Nilagang Pata Recipe
Many times, I have seen Filipinos’ eyes light up upon the mention of a pata dish. This cut of meat, also known as pork hock, has become so popular in Filipino cuisine that most celebrations can feel empty without this. But you can also have it for a simple night in, or just as a…
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Many times, I have seen Filipinos’ eyes light up upon the mention of a pata dish. This cut of meat, also known as pork hock, has become so popular in Filipino cuisine that most celebrations can feel empty without this. But you can also have it for a simple night in, or just as a healthy lunch dish with this yummy Nilagang Pata recipe.
Tender and lightly seasoned, the pork in this dish is something you will really not want to miss out on. We leave it stewing in the most satisfyingly warm soup that is filled with soft greens like baby bok choy. It is nearly impossible for you to leave the table without reaching for seconds and thirds when it comes to this stew!
And so if you’re interested in making this right in your own kitchen, I’ve got the steps laid out for you below!
How to Make Nilagang Pata
Preparing the meat
Pork hock is a part of the pig that’s close to the foot, making it even more important for us to clean it before cooking. You can do this by boiling your 4 lbs. of pork hock for 5 to 8 minutes. Then brush off any dirt that may be left in the pork, and proceed to rinse this thoroughly.
Cooking the pork hock
Put 8 cups of water in a large cooking pot, and let this boil. Once it does, you can add your cleaned pork hocks from earlier, and then put the cover on top of the pot. Keep this cooking for 10 minutes.
Adding seasonings
Now just skim the scums off the surface. Afterwards, add 1 Knorr Pork Cube, 2 onions you’ve quartered, and 2 teaspoons of whole peppercorn to the mix. Cover your pot, and take the heat down to the lowest setting. We will just let this simmer until the pork gets nice and tender. Be warned that this can take a while— about 60 to 90 minutes.
Tossing in some vegetables
You should adjust your heat between low and medium. Then put 2 ears of sweet corn, and 3 potatoes you’ve quartered inside the pot. We will cook this for 10 minutes. After that, you may add your ½ lb. of long green beans, 2 bunches of baby bok choy, and ½ head of cabbage. We will just keep the mixture boiling for 3 to 5 minutes. Now add some fish sauce to the mix. The amount would depend on how earthy and salty you want your Nilagang Pata.
Serving the dish
All you gotta do now is put your Nilagang Pata in a serving bowl of choice! This tastes particularly great with some newly cooked rice, and so I would suggest having some on the side.
You’ve just made yourself a comfortingly delicious bowl of Nilagang Pata, but I can’t blame you if you are still craving more pork hock dishes. Here are some more recipes you may want to cook up should you have some extra pata!
More Ways to Cook Pata
Easy Pata Tim
Have you always wanted to try making your own irresistibly savory pata tim? I can understand that for some, the average cooking time of over two hours is too long to fit into the schedule. That is why I crafted this Easy Pata Tim recipe. The somewhat tangy and perfectly umami elements that make the Filipino-Chinese dish so memorable will definitely still be there. But with these steps simplified, you will just need about 1 hour and 30 minutes to create your dish.
Pata Kare-Kare
What about cooking up some pata with a thick, satisfying peanut sauce? My Pork Kare-Kare is a perfect pick-me-up for when you want something familiar, but also meaty and delicious. This recipe has the likes of banana blossoms, pechay, eggplant and so many other vegetables to truly liven up our stew. Keep in mind though that because we use such a wide array of ingredients, we will be taking some time to cook them all up. That being said, our Pata Kare-Kare would require about 1 hour and 30 minutes to put together. But that amount of time will get you enough great food for 4 people!
Air Fryer Crispy Pata
It won’t hurt to give in to your unhealthy cravings every once in a while. There’s nothing wrong with having a bit of crispy pata when you are really looking for a crunchy, juicy dish. And if you want to have it the amazingly easy way, you could actually try air frying your pork hock! This recipe lets you have the Filipino favorite but with far less oil, and just as much crispiness!
Any questions about making Nilagang Pata? Don’t hesitate to write your questions down in the comments section. I will get to them as soon as I can!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag us on Instagram at @panlasangpinoy or hashtag #panlasangpinoy so we can see your creations!
Nilagang Pata
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. pork hock
- 1 Knorr Pork Cube
- 3 potatoes quartered
- 2 ears sweet corn
- ½ head cabbage
- 2 bunches baby bok choy
- ½ lb. long green beans
- 2 onions quartered
- 2 teaspoons whole peppercorn
- 8 cups water
- Fish sauce to taste
Instructions
- Clean the pork hocks thoroughly. Set aside.
- Pour the water into a large cooking pot. Let it boil.
- Add the pork hocks. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Skim-off the scums from the surface and then add Knorr Pork cube, onion and whole peppercorn. Cover, adjust the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer until the pork tenderizes completely. Note: this can take between 60 to 90 minutes.
- Adjust the heat between low and medium setting. Add the corn and potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the long green beans, bok choy, and cabbage. Continue boiling for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Season with fish sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot with rice.
- Share and enjoy!
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