Igado

Ingredients

Measure and prepare everything before you begin cooking.

• 600 g pork shoulder, cut into thin strips
• 300 g pork liver, cut into thin strips
• 1 red capsicum, sliced
• 1 cup cooked green peas
• 1 onion, sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• ⅓ cup cane vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1½ cups pork stock or water
• 1–2 tbsp neutral cooking oil, as needed
• Fine salt, to taste (use less when the dish contains soy sauce, fish sauce or bagoong)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash and cut all vegetables first, portion the protein, and measure the liquids and seasonings. Keep salt, fish sauce, soy sauce and pepper beside the stove so you can season gradually rather than all at once.

2. 2

   Set a heavy pot, wok or deep frying pan over medium heat. Add 1–2 tablespoons of cooking oil unless the recipe begins with a fatty cut of meat. Brown the pork shoulder in batches, then soften the onion and garlic in the same pan.

3. 3

   Return the pork, add the vinegar without stirring for 2 minutes, then add soy sauce, bay leaves and stock. Cover and simmer for 30–35 minutes until tender. Add the liver and cook only until no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Lower the heat before the final seasoning. Taste the broth or sauce first, then add salt, fish sauce, soy sauce or black pepper a little at a time. Remember that soy sauce, bagoong and fish sauce already contain salt.

5. 5

   Fold in the capsicum and peas and simmer uncovered until the sauce lightly coats the meat. Rest for 5 minutes and serve with steamed rice.

6. 6

   Turn off the heat and let the dish stand for 3–5 minutes so the flavours settle. Taste once more before serving and offer calamansi, fish sauce or pepper at the table when appropriate.