Boil, Boil, Toil, and Trouble

When feeling flu-ey, I need comfort food like lugaw (pospas) or something soupy as tinola and nilaga (stew in clear soup). Nilaga (literally means 'boiled') can be either pork or beef just as long as you use the boney parts with some meat bits in them. This is actually my stock recipe with potatoes and some greens. And since it is bland, I require a lemon and patis (fish sauce) dip to go with it. This is very easy to make just throw everything in the pot and let the meat cook until tender. Nice to have on a wintry flu-ey day when all you want to do is curl up beneath the duvet.


Nilagang Baka o Baboy
(Clear Soup Stew of Beef or Pork)

500 g  boney parts of beef or pork (ribs, tail, etc.)
6-7 cups meat stock or water
2 tsp sea salt
1 medium onion - quartered
1 celery stalk - cut into 1.5 inches long
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp peppercorns
1 carrot - peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick
2 potatoes - peeled and cut into 3/4 inch thick pieces
1/2 Chinese cabbage (or any cabbage) - cut into serving pieces

1. Put the beef/pork, water, salt, onion, peppercorns, and celery in a stock pot and bring to boil.
2. Skim off scum floating on top. Simmer for about 1 hour.
3. Add in carrots and potatoes. Bring to boil and simmer again until meat is tender and/or potatoes are cooked.
4. Add in cabbages and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with lemon juice and patis (fish sauce).