Filipino Menudo

Thats how we prefer our Menudo at home,with creamy, rich, red, thick sauce, the meat is soft and tender. The combination of veggies and spices makes the smell and taste ohhh sooo captivating and yes the newest addition of sliced hotdogs. To me, this is one comfort food that I would love to cook. I feel so at home and satisfied after.

Thank you Ladies for the feature of my  Señoras’ Yema Cake : Marilyn of Over The Moon,  Bev of Wonderful Wednesday  and Michele of Whimsical Wednesday

Classic menudo is basically a slowly cooked stew of tripe infused with several varieties of chile peppers and spices .It is presented as a soup and typically is served with corn tortillas or white bread rolls(bolillos),and almost always includes grains of corn. There are a number of variations including blanco(white/clear),verde(green),or rojo(red). Typical condiments added to menudo are dried oregano,ground chile flakes,lime juice,and chopped onion. Due to the length of time needed to cook tripe to be tender enough to be edible, menudo is generally cooked in large batches and sold as a special menu item in Mexican restaurants, although it is occasionally prepared at home.  In some areas menudo is sold as a weekend-only specialty in regular restaurants (typically announced by signs reading Menudo fin de semana), in other areas, menudo is made daily, but mostly sold in restaurants and market stalls (fondas) that specialize in the dish.

But Menudo (stew) refers to an entirely different dish made in the Philippines. This dish,in contrast, is made of garlic, onions, diced pork chops, pork liver, diced potato, green bell peppers, soy sauce and tomato sauce, seasoned with salt and pepper while it is cooked. Mexican menudo uses tripe as a primary ingredient while Filipino menudo includes pork pieces but also includes liver as an ingredient. Both stews present a red color,one from tomato and the other from red chili and both contain other small sized vegetables.No documented origins of the Filipino stew is available. However,due to the Spanish influence in the Philippines during the rule of the country, many Filipino foods are similar to Spanish dishes. The word menudo,from the Spanish to English translation,means small, little,petite,or fine.Menudos, when translated from the Mexican language,translates to “giblets” as well as “tripe stew.”

Filipino Menudo is a rich dish with sauce thickened and flavored by a complementing mixture of condiments and relishes.This hearty dish does not require the extra trip to an Asian store to purchase an ethnic food variety because all the ingredients are common to any culture. Meat and potato, a regular table meal, are the main ingredients; and all the other ingredients are within easy reach in ordinary supermarkets. Menudo is a recipe which has several varieties,mostly pork and liver. It is an old-fashioned recipe that Filipinos have inherited from their Spanish colonizers.Because of the mixture of ingredients that make this dish exceptionally delicious, it has become a special dish normally served for special occasions like fiestas, weddings,birthdays and many others. Restaurants, carinderias and caterers also find this recipe as one of the most sought-after dishes on their menus.

I grew up practically knowing Menudo as a special dish. I am very fond of it either. During occasions I would always include Menudo on my list because of its taste and versatility. Some older ones would prefer this with beer, gin or whisky.The children love Menudo with rice especially if it has slices of hotdogs included. Others like me,we love Menudo with white bread and the best characteristic of Menudo ,it can also last longer,just keep it in a glass container and set aside in the fridge and it will last for a week. I have a friend who I remember,his great grandmother would cook menudo and the shelf life would last for months,wow!I wish I can do that.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients: 

600 gms pork shoulder butt cut into medium cubes 
600 gms pork belly cut into medium cubes

2 tbsp light soy sauce 

1 tbsp rice wine 

2 tbsp corn starch

300 grams pork liver cut into small cubes (optional) 

1 tsp apple cider vinegar 

1 tsp light soy sauce 

1 can whole tomato chopped 

5 cups chicken broth 

3 tbsp tomato sauce 

1/2 cup chopped onion 

6 cloves garlic grated 

1 1/2  cup potato cut into small cubes 

1 1/2  cup carrot cut into small cubes 

1 cup chickpeas 

1 cup red bell pepper cut into cubes 

1/2 cup raisin 

1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt 

1 to 2 tsp fish sauce 

1 1/2 tsp ground white pepper 

1 tsp paprika 

1/2 tsp oregano 

2 bay leaf 

1/4 cup cheddar cheese grated 

1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tbsp +2 tbsp 
3 tbsp corn starch mix with 3 tbsp water
Direction:

In a bowl combine the meat, soy sauce, rice wine and corn starch. 

Mix until well combined and marinate for 3 hours. Set aside in the fridge. 

In another bowl.combine pork liver, apple cider vinegar and light soy sauce. 

Mix well and set aside in the fridge. 

In a sauce pan ,heat 1/4 cup olive oil and brown the meat. Set aside 

Using the same pan, add 2 tbsp olive oil and fry the potato for 30 seconds. Set aside 
Using the same pan, add 2 tbsp olive oil and saute garlic and onion. 

Caramelize the onion then add 3 tbsp tomato paste. Saute the mixture for 30 second.
Add the browned pork Mix until well combined then...

Add the whole chopped tomato including the sauce, paprika, oregano and bay leaf 

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes then add 5 cups chicken broth. 

Cover again and simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add the liver, potato, carrot, chickpeas, fish sauce, salt and pepper. 

Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes then add grated cheddar cheese, red bell pepper cubes, hotdogs and raisins. Check the taste and simmer for 10 minutes more. 

Turn off the heat. Now ready to serve. 

Hmmmnnn....my children and my husband prefers warm rice with menudo on top.They love the taste and oftentimes they ask for another serving.I thought of adding white sauce and cheese on top and then bake it.Oh my! its heaven in my son's culinary view..yeah, my son loves to indulge with food.

Now,take a closer look,isn't it magic? the wonder of good food is so amazing..it transcends and it creates diversity and we all agree despite color and races that a good food is truly one part of our existence,our culture. Have a great week to all.Lets eat,lets giggle and lets be merry! 

Where's The Party?
Saturday Sparks   Best of the Weekend   Saturday Sharefest   Saturday Shuffle   Dare To Share   Mini Linky Party   Create Make Bake   Scraptastic Saturday   Happines Is Homemade   Silver Pennies Sunday   Sundays at Home   Whats For dinner Sunday  Tables and More

Inspiration Monday   Busy Monday   Amaze Me Monday   Block Party   Mix It Up Monday   Melt In Your Mouth Monday   You're The Star   Over The Moon   Menu Plan Monday   Dishing It Digging It  What You'd Do This Weekend   Craftastic Monday   Cooking and Crafting Monday   Hello Monday

Home Stories   Project Inspired   Fabulous Party  Celebrate Your Story   Inspire Me Tuesday   Recipe DIY Linky   Reader Tip Tuesday   Happy Now   Too Cute Tuesday  Homemaking Link Up   Tickle My Tastebuds   The Scoop   Sew It Cook It Craft It   Tasty Tuesday 

Delicious Dishes   Wined Down Wednesday   Wonderful Wednesday   Homemaking Link Up   To Grandmas House   Your Whims Wednesday   Party In Your Pj   Talk Of The Town   Creative Muster  Waste Not Wednesday   A Little Bit Of Everything   Whimsical Wednesday   Wow Me Wednesday  Penny Pinching Wednesday

Artsy Fartsy Party   Full Plate Thursday   Thursday Favorite Things   Thrifty Thursday   Encouraging Hearts   Grace At home   Home Sweet Home   Creatively Crafty Party

Flaunt It Friday   Foodie Friday   Funtastic Friday   Pretty Pintastic   Friendship Friday   Sweet Inspiration   Friday At Fire Station   Create Bake Grow Together   Weekend Potluck   Fiesta Friday