GalaStars Culinary

29/04/2026

Recipe of the Week: Crab Salad & Fresh Fruit Salad
By: Sylvia & Ernest Reynoso Gala

Crab Salad:
1) Line a 3-quart salad bowl with lettuce leaves (romaine or lollo rossa or iceberg)

2) Mix in a bowl: 1 cup very cold all-purpose cream, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 kilo boiled, peeled 1/4-inch-cubed potatoes, 2 cups canned sugar beets (drained) 1/4-inch cubed, 1/4 cup finely minced white onion, 2 teaspoons fine salt, 1 tsp. pepper, 1 package (16 pieces) kani crab meat available in frozen seafood section of supermarkets. Remove plastic, cut each into four.

3) Put on top of lettuce-lined bowl. Garnish top with 250 grams fresh strawberries or cherries, washed and dried with paper napkins. Serves 8.

4) Note: if canned sugar beets are unavailable, wash and scrub 500 grams fresh sugar beets. Put in a pressure cooker with 2 cups water, 1 tsp. rock salt. Pressure cook 30 minutes. Peel and cube, or boil with enough water to cover with 1 tsp. rock salt for 1 hour.

5) 2 cups cooked shrimps or canned tuna chunks, or parboiled chicken or cubed sliced ham may be used in place of kani (crabsticks). Consume within 2 days after refrigerated.

Fresh Fruit Salad:
1) Line a 2-quart salad bowl with lettuce leaves (romaine or iceberg).

2) Put on top of lettuce: 2 cups each of seedless grapes (unpeeled) 1/4-inch-cubed red apples (unpeeled); peeled and cubed mangoes; fresh orange segments.

3) Drizzle 1 cup (2 small containers) plain or strawberry flavored yogurt. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8.

25/04/2026

Recipe for the Weekend: Corned Beef Fried Rice
Recipe by: Sylvia, Morella, Ernest Reynoso Gala
C/o Woman Today

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked rice
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup Cooking Oil
1⁄4 cup canned whole kernel corn, drained 1⁄4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 small can Corned Beef
1 tsp. rock salt
1⁄4 tsp. ground pepper

Procedure:
1. To prepare rice: Wash uncooked rice then cook in 3 cups water to yield 6 cups cooked rice, in 25 minutes.

2. To prepare egg: Slightly beat the 2 eggs. Cook with little oil over low fire. Cool then slice into 1/4”-wide long strips. Set aside.

3. To prepare fried rice: In a 10”-wok or fry pan, heat oil. Add corn and peas and cook for 1 minute (this will prevent easy spoilage). Remove from pan. Set aside.

4. To the same pan, add corned beef and seasonings. Mix for a few seconds. Turn off the fire and add cooked rice. Mix well. Turn on fire and toss until a little rice sticks to the bottom of the pan. Transfer to a serving platter.

5. Garnish with corn and peas. Top with egg strips. Serves 6.

22/04/2026

Recipe of the Week: Seafood Siomai & Pork/Chicken Siomai
by: Sylvia, Morella, Ernest Reynoso Gala

Seafood Siomai

1 cup shrimps, coarsely chopped, or fish fillet, finely chopped
4 Chinese or shiitake mushrooms, soaked for 15 minutes, drained, and chopped, to measure 1/4 cup
1/4 cup spring onions (sibuyas na mura), chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine
1/4 cup carrots, chopped
1 teaspoon rock salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup cornstarch
32 siomai wrappers
For the sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon calamansi juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic

Put all filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Prepare siomai wrappers. Put one scoop filling on each, using a small (size 24) ice cream scooper or a tablespoon, in center of wrapper. Gather sides. With thumb and forefinger, make a “waist” in the middle. Put on a cling-lined tray, half an inch apart. Freeze at least one hour.
This siomai may be kept in the freezer, covered with cling wrap, for one week. It can be steamed directly from the freezer.

Prepare the steamer pan with two-inch-deep water. Boil.
Grease the steamer pan with sesame oil. Put the frozen siomai. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes. Remove from fire.

Wait for 15 minutes before removing the siomai from pan so that the wrapper does not fall off. Serve with sauce.

For the sauce:
Mix well soy sauce, one tablespoon garlic, sugar, and calamansi juice. Add sesame oil and 1 teaspoon garlic.

Pork/Chicken Siomai

1/2 kilo ground pork, or 1 500-gram pack chicken giniling
1 cup sweet ham, chopped
1/4 cup Chinese mushrooms, soaked, drained, chopped
1/4 cup carrots
2 teaspoons rock salt
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup cornstarch

Follow procedure as for shrimp/seafood siomai. Makes 50 pieces. May be frozen for one month uncooked.

Tip:
When making siomai in big quantities, put ingredients in a Heavy duty mixer bowl. Use a mixer paddle and beat for two minutes on medium speed.

18/04/2026

Recipe for the Weekend: Seafood lasagna
by Sylvia & Ernest Reynoso Gala

9 precooked lasagna sheets (steamed), 3 inches wide x 6 inches long
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white onion, chopped
1 cup small fresh shrimps, peeled
1 cup tuna chunks, drained
1 cup sliced fresh or canned button mushrooms
1 cup cooked cauliflower or broccoli flowerets
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons rock salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups fresh milk
foil to cover pan

Prepare a two-quart rectangular baking dish.

Put butter in deep three-quart saucepan with the onions. Cook for two minutes. Add shrimps, tuna, mushrooms, broccoli, or cauliflower, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and nutmeg. Stir until shrimps turn pink.
Sprinkle flour and mix well. Pour milk and carefully mix until simmering. Turn off the fire.

Spoon a quarter of the seafood mixture into a prepared pan. Arrange three sheets of lasagna on top of the seafood mixture. Repeat layering the sauce and noodles until all have been used up. Top with remaining seafood mixture.
Cover with foil. Bake at 400°F or 200°C for 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with grated Parmesan or cheese on top if desired.

15/04/2026

Recipe of the Week: Beef Rendang brought to you by Petron Gasul
Recipe by: Chef Ernest Gala

Beef Rendang

1) 1 kilo Beef Brisket(Punta y Pecho) cut into 2x2 inch cubes. Marinate in ½ cup regular soy sauce with 2 tbsp. Molasses, 1 tbsp. Chinese or Thai shrimp paste(bagoong) for 5 minutes.

2) ½ cup oil, ½ cup violet onions, 2 siling labuyo (red chili), 2 slice luyang Dilaw (yellow ginger), 1 cup coconut milk, 4 cups desiccated coconut, ½ cup chopped spring onions for garnish, 6 cups cooked rice.

3) Procedure: Using Petron Gasul heat oil in pressure cooker or wok until very hot. Add onions, Luyang dilaw, labuyo and beef and cook until brown. Add coconut milk( Note: if not using pressure cooker, use 3 cups coconut milk instead of 1 cup. Let boil, then simmer covered 2 hours). For pressure cooked beef, time 1 hour after you hear a “hizzing” sound. Lower fire. For regular pressure cooker, wait 15 minutes or until all pressure is released before opening your pressure cooker. Cool cover before to save the rubber gasket.

4) When beef is tender, add desiccated coconut. Continue cooking until mixture is dry.

5) Serve with rice to offset saltiness of beef.

11/04/2026

Recipe of the Week: Peanut Butter Mini Cakes
by: Chef Ernest Reynoso Gala

Recipe of the Week: Peanut Butter Mini Cakesby: Chef Ernest Reynoso GalaA) Pre-heat oven to 350F or 175C. Line 6 - 4-inch spring form baking pans with parchm...

08/04/2026

Recipe of the Week: BABY POTATOES WITH CHICKEN AND MUSHROOMS
by Sylvia & Ernest Reynoso Gala

Ingredients:
500 gms. baby potatoes, wash very well
1/4 cup Butter, salted
1/2 cup onions, sliced
6 pcs. dried shiitake mushrooms, wash & soak in water
500 gms. Chicken Fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 chicken cube
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups Fresh or Full Cream Milk
1 cup frozen peas (for topping), thawed

Procedure:

1. To prepare the shiitake mushrooms: Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in ½ cup water for a few minutes then slice into strips. Set aside. Save the mushroom water.

2. To prepare the peas: Thaw very well then sauté in 1 tablespoon butter to prevent spoilage. Set aside.

3. Put potatoes in a pan and cover with enough water with 1 tablespoon rock salt. Cover and let boil for 15 minutes. Drain very well. Put in a large bowl or 6 individual salad bowls. Set aside.

4. In a 12-inch pan, put butter and onions. When onions are soft, add mushrooms and chicken; season with salt, pepper and crumbled chicken cube. Stir and cover for 5 minutes.

5. When chicken meat changes color, add all purpose flour. Mix well then pour mushroom water and milk. Stir until creamy.

6. Pour on top of cooked potatoes.

7. Garnish with peas. Serves 6 to 8.

28/03/2026

UPDATE: Workshops will resume on May 31. Our first few offerings can be found below. Workshops scheduled for April and most of May will be postponed to a later date. New schedules will be posted in a few weeks. Check out our schedule, workshop details, and reservation procedure below:

By Popular Request Cakes and Lengua de Gato Workshop
By: Sylvia Reynoso Gala
MAY 31 - Sunday - 1:00PM to 5:30PM
₱3,500 (reservation details below)
By Popular Request, Our Original Best Selling Ube Cake with Ice Cream Frosting (taught by Tita Sylvia in the 1970s, used by top bakeshops since then); New 2-9 Inch Round Layer Brazo De Mercedes Cake; Bimbo Yambao Angeles' Melts In The Mouth Best Ever Created Lengua De Gato Made With Yamanaka Japanese Butter. Paid reservation is required.

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Popular Workshop Last Taught in 1972
By: Sylvia Reynoso Gala
JUNE 7 - Sunday - 1:00PM to 5:30PM
₱3,500 (reservation details below)
Learn to make: Softest Pull Apart Iconic Buttercake of Manila; Baguio's Famous and in Demand Banana Cake; Ernest's 2 Layer Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Bonus Recipe: Baguio's Very Salable Carrot Cake. Paid reservation is required.

***IMPORTANT: Paid reservation is required. Pls. bring apron and food containers for take home dishes.

For workshop reservations, please give us a call (during office hours 9:30am-5:00pm)
Contact: 0961 0640015 (look for Candy) / 0939 4936618 (look for Isay)

181 Shaw Blvd. Pasig - map: https://goo.gl/maps/DPSUBgWb8mK2nVNGA
(located just across Lumiere Condo Residences DMCI / beside Kenny Rogers Resto)

21/03/2026

Level up and make fast, easy, delicious recipes like this Braised pork spareribs with Petron Gasul Elite, the best gasul ever!

Get yours by calling the PETRON GASUL EXPRESS DELIVERY Hotline #88000 now!

PETRON GASUL ELITE BRAISED PORK SPARERIBS
Recipe by: Chef Ernest Reynoso Gala

I. Prepare pressure cooker

II.
1⁄4 cup oil
500g pork spareribs (skin removed) but leave flesh intact – cut into 2 inch long Pieces1 tbsp crushed garlic
1⁄4 cup chopped spring onions
1⁄4 cup dark soy sauce
1⁄4 cup dark brown sugar
1⁄4 cup oyster sauce
1 tbsp rice wine
3 segments / petals star anise
2 cups water

A. Procedure: Using Petron Gasul Elite heat oil in pressure cooker cook garlic until brown. Add spareribs and cook until no more blood. Push meat to one side of pressure cooker and add remaining ingredients. Cover. Put on high fire. When pressure cooker “hizzes”, lower fire and cook 30 minutes. Wait until all pressure is released before opening pressure cooker. Cool cover before washing to save rubber gasket.

B. Thicken sauce with 2 tbsps cassava starch dispersed in 1⁄4 cup water.

C. Garnish with 4 leeks cut 3 inches long both ends cut 1⁄2 inch. Soak in cold water to curl until ready to use.

D. NOTE: If pressure cooker is unavailable, use 4 cups water. Let boil, then simmer covered 1 hour or until meat is tender.

Level up and make fast, easy, delicious recipes like this Braised pork spareribs with Petron Gasul Elite, the best gasul ever! Get yours by calling the PETRO...

18/03/2026

Recipe of the Week: Juicy Burgers
by Sylvia & Ernest Reynoso Gala

1 kilo ground beef
1/2 cup oatmeal soaked in 1/2 cup fresh milk
1 cup chopped white onion
2 eggs
2 teaspoons rock salt
1 teaspoon pepper
10 hamburger or kaiser buns

For garnish:
tomato slices

Procedure:
Mix together the ground beef, oatmeal, onion, eggs, rock salt, and pepper.

Shape into 10 patties using 1/2 cup measuring cup. Flatten slightly.

Heat a flat frying pan or charcoal grill. Brush with oil. Cook the burgers on medium heat to desired doneness.

If burgers are charcoal grilled, make sure burgers are placed six to 12 inches above the coals.

To assemble:
Slice 10 hamburger or Kaiser Buns crosswise. Put tomato slice, and the burger. Option: add sliced cheese.

14/03/2026

Our workshops schedule for March to May of 2026. Check out our schedule, full workshop details, and reservation procedure below:

Very Flaky Empanada Workshop
By: Sylvia Reynoso Gala
MARCH 15 - Sunday - 1:00PM to 5:30PM
₱3,500 (reservation details below)
Learn to make: Very Flaky Empanada; Chicken Pies Baked in Muffin Cups; Softest P**o Pao of the 70's. Paid reservation is required.

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Pampanga Style Ensaymada Workshop
By: Sylvia Reynoso Gala
APRIL 19 - Sunday - 1:00PM to 5:30PM
₱3,500 (reservation details below)
Learn to make: Classic Pampanga Style Ensaymada by Pampanguena Chef Sylvia; Cheeserolls; Pan De Sal; Softest Cinnamon Rolls Sold in Top Bakeshops. Paid reservation is required.

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For Teenagers & Above, Beginners, Cake Lovers Workshop
By: Sylvia Reynoso Gala
APRIL 26 - Sunday - 1:00PM to 5:00PM
₱3,500 (reservation details below)
Learn Step By Step Guide in Baking Manila's Softest Caramel Cake of the 40's and 50's with Dulce De Leche and Butter Icing; Tres Leches Cake; Dense Chocolate Cake. Paid reservation is required.

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Learn the Softest Siopao Dough Ever Workshop
By: Sylvia Reynoso Gala
MAY 10 & 17 (2 SUNDAYS WORKSHOP) - First Sunday 1:00PM to 4:30PM (May 10) / Second Sunday 1:00PM to 4:00PM (May 17)
₱4,800 (price is for both Sundays / reservation details below)
Learn The Softest Siopao Dough Ever which you can use for any soft baked bun / bread recipe; Cua Pao with Meat Filling & Pickled Mustasa; Best Pork and Shrimp Siomai; Camaron Rellenado; Kikiam With Radish Salad; Steamed Lapu-Lapu; Fish Head Soup; Pork Asado Filling for Siopao. Paid Reservation is required.

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Learn 10 Delicious and Authentic Korean Dishes Workshop
By: Sylvia Reynoso Gala
MAY 24 - Sunday - 1:00PM to 5:30PM
₱3,800 (reservation details below)
Learn to make: Khalbi (Galbi Jim); Korean Style Sotanghon (Chapche); Rose Kui (Korean Beef w/ Sauce); Korean Pork BBQ; Special Korean Rice (Bim Bim or Bee Bim Bop); Kim-Chi; Cucumber Salad; Bean Sprout Salad; Spinach Salad. Paid reservation is required.

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Popular Request Cakes and Lengua de Gato Workshop
By: Sylvia Reynoso Gala
MAY 31 - Sunday - 1:00PM to 5:00PM
₱3,500 (reservation details below)
By Popular Request, Our Original Best Selling Ube Cake with Ice Cream Frosting; New 2-9 Inch Round Layer Brazo De Mercedes Cake; Bimbo Yambao Angeles' Melts In The Mouth Best Ever Created Lengua De Gato Made With Yamanaka Japanese Butter. Paid reservation is required.

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***IMPORTANT: Paid reservation is required. Pls. bring apron and food containers for take home dishes.

For workshop reservations, please give us a call (during office hours 9:30am-5:00pm)
Contact: 0961 0640015 (look for Candy) / 0939 4936618 (look for Isay)

181 Shaw Blvd. Pasig - map: https://goo.gl/maps/DPSUBgWb8mK2nVNGA
(located just across Lumiere Condo Residences DMCI / beside Kenny Rogers Resto)

11/03/2026

Stir Fried Lomi Workshop
*** ANNOUNCEMENT: We regret to inform participants, this workshop will be postponed to a later date. Please stay tuned for new date announcement. Thank you. ***
By: Sylvia Reynoso Gala
MARCH 22 - Sunday - 1:00PM to 5:30PM
₱3,500 (reservation details below)
Learn to make: Kutchay Dumplings w/ Homemade Wrapper; Stir Fried Lomi; Wanton Noodle Soup; Maki Soup; Shrimp Fried Rice. Paid reservation is required.

***IMPORTANT: Paid reservation is required. Pls. bring apron and food containers for take home dishes.

For workshop reservations, please give us a call (during office hours 9:30am-5:00pm)
Contact: 0961 0640015 (look for Candy) / 0939 4936618 (look for Isay)

181 Shaw Blvd. Pasig - map: https://goo.gl/maps/DPSUBgWb8mK2nVNGA
(located just across Lumiere Condo Residences DMCI / beside Kenny Rogers Resto)