Pork and Squash (Tabungao) Soup
Ingredients:
| 2 lbs | pork -- cut into 1/2" cubes or as desired |
| 5 - 6 | pieces chopped fresh garlic |
| 2 tbs | salt |
| 2 tbs | pepper |
| 6 -8 cups | squash or "tabungao" - sliced to desired thickness, removing skin, seeds and spongy interior. This squash species is also referred to as hyotan |
| 5 | medium sized tomatoes, sliced |
| ¼ cup | cooking oil |
| 1 bunch | fresh watercress |
Instructions:
- In medium-sized pot, add cooking oil and garlic -- brown garlic just a little
- Add pork, salt and pepper
- When pork is browned, cover pot, lower heat and allow to simmer to reduce pork juices
- When pork is almost fully cooked add sliced tomatoes. Simmer until tomatoes are reduced and pork is soft. Taste soup and add salt or pepper as needed.
- Add diced squash and simmer until 1/2 - 3/4 cooked. Remove from heat. Squash will continue to cook as soup is cooling.
- Optional: As soup is cooling, add desired amount of fresh watercress to soup
- Serve soup with a bowl of rice
Note: Do not add water. The pork, tomatoes and squash will make all the soup you need. If you want more soup add more tomatoes or squash.
Additional garnish: Shrimp paste -- diluted with the squash soup -- and used for dipping meat or adding more flavor each spoonful of soup and rice.
Recipe submitted by Judge Edmund Acoba