TRADITIONAL FOOD AND DRINKS IN ILOILO
One of Iloilo’s most well-known specialties and a must-try dish, La Paz Batchoy is served in eateries all around Iloilo City. Miki, or round noodles, swine organs (liver, spleen, kidneys, and heart), beef loin, shrimp stock, and chicharon (pork cracklings) are used to make this noodle soup. One of Jaro’s barrios was where La Paz first appeared. When it was first founded in 1584, it went by the name Bagong Banera. But it wasn’t until 1856 that it broke away from Jaro and established itself as a distinct pueblo (town) called Lobo. The first batchoy shop in La Paz, Iloilo City, according to Inggo’s Batchoy, opened in 1922, 16 years before Deco’s La Paz Batchoy Shop, which debuted in 1938. Federico Guilergan Sr. is credited with creating the dish in 1938 in Iloilo. It is believed to have come from the La Paz neighborhood’s Chinese neighborhood. Chinese phrase “Ba-Chui,” which means chunks of meat, is whence the name “batchoy” originated. Over time, the Filipinos embraced it and transformed it into the delectable noodle soup we are familiar with today. La Paz Batchoy costs between 70 and 120 pesos. Your bowl of La Paz Batchoy can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. It is stated that Ilonggos prefer to first savor their soup before asking for more. For enhanced crispiness, you can also request extra toasted smashed garlic or chicharon.
PREPARATION:
- In a pot add boiling water together with pork belly and pork heart, boil for 5 minutes then remove meat from the pot then rinse with cold water to remove any scum.
- Using the same pot and water add the pork liver and boil for 5 minutes, drain then rinse with cold water to remove any scum.
- In a separate clean pot add oil then sauté garlic and onion, stir-fry until onions turn translucent.
- Now add the three types of broth, pork belly, pork heart, black pepper, sugar, soy sauce and shrimp paste.
- Bring to a boil then simmer for 30-40 minutes or until meat is tender.
- Now add the liver and season it with fish sauce (use according to your liking), simmer for additional 10 minutes.
- Cook the noodles according to instructions.
- Then once cooked place in a bowl.
- Pour hot boiling broth in the noodle bowl together with meat then top it with crushed chicharon, fried garlic, spring onion and raw egg.
- Serve and stir in raw eggs while broth is still hot
INGREDIENTS:
For the Batchoy
500 g Miki or Egg noodles
300 g pork belly, sliced into small pieces
150 g pork liver, sliced into small pieces
2 pcs pork heart, sliced into small pieces
1 medium sized white onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cups pork stock
4 cups beef stock
4 cups shrimps stock (you can make this by frying then boiling shrimp heads)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sautéed shrimp paste
fish sauce
oil
For Garnishing
Chicharon, crushed
Fried garlic
Spring onion, chopped
Fresh Egg
