Cooking Pork Binagoongan (Shrimp Paste); Filipinos' Favorite

My very own pork binagoongan

A month ago, I wrote a blog about cooking canned sardines with snow peas or chicharo. Being half of the world away from my country Philippines, eating some home-grown favorite foods or dishes is really a delight for me. I was laughing when my friend in Kuwait commented: "Maggy, if you are a Filipino live or working overseas, that is delicious and a real treat. But if you are in the Philippines, you are poor if you are eating canned sardines." Hahaha! Slightly true. Whatever, I love sardines.

garlic, onion, and tomato

an already cooked bagoong, I bought at the Filipino store.

boiling the pork with vinegar and dry bay leaves

my imported vinegar from the Philippines, and the Indonesian sambal oelek, my alternative for chili.

This time, I love to share again one of my Filipino cooking. The pork binagoongan or pork with shrimp paste. I do not know if there is a Filipino who does not like bagoong. I think all Filipinos love bagoong. Some may refrain to eat bagoong or to use it in cooking for some health issues, like food allergy. This is a very simple recipe and easy to cook too.

What you need:
1/2 kilo pork (lean, but I like pork belly)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 pc chili (instead of chili, I use an Indonesian spices called sambal for a spicy taste of my dish)
1/2 shrimp paste
3 pcs dried bay leaves (laurel)
Ground pepper
cooking or wok oil
Water

Procedure
In a pot, pour in the water and bring to boil.
Once the water is boiling, put in the pork, vinegar, and the dry bay leaves, simmer until the meat is tender. It takes about 30 minutes.
In a separate pan, sauté the garlic, onion, and tomatoes.
Add the shrimp paste and simmer for about minutes. You need more time in cooking the shrimp paste if it is a raw shrimp paste.
Add the pork in and cook for another 7 minute. Mix well. Add the chili and the pepper. No need to add salt because the shrimp paste is salty.
Serve hot with steamed rice and a fresh vegetable salad.

Until here and until my next blog!