Description
Nilagang Baboy is a traditional Filipino boiled pork soup, perfect for cozy nights. It features tender pork ribs simmered to melt-in-your-mouth perfection with hearty vegetables like potatoes, green saba bananas, green beans, and pechay in a flavorful broth seasoned with fish sauce and peppercorns. This comforting soup brings warmth and nutrition to the table, making it an ideal family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Broth
- 2 pounds Pork ribs (essential for a rich and hearty flavor)
- 8 cups Water (to create that comforting broth base)
- 1 medium Yellow onion (helps deepen the savory notes of the dish)
- 1 teaspoon Peppercorn (adds a subtle warmth to the overall flavor profile)
- 2 tablespoons Fish sauce (brings umami depth and enhances the dish’s savory qualities)
Vegetables
- 3 medium Potatoes (adds creaminess; makes the dish filling)
- 2 pieces Green saba bananas (providing a sweet contrast to the savory flavors)
- 1 cup Baguio beans (green beans) (contributes crunch and freshness to the mix)
- 1 bunch Onion leek or green onion (brightens the dish with a mild onion flavor)
- 1 cup Pechay (cabbage) (offers a tender, nutritious leafy addition)
Seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste (to balance the flavors for perfection)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pork: Place the pork ribs in a large pot and cover with just enough water to submerge them. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once scum rises, turn off the heat, discard the water, and rinse the ribs to remove impurities.
- Simmer for Flavor: Return the cleaned pork ribs to the pot and add 8 cups of fresh water, sliced onion, peppercorn, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil again over high heat, then cover and reduce heat to low. Let it simmer gently until the meat is fork tender, approximately 1 hour.
- Prepare the Vegetables: While the meat simmers, wash, peel, and quarter the potatoes. Slice the ends off the green saba bananas, wash them, and cut each into 3 diagonal pieces. Soak the potatoes and bananas in water until ready to use to prevent discoloration.
- Chop and Wash: Trim and wash the pechay leaves thoroughly. Remove ends from the Baguio beans and cut into 3-inch pieces. Cut off the root end of the onion leek and slice the stalk into 2-inch sections.
- Cook the Bananas and Potatoes: Add the green saba bananas to the simmering pot and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Finally, add the green beans and continue cooking until all the vegetables are tender, roughly an additional 5 minutes.
- Season and Add Greens: Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper as needed. Add the chopped green onions and pechay, cover the pot, and let it simmer for one more minute to merge the flavors before turning off the heat.
- Serve and Enjoy: Ladle the Nilagang Baboy soup into bowls and serve hot. This dish pairs wonderfully with steamed rice and can be accompanied by a side of spicy fish sauce for added kick.
Notes
- Discarding the initial boiling water after blanching the ribs helps remove impurities and results in a clearer broth.
- Soaking the cut potatoes and saba bananas in water prevents them from oxidizing and turning brown before cooking.
- You can adjust the seasoning of the broth with more fish sauce or salt according to taste preferences.
- This soup is traditionally served hot and pairs well with steamed white rice for a filling meal.
- For a spicier twist, serve with a condiment of fish sauce mixed with chili peppers.
