Pork Kaldereta sa Gata

Pork Kalderera sa Gata is a crossover between two famous Filipino dishes, kaldereta and ginataan. Pork belly that were cut into cubes are sautéed in garlic, onions, and ripe tomatoes. It is then stewed in a mixture of broth and coconut milk. 

How to Cook Kaldereta Gata

The first thing to do is to sauté garlic until it turns light brown. I like the roasted flavor of garlic to stand out on this dish. Cooking most Filipino dishes start this way. I do this by heating oil and sautéing the crushed garlic until it gets light brown. Add chopped onions right away. This slows down the cooking process of the garlic, which prevents it from getting burnt quickly. 

I love to use pork belly when cooking pork stews. Its fat content keeps the meat moist. The belly is added once the onion softens. Sauté the belly until it turns light to medium brown. It will give a nice flavor to the meat. 

This version of Kaldereta sa Gata makes use of fresh ripe tomato. This is added once the pork browns. I recommend sautéing the tomato until it softens so that the flavors of all the ingredients present in the pot can be ingested by the pork while cooking. 

Pork broth is added afterwards along with liver spread, bay leaves, and a few pieces of chili. Coconut milk is also poured into the mixture. Boil to tenderize the meat. It can take up to 60 minutes. This depends on the quality of the pork belly. I use low to medium heat in this step.  

The potato, carrot, and bell peppers go in once the meat is tender. The cooking pot should still have enough liquid to cook the veggies. Otherwise, add more broth or water. Some people like their vegetables soft while other prefer it cooked just right. It will be up to you to decide when the vegetables are done. I have my recommended cooking times in the recipe below. 

Finally, season with fish sauce and crushed peppercorn. You may want to cook it a bit longer if you like the sauce thick.  

Alternative Ingredients

Pork belly is the protein that I chose to use in this recipe. You may use other cuts of pork. Chicken and beef are also good options.  

Tomato sauce is commonly used when cooking Kaldereta compared to ripe tomato. Feel free to use one or the other. Crushed tomato works well too. 

I am using canned coconut milk in this recipe. Still, nothing beats freshly squeezed coconut cream. You can also use Knorr ginataang gulay recipe mix. It is one of my go-to ingredients. 

Coconut Milk vs. Coconut Cream

Both products are derived from mature coconut. These comes from the grated coconut meat. The process involves pressing the grated or shredded coconut until the liquid comes out.  

The pure form of liquid derived from the coconut meat is coconut cream.  It is known in the Philippines as “kakang-gata”. Some people refer to it as “unang-piga”. Emulsifiers are added to some canned coconut creams. This is the reason why it is thicker compared to the fresh extract.    

Coconut milk, on the other hand, contains more water. It can be made by adding water to the pure form to increase the volume. Another method is to combine coconut water with initially shredded meat and press it to extract the liquid. 

What is the Liver Spread in Kaldereta?

Liver spread is a type of paste used as spread for bread or as a component of certain dishes such as Kaldereta. It is made from a combination of beef liver, meats, fats, seasonings, and extenders such as flour. It is similar to liver pate, although both may vary in terms of other ingredients used. 

This ingredient can easily be sourced in the Philippines. It is available in all supermarkets and town markets. Small retail stores known as sari-sari stores also carry this product. 

This spread is also good when paired with bread. I enjoy having it with warm pandesal for breakfast. Here is a good recipe for homemade pandesal, in case you are interested. 

Try this Kaldereta sa Gata Recipe. Let me know what you think.

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!

5 from 2 votes

Kaldereta sa Gata

Stewed Pork with Tomato cooked in coconut milk. This is a crossover between two popular Filipino dishes, Kaldereta and Ginataan. This mildly spicy dish is rich and delicious.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 1 hour

Total: 1 hour 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 lbs. Pork belly sliced into cubes
• ▢ 4 tablespoons liver spread
• ▢ 6 pieces tomato chopped
• ▢ 1 piece onion chopped
• ▢ 5 cloves garlic crushed
• ▢ 2 cups pork broth
• ▢ 2 cups coconut milk
• ▢ 2 pieces potato cubed
• ▢ 2 pieces carrot cubed
• ▢ 1 piece green bell pepper chopped
• ▢ 1 piece red bell pepper chopped
• ▢ 3 pieces Thai chili pepper
• ▢ 3 pieces dried bay leaves
• ▢ 2 cups pork broth
• ▢ 2 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper
• ▢ 3 tablespoons cooking oil

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Instructions

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Sauté garlic until color turns light brown.
• Add chopped onion. Cook until soft.
• Add pork belly slices. Sauté until outer part turns light brown.
• Put the chopped ripe tomatoes into the pan. Cook until soft.
• Pour pork broth into the pan. Let boil.
• Add chopped Thai chili, liver spread, and dried bay leaves.
• Pour coconut milk. Stir and cover and cook between low to medium heat for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender. Note: add more broth or water if needed.
• Put-in carrots and potato and cook for 7 minutes.
• Add bell peppers. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes.
• Season with fish sauce and crushed whole peppercorn. Continue to cook until sauce thickens.
• Transfer to a serving plate. Share and enjoy!

Notes

• Take your time when tenderizing the meat. There is nothing like having a melt-in-your-mouth kinda tender pork belly. 
• This is best enjoyed with warm white rice.

Video

Watch How to Cook Kaldereta sa Gata

Nutrition Information

Calories: 1561kcal (78%) Carbohydrates: 12g (4%) Protein: 29g (58%) Fat: 156g (240%) Saturated Fat: 66g (330%) Cholesterol: 203mg (68%) Sodium: 1845mg (77%) Potassium: 1104mg (32%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 3g (3%) Vitamin A: 3695IU (74%) Vitamin C: 85.6mg (104%) Calcium: 73mg (7%) Iron: 6.9mg (38%)

© copyright: Vanjo Merano