This recipe is the lighter version of Igado, a popular Ilocano dish made with strips of pork and liver slowly stewed in our favorite soy sauce and vinegar concoction. It is similar to adobo but with menudo ingredients.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Servings: 5servings
Calories: 415kcal
Author: Mella
Ingredients
Pork
600gramspork, i used tenderloin and pork bellycut into strips, see note 1
Marinate - Place strips of pork in a bowl. Add garlic and soy sauce. Stir and marinate for 10 minutes.
600 grams pork, i used tenderloin and pork belly, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 6 cloves garlic
Prepare liver - In another bowl, place the sliced liver. Add vinegar. Stir and marinate for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, wash the liver with water then drain well. This step removes or at least lessens the smell of the liver.
230 grams pork liver, 1 tbsp vinegar
Saute - Heat oil in a deep pot. Saute onions and garlic until fragrant and translucent. Add marinated pork. Cook over high heat until no longer pink.
3 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 medium red onion
Cook until tender - Add laurel, black pepper, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and water. Cook just until tender. Cooking time will vary depending on the type of pork you're using. Add more water if the liquid dries up too quickly.
1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 pieces laurel/ bay leaf, 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, ground black pepper, 3/4 cup water or broth
Cook liver - Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a small pan. Pan-fry the liver with a pinch of black pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately remove from heat. DON'T FULLY COOK. Set aside.
230 grams pork liver
Add veg & vinegar - Once the pork is almost tender, add potatoes and carrots. Stir to combine. Pour vinegar (DO NOT STIR). Simmer for 12 minutes or until the vegetables have softened (do not overcook).
2 medium potatoes, 1 medium carrot, 1/3 cup vinegar
Finish cooking - Add the cooked liver, green peas, and bell pepper. Continue cooking until the sauce has thickened.
Taste and adjust salt/pepper/sugar as needed. Serve with rice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Pork - use pork belly or pork shoulder as a substitute for tenderloin but a longer cooking time is needed.
Broth - water and broth can be used alternatively. The broth will make the sauce more flavorful. Use 1/2 pc of chicken or pork bouillon so the sauce won't become too salty.
Oyster sauce - You can also use liquid seasonings such as Knorr, Maggi, or Liquid aminos. This deepens the flavor of the sauce.
Types of vinegar you can use are coconut vinegar, cane vinegar, rice vinegar, or sukang Iloko.
Pot with lid - is recommended to make Igado which retains more liquid compared to a wok or a shallow pan.
Do not overcook the liver. It can get tough and chewy.