Pork / Baboy

Crispy Slow Roasted Pork Belly

This recipe requires seasoning and refrigerating the pork belly for at least 12 hours before cooking. Be sure to ask for a flat, rectangular center-cut section of skin-on pork belly that’s 1 1⁄2 inches thick with roughly equal amounts of meat and fat. Ingredients: 1 1⁄2 kilos skin-on center cut fresh pork belly, about 1 1⁄2-inches thick Kosher salt 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar vegetable oil Procedure: Using sharp chef’s knife, slice pork belly lengthwise into 3 strips about 2 inches wide, then make 1⁄4-inch deep crosswise cuts through skin and into fat spaced 1⁄2 inch apart. Combine 2 tablespoons salt and brown sugar in small bowl. Rub salt mixture into bottom and sides of pork belly (do not rub into skin). Season skin of each strip evenly with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Place pork belly, skin side up, in 13 by 9-inch baking dish and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 or up to 24 hours. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 250°F (120°C). Transfer pork belly, skin side up, to lightly greased wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Roast pork belly until meat registers 195°F (90°C) and paring knife inserted in meat meets little resistance, 3 to 3 1⁄2 hours, rotating sheet halfway through roasting. Transfer pork belly, skin side up, to large plate. (Pork belly can be held at room temperature for up to 1 hour.) Pour fat from sheet into 1-cup liquid measuring cup. Add vegetable oil as needed to to equal 1 cup and transfer to 12-inch skillet. Arrange pork belly, skin side down, in skillet (strips can be sliced in half crosswise if skillet won’t fit strips whole) and place over medium heat until bubble form around pork belly. Continue to fry, tilting skillet occasionally to even out hot spots, until skin puffs, crisps, and turns golden, 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer pork belly, skin side up, to carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Flip pork belly skin side down and slice 1⁄2-inch thick (being sure to slice through original score marks). Re-invert slices and...

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Adobo (Sour Stew)

Adobo (Sour Stew)

There are many versions of Adobo as there are provinces in the Philippines. Practically each household has it’s own rendition of this traditional dish; along with Sinigang, considered the national dish. Adobo, Philippine style, has now made it to international recognition (a recipe published in Cook’s Illustrated magazine March-April 2012 issue) and Pinoys all over the glove mark their food territory with this dish. To the Pilipino, Adobo can mean a lot of things since so many other items can be made into Adobo. The basic ingredients being garlic and vinegar or a souring agent and soy sauce, or coconut milk as addendum. Aside from the basic pork or chicken, one can make Adobo with prawns, squid, crabs, beef, frog’s legs, vegetables (bamboo shoots, kangkong, etc.) balut (aborted duck egg) and many more. One of the good things about Adobo is that the older it get, the better it tastes. Over steaming hot rice, it’s to live for! You can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can turn the left over into another dish – Ropa Vieja (shred the pork or chicken – threadlike, and deep fry or pan fry with oil or bake, until it’s crispy.) Adobo is another comfort food, either when you just feel like something home made or when you miss the Philippines.   Ingredients: 1 whole chicken – cut into serving pieces ½ kilo pork belly (liempo) – cut into 1-inch by 2-inch pieces 2 tablespoons crushed garlic ¾ cup white vinegar (sukang puti) – the vinegar that you use makes a difference in the outcome of the dish; each one has their own preference; I prefer the sukang sasa (palm tree vinegar) ¼ cup soy sauce (toyo) – I personally prefer light soy sauce 2 pieces bay leaf (laurel) 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 – 2 teaspoons coarsely crushed black pepper 1 teaspoon salt ¼ cup cooking oil ½ cup water Procedure: Marinate the chicken and pork pieces in vinegar, and soy sauce for 1 hour. Remove the chicken and pork pieces from the marinade and separate the pork from the chicken. Save the marinade and set aside. In a non-stick cooking pot or enamel pot or glass cooking pot, or the best – a clay pot, (do not use aluminium or cast iron pot), place pot over medium heat and pout in oil. When the oil has heated through, add the pork pieces and sear till all the sides of the pork are light brown. Remove pork from the pot and set aside. Do the same with the chicken pieces; remove and set aside. Add the garlic to the pot and saute for about 2 minutes. Turn down the...

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Pancit Luglug aka Pancit Palabok (Rice Noodles with Seafood and Pork in Anato Sauce)

Pancit Luglug aka Pancit Palabok (Rice Noodles with Seafood and Pork in Anato Sauce)

The most popular pancit that we serve and sell is called Pancit Luglug. It’s not only popular with us, but in most Filipino restaurants, this is a best seller. Because thin rice noodles are used, it’s light and bright! BUT, it’s very time consuming to make because it has so many ingredients, thus the term ‘palabok’ (flowery or flamboyant). But because it is so delicious,  every morsel and mouthful is well worth in making  the effort. Luglug refers to the technique used in cooking the thin rice noodles; one just quickly dips it in boiling broth for 3 seconds. The good thing with Pancit Luglug, one can also eat it cold and it will still taste good. Then, there are those like my daughter, who likes to eat this at room temperature.  Topping: 1/4 cup cooking oil 2 tablespoons finely minced garlic 1/2 cup finely chopped onions 1 tablespoon anato liquid – to extract anato liquid, get 1 tablespoon of anato (atswete) seeds. Mix anato with 1/2 teaspoon liquid lye. Leave for 1 hour. Pour 1/2 cup of boiling water and mix well. Leave for 30 minutes; strain out the seeds and use liquid. Use the balance for the sauce. In the Philippine market, one can get anato seeds that have lye mixed with it. In other countries, one can find anato/atswete powder (follow instructions on package) 250 grams shrimps – steam to cook, peel and cube – save shrimp heads, set aside 250 grams blue swimmer crabs (alimasag) – steam to cook and peel to get meat (you can also use the canned or frozen variety) 1/4 kilo pork belly – boil till tender; slice into 1/4-inch thick strips 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Topping Preparation In a medium sized frying pan, over low fire, pour in cooking oil and saute the garlic till a light golden tan. Remove half of the sauteed garlic and place over kitchen paper towel to drain. This is to be used for garnishing. Add the onions and continue to saute till the onions are translucent. Pour in the anato/atswete liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Add shrimps, crab and pork and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Sauce Ingredients: 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 teaspoon finely crushed garlic 1/4 cup finely chopped onions 2 tablespoons atswete liquid 1 tablespoon fish sauce (patis) 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup shrimp head juice – shrimp heads – using a mortar and pestle, pound shrimp heads and place in a small sauce pan; add 3/4 cup water to pan and simmer for 10 minutes then strain...

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Siomai (Steamed Pork Dumplings)

Siomai (Steamed Pork Dumplings)

The Philippines has been greatly influenced by Chinese cooking since the time of Chinese trading with the Philippines. In fact many Filipinos are partly Chinese; me, case in point is partly Chinese. Siomai or steamed pork dumpling is Chinese in origin. This recipe is Chinese in origin with a slight twist; the exchange of rice in place of wonton wrapper. The reason for this exchange is that sometimes the wonton wrapper gets soggy and looks wilted; whereas the rice makes the Siomai look always fresh. My first encounter with ‘siomai’ was when I was a grade schooler at the Assumption Convent in Manila. The nuns sold these dumplings bought from the famous “Ma Mon Luk” restaurant during the school fairs. Siomai Ingredients: 500 grams ground pork 250 grams shrimps – steamed, peeled and cut into tiny cubes 1/2 cup carrots – peeled, cut into tiny cubes 1/8-inch size 3/4 cup water chestnuts or singkamas – cut into tiny cubes (water chestnuts preferred) 1/4 cup spring onions – finely chopped 1/2 cup pork luncheon meat (Spam) or ham – cut into tiny cubes 3 pieces dried black Chinese mushrooms – soaked in hot water till soft, drained, stems removed, and cut into tiny pieces or 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Shitake mushrooms 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger 1 tablespoon seat salt 1 tablespoon sesame oil 3 tablespoons oyster sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce 3 egg whites 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup cornstarch (corn flour) 1 cup rice – soaked in water for 1 hour and drained or 50 pieces wonton wrappers 1/2 cup frozen green peas (optional for decoration) Siomai Procedure: Wear plastic gloves and, with hands, combine all the ingredients except rice or wrapper and peas, until well blended. With hands, shape mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls and roll in rice until the whole ball is covered with rice. Set aside on a tray until all the balls have been rolled. Place a pea on top of each ball. Arrange the dumplings in single layer in an oiled basket steamer or line steamer basket with ‘katcha’. Have two inches of water in the bottom layer of steamer and bring to a boil. Place the steamer basket on top and steam dumplings for 20 to 30 minutes or until the dumplings and rice are cooked. Serve with the dipping sauce. Dipping Sauce Ingredients: 1/2 cup soy sauce 1 tablespoon calamansi or lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco or Chili sauce) 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon sugar Dipping Sauce Procedure: Mix together in a small bowl and use as dipping sauce for Siomai. Notes: Wrap the cover of the steamer with ‘katcha’ to prevent the dumplings...

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Meat Empanada (Meat Pies in Individually Sized Servings)

Many moons ago, I first tasted the ‘empanada’ of El Gusto Restaurant on Claro M. Recto Street, I knew I had to come up with a recipe just like it. Sometimes in the middle of the night, I would crave their meat pies and would ask the messenger to get some – it was that good. But they must have changed cooks because lately, only the crust remains the same. It is sad when a good product becomes popular, and then something happens to make it inferior. For most things, quality is still the best standard. This is good for ‘merienda’ (afternoon snack) or light meal. During my catering days, I accepted an order of 1000 pieces of these, and my staff and I worked through the day and night to ready them for delivery. Never again! Makes 25 pies. Ingredients: Filling – 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed garlic 125 grams finely chopped onions 2 tablespoons cooking oil 500 grams ground pork or 250 grams ground pork and 250 grams ground beef 1 tablespoons soy sauce 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup raisins 125 grams potatoes – cut into 1/4-inch cubes and slightly pan fried Crust: See Empanada Recipe Procedure: In a medium sized wok, placed over medium-low fire, saute garlic and onions in oil until onions are transparent and garlic slightly browned. Add the ground meat, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and raisins. Cook until meat is browned but not dry; turning the meat often till this is done. Add pan friend potato cubes, the reduce the heat to low, stirring occasionally until mixture is dry. Remove from heat and let cool. Prepare crust using Empanada pastry recipe. Cut out pastry into 5-inch diameter circles, using a cardboard pattern as a guide. Repeat with other pieces of dough. For each set of cut pastry, begin to fill them. Divide the meat mixture into 25 equal portions; you can weigh the lot and divide accordingly. Place a portion on one side of the rolled out crust. Brush around edge of crust with a mixture of 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon cold water, lightly beaten. Fold over the crust to make a half moon. Roll the edges, into tiny folds, all around to seal. Brush with egg white mixture or milk, to give it a nice gloss when baked. Arrange pies on greased and floured baking sheet or line baking sheet with baking paper. Leave 1-inch space between pies. Bake in a preheated oven 180ºC or 350ºF for 20 minutes or until the pies are a light golden brown....

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Chicken Empanada (Chicken Pie in Serving Sized Portions)

Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped onions 50 grams (3 1/2 tablespoons) butter 2 tablespoons cooking oil 250 grams bacon – sliced into 1/4-inch pieces 250 grams ham – sliced into 1/4-inch pieces 1 whole chicken – boiled till cook, deboned and cut into 1/4-inch cubes 1 small can Vienna Sausage, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch thick slices (half moon) 1 small can green peas or 100 grams frozen peas and cooked 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 hard-boiled eggs – peeled and sliced into 8 half moons Crust: See Empanada Pastry Recipe Mixture for Sealing Pie Edges: 1 egg white 1 tablespoon cold water Mix together well and use to brush edges of pie crust and to brush top of pie. You may also use milk to brush edges and top. Procedure: In a medium wok over medium-low fire, saute onions in butter and oil until transparent. Add bacon and cook until half cooked. Add ham, chicken, Vienna sausage, peas, salt and pepper. Simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking at the bottom and to blend the flavors. The mixture must be moist but not wet. Remove from fire and let cool. When cool, put 2 tablespoons (for small pies) or 1/4 cup (for bigger pies) of the mixture onto one side of rolled out pie crust. Top with a slice of hard boiled egg. Brush edges with egg-white/water mixture. Fold over the pie crust and seal edges by making small folds around. Brush top with egg-white/water mixture or milk. Arrange pies on a greased and floured cookie sheet or line cookie sheet with baking paper. Bake in pre-heated oven at 175ºC or 350ºF for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown. Makes 30 small pies or 25 big pies. The small pies are good for merienda and bigger ones for...

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Pancit Molo (Pork and Chicken Dumpling Soup)

There is a town in the Visayas that is known for this soup and it’s biscuits from Panederia de Molo. I have never been to that town but I do like their soup and biscuits. Pancit Molo is a merienda favorite and a slice of Mamon Tostado goes so well it. Here is my version which I know you will enjoy. Ingredients: Dumplings: 250 grams ground pork 100 grams ground chicken 1/3 cup water chestnuts – slice into tiny cubes 1/8-inch 2 tablespoons chopped spring onions 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 50 pieces wonton wrappers Broth: 200 grams tiny shrimps – peel, save heads and skin to get juice 1 tablespoons minced garlic 2/3 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1/2 cup shrimp juice – boil the heads and skins of the shrimps with 1 cup of water for 10 minutes. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the heads and skins and return to cooking liquid. Simmer for another five minutes and strain the liquid. 1 tablespoon fish sauce (patis) 6 cups chicken broth salt and pepper to taste, start with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and dash of pepper Garnishing: 1/4 cup finely sliced spring onions 2 tablespoons crushed garlic that have been sautéed in 2 tablespoons oil till light golden brown Procedure: Dumplings: In a medium sized bowl, place pork, chicken, water chestnuts, spring onions, pepper, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Lay one piece of wonton wrapper on plate or chopping board and fill with 1 teaspoon of mixture on one corner of the wrapper. Roll the wrapper until past the middle; and then tuck the left and right sides on the opposite side of the middle; you have made a little hat looking dumpling. Set aside on a flour dusted tray. Continue with all the wantons and set aside. Broth: Using a medium sized cooking pot (capacity 8 cups), over medium low fire, warm pot for 1 minute. Saute garlic and onion in oil till onion is wilted and translucent. Add the shrimp juice and simmer for 5 minutes; this is to remove the fishy smell of the shrimps. Turn fire to low. Mix in the shrimps and continue to saute for 2 minutes. Add in the fish sauce and saute for 30 seconds. Pour in chicken broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add in the dumplings and continue to simmer for 10 minutes or till the dumplings are cooked. Adjust taste before serving. Sprinkle with garlic and spring onion before serving. Note: If you do not have fresh chicken broth, or boxed chicken broth, you may use chicken cube or chicken powder. Use one cube per two...

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Dinuguan (Pork with Blood Stew)

Dinuguan (Pork with Blood Stew)

Filipinos can be very choosy about how they like their dinuguan; some like it dark with blood and the others prefer the pale, whitish one. Fear not, we are not the only “vampires”, blood eating people; blood pudding and sausages are also served in other counties too!  The secret to good dinuguan is the amount of vinegar used; that it is eaten the day after it’s cooked; and how well the intestines are cleaned (very important). To make it the dark kind, some of the blood must be mashed and added with the cooking early on. This recipe is the pale kind or Pampanga style. A good friend, Cora Ballestamon, likes to put in slices of liver and a spoonful of sugar in her version of dinuguan. Ingredients: 1 kilo pigs ears – cut into 2-inch long by 1-inch wide pieces 1 1/2 kilo porks’ Fallopian tubes or pork small intestines 1/2 kilo soft bone pork cut into 1-inch pieces or pork belly (liempo) – cut into 1/2- inch cubes 2 cups pork blood aka pork blood jelly – slice into 1/2-inch by 1-inch pieces (if you want to have the dark kind, save the liquid that comes out and use to darken the stew) 1/4 cup cooking oil` 2 tablespoons crushed garlic 1 cup thinly sliced onions 1 cup palm vinegar 2 cups water or pork broth 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns 2 pieces siling mahaba (lady finger chili) salt to taste – start with 1 teaspoon Cleaning the ears, and intestines: In the Western world and in Australia, the pigs ear is already clean; one can just remove the forgotten hair here and there. In the Philippines, we have to use a sharp knife to scrape off the hair, the thin membrane around the inner ears’ opening. That being done, proceed to cut them into size; bite size. Place the ears in a cooking pot with enough water to more than cover the ears; add a teaspoon of peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, and simmer till the ears are tender but still crunchy. If one can find fallopian tubes, they don’t need cleaning; just a good wash and cut into 2-inch lengths. Place fallopian tubes in pot with equal amounts of water and vinegar to cover the tubes and simmer till tender. Drain from cooking liquid and save cooking liquid. The tricky one is the small intestines. First they have to be washed well and whatever is left inside, be totally removed. Then cut into 2 inches length. In a glass or plastic bowl, dissolve a marble size of alum (tawas) in enough water to cover the intestines and...

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Lechon sa Sale o Tanglad (Roasted Pork in Lemon Grass)

Lechon sa Sale o Tanglad (Roasted Pork in Lemon Grass)

A Filipino celebration is not complete without Lechon! The hours-long, roasted whole pig. But sometimes we over estimate the appetites of our guests and there are left overs. Not to worry, here is a ‘to live for’ left over soup dish. Once you have tried this, you wish there was more left over of the lechon. On another note, this same recipe with the addition of 1/2 cup of green tamarind juice, and changing the Chinese cabbage into Kangkong leaves, will turn it into Sinigang Na Lechon. Serves 6 persons. Ingredients: 1 kilo left over lechon bits (or you can buy Lechon by the kilo) 1 tablespoon crushed garlic 1 cup onion – sliced 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1/2 cup minced lemon grass stalks, white part only – about 2 to 3 stalks 2 pieces lady finger chili – siling mahaba 2 to 3 tablespoons patis (fish sauce) 6 cups water 1/2 head of Chinese cabbage slice into 2-inch lengths Procedure: In a medium sized casserole over medium-low heat, place oil in pot. Sauté garlic, onion and lemon grass till the onion is translucent. Add the fish sauce and chili and sauté for 30 seconds. Then add the lechon bits and water. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and continue to simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or till the skin of the lechon is tender. Adjust the taste with more fish sauce, freshly ground black pepper and salt (start with 1/4 teaspoon) Add the Chinese cabbage and simmer for 1 minute and serve. Note: To make green tamarind juice – 1 cup green tamarind boiled with 2 cups water, till the green tamarind has softened; around 20 minutes. Mash the tamarind in the water and strain; get 1/2 cup to put in the soup. Kangkong or water spinach – cut into 3-inch lengths; soak in water for 15 minutes; drain. Add in the soup and simmer for 3 minutes and...

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Asadong Manok at Baboy (Soy Onion Pork and Chicken Stew)

Since refrigeration came only in the 1900’s, there are many Filipino foods that do not need refrigeration and this is one of them. Although this is good for the day it’s cooked and following day, I do not recommend eating it beyond the second day. Onions do not do well without refrigeration, therefore save yourself from a bum tummy. In some barrio fiestas, this is also served since it can be cooked the day before the fiesta. In the barrio fiesta, the whole rump of the pork is used and cut into huge chucks and when cooked, sliced into serving pieces. You can use only pork or only chicken. I use a combination to satisfy the craving of each one in the family. Ingredients: 500 grams chicken parts – I prefer to use legs and thighs cut in half 500 grams liempo (pork belly) slice into 1-inch by 2-inch by 1-inch 2 tablespoons calamansi or lemon juice 1/2 cup light soy sauce 2 cups sliced onions 1 teaspoon freshly crushed peppercorns 1 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon crushed garlic 1/4 cup cooking oil salt to taste start with 1/4 teaspoon Procedure: In a non-corrosive cooking pot, warmed over medium-low fire, pour in cooking oil and sauté garlic and onions till onions are translucent. Add the chicken and pork and continue sautéing and mixing for about 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce, peppercorns, chicken broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Turn flame to low and simmer till the pork and chicken are tender; occasionally mix the pot to keep from burning or sticking to the bottom. Taste the mixture and adjust with salt. Serve hot with steaming hot...

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