Igado Recipe

Igado or also known as Dinaldalem is a popular Ilocano dish where the main ingredients are the combination of pork meat, liver, kidney, and heart. Many Filipino dishes are common and popular using the main ingredients of the internal organ of selected animals especially the pig. Others may say, Igado or Dinaldalem can be classified as exotic food because of the internal organs of the pig as the important ingredients of this recipe. This dish reflects the influence of the Spanish cuisine as the name "Igado" was derived from the Spanish term "higado" which means "liver". This dish would not be an Igado without liver as the majority of the ingredients. There are many variations of how to cook Igado. It depends on the available ingredients to make this dish, but the most important is the Liver where this will make the dish called Igado.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. pork tenderloin, sliced into 2-inch strips
• ½ lb pig's liver
• ½ lb pig's kidney
• 1½ cups green pea
• 1 medium-sized carrot, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 medium-sized onion, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 3 pieces dried bay leaves
• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
• 5 tablespoons vinegar
• 1¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Heat the cooking pot and pour-in the cooking oil.
• When the oil is hot enough, sauté the garlic and onions.
• Add the pork tenderloin and continue cooking until the colour of the outer part turns light brown.
• Pour-in the soy sauce and water then simmer until the pork is tender.
• Add the pig’s kidney, dried bay leaves, salt, and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the pig’s liver and vinegar then simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Put-in the carrots and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Add the green pea and red bell pepper and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Allow the liquid to evaporate to thicken the remaining sauce.
• Transfer to a serving plate then serve.