Pork Binagoongan in Coconut Milk

This isn't really a dish Jaemi enjoys, but something I prepare when our Pinoy friends are here and beer is served during get-together dinners at home. I also cook this when I miss the fiestas back home, and when my hubby simply craves for it. It's difficult to get pork belly (the ideal cut for the recipe) in regular grocery stores here in Houston. I guess all the bacon makers got 'em all. So I usually substitute it with pork strip spare ribs combined with cubed country style ribs or boston butt-roast. That way you'll get a balance of the flavor-packed bone parts (the strip spare ribs), dark meat, and fat. 

2 lbs pork belly, cubed*
2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 serrano peppers or long green peppers, chopped
OR 1 tsp chili flakes**
1 medium sized tomato, chopped
1/4 cup bagoong (shrimp paste)
2 tbsp patis (fish sauce)
1 cup coconut milk (set aside 1/4 cup)
2 tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste
2 whole serrano peppers


In a deep sauteing pan, heat oil over medium heat.
Sear the pork on all sides, then set aside. Remove some of the oil, leaving only about 1 tbsp.
Saute garlic and onion until translucent.
Add the chopped peppers (or chili flakes), the shrimp paste, and then the tomato and saute until tender.
Stir in 3/4 cup coconut milk and fish sauce.
When coconut milk is simmering, add the seared pork. Let it cook over medium heat until pork is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Stir in the remaining coconut milk, then add brown sugar and season with salt according to taste.
Let the coconut milk simmer again for about 3 minutes.
Add the whole serrano peppers, then turn off the heat.
Serve with rice.


*You can also use pork spare ribs, pork boston butt-roast, or pork country style ribs.
** You can modify the amount of peppers or chili flakes depending on the desired spiciness. To make it mildly spicy, either use one serrano pepper only or remove the seeds of the pepper or reduce the chili flakes to 1/2 tsp.

Hawaiian-style Pork Roast

My husband got a slow-cooker from one of the "white elephant" exchange gifts we had this holiday season. He's been wanting to get one, and he finally got it. So for the Christmas party we attended the following weekend, the slow cooker was out of the box and ready to make some succulent dish. He found a good slow cooker recipe from the Martha Stuart magazine "Everyday Food" which I'm going to share here. However, we used pork Boston butt roast, instead of the beef short ribs in the original recipe. We did not alter any measurement or cooking time, and it still worked well. The other modification my husband made was he made some gravy out of the liquid that came out of the roast. For those who do not have a slow cooker, you can still cook this using your oven.

Ingredients:
2 red onions, cut into 1-inch wedges
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium sized carrots, sliced about 1-inch
4-5 lbs. bone in pork Boston butt roast
(if using short ribs, divide the ribs in 3 to 4 inch-pieces)
1 1/2 cups dark-brown sugar
1 cup soy sauce
6 tbsp vinegar (rice or coconut)
1 tbsp chili sauce
1 can pineapple chunks or slices
2 tbsp flour dissolved in ¼ cup water (for gravy)
cooked rice for serving

Place onions, garlic, ginger, and carrots in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Top with butt roast (or short ribs) in a tight layer. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili sauce and add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until roast are almost tender, about 4 hours. Add pineapple, including the juice, and cook until pineapple is tender, 1 hour. For oven cooking, pre-heat oven to 200 degrees F. Follow above instructions, placing all ingredients in a deep roasting pan. Cover the pan with foil and roast until tender, about 4 hours. Add the pineapple, and cook for 1 more hour.

With a slotted spoon, transfer roast and pineapples to a platter and cover with foil. Using a ladle, skim fat from cooking liquid. Transfer cooking liquid to a medium-sized sauce pan, straining the remaining solid ingredients. Bring the liquid to a boil on medium-high heat, reducing to about half. Bring the heat to medium-low. Stir the dissolved flour and pour into the reduced liquid, stirring constantly until thick. Season with salt and pepper (and a little bit more sugar, if desired). Slice the roast, arranging the pineapples on top, and then pour over the gravy. Serve with cooked rice.