Growing up in the Philippines, I’m no stranger to what other nationalities would probably call ‘weird food’. And one of my favorites is Papaitan or Pinapaitan. It’s an Ilocano dish that’s famous in the entire archipelago.

Now, if you’re faint of heart, I urge you to stop reading.
But if you think you can handle it, read on.

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This dish is made from cow or goat innards flavored with bile. YES. Bile. Aka GALL - the dark green/ yellowish substance produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder.

It’s used to make Papaitan bitter.

Papaitan literally means “made bitter”. So, in English, you could call the dish “Beef Innards Stew”. Yum.

Yes, it is an acquired taste. It’s really tasty and you should at least give it a try. It will open your taste buds to flavor combinations you’ve never experienced before.

I personally love it. It’s a good ‘pulutan’ or ‘ulam’.

Healthy, Tasty, and Nutritious

Cow innards (tripe, kidney, liver, heart, intestines, pancreas) are incredibly nutritious. While I’m not a nutritionist, this is what I learned about cow innards:

If you haven’t tried eating heart, you might be surprised at how good it tastes. It contains vitamins and minerals such as selenium, zinc, and iron and vitamins B12, B6, and B2.

When it comes to nutrient-density, nothing beats liver. It contains folate, choline, vitamin A, iron, zinc, and selenium. Quick fact: liver is the richest source of vitamin B12.

The kidney contains huge amounts of protein and amino acids. It also contains healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

The tripe and intestines contain micronutrients and probiotics that may help improve your digestion.

Ready to try Papaitan yet?

Papaitan Recipe

For the brave souls out there who would like to try to make and eat Papaitan, here is a recipe from Panlasang Pinoy:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb ox tripe
• 1/2 lb cow’s small intestine
• 1/2 lb beef, thinly sliced and chopped
• 1/2 lb cow’s heart
• 2 tablespoons bile
• 2 knobs ginger, julienned
• 1 medium sized onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
• 8 cups water
• 4 to 6 pieces finger chilies
• 2 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 to 2 pieces lemon (or 5 to 8 pieces calamansi)
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

1. Heat a cooking pot and pour-in 4 cups of water and put-in 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil.
2. Put-in the ox tripe and small intestines and simmer until tender. This should take approximately 35 to 50 minutes.
3. Turn off heat. Remove the tender ox tripe and small intestines then slice. Set aside.
4. Heat a clean cooking pot and pour-in cooking oil.
5. When the oil is hot enough, sauté garlic, onion, and ginger.
6. Add the beef, heart, sliced intestines, and tripe then cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Add 1 1/2 tablespoon salt and ground black pepper then stir for a minute.
8. Pour-in remaining 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 40 minutes (you may add more water if needed).
9. Add bile then simmer for 5 minutes.
10. Add the finger chilies and squeeze-in the lemon juice then simmer for 3 minutes.
11. Turn off the heat and transfer to a serving bowl.
12. Serve hot. Share and enjoy!

Buy If You’re Too Lazy To Cook . . .

Several restaurants in Manila offer this exotic dish. One of my favorite places to eat Papaitan is Talisay 2 in Pililla, Rizal. If you ever pass by Manila East Road, you can’t miss it. For only 60 pesos, you can enjoy their tasty papaitan with rice.

What are your experiences with Filipino food? Please share in the comment section.