Giniling na Baboy

Before financial woes, differences in raising the kids, too-frequent visits of in-laws, lack of late-night romp, and the other woman enter the equation, couples’ squabbles early in the marriage are mostly about something small and insignificant. In all our years of marriage, it was the ex’s custom, immediately after entering the house from work and giving me the standard peck on the check, to ask “What’s our menu tonight?” On one such occasion during our first months of communal bliss, I answered “tortang baboy”. “Wow. My favorite”, he enthused and headed to the shower while I set his dinner on the table. Half an hour later, he sat down, stared perplexed at his food and queried, “Where is the torta?” Equally perplexed, I pointed to the dish, “There.” His eyebrows knotted in confusion and he insisted, “this is not torta, this is giniling na baboy.” My eyebrows knotted in frustration and I insisted, “this is tortang baboy.”

Trivial our disagreement maybe, it was hardly suprising. You see, the Philippines, our native country, is as unique as it is beautiful. It comprises “7,107 islands with multiple ethnicities, cultures and over 170 languages found throughout the islands”, and in such diversity, it is to be expected that names and modes of preparation of foods, even that of the national dish, adobo, usually morph from one form to another, from one region to the next. Kapampangans (that’s me) refer to this ground pork recipe as tortang baboy but it is giniling na baboy to the Tagalogs (that’s him). So, in this battle of “Name that Dish”, he and I were actually both correct. However, much as I detest, I have to admit that this occasion was one of the verrry few times the brute was more right on the dot than I was. We, Kapampangans, wrongly classified this ground pork dish as a torta (Filipino-style omelet) when really, it is but the ingredients to making one.

 

Ingredients

2 lbs ground pork
2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed (around 1 cup)
1 large carrot, peeled and cubed
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and cubed
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cubed
1/2 cup raisins
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsps vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

In a skillet, heat over medium heat around 2 tbsps of oil. Saute onions and garlic until translucent and fragrant. Add ground pork and stir-fry for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until pink is gone from meat. Regularly break pork into smaller pieces with back of spoon. Drain excess oil. Pour in fish sauce and continue to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes. Continue to cook tomatoes until wilted, constantly mashing with back of spoon to help expel its juices.

Add water. Bring mixture to a gentle boil. Lower heat, cover and continue to simmer until meat is tender and fully cooked. Add more water as necessary to maintain around one cup.

Add potatoes, carrots and raisins, cook until vegetables are tender and raisins are softened. Add bell peppers and cook until crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Pork Recipes in The CookMobile Archive:

Pork Chops with Apple Cream Sauce

 

 

 

Pork Tocino

More Good Food!

• Pork Menudo
• Filipino BBQ Pork-on-a-Stick
• Pork Asado (Braised Pork Loin in Tomato-Pineapple Sauce)
• Adobong Sitaw
• Binagoongan Baboy (Pork in Shrimp Paste)
• Pork Tocino
• Sinigang na Buntot ng Baboy (Pig’s Tail in Tamarind Broth)
• Crispy Pork Sisig
• Lechon Kawali
• Paksiw na Pata (Braised Pork Shanks in Soy Sauce and Vinegar)