The best DINUGUAN  I had in the Philippines was from the LITTLE BUNGALOW in Makati City. Col. Hidalgo, our Circulation Manager  at the Manila Daily Bulletin, took me to lunch there. I believed he owned  the restaurant, but I was very young then and didn't know any better, so don't quote me guys. There was also that bookstore at Avenida Rizal. It was Alemar's. I think. But that was a thousand years ago and gosh, you don't expect me to be that accurate, you know.

I remember their dinuguan was also delicious... served with puto... that's it... no puto, no dinuguan. Anyway, through the years I perfected the PERFECT dinuguan... here it is...

Ingredients:

1 1/2  pounds pork steak (marinated in vinegar, garlic, salt and  pepper)

1/2 pound of pork liver (optional)

2 margarine-size container of pork blood from your Filipino store. Buy only pork blood (not beef)

1 cup chopped onions

2 tablespoons minced garlic

4 to 5 pieces of Jalapeno pepper

1 tablespoon Virgin Coconut Oil1

1/2 cup Paombong Vinegar (next time you visit the Philippines bring some back with you or import these and start a sari-sari store.) Well, Balsamic vinegar will do.

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Broil the pork steaks and liver for about five minutes on each side. This  method will let the grease out. Be sure your stove fan is on, or you will hear the siren of the fire trucks. Neighbors are sure to call the fire department because of the smoke coming from your kitchen.

Cut the broiled pork and liver into cubes or bite-size pieces. In a pan, boil water and the vinegar. Add the meat mixture and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a separate pan, cook the blood in vinegar, 1 cup water,  salt and pepper. Do not stir until it boils so your sauce will not have that raw vinegar taste. Continue to simmer until the blood is cooked. Cooking the blood separately will eliminate the bloody smell.

Sauté garlic and onion and add this to the pork and liver. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the cooked blood, then the Jalapeno pepper, making sure to crush one in the mix. Simmer for another 20 minutes.

Get your puto ready (right now, you don’t have time to steam some, so just go and buy these from your Filipino store). 

Smell yourself, you smell like vinegar!  You have 20 minutes to take a shower. Get the table ready... a rose, a lighted dinner candle and of course, your Ceasar's Salad, and corn.

Try your dinuguan, is it soury… hot and with sauce to dip your puto? 

That's good... you have the perfect dinuguan!

SO THE DINNER TABLE IS READY? Call, “HONEY, DINNER IS SERVED”... take out the RIB EYE STEAK, THE CORN AND SALAD AND SEAT THE HUSBAND IN HIS PROPER PLACE. 

Get a bowl of your dinuguan and with the puto, eat in the formal dining room. If your husband is like mine, do not show him the dinuguan. Well, excuse me… these Americans do not know what they are missing.