Dish of Malabar Spinach with Pork & Shrimp
(click to enlarge)

Malabar Spinach w/ Pork, Shrimp


Philippine   -   Ginisang Alugbati

Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
4 w/rice
***
1-1/3 hrs
Most
Both attractive and with an interesting set of flavors and textures, this dish is sure to please. It can be made ahead up to stirring in the Malabar Spinach.

14
7
4
7
5
3
6
1-1/2
3/4
2
1/4

oz
oz
oz
oz
oz
cl
oz
T
c
T
t

Malabar Spinach (1)  
Pork, lean
Shrimp (2)
Tomato
Onion
Garlic
Mushrooms (3)
Oil
Water
Fish Sauce (4)
Salt

Prep   -   (37 min - exclusive of peeling shrimp)
  1. Wash MALABAR SPINACH. Discard stems over 1/4 inch diameter and excessively damaged leaves. Cut remaining stems diagonally about 1 inch long. Cut leaves into strips about 1 x 1-1/2 inches.
  2. Slice PORK about 1/8 inch thick and cut into pieces about 1 inch on a side, or whatever works with your pork.
  3. Shell and de-vein SHRIMP if not already done. If large, cut in half.
  4. Scald TOMATO 1 minute in boiling water. Quench in cold water, peel and cut into 1/2 inch dice.
  5. Quarter ONION lengthwise and slice thin crosswise. Crush GARLIC and chop small. Mix.
  6. Slice MUSHROOMS about 1/4 inch thick and cut as needed to roughly match the size of the Pork.
Run   -   (45 min)
  1. In a wok or spacious sauté pan, heat Oil over high heat. Stir in Onion mix and fry stirring until Onion is translucent, then stir in Tomatoes. Continue to fry stirring for another 3 minutes.
  2. Stir in Pork and fry stirring until it has completely lost its raw color.
  3. Stir in Water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and keep at a simmer until Pork is tender, about 20 minutes.
  4. Stir in Fish Sauce, Salt and Mushrooms. Continue to cook another 5 minutes stirring now and then.
  5. Stir in Shrimp and cook stirring now and then until the Shrimp have turned color. Adjust liquid if needed, this recipe should finish with some free liquid.
  6. Stir in Malabar Spinach, bring back to a boil. Cook, tumbling often, until wilted and of uniform color, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook.
  7. Serve hot with steamed Jasmine rice.
NOTES:
  1. Malabar Spinach:

      [Alugbati (Philippine), Mong Toi (Viet)]   This leafy, almost succulent green is available in Asian markets, often labeled "Mong Toi". Keep in mind it is easily damaged and doesn't store well. For details see our Malabar Spinach page.
  2. Shrimp:

      Weight is for head-off small or medium shrimp.
  3. Mushrooms:

      The best mushrooms for this dish are the relatively firm Oyster Mushrooms or small King Trumpet Mushrooms that have become widely available. White mushrooms can be used if necessary. For details see our Oyster Mushrooms page.
  4. Fish Sauce:

      This clear liquid is as essential to Southeast Asian cuisine as it was to Imperial Rome. If you are unfamiliar with it, see our Fish Sauce - Introduction page.
  5. Comments:

      Ginisang is a Philippine word for a stir fried dish. The pattern recipe did not call for peeling the tomatoes, but I prefer to avoid bits of tomato skin floating around in my recipes. It takes almost no additional time.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch ar=as required tt=to taste
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