Pans Up Home Cooks! You #GataLoveJolly’s Coconut Cream and Coconut Milk

Are you a big fan of gata-based dishes? If you’re someone who loves using the magic of coconut milk in your favorite recipes, then you’re probably familiar with how challenging it is to handle sometimes. Not because it is hard to cook with, but because of the preparation process when using it as an ingredient.

For example, if you are someone who prefers using freshly squeezed gata, then you might need to do the tedious task of squeezing your own coconut milk. If you’re lucky enough to get an already squeezed version from your suki at the market, however, then you usually need to use it as soon as possible to keep it from spoiling.

This can be a little challenging because it means that you always have to plan to cook your favorite gata dishes. But what if your loved ones want to have a taste of them stat and you don’t have time to run to the market anymore?

As a homemaker, cooking our family’s favorite dishes is one of the best ways that we show and express our love. There’s nothing more heartwarming than the thought of creating something that they can enjoy anytime when they want it. Jolly, the leading brand of packed fruits, vegetables and condiments, aims to answer common kitchen challenges by providing freshly packed ingredients straight to the pantries of homemakers without sacrificing quality. In the case of coconut-based dishes, the brand has two standouts that can finally give moms the chance to cook their family’s gata favorites anytime— Jolly Coconut Milk and Jolly Coconut Cream.

Both ingredients are made with 100 percent real coconuts and are packed with the creamy goodness of fresh gata that is as good and flavorful as the ones you get from the market. Coconut Cream or Kakang Gata has a thicker and richer consistency because it is made from pressing four parts shredded coconut in one part warm water while Coconut Milk (Gata) has a more liquid consistency (similar to cow’s milk) that is made from pressing one part shredded coconut in one part water.

Gata, regardless if it is in cream or milk form, is very versatile on its own. Whether you and your family are craving savory or sweet dishes, there is definitely a recipe where you can use this wonder ingredient. Coconut cream is perfect for savory dishes because its consistency provides a creamier and richer texture common in curries,. Use it for standout Pinoy favorites like Ginataang Isda, Chicken Curry, Ginataang Gulay, Bicol Express, and Laing. Check out our very own recipe for Bicol Express using Jolly Coconut Cream below.

Bicol Express

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small ginger, finely chopped
• 1 can Jolly Whole Mushrooms 400g, drained and quartered
• 1/2 kilo pork belly, cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon shrimp paste
• 250mL Jolly Coconut Cream
• 1/2 cup water
• 3-5 pieces siling labuyo, sliced

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat then sauté garlic, onion, ginger, and Jolly Mushrooms.
2. Add cubed pork belly and cook until the pork turns brown. Add shrimp paste.
3. Add Jolly Coconut Cream and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add water if the sauce becomes too thick.
4. Add chopped siling labuyo. Remove from heat and serve with hot steaming rice.
5. Coconut milk, on the other hand, has a unique taste and texture that can give your desserts and beverages a distinct flavor. Crack open a can of it if you’re craving sweet goodies like Maja Blanca, Bibingka, Ginataang Bilo Bilo, Biko, and Ginataang Mais. Here’s our very own recipe for Maja Blanca using Jolly Coconut Milk.

Maja Blanca

Ingredients:

• 2 cans Jolly Coconut Milk 400ml
• 1 1/2 cups fresh milk
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup latik
• 1 can Jolly Whole Corn Kernels 425g, drained
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated (for topping)

Procedure:

1. Combine Jolly Coconut Milk, fresh milk, cornstarch, sugar, cheese and Jolly Whole Corn Kernels in a mixing bowl and stir thoroughly.
2. Place in a large saucepan and cook while stirring constantly over low heat until thick.
3. Pour into small mold containers. Cool, then refrigerate until firm.
4. Top with grated cheese or latik.

As a brand that has always been dedicated to providing high-quality ingredients to Filipino households, Jolly allows homemakers to show their care to their families through hearty, memorable dishes that they can cook anytime. Jolly Coconut Cream and Coconut Milk, in particular, are a true testament to this brand promise because they come in easy-open cans that can be easily stocked in our pantries for times when we want to cook our favorite gata dishes. Not only are they high-quality because they are made from one hundred percent real coconuts, they are also irresistibly creamy so you can expect to enjoy the same goodness from the ones you get from the market. You #GataLoveJolly for that, don’t you think?

Jolly products are available in leading supermarkets, groceries and public markets nationwide. You can also order Jolly Coconut Milk and Jolly Coconut Cream online on AceMarket.ph and Fly Ace Corporation’s stores on Lazada and Shopee. Need more recipe inspirations that can make you and your family scream #YanAngJollyLove? Follow Jolly’s official Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts now for more ideas.

Eastern Communications and partners champion women empowerment in the digital age

Premier telecommunications company Eastern Communications continues to demonstrate its dedication to empowering women professionals and leaders in the digital age as it celebrates National Women's Month with the help of its partner associations.

With the strong message to #EvolveEveryday and advocating for fair treatment and equity in the workplace, Eastern Communications collaborates with the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI), the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), and the Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (HIMAP) to support women.

In time for the International Women’s Day on March 8, 2023, these initiatives aim to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about discrimination, and take action to drive gender equity and equality in the workplace.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Report 2021, the Philippines ranked 17th among 156 nations in closing gender inequality. Women and girls around the world also are not able to maximize their potential as economic, social, and sustainable development change agents remain untapped, said United Nations (UN). Through a line-up of events, the telco strives to create a better world and is committed to doing more to support and empower women.

Embracing Equity and a Gender-equal World

In collaboration with AICI, Eastern Communications promotes the narrative to #EmbraceEquity to cultivate an affirming, inclusive, and equitable standard of living for women. The forum involved Dr. Lewena Bayer, CEO of Civility Experts Inc., who shared how diverse workplaces have become more innovative and how it achieves a greater success when it comes to problem solving and collaboration.

The #EmbraceEquity event tackled the need to empower female professionals and celebrate how their achievements have evolved their respective industries and communities.

“My expert opinion is that while we recognize ‘gender’ as a hot topic and that there are inequities related to gender, we should encourage all people to promote equity - fairness, for all people. I believe it is damaging to focus on labels and categories of people such as categories of gender or age or race,” said Dr. Bayer.

Women Rising

Equality between women and men in the workplace has seen some promising developments, but according to Dr. Bayer, we are only one-third of the way to gender equity, and closing the gender gaps still requires collective effort.

To help address these gaps in different industries, Eastern Communications supports the ECCP as a partner in its event entitled "Women Rising: Bridging the Gender Gap and Promoting Inclusive Growth." The forum aims to help raise awareness and gather more support for women in business. It likewise seeks to promote gender equity and to create, accept, and adopt policies and norms that enable women, especially in the workplace.

Ensuring efforts to understand how women from the healthcare and information management sector can thrive, Eastern Communications also partners with HIMAP as it mounts the “International Women’s Month Celebration: Recognition of Empowered and Inspiring Women in the HIMS Industry” event. This initiative will highlight trailblazing women in healthcare and empower all women to create and lead the change in the health sector.

The battle for gender equality is far from over, but Eastern believes that through its initiatives and the efforts of fellow organizations and enterprises, women will be able to advance as agents of change.

To learn more about Eastern Communications’ events and initiatives, visit eastern.com.ph or follow @easterncommph on Facebook.