Guiso is a Kapampangan dish of pork, chicken, hotdogs and liver cooked with tomato sauce and pickles, it may look like a menudo, but it tastes differently, its sweet and tangy
Guiso or what Mrs. Galang calls Lutong Pulis is an interesting concoction of pork, chicken, hotdogs and liver cooked with tomato sauce and pickles. While no one knows exactly who and where this dish was created, I guess just basing on its name it would probably be of Spanish origin specially that we know Pampanga was re-organized as a province by the Spaniards on December 11, 1571. During this time when the Philippines was under Spanish rule, Spanish priests and sailors taught Kapampangan’s the basics of Spanish cooking, in which the Kapampangan’s were able to produce a unique blend that surprised the Spanish palate which we now know as the Kapampangan cuisine.
Morcon, Menudo, Caldereta, Estofado, Embutido, Asado, Lengua, Chicharon, Afritada and Bringhe (Kapampangan Paella) are the dishes that have close similarities to the flavours you get from the Spanish cuisine, and these are the ones we know of but there are other Kapampangan dishes that are unknown like our post today the Guiso. Guiso is the Spanish word for “stew” or “cooked dish”, so in reality this can be made from anything, if you search online recipes for this you will see Spanish inspired or Mexican dishes which are cooked with tomatoes, garlic and onions. Our recipe for today is nothing different but unlike the non-Filipino guiso recipes out there that are vegetable and root crop heavy this one is the opposite, it is meatier, in fact it has at least 4 different meat types.
Some may say it’s like Menudo or Afritada, trust me its neither, it’s not even a cross of both as the taste is quite unique due to the amount of pickles used making it tangy and sweet. Have you tried this dish yet?
Guiso is a Kapampangan dish of pork, chicken, hotdogs and liver cooked with tomato sauce and pickles, it may look like a menudo, but it tastes differently, its sweet and tangy
In a pot add oil gently brown pork belly on all sides in medium heat this will take around 15 minutes. Remove pork from pot then set it aside.
Put the onions and garlic in the pot then sauté until onions are soft.
Add the chicken and pork, cook for 5 minutes while constantly stirring
Add the hotdogs and bay leaf then pour the chopped tomatoes and pickle juice. Give it a mix then cover the pot and let it cook in medium low heat for 30 minutes in low heat. Occasionally mix it to prevent the meat from burning below.
Add the pork liver, mix it to distribute evenly then continue to cook in medium low heat for 15 minutes.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, turn heat off then serve.
Notes
If you can’t find pickle juice you can make them by combining 2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup white vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp salt.
