Dinuguan, otherwise known as Philippine blood stew, falls under the category of things you either love or hate. It’s a dish usually relished only if one knows who made it and where it was made—and a recipe many are intimidated by, leaving the cooking of dinuguan to lola, mama or manang.
Here are three heirloom dinuguan recipes by culinary experts from various parts of the country. It is our hope that, with these recipes, those who have not developed a liking for the dish will consider cooking and indulging themselves in a hearty bowl of this sometimes shunned yet delicious dish, which undoubtedly holds a rightful place among our culinary treasures.
‘Tidtad babi’ (Pampanga)
(Recipe by food historian Lillian Borromeo)
1½ k pork laman-loob cleaned thoroughly (dungus babi—esophagus, goto ng baboy. Original recipe has intestines but can be omitted; if using, invert bituka and clean well). Boil in water with 1 tsp baking soda; when tender, slice into ½ inch cubes. Do several water changes, until the innards are slightly tender and no longer smell.
1 k liempo, boil separately, until tender, slice into ½ inch cubes.
4 tbsp oil
2 tbsp crushed garlic
1½ c sliced onions
1 c vinegar (cane)
4-8 c broth or water
3 tbsp oil
½ k pig’s blood diced ½ inch; expect dinuguan to be runny and thin, not thick
2 tbsp crushed garlic
1½ c sliced onions
1/3 c vinegar
Siling pansinigang 6-8 pcs, whole
Salt and pepper
Panucha—½ inch cube or 1 tsp brown sugar
Sauté garlic and onions in oil.
Add meats.
Add vinegar.
In a separate pan, sauté garlic and onions and blood. You will know blood is cooked when it is no longer red. At this point, add blood to meat mixture.
Add water 2-4 cups, depending on how thick you want the sauce. Add as needed.
Add salt and pepper to taste and add siling pangsigang.
Simmer 10-15 minutes over low heat.
Add panucha.
Simmer a little more. In olden times, the dish became ready after one had prayed one Padre Nuestro, one Ave Maria and one Gloria.
Secret: Remove stew from heat and cool at room temperature; let sit overnight. The following day, remove chilies before heating; then, before serving, put back chilies. If too thick, add a little more stock or water.
Leave blood cubes whole so as not to thicken stew.
‘Tinutungang dinuguan’ (Bicol)
(Recipe by specialty vinegar maker Linda R. Corsiga)
1 k pork liempo or kasim, cut to cubes or strips
2 pcs coconut (grated); divided
3 c pig’s fresh blood, liquid
½ c Lola Conching Classic Organic & All-Natural Coco Nectar Specialty Vinegar (available at Sugar Leaf)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
3 tbsp red onion (chopped)
6 pcs green chili (whole or sliced)
½ tsp cracked black pepper
4 pcs laurel leaves
Salt to taste
Put first half of grated coconut in a stainless steel bowl. Roast over coconut or wood charcoal until smoky in aroma and golden brown in color.
Combine roasted coconut with blood. Extract milk to make kakang gata (will be red). Strain. Set aside but do not throw away squeezed pulp.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining half of grated niyog with the squeezed pulp and add 4 cups water. Squeeze to second extraction. Strain.
Heat vegetable oil. Sauté onion and garlic.
Add pork and fry until brown.
Add the coconut milk, second extraction, black pepper and laurel leaves.
Bring to a boil. Simmer and mix continuously so blood does not curdle. Skim scum.
When the mixture is almost dry, pour in ½ cup Lola Conching Classic vinegar (excellent vinegar) and the kakang gata and mix well.
Cook for a few minutes, season with salt and add chilies. Serve warm.
‘Dinardaraan’ (Ilocos)
(Recipe by chef Nick Rodriguez of Bistro Candon)
½ c cooking oil or pork fat
10 cloves garlic
½ c sliced shallots
1 k pork head; slice meat as you would for pork barbecue
8 c water
3 c fresh pork blood
½ c vinegar
2 crushed peppercorns
Salt to taste
¼ k, pork liver, sliced
To the fresh pork blood, add vinegar and 1 tbsp salt. Stir until thick; once thick, it is ready for cooking. If blood has hardened, process and add vinegar and salt, then mix until smooth.
In a pan, heat oil and sauté garlic and shallots until fragrant and wilted.
Add pork head meat and sauté.
Add water and pork blood mixture and bring to a simmer, but do not boil. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens.
Add peppercorns and season to taste.
Add pork liver; remove from the fire.
Never bring mixture to a boil or else it will coagulate fast, and a smooth texture won’t be achieved.
And because the recipes are in keeping with the season, we wish you and yours a Happy Halloween! Enjoy!
Erratum
Apologies for last week’s dudol recipe. The first two ingredients are: 1 c rice flour and 3 c water, NOT 1 c flour and 3 c flour. Everything else, including the procedure, remains the same.
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