Pork parts make sisig sing

I once watched a Food Network show about poke that involved making a dish completely unlike poke. It was baked salmon topped with spicy mayo and sweet chili sauce, with edamame and corn on the side. So, not poke.

Sisig is the poke of the Philippines. Sort of.

I recently took a trip back to my parent’s village of Caingin in the town of Masantol in the province of Pampanga, north of Manila. It had been 28 years since I last visited my parents’ homeland. I was excited to see family I hadn’t seen since I was 10 years old, and to taste the local cuisine.

Doing some research, I found that one of the most popular Filipino dishes, sisig, has its origins in Pampanga.

Sisig can be defined as any chopped cooked meat — pork, chicken, fish, squid, tofu, even crocodile — tossed with onion and vinegar, with variations that differ from region to region and even family to family.

On Oahu, take a trip to Max’s of Manila (one of the Philippines’ earliest culinary exports) in Kalihi or Waipahu, and you’ll find six types of sisig, including beef, milkfish (bangus) and even Max’s famous fried chicken — sisig style.

The late Anthony Bourdain called pork sisig the Filipino dish most likely to set the world on fire, and considered it the ultimate food to eat with a beer.

Pork sisig is the most popular version of the dish, consisting of boiled, grilled or fried pork jowl, ears and/or belly, minced and mixed with onion and chili pepper, then topped with a raw egg. It’s traditionally served on a sizzling-hot plate with calamansi (a citrus that’s like a cross between a tangerine and a lemon) on the side.

Driving around my parents’ town, I found pork sisig everywhere. Local variations include the addition of chicken livers, chicharon, mayonnaise and even pig brains.

I tasted the variation Bourdain tried at a large, gentrified shopping mall north of Masantol. It was delicious! The acid balanced the richness of the pork fat, while different parts of the pig brought different textures — soft and savory with some cartilage-like crunch and crispy bits of skin. Wait until the Food Network tries to recreate this dish.

PORK SISIG

My aunt provided this recipe for her version of pork sisig.

1 pound pork belly or cheek

1/2 pounds pig ears

2 garlic cloves

1 onion

Butter, as needed

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1 red chili pepper

Juice from 5 to 7 calamansi, (substitute with 1 lemon or lime)

Chopped green onion, for garnish

Raw egg (optional)

Calamansi wedges, for serving

Boil meat until tender; let cool.

Fry or grill meat until golden. Dice into small pieces.

Saute garlic and onion in butter. Add meat and saute briefly. Season with salt, pepper, chili and calamansi juice.

Garnish with green onion. To impress people, serve on a sizzling plate or hot cast-iron pan and break an egg on top. Serve with calamansi wedges.

Nutritional information unavailable.