With more than 220 tasty recipes from the Philippines and other countries, Banana Leaves offers more than traditional cooking techniques. It's a book of family, love and memories. Each recipe is written from the heart - and from the experiences of growing up in the Philippines during a time of war and consequently raising a family in the United States.
Each chapter begins with one of the author's dearest memories of her family, friends and the Philippines - each stirred by the sights, smells and flavors of that chapter's recipes.
Banana Leaves features recipes of different kinds of dishes such as pancit (noodles), lumpia (spring rolls), kakanin (Filipino snacks), and more. It also offers recipes for more -common dishes like chicken, pork, beef, seafood, cookies, cakes, and even jams and marmalades - which she still makes for her family.
Most of these dishes are Filipino with a few accompanying recipes of Chinese, Spanish and Italian origin. All measurements in Banana Leaves are of the US system - since the author learned to cook here - and the ingredients are easily found in most local grocery stores or Asian markets.
"This cookbook is not about chef-style cooking...nor is it about elegant cuisine. It's a compilation of my family's cooking. It's food that we all shared with each other, our family and our friends - full of flavor and filled with memories."
Necy T. Alcuaz, Author
