BEEF MECHADO

Mechado, Menudo, Afritada or Kaldereta? These are a group of Filipino stews that are similar and oftentimes confusing even for Filipinos. The differences are really nuances and even as I untangle them for myself I am sure many will poke holes at the way I grew up knowing how to tell them apart which is very much based on how my family defined them.. The differences are really nuances and even as I untangle them for myself I am sure many will poke holes at the way I grew up knowing how to tell them apart which is very much based on how my family defined them. It is led by the protein: Mechado is beef, Menudo is pork and liver, Afritada is chicken and Kaldereta is goat. There are common vegetables: carrots, peppers and potatoes at its simplest but it can also be further nuanced. My family adds peas to Mechado, chickpeas to Menudo, Olives to Afritada. We didn’t cook Kaldereta often but a spicier pepper is added to give it some heat compared to the other stews. The sauce is tomato based often with a bit of soy. The nuance of Mechado is that it has lemon so it does have that distinction. Nowadays, as you look at the recipes out there, the proteins seem interchangeable and they often morph into the same dish.

I recently came back from a trip to Europe. When I left Portland, it was hot and sunny and when I came back it is now cold and rainy so naturally, I started to crave some of my childhood favorites and this dish came to mind. It’s hearty and warming and it screams comfort no matter what you call it. In my family, this is our version of Mechado.

As we close out Filipino American History Month, we wanted to say THANK YOU to you and to our friends that contributed: Brady Tuazon, Lester Cabigting and Bea Lugtu and to those that engaged, commented and cooked along with us. We hope that we inspired you to try something new with the recipes and stories we shared this month. Stay tuned because the holidays are coming and Noche Buena is just around the corner.

♥️ Tricia

TRICIA’S BATCHOY WITH UMI ORGANIC NOODLES

This is a Filipino noodle dish that originally comes from the province of Ilo Ilo, and more specifically, from the town of La Paz. It originated from the Chinese community that settled there. The name of the dish comes from the Chinese (Hokkien) Ba-chui, meaning pieces of meat. Traditionally it is made with pork and pork offal cooked in a beef and pork stock, it uses egg noodles and is topped with chicharron, fried garlic, scallions and a raw egg that cooks in the hot broth. It is a nourishing soup that is full of umami coming from a rich bone broth and shrimp paste. This version is a variation of that dish I use at home made for how we live now with the ingredients around us and I find it is amazing with Umi Organic’s ramen because of the noodle’s amazing bite. I take the time to develop a really good beef broth and use a favorite roast pork recipe as a topping that was developed by my Tita Lydia (which is amazing on its own). I omit the chicharron because my roast pork has a crispy skin that gives it the texture contrast I love; however, if I happen to have it at home, I top it with chicharron anyway. It definitely brings it over the top.

This recipe was originally developed for and published by Umi Organic. Check it out through this link and also check out their ramen. It’s a personal favorite of mine and locally made in Portland. The owner and founder is Lola Milholland and is also part Filipino. She is definitely an inspiration.

♥️Tricia