Favorite 'baon' recipes: Celebrity chefs Gino, China Gonzalez share daughter's Asian flavors picks

MANILA, Philippines — You cannot fault 10-year-old Lucia Margarita Ysabel Cojuangco Gonzalez for her sophisticated taste in food.

As the daughter of two chefs — Gino Gonzalez and China Cojuangco-Gonzalez — she has, at an early age, been exposed to countless cuisines, from which she has been able to isolate her favorites. And so, she is able to bring these choices to her baon.

Beef Bulgogi, Kimchi Rice with Spam, Fried Chicken Wings, Pork Sinigang, truffle chips, Honeystars, cookies… These are her go-to dishes nowadays.

“Lucia is more experimental with her food these days. I’m glad she’s trying out other cuisines as well,” said Chef Gino.

These, thus, are her favorite baons, which her mom, Chef China, prepares diligently for her.

Chef Gino shares the recipes of two of Lucia’s favorite baons:

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 can Spam, cut into cubes

1 Tbsp. white sugar (optional)

1 Tbsp. oil

1 egg, cooked Sunny Side up

 For the kimchi fried rice:

1 Tbsp. oil

2-3 Tbsps. kimchi, chopped

1 tsp. Kikkoman soy sauce

1 cup rice

Salt and pepper

PROCEDURE:

1. Toss the Spam in sugar. Pan-fry until crisp.

2. Prepare the kimchi fried rice. Sauté kimchi in oil. Add rice and soy sauce. Mix. Season well with salt and pepper.

3. Plate rice. Top with cooked egg. Add more kimchi on the side. Serve.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

250 gams pork kasim, cubed

2 pcs. tomatoes, deseeded and quartered

1/2 pc. onion, sliced

Sinigang mix to taste

Thai patis to taste

4 cups water

Salt and pepper

1 pc. siling pansigang

1/4 cup radish, sliced

1/4 cup gabi, sliced

1 cup kangkong leaves and stems

PROCEDURE:

1. Sauté onions and tomatoes in oil. Add pork and cook until slightly browned.

2. Add water, sinigang mix, and patis. Boil until pork is tender.

3. Add gabi and radish, and simmer until they are cooked.

4. Adjust seasoning with Thai patis, salt and pepper.

5. Add kangkong 1 minute before turning off heat.