How to cook Menudo with Raisins and Green Peas

Pork Menudo is not complete without liver. However, there are some people who don’t want to include it because of its gamy taste. This recipe deals with this issue by providing a step wherein the liver is sauteed in minced ginger; this gets rid of the gamy flavor of the liver making it more pleasurable to eat. It is better to use Filipino style red hotdogs for this recipe. If you don’t have it, I suggest that you use less salty substitutes. I would prefer beef franks over wieners, if you’ll ask me. The potatoes and carrots can be fried separately before adding them in the cooking pot with the rest of the ingredients — just make sure that you let the excess oil drip so that the dish won’t be very oily. Pork menudo is best enjoyed with warm steamed white rice. I also find it good with sinangag in the morning for breakfast.

Menudo with Raisins and Green Peas

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. pork, cubed
• 1/4 lb. pig’s liver, cubed
• 4 hotdogs, sliced diagonally
• 2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cubed
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3/4 cups frozen green peas
• 3 pieces dried bay leaves
• 15 oz. tomato sauce
• 16 ounces beef broth or 2 cups beef stock
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Procedure

1. Heat the cooking oil in a wide cooking pot.
2. Saute the hotdogs for 1 minute. Transfer the hotdogs in a plate while leaving the remaining cooking oil.
3. On the same cooking pot, add-in the ginger. Saute for 30 seconds to a minute.
4. Put-in the liver. Continue to saute for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate while leaving the remaining cooking oil in the cooking pot. Set the liver aside.
5. On the same cooking pot with remaining cooking oil, saute the onion and garlic until the onion becomes soft. Note: you can add more oil if there isn’t enough left.
6. Add-in the pork. Continue to cook until light brown.
7. Add the raisins, pour-in the tomato sauce and beef broth. Bring to a boil.
8. Add the dried bay leaves and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes or until the pork becomes tender.
9. Put-in the sauteed liver and hotdog. Stir.
10. Add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and cook for 8 minutes.
11. Put-in the green peas. Stir.
12. Add salt and pepper to taste.
13. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve.
14. Share and enjoy!