[KNIVES UP!!!] Chef Straykat Cooks No.7: Pork Binagoongan! (Pork in Shrimp Paste)

Welcome to Chef Straykat Cooks! Where I cook whatever comes to mind with whatever ingredients available! Sounds like disaster, isn't it? No, no, no! This recipe was tested and tasted by no less than the chef's exquisite palate! 🫰🏻

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Oink!!!

As far as I remember, the dishes I've done with pork aside from frying were only Adobo (Vinegar-Braised) and Sinigang (Tamarind Soup). I have always had the Pork Binagoongan dish at the back of my mind but I was intimidated to try cook it because I thought it's a complicated dish to make.

My mom makes delicious Pork Binagoongan and I always eat a lot when this was the dish she makes. Last November, I was really craving for one so I bought the ingredients needed for this recipe. I was supposed to make this dish last week of November but I forgot to purchase eggplant. Lol. Though I was able to buy it when I went out to meet a friend two weeks ago to celebrate her birthday.

~ PORK BINAGOONGAN ~

Our province makes good shrimp paste (alamang or agamang) and is known for it. I thought I would still have to go to the wet market to buy it but I saw it being sold at the grocery as well.

Before I proceed with sharing the pork binagoongan recipe, I would just like to share my confusion with how this recipe is called "Binagoongan". Fish sauce in Filipino is "bagoong" while shrimp paste is called "alamang or agamang". Then why is this dish named Pork Binagoongan if we use shrimp paste?

Hmm... probably because the sauteed shrimp paste looks similar to bagoong (fish sauce). Remember that we should use the sauteed shrimp paste not the shrimp paste in pink color. However, if memory serves me right, my mom uses the pink one. I'm just not sure if she saute it before using on dishes. The sauteed shrimp paste is brown to dark brown in color.

PROCEDURE

(1) Cut pork belly into small slices (almost bite size) and fry. (This procedure is done if you want crunchy pork skin.) Set aside.

Slice eggplant into circles or lengthwise. Whatever shaped you want, honestly. Fry and set aside.

(2) Leave the oil used for frying the eggplant and saute garlic, onion, and tomatoes. Saute until tomatoes are soft.

(3) Add the bagoong alamang (shrimp paste). Mix and cook for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

(4) Add vinegar and tomato paste. Mix.

(5) Add all-purpose cream. Mix. (This is optional and supposedly coconut milk. However, I don't have coconut milk at the moment so I resorted with all-purpose cream instead.)

(6) Pour in the water then add the pork seasoning cube once it starts boiling. Also add the sugar and pepper after. Mix and simmer for 5 to minutes.

(7) Mix before adding the eggplant and pork belly on top of the sauce. Serve and enjoy!!!

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Yum!!! 🤍

As my first try making Pork Binagoongan, I must say that I didn't fail. It may not taste the same as my mom's pork binagoongan but mine still tastes decent. I love the taste of shrimp paste combined with a tinge of sweetness. It complements perfectly with pork meat and belly fat. And I was also afraid I made too much sauce but it turned out just enough because I love pouring a lot of sauce all over my rice.

As much as I wanted to make this dish everyday, this is obviously not a very healthy food. It's oily and salty so it is only good to eat it once in a while. If you eat pork then might as well try this recipe! It's good. :)

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👩🏻‍🍳👩🏻‍🍳👩🏻‍🍳
_{Chef Straykat has an experience of more than a year in her family's kitchen. Her goal is to deliciously cook whatever dish crosses her mind; to cook fast and without using measuring tools because that's how chefs do it.
In short, Straykat is a self-proclaimed chef. xoxo 🤌✨️}