Batchoy Tagalog, also known simply as batsoy, is a traditional Filipino food originating in the northern

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. It is a

soup Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot (but may be cool or cold), that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling soli ...

made with

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved ...

, pork offal,

pork blood Many cultures consume blood, often in combination with meat. The blood may be in the form of blood sausage, as a thickener for sauces, a Curing (food preservation), cured salted form for times of food scarcity, or in a blood soup. This is a prod ...

noodles Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures (for example, Chinese noodles, Filipino noodles, I ...

, chili leaves, green chilies,

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Welsh onion and Chinese onion. It is native to South Asia, Central Asia and northe ...

onions An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion ...

, and

ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of ...

. This dish is usually paired with or eaten with

cooked rice Cooked rice refers to rice that has been cooked either by steaming or boiling. The terms steamed rice or boiled rice are also commonly used. Any variant of Asian rice (both Indica and Japonica varieties), African rice or wild rice, glutinous ...

as a meal. ''Batchoy Tagalog'' is a common household dish, especially in

countryside In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are describ ...

communities in the provinces. It is a staple whenever a small farm owner butchers a pig to sell to the neighborhood. The cooking method is similar to the usual cooking method of Filipino foods like ''minanok na baka'' and ''tinola''. It has a similar ginger-flavored broth with chili leaves added. Traditionally, a minimal amount of

or pork blood cubes is added to the soup.

Method

In a pot, saute onions, garlic, and ginger, then add chunks of pork meat and pork offal. Cook until slightly browned, then add splashes of water to tenderize the meat while boiling. A minimal amount of pork blood is added to the soup and left to boil until the blood releases water and coagulates. Season with salt, water, and fish sauce to taste, then add

misua noodles ''Misua'' (also spelled ''mee sua'' or ''miswa''; ), also known as wheat vermicelli, is a very thin variety of salted noodles made from wheat flour. It originated in Fujian, China. The noodles differ from ''Rice vermicelli, mifen'' (rice vermic ...

and fresh chili leaves before turning off the stove.

Varieties

Varieties of batchoy Tagalog depend on the household's preference or accustomed way of cooking. Aside from misua, sotanghon is another commonly used noodle in the soup. A variation of batchoy without pork blood or without noodles is also common in the localities. One of the distinctive versions of batchoy Tagalog is the comfort soup named Bombay, or Bumbay, from the province of

Quezon Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of the province. It was later renamed Tayabas. In honor of the ...

. The name depicts the turban worn by Indians who came to the local communities many years ago. The dish is made with a mixture of ingredients, such as ground pork, pork offal, and other seasonings, which are customarily assembled in a banana leaf pouch shaped like a turban and then simmered. Mushrooms, corn, and sweet potato shoots are may also added to the dish. It is then poured with a flavorful broth. This soup is usually eaten with

steamed rice Cooked rice refers to rice that has been cooked either by steaming or boiling. The terms steamed rice or boiled rice are also commonly used. Any variant of Asian rice (both Indica and Japonica varieties), African rice or wild rice, glutino ...

References

{{Soups Philippine soups Philippine cuisine Philippine noodle dishes Philippine pork dishes Culture of Quezon Noodle soups

Method

Varieties

See also

References