Easy Igado

Sunday dinners in our house mean take out or leftovers!  Haha!

  

I don't mind eating leftovers because I hate wasting food (plus I get to clear the fridge!).  There are leftovers that taste better as it gets older like Adobo.  I think we cook Adobo (one of the most loved Filipino dishes) once a week. but sometimes you just had enough and got to think of other dishes to try. 

So the other day, since we have some liver, green peas and bell pepper that have been sitting on the fridge for a few days now, I thought of cooking Igado.  It is an Ilocano dish (the province of Ilocos is located at the Northern part of the Philippines) which is like .  . . Adobo! Hahaha!  It has the same ingredients used in Adobo (garlic, vinegar and soy sauce) but what sets it apart is it has liver in it.  It is the liver which makes it Igado.  Some recipes even add other internal organs of the pig like kidney, heart or intestines.  In our case, we stop at liver! Haha!

I like this recipe from Kawaling Pinoy because it is simple and easy to do.  (Kawaling Pinoy is one of my favorite cooking blogs--- btw, you have to try her Pinoy Cheese Cupcake which I also blogged here).  You get good flavor because you have to marinate the meat first and then just put everything in a pot and wait for it cook.  And that means you can do other household chores or just have some extra time for yourself!  In my case, I caught up with my recorded TV shows, haha!

Have a good week ahead!

Recipe from Kawaling Pinoy

Ingredients:

1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2 inch strips

1/2 cup vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 small onion, peeled and sliced thinly

4 to 5 garlic, peeled and sliced thinly

2 bay leaves

8 to 10 pepper corns, cracked

1 tablespoon oil

1 small red bell pepper, cored, seed, and sliced into strips

1 cup water

1 lb liver, cut into 1/2 inch strips

1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed

salt to taste

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine pork strips, vinegar, soy sauce, onions, garlic, bay leaves and pepper corns.  Marinate for about 1 hour.  Drain meat from marinade, squeezing excess liquid.  Reserve marinade and aromatics.

2. In a pot over medium heat, heat oil.  Add bell peppers and cook for about 30 seconds.  Remove from pot and set aside.

3. Add the marinated pork including aromatics and cook, stirring occasionally, until pork lightly browns and onions and garlic are limp and aromatic.

4. Add reserved marinade and water and bring to a boil for about 4 to 5 minutes.  Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes or until pork is tender and liquid is reduced.  Add liver, stirring gently to combine and continue to cook.