Pechay with Ground Pork Vegetable Soup Recipe

Pechay  or Chinese cabbage (Pak Choi) is a cabbage. It is one of the most known vegetables in the Philippines. It is also known as one of the oldest green vegetables in Asia. The Pechay differs in many aspects from other  cabbages.

It is often used in stews and soups. It isn’t tasty by itself, so it needs some salt and other flavour to be added. Meals with Pechay are often completed with other vegetables and fish or meat. In my version, I’ll make use of ground pork just to make it different.

They say that pechay or is a good source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B. Decoction of the rhizomes and young leaves can be used for hemoptysis and coughs.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kg ground pork
• 5 cups water
• 1/4 kg pechay
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 head medium red onion, minced
• 1 tomato, quartered
• 1 Knorr beef seasoning cube
• salt, pepper and patis (fish sauce)

Procedure:
In a pot, put the frozen ground pork with 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon of salt and pepper.

Put a lid and cook under medium fire. When the water starts to boil, remove the cover to let the water evaporate and the fat oils from the pork to come out.

While waiting for the water to boil, cut and separate the pechay stalks from the leaves, then cut the stalks and the leaves into 1-centimeter lengths.

In the pot, when all the water has evaporated, move and press the ground pork to one side to let all the fat oil to come out.

Saute the garlic, onion and tomatoes with the fat oil. When garlic becomes light brown, stir in the beef seasoning cube and continue with the saute. (take note: I make use of beef cubes to make it more tastier.)

Add the pechay stalks and stir everything, including the ground pork. After 2 minutes, add 4 cups of water.

Simmer for another 2 minutes, then add the pechay leaves. Stir.

Remove from the heat and season with patis, salt and pepper according to taste.

Serve hot with steaming rice.

BONGGA BA?