingredients we could find from the wet market, 

we came up with  Roasted Chicken in Tanglad (Lemongrass).

 

Sharing this easy and affordable recipe for your Noche Buena.

Prepare your kitchen to mild fragrance and your appetite to utmost satisfaction.



Ingredients: 

1 whole roasting chicken, about 1 - 1.5 kilo
5 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, ground
Garlic, 1 whole bud, (about 10 whole cloves) smashed and peeled
Lemon Grass, 2 stocks of  white to light green parts.
4 tsp brown sugar

Procedure:
1) Prepare the marinade. Mix Soy Sauce, salt, pepper, sugar and garlic.
2) Prepare your chicken. Place chicken in your roasting pan, and pour marinade over top. Using your hands, smother the chicken in the marinade. Leave in the refrigerator overnight or up to 3 hours
3) Stuff the cavity of the chicken with Lemon Grass. Rub the chicken all over with the marinade.
4.) Put in a greased roast pan, cover and roast at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Then, reduce temperature to 350 degrees and roast for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
5) Check the roast pan from time to time to make sure there is enough moisture in the bottom (add a little more water if it is becoming dry). While you have the chicken out, use a soup ladle to scoop up the juices from the bottom of the pan and pour over the chicken. Put back in the oven.
6) Serve your roasted chicken with steamed rice. 


For the side sauce, Mang Tomas was the perfect dip.


We also grilled Milfish with lots of tomato and onion stuffing. Enjoy!!!




Kaunayan (Cunayan) Waterfalls, San Luis, Aurora Province



Day 2: Ditumabo (Mother) Falls Kaunayan Falls, San Luis, Aurora

According to my DIY Itinerary, I was supposed to visit Ditumabo (Mother) Waterfalls

Because I got limited time, and 2 other "invalid" reasons,

we headed to Kaunayan Falls in San Luis, Aurora province instead.



Kaunayan Waterfalls is the most accessible waterfalls in Central Aurora Province.

From the town proper of Baler,

we hired a tricycle for Php 300.00 back and forth

The falls is located in Brgy. L. Pimentel also in the Municipality of San Luis.

The trip was more than 1 hour.

The dirty road from the National road was rough, bumpy and dusty.

Three entrance fees were collected because we pass through two private properties (Php 10.00) and another  Php 10.00 charged per person at the entrance of the falls.

Cottages are available for rent in the area nearby.




Honestly, I was a little bit disappointed when my DIY plan didn't fall into place.

But when I saw clean, crystal clear waters dropping from the range of Sierra Madre mountain,

My disappointments paved away.

The falls mildly sprays water from a cliff where hanging wild vines and other greenery grows.



Im more of a freshwater type of person rather than of saltwater.

I guess, its because half of my life was spent in saltwater exploration back in Palawan days.

My remaining days will definitely discover freshwater wonders, lol!



It is, actually, a  series of waterfalls one after another with own sunken plunge pool.

Cunayan Waterfalls is a seven-tier waterfalls and could be navigated.

Trekking and hiking could be arranged through the Municipal Tourism Office.





Well, I guess, I have so many reasons to go back in this beautiful province.

Maybe next year, wanna join?