Pinapaitan Recipe – Ilocano Comfort Soup
Pinapaitan is a hearty Ilocano comfort soup known for its bold, bitter flavor derived from beef or goat innards simmered with bile. This traditional dish balances rich, savory, and slightly spicy notes, offering a uniquely satisfying experience
Ingredients
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1250 g Beefmix of beef meat and innards like lungs, liver, tripe, and intestines
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2 cups Beef BileDiluted and strained
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200 g Green Chili Pepperwhole(slice if your prefer a more spicy version)
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Juiced Lemon
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3 large pieces Red OnionSlice half into thin strips and the other half in quarters
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1 bulb GarlicSlice half into strips and just pound the other
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3 large pieces GingerSlice half into strips and just pound the other
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2 tablespoon Fish Sauce
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1 teaspoon Black PepperGround
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1 teaspoon Black PepperFor the soup base
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1 tablespoon SaltAdjust to your preference
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5 pieces Bay Leaves
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1/2 cup Canola Oil
Directions
Welcome Kabayans! This is your ultimate destination for delicious, easy-to-follow Filipino Dishes and for today, we are doing the staple Ilocano comfort soup, Pinapaitan.
Pinapaitan is a traditional Filipino dish that hails from the Ilocos region, known for its distinctively bitter flavor profile. The name “Pinapaitan” is derived from the Ilocano word “pait,” which means “bitter.” This bitterness is a defining characteristic of the dish, traditionally achieved by adding bile (often from a goat or cow) to a hearty stew of beef or goat innards, such as liver, tripe, and intestines. The use of bile, an ingredient not commonly found in many other cuisines, adds a unique depth to the dish, giving it an earthy, complex flavor that sets it apart from other Filipino soups and stews.
Pinapaitan is considered a delicacy and a beloved comfort food in many Filipino households, especially in northern Luzon. The dish is known for its complex flavors—rich, savory, and slightly spicy—balanced by the bitterness of the bile, which gives it a unique taste that is both challenging and rewarding to the palate. The bitterness is often tempered by the addition of ginger, onions, garlic, and sometimes green chilies, which enhance the overall flavor profile and add a slight kick to the dish.
Traditionally, Pinapaitan is cooked over low heat to allow the flavors to meld together, resulting in a broth that is both robust and deeply satisfying. It is typically served hot, often accompanied by steamed rice, and is a popular choice for celebrations and gatherings, particularly among Ilocanos. In some regions, the dish is also enjoyed as a pulutan (a snack or appetizer served with alcoholic drinks), where its bold flavors pair well with local spirits like gin or lambanog.
Despite its strong flavors, Pinapaitan is celebrated for its ability to warm the body and soul, making it a staple in Filipino cuisine. It is a dish that embodies the resourcefulness and culinary creativity of the Ilocano people, turning humble ingredients into a dish that is rich in tradition and flavor. For those unaccustomed to the bitterness of bile, Pinapaitan may be an acquired taste, but for many Filipinos, it is a taste that brings comfort, nostalgia, and a sense of home.
Prepare the ingredients. Cut the onions, garlic, and ginger. Separate the stips for the saute and the whole ones for the soup.
Prepare a pot to boil the meat and innards. Do not add spices. This process is done to thoroughly clean the beef and remove the fishy smell.
Thoroughly clean the beef innards by boiling them in water for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
To make the soup base, boil the beef and innards with onion, garlic, and ginger. Add whole peppers and bay leaf too. Once it starts boiling, put it on low to medium heat and cook for about 1 hour and 45 minutes to make the tasty and comforting broth.
When the beef and innards are soft, drain the mixture and set the soup aside. Cut the meat and innards intro strips.
Heat the work and add canola oil.
Saute the onion, garlic, and ginger until golden brown.
Add the beef and innards. Saute for a minute.
Season with ground black pepper and fish sauce. Saute for another minute.
Add back the strained soup and bring to a boil.
Add the bile and lemon juice. Mix and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the green chilies and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
Pinapaitan is ready to serve. Serve it with steamed white rice or eat is as it is. Enjoy!
Recipe Reviews
Ingredients
| 1250 g Beef | |
| 2 cups Beef Bile | |
| 200 g Green Chili Pepper | |
| Juiced Lemon | |
| 3 large pieces Red Onion | |
| 1 bulb Garlic | |
| 3 large pieces Ginger | |
| 2 tablespoon Fish Sauce | |
| 1 teaspoon Black Pepper | |
| 1 teaspoon Black Pepper | |
| 1 tablespoon Salt | |
| 5 pieces Bay Leaves | |
| 1/2 cup Canola Oil |
