Tokwa’t Baboy (Pork with Tofu)

The food in the Philippines is found in such wide variety due to the fact that it has come in contact with several contrasting cultures. Chinese, Spanish, Malaysian, Indonesian, American, and Spanish to name a few. That is why some recipes in the Philippines when you look at them seem to include ingredients that are not common in one type of cuisine. As with other countries that had long contacts with other nations, their cuisine has imbibed some of the characteristics of those countries. Take for example this recipe that I now share, tomato from Spain, tofu from Japanese, fermented black bean and cornstarch from Chinese, etc. Combine them all into his recipe and you will not find a similar recipe in either one of the countries of which their respective cuisine is known to include each of the items. Truly the mix has become one of the identities of Philippine cuisine. As time goes by and more association with other countries are established and new technology or modern amenities make the world smaller due to ease of communication and learning, evolution and adaptation of other ingredients unique to some other culture will be adapted to create a uniquely Filipino taste. Like what is being experienced in other countries.

Ingredients

¾ kg Pork, cut into large strips

½ kg Tofu, cut into large strips

½ cup Tomatoes, quartered

7 cloves Garlic, minced

1 pc. Onion, medium, thinly sliced

4 tbsp. Premium dark soy sauce

1 tbsp. Fermented black beans

½ tsp. Black pepper powder

¾ cup Water

1 tbsp. Safflower oil for sautéing

½ cup Safflower oil for frying the tofu

1 tsp. Sugar

¼ cup Celery, chopped

Cooking Instruction:

Heat ½ cup of oil in a frying pan and brown all sides of the tofu. Set aside tofu atop paper towels to remove excess oil.

In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tbsp. safflower oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the garlic turns golden brown and the onion starts to caramelize. Add the pork and stir. Cook for about two minutes and then add the black pepper, soy sauce, water, sugar, black beans, and the pork. Cover and pressure cook for about 15-20 minutes. After the said time has elapsed, turn off heat and allow cooling normally. Do not vent steam to accelerate cooling as the additional time which will take about 10-15 minutes will be used as additional cooking time to further tenderize the meat. After sufficiently cooled, open the cooker and skim off oil to lower fat content of the dish. Add the celery and stir. In a small bowl, suspend the cornstarch in ¼ cup of water and add to the mixture. Turn on heat and boil. When the starch is cooked, serve with plain steamed buns or with rice.