Pork belly estofado
A sweet sour and salty meat stew that blends Spanish, Chinese and Filipino food traditions.
Servings 6 people
Ingredients
- cooking oil
- 300 grams potatoes (10.5 oz) peeled and diced
- 150 grams (5.2 oz) carrot peeled and diced
- 4 to 6 saba bananas peeled and cut into thirds
- 1 kilogram pork belly (2.2 pounds) cut into two-inch cubes
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 2 to 3 sprigs oregano
- 2 bell peppers (red or green, or both) deseeded and diced
- salt
- pepper
Seasonings
- ¼ cup vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar loosely packed
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- In a wok or fryer, heat enough cooking oil to reach a depth of at least two inches.
- Fry the potatoes until the edges are browned.
- Scoop out and set aside.
- Fry the diced carrot until the edges are browned.
- Scoop out and set aside.
- Fry the saba bananas until browned and cooked through.
- Scoop out and set aside.
- Pour off the cooking oil leaving only about two tablespoons in the pan, and set the heat to high.
- Spread the pork cubes in the hot oil and sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper.
- Allow the undersides to brown before flipping to brown all sides.
- Throw in the onion, garlic and oregano.
- Cook, tossing, until the onion pieces soften and start to turn translucent.
- Pour in the vinegar and soy sauce.
- Add the tomato paste, bay leaf and brown sugar.
- Pour in enough water to cover the pork, bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer until the pork is tender.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
- Stir in the bell peppers, cover the pan and simmer for five minutes.
- Add the fried potatoes, carrot and saba bananas. Toss to distribute.
- Cover the pan and simmer for another five minutes.
- Taste the sauce one last time and adjust the seasonings, as needed, before serving.
