Normally, it’s beef but since I don’t have it inside our ref, pork is as good. This isn’t something like any western steak. I’m not an expert cook & my knowledge w/ regards to the history of our native dish is also limited but I guess this really is an original. Very little outside influence because of its main ingredient… kalamansi or native lemon. But you won’t find one in Beijing so I opted for lemon. I’m not sure if anybody used it before but I got the idea when we went to an English bar w/c serves our native food. I definitely think they used lemon. Anyways, you won’t really know the difference (or just so I think because I have no choice) & the taste is just superb.
Ingredients:
500 g. of pork (w/ fatty parts, sliced very thinly)
1 onion or more (cut into rings)
1/2 c. of dark soy sauce
1/2 lemon (or a whole, depends on one’s preference)
2 tbsp. of cooking oil
salt & pepper
MSG (optional, as always)
Mix the pork w/ salt, pepper, soy sauce, & half of the onions. Marinate for half an hour. Pour everything in a casserole with enough water to cover the ingredients. Cook over medium heat. After about 10-15 minutes, pour in half of the lemon juice. Continue cooking until the meat is tender & the water is almost dry. Pour in the remaining lemon juice & add the onion rings. Bring to boil & that’s about it.
Whenever cannibals are on the brink of starvation, Heaven, in it’s infinite mercy, sends them a fat missionary. – Oscar Wilde
I am not a professional cook. My only claim to having a culinary background is a short stint as my dad’s teen ‘sous chef’ in his carinderia ages ago. Dad ran small eateries since I was a young kid - serving standard ‘turo-turo’ food ranging from the likes of menudo, adobo, pritong isda, dinuguan, binagoongan, bopis, munggo, pinakbet and giniling to merienda fares like goto, ginataan, pancit bihon, halu-halo and saging con yelo.
My father, a farmer in his hometown before working his way to becoming an accountant, definitely influenced my cooking in a lot of ways than I thought. My siblings and I were raised in a backyard full of fruit trees and vegetable garden. We spent weekends and the summer breaks running around with ducks, chickens, goats and pigs. I had wonderful memories of gathering eggs, butchering chickens, selling vegetables and the sweet aroma of preserved fruits. But my love for art led me to a degree in Architecture. Just few months after getting my license, I went abroad and lived independently at age 23. Definitely no maid, no cook, and a totally different food culture. Along the way I met lots of friends and spent what seemed a lifetime learning new tricks and recipes.
Now living in Auckland, I am a work-from-home mum who juggles time between work, fun and family - in pursuit of work-life balance. No matter how busy I am, I love the idea of cooking for my family. My blog chronicles home cooking greatly influenced by life outside my home country from Southeast Asia to Beijing and Auckland. And most of the time, being busy also means easy (sometimes quick), affordable meals.
It’s difficult to give a rate at these recipes (question of unknown taste) But I am with you Iska. Perhaps in future I would know all these tastes. Onion or ‘chalotte’ are strong in anti-oxidants and Omega3… Good for the heart as the love you make in these recipes…
such a heart-warming comment from u ahemes…