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Filipino pochero
Pork stew with bananas and chickpeas
Pork stewed with tomatoes, chickpeas, saba bananas, cabbage and green beans
Pochero is the Filipino descendant of the Spanish puchero, cooked for fiestas in Manila and across the Visayas, and it is easy to tell apart: tomatoes turn the broth rosy and sweet saba bananas go in beside the pork, chickpeas and vegetables. This version uses pork shoulder simmered until tender, with cabbage, green beans and sweet potato added near the end so they stay bright. The broth is savoury and slightly sweet, the bananas soft and caramelised. Serve in deep bowls with rice, and some families add a sauce of mashed sweet potato and garlic on the side. Chef's tip: fry the bananas first and add them only at the end, so they hold their shape.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the stew
- 2 lb pork shoulderin 5 cm chunks
- 3 saba bananasripe but firm, halved; or 2 plantains, thickly sliced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 5 cloves garlicchopped
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 1 cup tomato passata
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
Vegetables
- 1 sweet potatomedium, peeled, in chunks
- 14 oz chickpeas1 tin, drained
- 4 oz green beanstrimmed, halved
- ¼ cabbagecut in wedges
- 2 bok choy (optional)halved
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over a medium heat and fry the 3 saba bananas for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden and caramelised. Lift out and set aside.
6 minStep 2: Raise the heat to medium-high and brown the 2 lb pork shoulder in the same pot in two batches, about 6 minutes, then lift out.
8 minStep 4: Return the pork with the 1 cup tomato passata, 6 ¼ cups water, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp black peppercorns and 2 bay leaves. Bring to the boil, skim off any foam, then cover and simmer over a low heat for 1 hour, until the pork is tender when pierced.
60 minStep 5: Add the 1 sweet potato and 14 oz chickpeas and simmer 10 minutes, until the sweet potato is almost soft.
10 minStep 6: Add the 4 oz green beans, ¼ cabbage and 2 bok choy and simmer 5 minutes, until the cabbage is tender but still green.
5 minStep 7: Return the fried bananas and warm through for 2 minutes. Common mistake: boiling the bananas in the stew from the start; they dissolve and make the broth cloudy and over-sweet. Taste for salt and serve in deep bowls.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does filipino pochero take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of saba bananas?
- Mango, same weight (in smoothies and shakes).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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