Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe

Sweet and Sour Pork

Estimated cooking time: 45 minutes


Sweet & Sour Pork Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo pork loin, sliced into pieces
• 1 small can pineapple chunks
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 1 red & 1 green bell peppers, sliced into strips
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons of peanut oil
• 4 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons of ketchup
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 3 cloves of minced garlic

Sweet and Sour Pork Cooking Instructions:

In a pot, boil pork in 2 cups of water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt until tender, then drain (keep the pork stock for later).

Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and soy sauce then coat the pork with the cornstarch mixture.

Fry the pork in a skillet until golden brown, set aside.

Dissolve the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch on 1/2 cup of pork stock - set aside.

Sauté garlic and onions on oil, then add the bell peppers, pineapple chunks (including the syrup), ketchup, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the dissolved cornstarch. Stir until sauce thickens.

Pour over fried pork then serve with rice.

Beef Stew | Nilaga Baka Recipe

Nilagang Baka (Beef Stew)

Estimated Cooking time: 1 to 2 hours


Beef Stew Ingredients:

1 kilo beef, cut into 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" cubes
8 potatoes cut the same size as the beef
1 bundle Pechay (Bok choy) cut into 2 pieces
1 small cabbage, quartered
5 onions, diced
1 head garlic, minced
4 tablespoons of patis (fish sauce)
3 tablespoons of cooking oil
10 corns of black pepper
1 liter of water
Salt and pepper to taste


Beef Stew Cooking Instructions:

In a big casserole, heat oil and sauté the garlic and onions.

Add water, the beef, black pepper and patis. Bring to a boil then simmer for 1 hour or until the beef is tender.

Add the potatoes. Continue to simmer until potatoes are cooked.

Add the cabbage then the pechay. Do not over cook the vegetables.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve steaming hot in a bowl and plain white rice.


Cooking Tips:



You can substitute the beef with chicken (chicken stew) or pork (pork stew) for variety.

Beef Kaldereta Recipe

Beef Kaldereta

Estimated cooking time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours


Beef Kaldereta Ingredients:

• 1 kilo beef, cut into chunks
• 1 big can (350g) liver spread or ground liver
• 5 onions, minced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 3 green peppers, diced
• 3 red peppers, diced
• 4 pieces hot chilli peppers, minced
• 3/4 cup grated cheese
• 2 cups beef stock or water
• 1/4 cup cooking or olive oil

Kaldereta Cooking Instructions:

In a casserole, sauté: garlic and onions in oil. Then add tomatoes, red & green pepper and chilli peppers.

Add in the beef, tomato sauce, liver spread and water or stock. Salt to taste and let simmer for at least 1 hour or until the beef is tender.

Add cheese and olives (optional) and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens.

Serve with plain rice


Cooking Tips:


Instead of beef, goat's meat (kambing) can be used. If goat's meat is used, marinate the meat in vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper for at least 15 minutes.

For a special kaldereta, do not use water or beef stock. Use an equivalent weight of onions to the beef (1 kg of onions : 1 kg of beef). The onions will serve as water to the dish.

Kare Kare Recipe

Kare Kare

Estimated cooking time: 2 hours


Kare Kare Ingredients:

• 1 kilo of beef (round or sirloin cut) cut into cubes, beef tripe or oxtail (cut 2 inch long) or a combination of all three (beef, tripe and oxtail)
• 3 cups of peanut butter
• 1/4 cup grounded toasted rice
• 1/2 cup cooked bagoong alamang (anchovies)
• 2 pieces onions, diced
• 2 heads of garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons atsuete oil
• 4 pieces eggplant, sliced 1 inch thick
• 1 bundle Pechay (Bok choy) cut into 2 pieces
• 1 bundle of sitaw (string beans) cut to 2" long
• 1 banana bud, cut similar to eggplant slices, blanch in boiling water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 8 cups of water
• Salt to taste

Kare Kare Cooking Instructions:

In a stock pot, boil beef, tripe and oxtails in water for an hour or until cooked. Strain and keep the stock.

In a big pan or wok, heat oil and atsuete oil.

Sauté garlic, onions until golden brown, then add the stock, toasted rice, beef, oxtail and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Salt to taste.

Add the eggplant, string beans, pechay and banana bud. Cook the vegetables for a few minutes - Do not overcook the vegetables.

Serve with bagoong on the side and hot plain rice.

Beef Morcon Recipe Negrense Style

Beef Morcon

Estimated cooking time: 2 to 3 hours.


Beef Morcon Ingredients:

• 1 kilo beef, sliced 1/4 inch thick (3 pcs.)
• 1/4 kilo ground beef liver
• 200 grams sliced sausages or ham
• 200 grams pork fat (cut is strips)
• 3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
• 100 grams cheddar cheese in strips
• 100 grams grated cheddar cheese
• 2 onions, chopped
• 5 bay leaf (laurel)
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups of water
• 2 meters thread or string (for tying)

Beef Morcon Cooking Instructions:

Spread and stretch the sliced beef on your working table.

Arrange the filling on the sliced beef: sausage strips, cheese strips, sliced eggs, pork fat and some ground liver.

Roll the sliced beef with all the filling inside and secure with a thread or string.

Repeat the procedure for the two remaining beef slices.

On a pot, place the beef rolls and put the water, the remaining ground liver, grated cheese, chopped onions, bay leaves, ground black pepper and salt.

Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for one hour.

Add the vinegar and continue to simmer of another hour or until beef is tender.

Slice the beef morcon, arrange on a platter and top with the sauce/ gravy poured on top.


Cooking Tips:

A spoon or two of flour can be added to water to thicken the sauce.

Instead of boiling in a pot, you can use a pressure cooker for faster cooking.

Optional: Garnish with olives before serving.

Beef Mechado Negrense Style Recipe

Beef Mechado

Estimated cooking time: 1 hour


Beef Mechado Ingredients:

• 1 kilo of beef cut into chunks
• 1/8 kilo of pork fat cut into strips
• 4 onions, peeled and quartered
• 5 medium potatoes, quartered (optional: fried)
• 1 medium sized carrot, sliced in 1/2" sections
• 2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 cups beef stock or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in water
• 3 bay leaves (laurel leaves)
• 1/4 -cup vinegar
• 2 cups tomato sauce or 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup soy sauce
• salt & pepper to taste

Beef Mechado Cooking Instructions:

Cut an incision on the beef chunks and insert a pork strip in the middle (mitsa)

In a casserole, combine the beef (with the fat), tomato sauce, soy sauce, bay leaves and beef stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until the beef is almost tender

Add the vinegar and let boil for a minute or two

Add the potatoes, onions, carrot, and bell pepper

Let simmer until potatoes and carrots are cooked - occasionally stir to thicken sauce

Serve hot with white rice


Beef Mechado Cooking Tips:

Pressure cook the beef with the beef stock for faster cooking time.

Fry the potatoes before adding to the casserole.

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and stir when the mechado dish is almost done for added flavor.

Crispy Pata Negrense Style Recipe

Crispy Pata

Preparation & drying: 4 hours to 1 day

Estimated cooking time: 20 minutes


Crispy Pata Ingredients:

• 1 Pata (front or hind leg of a pig including the knuckles)
• 1 bottle of soda (7Up or sprite)
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons patis (fish sauce)
• 1/2 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• 4 tablespoons of flour
• Enough oil for deep frying
• Enough water for boiling

Crispy Pata Cooking Instructions:

Clean the pork pata by removing all hairs and by scraping the skin with a knife. Wash thoroughly.

Make four to five inch cuts on the sides of the pata.

On a deep stock pot, place the pata in water with soda and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the baking soda and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.

Remove the pata from the pot and hang and allow to drip dry for 24 hours. An alternative to this is to thoroughly drain the pork pata and refrigerate for a few hours.

After the above process, rub patis on the pata and sprinkle flour liberally.

In a deep frying pot, heat cooking oil and deep fry the pork pata until golden brown.


Crispy Pata Dip Sauce:


Mix 3/4 cup of vinegar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 head of diced onion and 1 hot pepper. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pork Steak / Beef Steak Negrense Style Recipe

Pork Steak

Estimated time to prepare and cook: 50 minutes


Pork / Beef Steak Ingredients:

• 3/4 kilo tender pork or beef steaks, sliced
• 1 tablespoon kalamansi or lemon juice
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 small piece ginger, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup onions, sliced in rings
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil

Pork / Beef Steak Cooking Instructions:

Marinate the pork or beef steak in kalamansi (lemon) juice, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and pepper for 30 minutes.

In a frying, add cooking oil. Add the marinated pork or beef steak and cook slow until done.

Increase heat for a minute or two to brown steaks.

Add the sliced onions and continue to cook for another minute.

Serve on a platter including the oil and sauce.

Best served with hot plain rice.

Pork Menudo Recipe

Estimated preparation & cooking time: 50 minutes


Pork Menudo Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo pork (cut into small chunks)
• 1/4 kilo pork liver (cut into small cubes)
• 5 pieces chorizo Bilbao (also cut in small pieces)
• 4 potatoes (peeled, cut in small cubes, fried)
• 1 green and 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup pork or chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons of patis (fish sauce)
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon atsuete oil (optional)
• 3 tomatoes (diced)
• 1 small head of garlic (minced)
• 1 medium size onion (diced)

Pork Menudo Cooking Instructions:

In a pan or wok, heat cooking oil and atsuete oil.

Saute garlic, onion. Then add the pork, liver, chorizo de Bilabo, tomatoes, bell pepper, paprika, patis and the stock.

Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the pork is tender.

Add the chickpeas, potatoes and raisins. Boil of another 2 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot with white rice.

Sinigang na Baboy (Pork Sinigang) Recipe

Estimated cooking and preparation time: 1 hour


Pork Sinigang Ingredients:

• 3/4 kilo Pork, cut into chunks
• 3 tomatoes, sliced
• 2 onions, diced
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100 grams Kangkong (river spinach)
• 100 grams String beans
• 2 pieces horse radishes, sliced
• 3 pieces gabi (taro), pealed
• 2 pieces sili pag sigang (green finger pepper)
• 200 grams sampalok (tamarind)
• 3 tablespoons of patis (fish sauce)
• 1 liter of rice wash or water

Sinigang Cooking Instructions:

Boil sampalok in water until the shell shows cracks. Let cool then peal off the shells and with a strainer, pour samplalok (including water) into a bowl. Gently massage the sampalok meat off the seeds, strain again.

In a pot, sauté garlic and onion then add the tomatoes. Let simmer for 5 minutes.

Add pork and fish sauce then add the rice wash. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes then add the gabi. Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or until the pork is tender.

Add the horse radish and simmer for 10 minutes then add the string beans, kangkong and sili (for spice-optional). Let boil for 2 minutes.

Serve piping hot.

Sinigang Cooking Tip:


Instead of sampalok fruit (tamarind), you can substitute it with any commercial souring seasoning like Knorr sampalok seasoning or tamarind bouillon cubes for this pork sinigang recipe.