It’s cooking time again at Maya Kitchen! This time, however, I’m in the comfort of my own kitchen. The ingredients for today’s recipes are neatly set up in the white marble counter and my metallic rose colored MacBook Air is on the higher ledge. As I patiently wait for the Zoom Meeting to commence, I could not help but feel thankful for this seemingly ordinary experience. It’s been two years since I set foot at The Maya Kitchen Culinary Arts Center. My kids and I are regular participants in their classes and being taught by the masterful resident chefs there has certainly enriched our culinary journey.
This time, participants are in their respective houses and will be taught by no less than Nina Daza-Puyat and her niece Isabelle Daza. Nina is the daughter and Isabelle is the granddaughter respectively of the legendary Nora Daza. (As a child I remember watching the matriarch of Filipino cooking as she instructed viewers on how to cook, bake and blend.) Of course, Ms. Nora cooked all kinds of cuisines — but I digress.) “I grew up in a home where there was a lot of love for Filipino cooking, thanks to my Lola Nora. This is why I’m so glad to partner with the Maya Kitchen for a cook-along which allows me to re-explore my grandmother’s recipes t and share the knowledge to a new generation of cooks and foodies, ” shared Isabelle right before the cooking demo started.
Sweet and Sour Pork and Choco-Nut Brownies with Peanut Glaze were the order of the day. I must commend the easy banter between the hosts and how Nina made everything so easy to follow. I also loved the helpful tips that both shared like substitute ingredients, how to make a proper glaze swirl and what baking containers you can use other than the usual brownie pan (bread pan works according to Isabelle). Aside from the live tutorial, participants were sent instruction boards so everyone can easily catch up. Baking the brownies was easy peasy. I, however, opted to top mine with plain cashews (unsalted is best says Nina) as my kids are not too fond of peanut butter.
The Sweet and Sour Pork turned out to be super delicious! Again, having the ingredients all set up and ready did the trick. I learned how to “fry ketchup,” how to properly slice the carrots to make pretty florettes, and that frying the pork loin twice over makes it crispier. Also did not put the meat directly into the sauce until it was time to serve it. The result? I got compliments all around the table. Both the husband and the kids loved the new recipe. I’ll make this again for sure!
Interested to get busy in the kitchen? Do get a hold of the Let’s Cook With Nora Cookbook (which has been recently updated by Nina Daza-Puyat) and contact The Maya Kitchen. Follow @themayakitchen1 on IG and @MayaKitchen on Facebook.
You can also check out https://themayakitchen.com/ for more delicious recipes.
With a pocketful of glitter,
