Animal entrails as food ingredients

CEBU, Philippines — The use of animal entrails as food ingredients is a practice that is not exclusive to the Philippines. People in many other countries do it too. The practice springs either from utter scarcity or from sheer creativity, or from both.

Filipinos are sure to be among the more ‘serious’ users of animal entrails in food. The practice is not even limited to entrails anymore. Nowadays, for example, there’s hardly any part of the pig or cattle or chicken that Filipinos don’t have food use for.

Various recipes can be made from pork or beef entrails, as well as from chicken. These are often made into “paklay” or “kilawin.” Or these are made into “bopis.”

Many people think that “bopis” is a Filipino original. But the truth is, the name comes from the Spanish word “bópiz” and, thus, it is most likely that the recipe originated in Spain (although the meaning of the word in its original language, and even region of origin, are now lost). The dish has become very Filipino, though; no wonder many Filipinos take it as their own.

“Bopis” is a piquant dish of choice animal entrails sautéed in tomatoes, chilies and onions. The recipe has continually evolved throughout the years. There are now several varieties of “bopis” – pork, beef, chicken, even fish and veggies! The recipes may differ from region to region, and family to family, with regard to ingredients, spices and flavoring.

Basically, the animal lungs and heart are sautéed and stir-fried until crispy, finely chopped with the other innards, and cooked in onion, tomato, garlic, and pepper. It is commonly enjoyed as “pulutan” at drinking sessions or as part of the meal, as a viand to go with steamed rice. Some recipes have a little bit of sauce in it, while others let all the liquid diminish.

People like “bopis” because of its spicy, unique flavor, and soft texture. The degree of spiciness can be adjusted by the amount of chili used, while the texture is the result of long hours of simmering. The characteristic “bopis” taste comes from two factors: the seasonings and the technique used in neutralizing the odor of the pig’s lungs.

To neutralize the pungent and gamy odor of the lungs, it has to be boiled and simmered with cooking wine or with lemon grass and pandan leaves before cooking the “bopis.” This is a very important step or the resulting “bopis” won’t smell as good as its taste. Another thing, to make the “bopis” taste meatier, one beef or pork cube may be added (in step 5 below).

The website https://panlasangpinoy.com shares a “bopis” recipe that’s good to try at home:

Bopis

Ingredients:

1½ lbs pig’s lungs boiled until tender, and minced

1 lb pig’s heart boiled until tender, and minced

½ cup annatto seeds diluted in 1 cup of water

1 small carrot minced (optional)

4 to 6 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons chili, minced

2 tablespoons ginger, minced

1 medium onion chopped

4 cloves garlic minced

4 pcs dried bay leaves

1 cup water

3 tbsp cooking oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Heat a frying pan or wok and pour in cooking oil.

2. Sauté ginger, garlic, and onion.

3. Add the bird’s eye chili and cook for 30 seconds.

4. Put-in the minced pig’s lungs and heart then cook for 3 to 5 minutes while stirring once in a while.

5. Pour in annatto water (water from the diluted annatto seeds) and stir.

6. Add the dried bay leaves and pour in 1 cup of water. Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes or until almost all the liquid evaporates.

7. Put in the minced carrots and stir. Simmer for 3 minutes.

8. Season with salt and ground black pepper then stir.

9. Pour in the vinegar and cook for 8 to 10 minutes more under medium heat.

10. Turn off heat and transfer to a serving plate.

Share and enjoy!