Hi Steemians,
Oh my! It has been a month since I last posted about a recipe. I hope you missed it. Anyways, here is what is instilled for today. The Visayan version of Pork Adobo but with a kiss of sweetness and savor: PORK HUMBA. Over the weekends, I cooked this dish and even shared it with my colleagues.
ETYMOLOGY AND NATURE
It has been long a mystery on the origins of this dish. Some claims that this is from the Chinese "hong-ba," others say that this is purely Bisaya "umba." Regardless though, wherever roots may this came, it just shows our ingenuity to make a dish better. The added spices from the similar Pork Adobo may be to extend shelf life.
This dish can last for a month. Yes, and unlike other viands that loses its quality in time, this doesn't. Some even prefer to eat it when it has already been days. In my place(Leyte), this is a much celebrated and adored dish. We have this in festivities, parties, celebrations and many more. The dish can melt in your mouth and can encourage more rice. HAHA.
...now, let us start cooking...
PROCUREMENT OF INGREDIENTS
For this recipe proper, I used sliced pork belly (1/2 kilo). Why? The combination of skin, fat, meat and bone is perfect. Unlike lean meat that I find bland and boring, Humba also utilizes pork fat to add flavor and thrill to the experience. After washing them, I pat them dry with paper towels.
I like to cook dishes that are on a budget. So instead of using pure pineapple juice, I used a tetra pack. HAHA. Don't use them all though, I dissolved it in a glass and just used like 1/3 of it.
Mince 2 garlics and 1 onion. Make it not so fine but not so coarse either. We want it to exist and not be dissolved completely into the mix.
....and the star of the show banana blossoms... This is just 10 pesos or 1/5 of a dollar($) in the market. Of course you have the option to use tausi or black beans but just banana blossoms is already perfect for me.
PROCEDURE
Sear first the pork slices in a hot pan with oil. Wait until it is brownish or the fat has already oozed. Take them out from the pan.
In the same pan, saute' your garlic and onions.
Add the pork belly slices after the garlic turns brown and the onions become soft. Mix for like 2 minutes to prevent being burnt.
Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Once everything seems coated, add your pineapple juice. Let it simmer for like 5 minutes. Add your banana blossoms, salt and pepper then cook for 30 - 45 minutes or until the sauce is sticky and almost vanishing. Once satisfied, add 1 bay leaf to taste.
Serve with rice.
SCIENCE BEHIND THE TECHNIQUES USED
SEARING
When I cook meats may it be fish, pork, chicken or beef, I employ this technique whenever applicable. Searing is used to attain that distinct caramelized flavor when these meats are immersed in a hot pan with little or no oil. Make sure that a brown crust is formed but not too much to make it bitter and destroy presentation due to blackening. Searing also adds attraction to the meat.
PATTING DRY THE MEAT AFTER WASHING
I do this because I know oil is less dense than water. Importance? They don't mix. When a hot pan with oil is in contact with water, you would notice its violent reaction. Patting the meat dry will prevent this from happening so that you will not be a knight armed with a plate shield or the ladle extended trying to avoid the hot oil splash.
SLOW COOKING
Don't rush cooking. Make it worth it. Using low flames saves energy or gas. It also ensures that all parts of the meat is cooked evenly and not just the outer part. Cook with passion and time not hurriedly.