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Begucan Kapampangan - Guidadong Bagoong

Main Dish

I learned to make the Kapampangan-style Begucan or Guisadong Bagoong from my late aunt, in Tarlac, my hometown. Auntie Danding Pineda came from generations of excellent Pampanguena cooks. Along with her sisters, she always prepared the family handa every time there was a celebration. When we lived in the Philippines, Auntie and I often cooked together and I learned a lot of traditional Filipino recipes from her.

One of the best was this Begucan where she transformed ordinary bagoong alamang, the raw form of pink-colored shrimp paste you buy in the market, into a salty-sweet, robust bagoong guisado. All it took was a slab of pork belly and some basic pantry ingredients. This Guisadong Bagoong goes well served as a side to Kare-Kare (Ox Tail Peanut Stew), as an ingredient for Binagoongan, Pinakbet or other stir-fry vegetables, tomato salsas, Bagoong Rice or as a dip for manggang hilaw (green mangoes).

*This recipe was reprinted from my cookbook My Mother’s Philippine Recipes (Amazon.com).

Begucan Kapampangan - Guisadong Bagoong (Photo by Elizabeth Ann Quirino)

Servings: Makes 3 cups

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon annatto or achuete seeds

½ cup warm water, for soaking annatto seeds

½ pound pork belly, cut in ½-inch cubes

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 white onion, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

3 cups bagoong alamang (pink shrimp paste)

¼ cup cane vinegar

½ cup brown sugar

Procedure

· In a small bowl, pre-soak the annatto seeds in warm water for 30 minutes. When water has turned to red, strain the seeds over another bowl to catch the liquid. Press the seeds down with a fork while straining to get the red juices out. Discard the seeds. Reserve the annatto or achuete liquid for later.

· In a large skillet or wok, over medium high heat, place the pork belly cubes. Render the fat from the pork cubes for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vegetable oil.

· After about 10 minutes, when the pork cubes are crisp, sauté the garlic, onion and tomato till soft.

· Pour the annatto or achuete liquid into the skillet. Combine with the pork and rest of the ingredients.

· Add the bagoong alamang to the mixture in the skillet. Pour the vinegar. Then add the brown sugar. Mix all ingredients. Cover and continue simmering sautéed bagoong over low heat for 10 minutes to allow the vinegar flavor to set and the pork to be cooked completely.

· Cool the Guisadong Bagoong on the counter. Place in clean, sterilized glass jars and store in refrigerator.

Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Elizabeth Ann Quirino, based in New Jersey is a journalist and author of the “Instant Filipino Recipes: My Mother’s Philippine Food In a Multicooker Pot” Cookbook. She is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and blogs about Filipino home cooking on her site AsianInAmericaMag.com.