Pork Pochero (Pork Pot)

Pochero is a Spanish dish of meat chunks stewed with local ingredients, such as, saba bananas (or plantains), potatoes or sweet potatoes, long beans, chickpeas, cabbage, and tomato sauce. This is the pork version.

Pork Pochero (Pork Pot)

1 pound pork belly or pork tenderloin

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons patis (fish-sauce)

1 tablespoon whole pepper

1 small can tomato sauce

1 cup chick peas (garbanzos)

1 large ripe plantain banana

1 medium sized potato

1 small cabbage, quartered

1/4-pound long green beans

1 bunch bok choy

1 cup water

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Cut pork into 1-inch cubes; cut plaintain into 1/2-inch rounds; cut potato into 1/2-inch cubes; and remove root end from bok choy and cut remainder into four pieces.

Heat cooking oil in a large pot; sauté garlic, onions, and tomatoes.

Add pork and cook until the lightly browned.

Add patis, pepper corns, and tomato sauce and water. Stir to blend. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until pork is tender (about 30 to 40 minutes).

Add potato, plantain, and chick peas. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes.

Add cabbage and long green beans. Cook for 5 minutes.

Stir-in the bok choy. Cover the pot and turn off the heat letting residual heat cook the bok choy (about 5 minutes).

Transfer to a serving plate or bowl and serve with boiled white rice.