Binagoongan Baboy

Binagoongan Baboy

photo courtesy of DuchessG

Today is a blah day for me. My brain is filled with so many itsy-bitsy concerns ( real and not) that I just don't know where to bump or crash my head to stop my synapses from connecting.What to do? Ummmmm.... cook? Think of something to cook? Write something to cook? Recipe? Okay. One of our favorites is Binagoongan Baboy. Try this recipe.

Description:Bagoong Alamang (shrimp paste) is what I use for this dish. I buy from the talipapa near our house because i know the tindera. It's important that you know or know-of the the vendor to ensure that the bagoong is fresh. If you can't buy fresh bagoong, sige na nga buy the regular bottled bagoong at SM. I recommend the SM brand.

Ingredients:

1 Kilo pork cubes or liempo (but note that liempo has too much fat)

1/2-3/4 Kilo fresh bagoong

1 -11/2 cups vinegar

3 -5 T brown sugar

3-4 pcs siling- haba

siling labuyo ( according to taste)

8 cloves garlic

1 med onion

3 med red tomatoes

Directions:

Boil the pork cubes in 4 cloves garlic and about 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup water.No need to season with salt. Let the pork simmer and when it's dry brown the pork on its own fat.

When the pork has browned to your likeness, scoop out the pork leaving the oil in the pan. Set aside the browned pork.

Saute the garlic, onion and tomatoes. When I say saute, I mean really igisa mo up to the point where the garlic is brown first, the onion transparent and the tomatoes' skin peeling.

Do not make shortcuts in sauteeing!. Add the bagoong. Saute it for a short time then add about 1/2 cup of vinegar. Let the mixture boil. Cover it for the smell will be horrendous! Do not stir until the mixture boils. Upon boiling, turn the heat to med-low and let it simmer. Add about 2 T of brown sugar. Taste it. Is it still too salty? Need more sugar? You may add more vinegar if it's still too salty. It you want it to be sweeter, add more sugar.

Once you have adjusted the taste, add the browned pork cubes. Sige lang, haluin mo, then add the siling haba and labuyo ( if you like).The binagoongan is done once the mixture is no longer watery, slightly thick and the color turned darker.

Sarap! Muy Delicioso!