Cooking at 3am

I’m sleep deprived. I only had almost four hours of sleep.

I’m having a hard time sleeping because I’m stressing over work and with my father’s rheumatism.

I went to bed early at around 9:40 pm, only to be awaken from sleep by my father’s voice calling my brother at 1:00 am. He was having a problem going to bed and lying down because his foot is hurting very bad every time he raises it; so he’s asking for assistance as he lie down in bed.. I helped him get to bed and chatted with him about the things bothering me at work

My father requested me if it would be okay for me to cook our lunch for the following day because he is finding it really difficult to stand for a long period of time and to go down the stairs to our kitchen. At our household, my father is the one that cooks our meal. Because my father cooks for us, I and my siblings bring food to our offices, may baon kami to work. This enables the three of us to save money.

I’m not a good cook because I don’t get to practice my cooking skills. Every time I crave for something or I want to try a certain dish I just tell my father what it is and he can excellently cook it for me.

I have three options which meal I’m going to cook: Beef Mechado, Chicken Curry and Lechon Kawili. I figured that it will take me a long time just to finish frying the Lechon Kawali, I may not be able to finish in time. I don’t feel eating Chicken Curry so I choose Beef Mechado because the meat was prepared the day before; my father had it cooked in the pressure cooker already. Papa gave me the instructions for cooking the mechado.

After our chat, it was hard for me to sleep again. After tossing and turning for what seems like hours, I checked the time on my cell phone and it read 3:00 am. I got up from bed and started with my cooking adventure.

I pulled out from the refrigerator the already prepared beef complete with the round of pork fat in the middle of the beef and cut it into pieces. I peeled two pieces of carrots and potatoes;diced an onion. I opened up the can of liver spread and cut open the pouch of tomato sauce.

Here’s the procedure I followed for my mechado:

I fried the carrots and potatoes, when done, I put it at one side of the pan.
I sautéed an onion and fried the beef a little.
I pour on the meat the beef broth
When it was simmering already, I pour the tomato sauce and then I add the liver spread.


That’s how I prepared the dish.

When I tasted it, I was surprised because it tasted good already, I did not even add salt.

I was done cooking at past 4:00 am. I hit the shower, and went to bed again. I was already up at 6:00 am to prepare my father’s breakfast and my baon; as well as the packed lunch of my two brothers. I even prepared a packed lunch for Boyet because he’s dropping by my office in the morning.

My father was satisfied with the outcome but told me it would have been better if I added some laurel leaf. My brothers and even Boyet said that my mechado tasted better than that of my father. Hehehe. Boyet already ate half of his mechado for breakfast and save the other half for lunch.

I am so happy with the outcome of my cooking mechado.

I know that if my father is not yet feeling well , I have to cook the Chicken Curry for tomorrow; I hope it will taste as good as my beef mechado.