Luto sa Patis - Pinatisan

Luto sa Patis

You might have heard of binagoongan -- meat, usually pork, braised/stewed in a tomato-based sauce flavored with bagoong.  Well, the version I learned from my mom uses patis as its primary savory flavor, and here is that version written down.  (Tested and tasted by me, and many others, at our recent Christmas Family Gathering in Bayonne.)  I have re-calculated the measurements for a 'family' size recipe (as opposed to a potluck-sized quadruple recipe that my mom and I brought to Bayonne.)

3 tbsp cooking oil (I prefer soybean)
5 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced fine
1 large onion, cut into thin strips
3-4 plum tomatoes, chopped (leave the seeds and don't peel)
(or, my preferred substitution is 1 1/2 cups Pomi brand chopped tomatoes)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup patis (I prefer Rufina brand, but you could try any other type/brand of fish sauce)
1 1/2 pounds country-style boneless pork ribs, sliced into 1/2-inch thick strips about 1 inch length

The prep (slicing, mincing, cutting up the pork) takes the most time and patience.  The cooking occurs in four distinct but flowing steps: Guisa, Sangkutcha, Palambot, and Timpla.

Guisa:  Filipino version of saute/'trinity'.  In a 4-5 quart pot over medium heat, place cooking oil and heat till it shimmers.  Add the minced garlic and fry till slightly golden, about 1 minute.  Add the sliced onions, stir, and cook till onions are translucent and very soft (adjust heat to avoid burning or browning the onions).  This might take 5-10 minutes.  Add tomatoes, stir and cook till onions are very soft and begin to leave a slight brown "fond" (crusting) on the bottom of the pot.  (If using Pomi, the tomatoes have already been seeded and peeled, the only unfortunate part of using this convenient product.)  This process takes 5-7 minutes, depending on the heat.  Using the back of a cooking spoon, crush any remaining chunks of tomato against the sides of the pot (do this crushing once the tomatoes have softened enough).

Sangkutsa: to par-cook the ingredient in a flavorful sauce.  Increase the heat to medium-high. To the pot with the tomato mixture, add the patis, then stir until the sauce is fragrant (this will only take about 10-15 seconds).  Add the sliced pork.  Stir the mixture so that the tomato sauce coats the pork.  This is the 'sangkucha' process.

Palambot: to allow the ingredient to soften as it cooks.  Set the fire to medium and cover the pot.  After a few minutes, stir the mixture and adjust the flame so that a gentle boil is achieved.  Cover, and then stir occasionally until meat has softened, about 35-45 minutes.  You will notice that moisture from the cooking of the pork will cause an increase in the liquid in the pot, creating the sauce.  (Check the pork after 35 minutes -- you are looking for a fork-tender doneness.)

Timpla: to adjust the seasoning before serving.  Once the pork has softened, taste the sauce and meat, adding patis and/or pepper to taste.  There should be a distinct taste of the patis without being overly salty.  Decrease saltiness by adding a few tablespoons of cooking oil, as needed.  Adjust the consistency of the sauce with a few tablespoons of hot water, as desired.

Serve with and over white rice.  Serves a hungry family.

Enjoy, and please try it out, and comment back with your results and experience.

-DENNIS