Nilagang Baka

Nilagang Baka Recipe
            ( Beef Stew )

INGREDIENTS:

 1kg Beef Bones, with marrow inside
1kg Beef Brisket, cut into chunky cubes
7-8 whole black peppercorns
1 tspn coarse table salt
3-4 bunches of petchay (pak choy), trimmed and rinsed
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky cubes
20 string beans, trimmed and rinsed
1/4 cabbage, trimmed and cut roughly into big pieces
1 large onion, peeled and cut into large cubes
enough water for the cooking process

COOKING PROCEDURE:

~  Rinse your Beef Bones well with cold water and at the same time with a small knife, scrape the end bits to get rid of the boney paste.  Place your Beef Bones inside a large pot and cover with cold water (water level should be just above the bones).  Bring to boil and lower the heat so that the liquid is just simmering.

~  Skim the scum/dirt off the top occasionally and dispose.  Simmer the Beef Bones for about 1 hour and then add in your Beef Brisket.  Bring to boil and let it simmer down, and don’t forget to skim the dirt off the top once again.  IMPORTANT: Skim the scum/dirt as much as possible while simmering.

~  Add in your peppercorns and onion, simmer for another 2 hours.  Liquid will reduce to half, add in your salt and stir it through.  After a couple of minutes, take out your Beef Bones and place in a separate bowl, slightly cover with cling wrap so  it won’t dry out.

~  Add in your cabbage and potatoes , make sure you fully immersed them in the simmering broth.  Cover the pot with the lid and simmer for 5 minutes .  Stir in your string beans and cook for a further a minute or so, covered the pot with the lid again.

~  Place your petchay on top of your Nilagang Baka, cover with lid and turn off the stove.  Leave your pot on top of the stove burner to finish of the dish.  Once the dish is ready to be served, arrange your Nilagang Baka on a large serving bowl. 

NOTES:

• This recipe is more than enough for 2 adults and 2 kids.

• Beef Bones were removed before adding the vegetables to create more space for the vegetable to be fully immersed on the broth.

• Be diligent on skimming the surface to collect the scum/dirt so that your broth would be clear and doesn’t look like murky dish water at the end of the cooking process.

• Please don’t overseason your Nilagang Baka with more additional salt as the potatoes tends to absorb the saltiness.  Better to place your seasonings (salt/patis & calamansi/pepper) on the table for individuals to add on their servings if they feel that it is underseasoned.