The “blood” in the name of this dish may sound unpleasant to some, but I assure you that dinuguan is well-loved among Hawai‘i locals, who have nicknamed it “chocolate meat.” It’s a traditional dish in Filipino culture, but each region of the Philippines has its own variations when it comes to spices and consistency. The north likes it dry; the south likes it more soupy. I use my own variation of ingredients, including lemongrass for aroma and coconut milk for a Visayan flair. Pork blood may be bought at any Asian store or local market.
Ingredients:
3 lbs. pork (belly & lean meat)
3 stalks lemongrass
1/4 lb. sweet chili peppers
1/2 cup shallot onions (s l i ced)
2 tbsp. fresh garlic (diced)
1 cup fresh pork blood
5 cups water
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp. fish sauce (any brand)
2 tbsp. vinegar (any type)
5 leaves bay leaf (whol e)
1 tbsp. peppercorns (crushed)
1/8 tsp. salt (to ta st e)
1 calamansi (Philippine lime)
Prep & cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 7–10
Preparation:
Cut the two types of pork meat (belly and lean) into 3/4-inch cubes and put them in a bowl.
Crush the whole lemongrass stalks, then fold them in half and tie them into a bundle using one of the lemongrass leaves.
Dice the fresh garlic (about 2 or 3 cloves), slice the shallots and crush the peppercorns into large granules. (Note: crushed peppercorns are preferred over ground pepper.)
All the other ingredients may be prepped ahead
of time or done during cooking.
Cooking directions:
1) Use a wok (preferred) or a deep frying pan with a lid. Brown the pork belly on medium heat. No oil is used, so stir the meat constantly to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
2) After the pork belly has rendered some fat, add the garlic, shallots and lean meat. Stir while cooking the lean meat halfway through—for about one minute.
3) Add the bay leaves, crushed peppercorn and salt (to taste) and sauté for 2 minutes.
4) Add 5 cups of water, the fish sauce and lemongrass bundle. Boil for 1 minute. Lower the heat. Cover and simmer the mixture for 25 minutes.
5) Add the sweet chili peppers. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add more salt if needed. Remove the bundled lemongrass. Continue to simmer.
6) Dribble the vinegar evenly. Do not stir. Simmer for 1 minute, then stir to mix all of the ingredients. Pour in the coconut milk and stir again.
8) Add 1 cup of pork blood, stirring constantly until the blood turns to a chocolate color, indicating the blood had been cooked. Stir and simmer to the desired consistency. Add more vinegar to your taste.
Serve with a slice of calamansi for squeezing over the dish. Enjoy with steamed rice or puto (steamed rice cake) or simply as a pulutan (appetizer) with your favorite beverage.
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