Sisig Pampanga for November Kulinarya Challenge

This month’s Kulinarya Challenge hosted by Frances of Iskandals and Jenn of Storm in my Kitchen is about one of my favorite Kapampangan dishes which, when the family moved to Tarlac City, I learned to eat, love and pray to cook, exactly in that order, is the versatile “sisig”. If you want me to salivate further by the mere mention of the word “sisig” kindly add the word Pampanga at the end to make it not just tasty but deliciously authentic, like the one I already posted before, and it will do the trick. :-)

I have no doubt that one of the culinary pride of the Kapampangan legion of Pampanga, part of Bataan and some part of Tarlac, is the amazing “sisig” – an ingenious and relatively low-cost (but hardly low-fat, lol) tasty food creation made of “inihaw” or grilled pork jowl and liver, fresh onion, calamansi extract and bird’s eye chili mixed altogether on the chopping board while …… hear this out …… while the cook’s knife (usually the wide cleaver-like type) is in “continuous up and down” motion.

Please be careful interpreting much more replicating the last phrase above. Although “sisig” was said to have been invented by accident, we do not want a kitchen accident occurring while preparing the dish. :-) The phrase simply means continuously chopping all the ingredients together (as oppose to individual dicing or mincing), until everything is properly mixed to desired sizes and consistency slightly bonded together by the paste-like substance that will eventually developed from the repeated chopping where minced bits of meat, onion, mashed liver, meat juice and calamansi delicately combine.

This may not be true or acceptable to everyone, but I personally believe that this process, which I observed, sneak peeked and spied on in restaurants, “turo-turo”, canteen, cafeteria, friends’ houses and most especially in roadside eateries (the same place where the dish was said to have originated), is a commonality among the tastiest Kapampangan “sisig” that I have eaten and is for me an important part of the “sisig” preparation technique where all flavors magically blend into pure sumptuousness.

Tocino A La Lalaine (Filipino Cured Pork)

For me, “tapa” (meat jerky), “longanisa” (a type of fresh sausage) and “tocino” (sweet cured pork) all together make the triumvirate of authentic Filipino meat breakfast. Arguably, I think they comprise the top Filipino-style meat preparation (or processing, if you like) techniques that have captured the unique taste of Filipinos. As a result, most mothers always include them in their weekly menu, especially for those who have kids with persistent habit of escaping breakfast. The food serves as bait in effectively luring kids back to the dining table. The sight of the freshly cooked meat alongside garlic fried rice and sunny side-up eggs are simply too enticing to ignore, even when in rush. Yes, I’m speaking from my own experience. :-)

For this post, our friend Lalaine will be sharing a unique recipe for pork “tocino”, a top favorite of most children including mine. While generally, “tocino” is prepared by marinating or curing thin slices of pork in salt, sugar, Anise wine, annatto, garlic and saltpeter, Lalaine’s version is with the use of pineapple juice and totally without saltpeter or “salitre” (in the local language). While I understand that saltpeter is a standard additive in most commercial preparation intended to extend the shelf life of the processed meat, I think homemade versions such as Lalaine’s should consider deleting it …… and I am happy she did. 

The reason is that saltpeter is actually potassium nitrate, a chemical use in the manufacture of gunpowder and explosive devices as well as fertilizers. Therefore, the fireworks and rockets we light during New Year’s celebration have saltpeter in them and I don’t think you like the additive to be in your food as well. :-)

“Tocino” is traditionally simmered in a small amount of water until the liquid evaporates and the meat is then slightly fry with the rendered fat and some oil. Alternately, you can directly fry it in oil though this method will usually result to somewhat burnt appearance. Another way of cooking, although not very popular, is by grilling it over live charcoal where the resulting dish will taste like pork barbeque with a unique hint of cured meat.

Pata Hamonado (Pork Knuckle Cooked in Pineapple Juice, Sugar and Soy Sauce)

Here I go again playing with “pata”. As I have mentioned many times in this blog, I really like the versatile “pata”. The popular Philippine cut of pork that consists of the whole hand or arm in the front and the lower part of the leg below the round (“pigi”) in the rear of the swine. Collectively, it includes the ham hock or knuckle as well as the trotter. While I also like trotter, especially in “crispy pata” where it is very tasty and crunchy, for some reasons it is not sold (and probably discarded as waste) here in Sri Lanka so the cut that I will use for this special dish is basically the meaty knuckle or ham hock section only.

But it’s a good thing because the intended dish is “pork hamonado” (also called “pork pina hamonado” or just “pina hamonado”) where the trotter, composed mainly of rind, bones and tendons, will not particularly work well, unlike the hock or knuckle which is so damn good for the dish. Pardon the use of word please. :-)

“Hamonado” is a Filipino dish prepared by slow cooking a thick slab of pork (can be belly/“liempo” or shoulder/”kasim” or like in this case, hock/“pata”) in pineapple juice, sugar and soy sauce. The ending dish is a somewhat cured and sweetened meat that is so rich, flavorful and succulent. It is of course oily with fat and rind covering the lean meat but that’s actually the best part of it ……… seriously, it’s so wonderful ……… could be a little unhealthy but really awesome ……… at least for me ……… and to many people I know. :-)

I have one problem though doing this dish here in southern Sri Lanka. I have no or very little access to good quality canned pineapple juice (like Del Monte or Dole brands from the Philippines). So, like when I prepared the “estopado” (braised in pineapple juice), I will also use fresh pineapple instead.

Chicken and Pork Empanada

Folded pastry around meat and veggie stuffing is probably the most accurate definition of my true Filipino comfort food. It is among the simple gastronomic treat that immediately reconnects me with home ……… family, relatives, childhood friends and everything in between. It is an ordinary snack which every bite for me is capable of educing flashes of happy thoughts, retrieving golden memories and subsequent feeling of divine-like contentment. It could somehow serve as a mother’s tender touch or spouse’s caress that provides warmth, consolation, sense of security and peaceful refuge even when you are actually so far away from home. I am referring to the tasty stuffed bread called “empanada”. :-)

Popular in many countries of Latin America, southern part of Europe and South East Asia particularly the Philippines, empanada refers to the stuffed bread or pastry, either baked or fried, made by folding a rich buttery dough or bread patty around the stuffing. The fillings usually composed of varieties of meats, seafood, vegetables or even sweetened fruits. It can be served as a small meal, a starter before a meal, finger foods in parties, dessert after a meal in case of sweet fruits fillings, morsel while watching TV or movies or sporting events and snack at any time of the day.

There are many international variations. In Argentina, their empanadas are often served at parties and festivals. The fillings are mainly chicken or beef spiced with cumin and paprika. In Brazil, they have fried turnovers filled with seasoned ground meat, shredded chicken, cheese, seasoned ground shrimp, hearts of palm and various other fillings. In Jamaica, they have their Jamaican patty that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture or turmeric. Puerto Rico’s “empanadilla” is a small empanada that uses flour or cassava flour dough and lard. In Spain, empanadas are often made from thin, flexible, but resilient wheat pastry. The variable filling includes tuna, sardines and chorizo in a tomato puree, garlic and onion sauce.

However, the type I will be preparing here is of course the Filipino empanada. It usually contains ground pork or beef or chicken meat or chopped shrimps, diced potato, green peas, chopped onion and raisins in sweetish-buttery dough made from wheat flour or all-purpose flour. The dough can either be doughy or flaky and plain or covered in bread crumbs. The empanada can either be baked or deep fried with the former being my preferred method as it does not involve a degree of oil accumulation to the finish product. The golden brown tasty crust without the hint of fat (from frying) complemented with the sweetish meaty fillings is such a delightful delicacy to me. :-)

Chicharon Bituka (Crackling Intestines) for April Kulinarya Challenge

For a person who’s in serious diet, decadence could mean indulging in foods not in line or in total contrast with the diet program. Most often the foods involve are those excessively sweet, heavy on carbohydrates and overly laden with fats and/or calories. Since I am not so much into sweet foods, like banana cake, chocolate cake, carrot cake, no-bake or refrigerated cake, “ube halaya”, “maja blanca” and “minatamis na saging” (no … not really, I just like to make them :)), decadence to me is feasting on salty and oily foods like “crispy pata” (the all-time favorite), “crispy ulo” (unsightly but goodie), “rebosadong taba” (gush, I have to make this again soon) and as recently featured here “chicharon bulaklak” (the ultimate in crisp). The mere thought of these fatty but utterly tasty foods made me slobber and feel seemingly a pound heavier. :-)

In response to this month’s (April 2011) Kulinarya Challenge under the theme DECADENCE (I really like this term, for some reasons it sounds good and feels good), I thought of adding another sinful dish similar to the deep fried meats (or fats) above but this time using the equally challenging intestines of a swine or a bovine. Okay this maybe a bit unusual for non-Filipinos and definitely not for the squeamish as it involves part of the offal or internal organs of an animal used as food. While I usually use such intestines in “dinuguan” or blood stew, this is also good cooked as “chicharon”, either as a viand or side dish in a main meal, as a snack eaten in between meals, or as “pulutan” or bites munched over a bottle of beer.

Unlike the ordinary “chicharon” made from pork rind, I find “chicharon bituka” particularly fatty, salty and if store-bought, excessively seasoned with MSG. That’s on top of the fact that it is made from internal organ which has a high concentration of cholesterol. Thus, I consider it decadent to indulge with. But like most Filipino (and some Filipina too), I would still crave for it whenever I see some or even just hear someone talking about it. It is among the wicked Filipino foods that once you get used to are quite difficult to avoid or remove from the diet …… sort of kicking a vice.

Pork Bistek Tagalog (Pork Steak - Filipino Style)

I know I am still yet to feature here the popular beef dish called “bistek”, a type of beef steak prepared the Filipino-style, but I have already shared a fish variation of the entree in my post “bistik na bangus”. While I remained unable to post the real thing, allow me to first share the equally tasty version prepared using pork. Like its mother dish, pork “bistek” is also delicious and a highly preferred all-time viand of most children ……… like our kids ……… most especially when it is my better half who cooks it. :)

Prepared using just a few basic ingredients which you normally have in your pantry, “bistek” is an example of a relatively easy and yet very tasty meat dish. Provided you used the right quality of meat as to tenderness (sirloin, tenderloin or any cut of steak like chuck, flank or skirt for beef and pork loin, tenderloin, pork chop or even the shoulder cut called “kasim” in the Philippines for pork) then a fine “bistek” is half way assured.

Among the various pork types suggested above, my preferred cut is pork loin. It is a cut of meat created from the tissue along the top of the rib cage of a pig. It is usually grilled or baked in the United States where it is very popular. While I usually find pork loins sold fresh in either thin slices or roast cut (called joints or legs in the UK although not really from the leg), they are also sometimes sold soaking in marinade for ready cooking back home. To prepare this version of “bistek” or pork braised in onions, soy sauce and “calamansi” or lemon juice, we settled for these really nice pork loin slices.

Embutido A La Lalaine (Filipino Meat Loaf)

Special occasions call for special food preparations. The birthday celebration of a friend Zenaida whom her close pals in London call Dido (pronounced Daydu for some “naughty” reasons not yet disclosed to me :-)) is one of such occasions that’s why lots of sumptuous dishes were prepared and served when she reached the ripe age of 39. (I wrote that while giggling). Among the many exceptional Filipino foods feasted on by her numerous friends and guests were of course the always hit “cuchinta a la Lalaine” and the very special dish called “embutido” which astonishingly is called “morcon” (a relatively different rolled meat dish in reality) in our towns in Batangas and Quezon provinces in the southern Luzon Philippines.

Quite kindly (probably made helpless by my persuasive power :)), Lalaine agreed to share her secret “embutido” recipe (which she learned from a former admirer (lol)) and feature a step by step process here for the many Filipinos who love the dish and would like to do it for their next family occasion. So while Lalaine treated Dido and their friends with her delicious “embutido” during the blissful birthday bash, I and you, dear readers and net-friends of this humble blog, will be treated with the knowhow of preparing the dish “a la Lalaine” not only for a day but for eternity.

As a disambiguation though, Filipino “embutido” is a type of steamed meatloaf made from minced pork, minced or grated vegetables and lots of spices. In the Spanish, Brazilian and Portuguese contexts however, an “embutido” is a generic term for sausages found in Spain, Portugal and Central and South America which contains hashed meat (usually pork), infused with the flavors of aromatic herbs and spices (such as black pepper, red pepper, paprika, garlic, rosemary, thyme, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, etc.) and served wrapped in the skin of pig's intestines. True, it is more like the Filipino native sausage called “longanisa”.

Paksiw Na Pata Version 2 (Pork Ham Hock or Knuckle Stewed in Vinegar)

My first post of the Filipino ham hock or knuckle dish called “paksiw na pata” is the sweet-sourly type that has a reduced, rich and somewhat oily gravy-like sauce. I wish to feature here now the simpler salty-sourly and relatively soupy version of the versatile and popular Filipino table fare. While I have been long exposed to the second version and I have enjoyed and still enjoying it a lot, I am now biased to the first version which has become a personal favourite since I learned cooking it by heart. I must state though that majority in the family still prefer this second method which is how my mother, sisters and most family members regularly prepare the dish.

As already mentioned before, I have a strong affinity with the pork cut “pata” or pork hand + hock + trotter in the case of the British cut, or pork arm + hock in the case of the US cut. Aside from “paksiw” (stewed in vinegar), “humba” (braised in soy sauce and sugar), “estopado” (braised in pineapple juice), “pata tim” (cooked in soy sauce) and “kare-kare” (cooked in peanut sauce with vegetables), it is also fried into “crispy pata” (boiled then deep fried until crisp). I really like the succulent and gelatinous texture of the skin and fat and the soft juicy character of the grains of meat when properly cooked until tender) in cases of stew and braise dishes and the crunchy crackling that becomes of the rind and the roast-like taste of the meat inside when deep fried. Whew, I’m salivating now.

Like “sinigang”, the sourly broth in this dish is so invigorating. However, to properly enjoy it, you must attain the right amount of vinegar. It is a key factor. Since different types of vinegar have different levels of acidity, which is responsible for the sourness, then familiarity on the type of vinegar to use and personal adjustment in the final quantity is necessary. The dish goes very well with steamed rice and loved even by kids. For those who like spicy foods, the addition of several chopped bird’s eye chilli (“siling labuyo”) directly on the serving bowl will surely provide a kick in every sip.

Tsitsaron or Chicharon Bulaklak (Deep Fried Pork Mesentery)

Does mesentery sounds new to you? Well, that’s the name of a section of the pig entrails that is called “bulaklak” (a cut of pork) in the Philippines and made into Filipino deep fried dish “chicharon bulaklak”. While most internet information would refer to the exotic dish “chicharon bulaklak” as crackling intestines, it is not made from intestines at all. Cracklings made from pork (or beef or even chicken) intestines are called “chicharon bituka”. Therefore, “chicharon bulaklak” which translates to flower cracklings in English, is entirely a different dish and not made from the tubular lower segment of the alimentary canal but from the mesentery.

In anatomy, mesentery refers to the fold of the peritoneum (membrane lining the cavity of the abdomen) attaching the stomach, small intestine and other organs to the posterior wall of the abdomen. However, the word mesentery usually refers to the small bowel mesentery, a fold of tissue which anchors the small intestine to the back of the abdominal wall. It is the thin, web-like structure that supports the small intestine while allowing for the changes in their size and position. When the intestine is detached from this mesentery, the outside thin part of the latter forms a frill or ruffled-like ornament resembling a flower, hence the name of the meat and dish.

“Chicharon” or “tsitsaron” is a derivative of the Spanish word “chicharrón” which refers to the dish made of fried rinds, usually from pork, but sometimes made from chicken, beef or mutton (goat). It is popular in some parts of Spain, in Latin America and other countries with strong Spanish cultural influences like Mexico and of course, the Philippines. Filipinos love the dish so much that many other meat parts are prepared into “chicharon”. Apart from rinds of chicken, cow and “carabao” (Philippine water buffalo), Filipino “chicharon” can also be made from intestines of pork, beef and chicken, crop or “butse” of chicken, skin of yellow fin tuna and as I am about to feature here, pork mesentery.

Iyasi - The La Paz Batchoy of Batangas

Nippy wind starts blowing in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries. Torrential rains continue pouring hard over the entire island of Sri Lanka and other South Asian nations. Heavy snow started falling in the UK, Germany, Italy and other parts of Europe. We are experiencing a cooler weather all over the world. Truly, the cool and joyful season of Christmas is almost here. It does not only stir excitement to the Christian world but also brings a chilly feeling deep down to the bones. It makes us stay longer in bed and even longer inside the comfort of our homes.

During such cold season, the family will be delighted if served with steaming hot soupy dish like “tinola” or “sinigang” or “nilaga” during meals. In line with this, I thought of preparing another soup dish, rough recipe of which I learned from the mother of my brother-in-law. It is locally called “iyasi” in some parts of Batangas which is basically a type of “bachoy”, utilizing almost the same “bachoy” ingredients, with just a few twists in the preparation like the addition of chopped coriander or “kinchay” and “misua” or long and thin wheat flour noodles in the end.

As a backgrounder, “bachoy” is the term used to refer to the combination of pork meat composed of some tenderloin (“lomo”) and entrails like spleen (“lapay”), kidney (“bato”), heart (“puso”) and liver (“atay”). It is also the name of a traditional soup cooked using the collective meat ingredients and flavored with lots of ginger and topped with chili tops. If noodles are added and the noodle dish is topped with ground pork crackling or “chicharon”, it is called “la paz bachoy”. Since “iyasi” have “misua” noodles, it can be considered the “la paz batchoy” of Batangas (Philippines); the reason for my post title above.

Pork Adobo a la Dong (Adobong Baboy ni Dong)

After sampling the distinct tastes of various international cuisines like the American pure-beef hamburger, the French creamy “chicken liver pate” and the Chinese yummy “shaomai or siomai” dumpling and after having indulged in some select Filipino sweet treats like egg pie and “kamote que”, then I could say we are once again ready for another round of the all-time favorite Filipino dish………… yes you’re right, we are speaking of the relentless “adobo”. Please bear with us on this. Our week will not be complete without enjoying the dish at least once……… or maybe twice. :-)

Like in the past, today’s version of “adobo” is interesting and equally motivating. It is shared by another engineer with strong fascination in cooking…….. Dong, one of my kitchen-talented “inaanak” (wedding godson) regarded as the certified “adobo” expert in our group here in Sri Lanka. He has excellently cooked the dish probably more than any viand he knows combined all together. Statistically, that means many times in a week. But of course it has not yet come to a point of overwhelming for it comprises many variations like using several types of meat such as chicken, pork and even liver and gizzard or combination thereof and doing it in different styles like saucy, oily or dry (“iga”).

Dong’s first meat recipe in this humble blog is his version of the common pork “adobo”. Therefore, unlike in the last three variations namely “adobong puti”, “adobong Batangas” and “adobong manok sa dilaw”, where soy sauce or “toyo” is not among the ingredients, the Chinese condiment will now again assume a major role in this dish preparation. Expect the color to be intense like the usual “adobo” as oppose to the most recent one where it is uniquely pale or whitish. One distinctive characteristics of Dong’s “adobo” is its non-use of the earthy bay leaves. Dong is not much a fan of herbs and intentionally avoids using bay leaf in his cookery, particularly in “adobo”.

Crispy Pata (Deep Fried Pork Ham Hock or Knuckle)

I am in really deep trouble. Earlier we had crispy “litson kawali” or deep fried pork belly, then we had “crispy ulo” of deep fried pork head, quite recently we had crunchy “pritong manok” or deep fried whole chicken and now we have what I think is the ultimate, all-time favorite and most popular Filipino deep fried dish, the great “crispy pata” or deep fried pork ham hock or knuckle. Since the best “crispy pata” uses the front leg of the pig, then this can also be called as deep fried pork hand + hock + trotter in the case of the British cut, or deep fried pork arm + hock in the case of the US cut.

Did you start to salivate? I can’t blame you. “Crispy Pata” is one of the fried foods that could easily stimulate anyone’s taste buds, of most Filipinos of course. By the mere thought of the golden browned, skin blistered, crisp-looking and deeply enticing pork knuckle, I could not avoid but to instantaneously feel that something is titillating my palate. Blame me not either, the dish taste so good and satisfying that it is considered an exceptional dish usually prepared and served during town “fiestas” or festivals, important family occasions, special gatherings and highly significant affairs. With the profuse craving……yes, we are in trouble.

Due to extreme popularity generating high demand, many enterprising Filipinos have made the “crispy pata” readily and quite inexpensively available to everyone in the Philippines. Roadside stores cooking and selling the dish have mushroomed over the last several years offering top restaurant-quality “crispy pata” at rather affordable prices. Enjoying the crunchy dish now is no longer a rare opportunity for as long as you have some extra money to dispose of. And if you still want to spend lesser for the dish, you can always cook it in the comfort of your kitchen. Might prove a little tedious but a lot safer than the ones you will buy from street stores.

Adobong Puti (Blonde or White Pork Adobo)

Here we are again……..exploring the delicious world of “adobo”, the pinnacle of the amalgamated yet distinct Filipino cuisine. After about seven different recipes of the highly varied “adobo” dish, using various meats such as pork, beef, chicken and fish, even involving unusual cuts such as ox tongue or “lengua” and chicken neck, and innards such as beef liver, heart and chicken gizzard, we can feel that we still have a lot to cover towards fully understanding the wide-ranging dish. Really, it is highly evolved; continuously metamorphosing and greatly encompassing that can be considered as a distinct cuisine in itself.

In the posts “adobong manok sa dilaw” and “adobong Batangas”, we experienced the tastes of “adobo” without soy sauce, long considered as a chief ingredient in the now common and accepted standard “adobo” recipes. Today’s preparation follows the same variation. There will be no soy sauce and at the same time there will also be no deeply colored turmeric or annatto seeds or “atsuete”. Thus, this is called “adobong puti” or blonde or white adobo, obviously due to the resulting pale colored dish.

Actually, according to stories of our parents, elders and grandparents, and probably yours too, this is basically how the original “adobo” is being prepared; at the time when soy sauce has not been introduced yet by the Chinese immigrants to the Philippines. Through the use of vinegar, garlic and salt only, “adobo” has been satisfying thousands and thousands of Filipino families. Today, we will try to re-create that “adobo” process which has been used and enjoyed for ages, either as dish in a meal or as a way of extending the life shelf of the meat during the time when refrigerator is not yet a common household appliance.

Easy Beef Spare Ribs (Short Ribs) and Steamed Veggies

It’s been a while since my last post. Since last week, I have been busy on a special job assignment and so I thought I owe to present you guys with a rather extraordinary recipe worthy of waiting. But since I just returned and don’t have much time yet, let me first feature an equally important dish prepared by a colleague following the recipe I developed and posted here late last year under easy spare ribs. While my original recipe uses pork spareribs, my colleague tweaked it a little bit and used beef spareribs or short ribs and served the dish alongside steamed veggies. Brilliant Idea!

As discussed before, spare ribs or spareribs are a variety of pork ribs which are a long cut from the bottom section of the ribs and breastbone, just above the belly and behind the shoulder as oppose to baby back ribs which are from the top of the rib area along the back. It is considered to be more meaty and succulent than baby back ribs. For beef however, a slab of spare ribs can be too big so it is usually cut into thinner, lighter and more manageable sizes called short ribs. Short ribs or thin ribs are a popular cut of beef. Beef short ribs are larger and usually more tender and meatier than their pork counterpart. They are a cut from the rib and plate primals and a small corner of the square-cut chuck.

A full slab of short ribs is typically about 10 inches square, ranges from 3-5 inches thick, and contains three or four ribs, intercostal muscles and tendon, and a layer of boneless meat and fat which is thick on one end of the slab and thins down to almost nothing on the other. There are numerous ways to butcher short ribs. The ribs can be separated and cut into short lengths, typically about 2 inches long, called an "English cut", "flanken cut" across the bones, typically about 1/2 inch thick, or cut into boneless steaks, a style recently introduced in the US, as a cheaper alternative to rib steak.

Binagoongan a la Lalaine (Pork Binagoongan or Pork Cooked in Shrimp Paste)

This may be among the perfect anti-diet dishes of the Philippines. First of all, it’s basically oily and thus laden with saturated and unsaturated fats. Second of all, it’s relatively salty and therefore high in sodium. Furthermore it can, unwittingly, cause you to over-consume steamed rice which is high in carbohydrates. Lastly, it is fragrant, mouth watering and utterly DELICIOUS. Does it make sense? Even if it does, I will not be dissuaded from enjoying this irresistible dish ………..with lots of rice of course ………..probably lots and lots of it ………. because that’s the way it is eaten ………… and it’s the way it’s always going to be.

Most Filipinos love “bagoong alamang” or shrimp paste and we love pork or “karneng baboy” even more. Of course it is a no-brainer to assume that most of us also love “binagoongang baboy”. Generally referred to as simply “binagoongan”, the dish is a spicy, salty and flavorful pork viand largely popular in the Central and Southern Luzon regions as well as in the Metro Manila area of the Philippines. It is made by braising pork cubes in spices, tomatoes and then seasoning it with “bagoong alamang”. Sometimes coconut milk is added for an even richer and tastier dish.

The shrimp paste to use in a “binagoongan” can be the fresh or raw one or the sautéed homemade type like the one I posted before or the commercially prepared ones which abound in most groceries and supermarkets or in Filipino or Asian stores abroad. But adjustment on the amount of ingredients should be observed. Addition of sugar and /or vinegar might be needed when using fresh “shrimp paste”.

This “binagoongan” recipe is again shared to us by our family friend Lalaine who earlier provided the hit “kutsinta” recipe. This involved a huge portion which she specially prepared and served, along with many other authentic Filipino dishes, which of course includes her signature “kutsinta”, in a friend’s party in London where many Filipinos were in attendance. As expected the “binagoongan” was also a hit …… and Lalaine and her friends shared a truly luscious meal…….great time ……. and some magical moments.

Tinausian or Luto sa Tausi (Pork Cooked in Fermented Black beans)

This dish was just mentioned by a friend in passing during a conversation and yet it almost instantly generated profuse craving in me. The desire is so intense that I have to adjust the planned menu over the weekend to give way for its immediate preparation. I am supposed to cook another pork dish but since “tinausian” has stirred and thrilled my taste buds……….swift assuaging is necessary. :-)

“Tinausian” is a Filipino term which means cooked with the condiment Chinese fermented (and salted) black beans, and in particular, referring to a unique Filipino pork dish flavored with the pungent-tasting and sweet-spicy-smelling Chinese seasoning ingredient called “douche” and locally referred to in the Philippines as “tausi”.

As explained in my post “bangus sa tausi”, “tausi” is made of soy beans made black, soft and mostly dry by the process of fermentation. It has a taste that borders from sharp to salty to somewhat bitter and sweet. It is only used as a seasoning for foods and is not meant to be consumed in large quantities. Some forms are overly salty which most of us cannot handle if directly eaten.

In meat preparation, I already used the flavoring ingredient in “humba”. This is another way of imparting its unique flavor in a meat dish. This, for me, is a very exciting dish, but I have to warn you that it is quite oily. After all, the best cut of pork to use here is belly or “liempo” and the cuts which include the fatback with rind. In some preparation I tasted in Northern Philippines, this dish is used to cook the trimmed and collected all-fat and skin parts of the pork.

Filipino Menudo Recipe (Pork & Liver Stewed with Potato and Carrot)

To be honest, I am not so much a fan of the Filipino dish called “menudo”. Given the necessity to cook, I would rather prepare “adobo” or “estopado” or even “mechado”. But since a friend requested the recipe of the dish, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt, take another look, set aside my personal (and probably biased) reservations and prepare it for posting here. And I'm glad I did……. after enjoying the dish, truly, I now have a better appreciation of the rather simple but delicious pork “menudo”.

“Menudo” is a common cafeteria or canteen or “turo-turo” or roadside eatery or small restaurant dish. It is actually exceptionally popular to most Filipinos, except me but including my better half (even if she does not eat liver), both in the provinces and in the cities. It is also a regular fare in most Filipino banquets and feasts during family occasions, special holidays and important gatherings. It is simple enough to quickly prepare but tasty enough to satisfy even choosy guests.

The dish is a typical tomato sauce-based stew using small cubed pork and liver. Several types of vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, green peas, chick peas or garbanzos can be added as well as hotdog or sausage. The liver provides its distinct flavor while the veggies and especially raisins, if using, give its hints of flavorful sweetness.

Tapa or Tapang Baboy Ramo (Marinated or Cured Wild Boar)

The title surely sounds exotic. After all, meat from wild boar or what is locally called “baboy ramo” in the Philippines and “wal ura” in Sri Lanka has become so seldom and difficult to come by. Most probably due to over-hunting in the past and the inevitable intervention of progress and development into their natural habitat (a.k.a. consequential destruction) which unnecessarily (and sadly) resulted to extreme depletion of stock in the wild and the subsequent enforcement of strict government initiatives as well the preservation efforts of various wildlife groups, having wild boar meat in your kitchen is quite a rare opportunity nowadays. At least, in some Asian countries, where unlike in the US and Europe, wild boar farms are quite few, if ever there are any.

Now, that I was able to acquire some portion of the meat from what they told me as a legally butchered wild boar from an operated farm, I am quite ecstatic to prepare a truly favorite Filipino dish called “tapa” from the exotic meat. As a disambiguation, “tapa” of the Philippines refers to marinated, dried or cured slices of meat, usually beef, pork and venison, although other meat or even fish may be used. The meat are thinly sliced and cured with vinegar, spices and seasonings as a method of preserving it. It is best served fried or grilled. This is not the same “tapa” or “tapas” of Spain which is the name referring to a wide variety of appetizers or snacks in the Spanish cuisine, usually eaten while drinking some wine in the bars.

Wild boar or wild pig (“sus scrofa”) is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig. Wild boars are native across much of Northern and Central Europe, the Mediterranean Region (including North Africa's Atlas Mountains) and much of Asia through Siberia and as far south as Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Principally for hunting purposes, wild boars have also been artificially introduced in some parts of the world such the Americas and Australasia. In some places, populations have also become established after escapes of wild boar from captivity. While the term boar is used to denote an adult male of certain species, including, confusingly, domestic pigs, wild boar also applies to the whole species, including "wild boar sow" or "wild boar piglet".

Igado Ni Nanay Consuelo (Pork, Heart & Liver Braised in Vinegar & Spices a la Mommy Consuelo)

When most of us think of good food, one that is comforting and truly satisfying, one that we have enjoyed over a long period of time and became part of our system and one that is perpetually inculcated somewhere within the small patches of our brain, we remember our mothers or grandmothers. No, not mothers in-law, I’m speaking of tasty food in general, not just bitter gourd or “amplaya”, nor palm vinegar or “sukang paombong” nor green mangoes without “bagoong”. Okay, okay I’m just kidding with that second sentence. I love my mother in-law. :-) But seriously, mothers and grandmothers are the ones responsible for the memory of the foods we loved growing-up with. And they too, always remind us of such wonderful table fares they can create.

While there are some exceptional mommies and grannies out there who prepare “suffer” rather than dinner, they are, in a larger context, our heroes or heroines when it comes to delicious everyday food……most probably the ones that sustained our growth. My mom in particular, has her really tasty “pansit bihon” or Filipino rice noodles in soy sauce as well as her luscious “nilaga or linaga” or pork stew with vegetables, which my daughter love so much, to mention just a few. I remember my granny or “lola” preparing the best ginger tea or “salabat” with purple yam or “ube” during the cool season of Christmas. I haven't had that for quite a long time. Everyone has such a recollection.

A colleague for one, has a mother who knows how to prepare dishes that one can really be proud of. On several times, we were lucky to have sampled her “igado” or a Filipino dish composed of chopped pork, liver and heart braised in vinegar and we have been always ecstatic to have it again. The mother whom everyone calls Nanay Elou or Nanay Consuelo is so kind to share her secret formula in cooking her yummy “igado” for all the people who are fortunate to have stumbled upon this blog. If you are one of them, enjoy this rare opportunity.:-)

Estopado - Pata (Pork Knuckle Braised in Pineapple Juice)

For the first time in 5 years, we chanced upon some cut up pork knuckle and hock in the supermarket here in the southwestern Sri Lanka. Spontaneously smile appeared on our faces …………as if we saw a long lost friend ……………an ally of sort not seen in a long while……and instantly flashes of good memories started to come in……… at an exponential speed ………just like a state-of-the-art computer generating a rather vague but nostalgic images from the not so distant past. Then I saw my mom, my sisters, my aunts, my cousins and many other family members and friends who for so many times I’ve seen joyfully devouring on this particular cut of pork called “pata” in the Philippines.

No, we did not buy a kilo. We bought 5 lbs or more than 2 kilograms. It’s much yes but who cares, we might not find them again next week. And we want to make the most out of this rare opportunity to enjoy the food we have been craving for some time. We thought of “paksiw”……… “kare-kare” ……… “pata tim” ………… and finally………”estopado”. After all, it’s been a while since we have that Filipino braised and stew dish called “estopado” in our dining table. With the delicate and gelatinous fat and skin as well as succulent muscle meat with layers of tendons of pork knuckle, “estopado” is a likely source of a meal made in heaven.

“Estopado” is a sweet-tangy Filipino pork dish where pork, usually with layer of fat including the hind, is braised and then simmered in pineapple juice and spices and slightly sweetened with brown sugar. Slices of ripe bananas are usually added and sometimes even chunks of pineapple for variation. While there are several distinct recipes in the internet and cook books that use the same name, this version here is the kind of “estopado” that I am familiar with. Variations using other meat such as ducks and other exotic game birds and poultry are usually spicy, no longer including bananas and cooked until dry and oily or with just a small quantity of sauce that remains.