Pork Tapa

Tapa is the process of curing meat in spices then drying under the sun. Beef is one of the most popular tapa meats but pork can be prepared for tapa, too.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. pork, sliced thinly
  
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
  
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
  
• salt
  

1. Massage into sliced pork the garlic, vinegar and salt.
   
2. Let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
   
3. Dry in the sun before frying.
   

Menudo

Not to be confused with the Mexican soup Menudo, Filipino Menudo consists of stewed pork, liver, potatoes and garbanzos.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups diced pork tenderloin
  
• 1 cup diced liver
  
• 3 potatoes, cubed
  
• 1 small can skinned garbanzos
  
• 1 medium sized tomato, diced
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
  
• 1 tsp paprika
  
• salt
  

1. Boil pork until tender.
   
2. Saute garlic, onion and tomatoes.
   
3. Add pork and liver, then cook for about 5 minutes.
   
4. Add water, salt and paprika.
   
5. Add potatoes and garbanzos.
   
6. Cook until potatoes are done.
   

Embutido

Embutido is the Filipino answer to meat loaf. A log of ground pork rolled with chorizos, raisins and eggs, the embutido is a welcome addition to any fiesta.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground pork
  
• 1/2 cup milk
  
• 2 Chorizos de bilbao, ground
  
• 2 eggs, beaten
  
• 3 tbsp pickle relish
  
• 1 small pack seedless raisins
  
• salt and white pepper
  

1. Mix all ingredients.
   
2. Mold into a large, sausage-like log.
   
3. Wrap tightly in untosinsal or leaflard. If unavailable, wrap your embutido log in foil instead.
   
4. Place in saucepan with just enough water to cover.
   
5. Bring to boil and simmer until done.
   
6. Slice and serve.
   

Lumpia Shanghai

Lumpiang shanghai is the ever popular fried egg roll. Thin wrappers are rolled out, stuffed with a filling that's similar to siomai dumplings, rolled into logs, then deep fried until the skin is crispy.

Ingredients:

• 250 g ground pork
  
• 100 g shrimp, peeled and chopped
  
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 1/3 cup shredded carrots
  
• 1/3 cup shredded jicamas / singkamas
  
• 1 egg
  
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  
• lumpia wrappers
  
• water


1. Place in a bowl the pork, shrimp, onion, carrots, jicamas, egg and soy sauce.
   
2. Knead until well-blended.
   
3. On a laid out lumpia wrapper, spoon a tablespoon or two of the mixture. Mold it into a long cylinder.
   
4. Roll the wrapper tightly, making sure the meat is encased securely.
   
5. Dab some water on the edge of the wrapper, then close the roll. This acts as a glue to keep the roll from unravelling.
   
6. Deep fry over medium heat until nicely brown.
   

Crispy Pata

Crispy Pata is a favorite way to cook pig's knuckles. Crispy and meaty, it's best served with a soy and vinegar dipping sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 pig's feet / knuckles
  
• Salt
  
• Bay leaf
  
• Peppercorns
  

Sauce

• Vinegar
  
• Soy Sauce
  
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
  
• sugar
  

1. Boil meat in enough water to cover it.
   
2. Add salt, bay leaf and peppercorns.
   
3. Cook until tender.
   
4. Drain and let it air dry.
   
5. Deep fat fry until skin is crispy.
   
6. Mix sauce ingredients, adjusting amounts of vinegar, soy and sugar to suit your taste. Serve as a separate dipping sauce for the crispy pata.
   

Pork Adobo

Adobo is a definitive Filipino dish. It's meat cooked adobo-style, that is, with vinegar, peppercorns and lots of garlic. This version uses pork.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean pork
  
• 1 1/2 cups water
  
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
  
• 10 peppercorns
  
• 1/2 cup sukang puti (white vinegar)
  
• salt to taste
  

1. Clean pork and cube into serving-sized pieces.
   
2. In a pan, place pork, water, garlic, vinegar, peppercorns and salt.
   
3. Simmer until the pork is tender.