When the Philippines comes to mind, what comes to your thoughts?
For me, I think of giniling.
Giniling is one of my favorite Filipino dishes and is an easy recipe that can be prepared in minutes.
It’s also super cheap because it’s usually made from inexpensive ingredients like pork and beef.
However, if you want to make giniling more nutritious and flavorful, there are a few things you can do.
Here are my top tips on how to prepare giniling.
What is giniling?
Giniling is a popular dish found throughout the Philippines.
It’s typically served as part of a meal but can also be eaten alone as a snack food.
Giniling has become so popular in the Philippines that it has even been exported abroad.
The name giniling comes from the word “ginilig” which means “to boil” in Tagalog.
Giniling is cooked by boiling the meat until tender then adding vegetables and seasonings.
You can buy giniling already made at markets and most supermarkets.
If you’re making giniling from scratch, here are some basic steps on how to cook it.
Use lean cuts of meat for your giniling
The key to cooking giniling successfully is using the right type of meat.
Lean cuts of meat will yield better results than tough cuts of meat.
Pork shoulder (kalbi) and boneless short ribs are two great options for this dish.
You can find these cuts of meat at Asian stores or online.
These cuts of meat are often used in other Filipino dishes such as adobo and kare-kare so they’re not too expensive.
If you don’t have any of these cuts of meat, you can use any other choice cuts of meat.
Just make sure that they’re not fatty since this will affect the flavor of your giniling.
Add some diced potatoes to your giniling for extra heartiness
Adding diced potatoes to your giniling will add extra heartiness while keeping the price low.
Diced potatoes give the dish a good texture and taste.
To easily dice up the potatoes, place them in a pot and cover them with water.
Boil the potatoes until soft.
Once they’re done, drain the water and let the potatoes cool down before dicing them.
What you need
- 1 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1 1/2 cups potatoes diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 6 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 medium-sized onion minced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 piece beef or pork cube
- 4 mashed tofu
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 cup water
Make it vegetarian with a tofu giniling
To make giniling vegetarian, you can replace the meat with mashed tofu.
Tofu is very versatile and can be used in many different ways.
This makes it a perfect substitute for meat in your giniling.
To make tofu giniling, simply cube the tofu and sauté it in a pan with oil.
Once it gets browned, add the garlic and onions to the pan.
Add the tomato paste after everything gets fragrant.
Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
After everything is well combined, pour in the stock.
Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat.
Simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes.
When the liquid reduces, add the cubed potatoes and simmer again for another 10 minutes.
Lastly, add the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chopped green onion.
Mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Add some spice to your giniling with chili peppers or hot sauce
If you prefer spicy foods, you can add chili peppers or hot sauce to your giniling.
Chili peppers can be added directly into the soup once it’s ready to eat.
Hot sauce can be placed on the table so diners can add more depending on their preference.
Giniling FAQ
How long does giniling take to cook?
It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete the process of cooking giniling.
Most recipes recommend that you start the process around 6 hours before serving time.
So, plan ahead!
What should I use instead of pork/beef when preparing giniling?
You can use chicken, turkey, fish, mushrooms, and seafood to create a vegan giniling.
Simply follow the same method but change the pork or beef with whatever ingredient you choose.
I heard giniling is best when eaten cold. Is this true?
This is a myth.
In fact, it’s best when eaten warm.
But, if you’re planning on eating your giniling later in the day, you can always refrigerate it before consuming.
Is giniling healthy?
Yes, giniling is actually very healthy.
It’s a hearty dish that contains plenty of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
However, if you’re looking for something healthier, you can try the following recipes.
Spicy Sisig – Spicy sisig is a Filipino dish where the main ingredients include pork belly, tomatoes, onions, and spices. It’s similar to giniling but uses less meat.
Pork Adobo – Pork adobo is a Filipino dish that includes chunks of meat, tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables. It’s similar to giniling but uses less meat.
Chicken Adobo – Chicken adobo is a Filipino dish that includes chunks of chicken, tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables. It’s similar to giniling but uses less meat.
Fish Adobo – Fish adobo is a Filipino dish that includes chunks of fish, tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables. It’s similar to giniling but uses less meat.
Tuba – Tuba is a Filipino dish that features chunks of fresh pig intestines. Tuba is similar to giniling but uses more intestines.
Coconut Giniling – Coconut giniling is a Filipino dish made from coconut milk and chunks of pork. It’s similar to giniling but uses more coconut milk.
Soy Giniling – Soy giniling is a Filipino dish that features chunks of pork and vegetables. It’s similar to giniling but uses less meat.
Are ginilings gluten free?
Yes, ginilings are gluten free.
Gluten refers to proteins found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats.
Since giniling doesn’t contain these types of grains, it is considered gluten free.
However, if you’re allergic to gluten, you may still experience gastrointestinal discomfort if you consume giniling.
I love giniling so much. What else can I make with giniling?
There are tons of other delicious Filipino dishes that you can make with giniling.
Here are just a few:
Adobong Baka – Adobong baka is a Filipino dish that features chunks of goat meat. It’s similar to giniling but uses more goat meat.
Bibingka – Bibingka is a Filipino dessert that features rice flour and coconut milk. It’s similar to giniling but uses more coconut milk.
Kakaninang Manok – Kakaninang manok is a Filipino dish that features chicken stew with lots of vegetables. It’s similar to giniling but uses more vegetables.
Halo Huli – Halo huli is a Filipino dish that features cubes of chicken marinated in lemon juice, ginger, and garlic. It’s similar to giniling but uses more lemon juice and ginger.
Canadong Pinotgali – Canadong pinotgali is a Filipino dish that features cubes of pork braised in vinegar. It’s similar to giniling but uses more vinegar.
Nina Gali – Nina gali is a Filipino dish that features cubes of beef braised in vinegar. It’s similar to giniling but uses more vinegar.
Alamang Mangga – Alamang mangga is a Filipino dish that features cubes of duck marinated in lime juice, star anise, and cloves. It’s similar to giniling but uses more lime juice.
Kuroshio – Kuroshio is a Japanese dish that features cubes of tuna marinated in soy sauce, mirin, sake, and wasabi. It’s similar to giniling but uses more soy sauce and wasabi.
Do you have any other questions about giniling?
Ask away in the comments below!
Giniling Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1 1/2 cups potatoes diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 6 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 medium-sized onion minced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 piece pork
- 4 mashed tofu
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- To make tofu giniling, simply cube the tofu and sauté it in a pan with oil.
- Once it gets browned, add the garlic and onions to the pan.
- Add the tomato paste after everything gets fragrant.
- Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
- After everything is well combined, pour in the stock.
- Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat.
- Simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes.
- When the liquid reduces, add the cubed potatoes and simmer again for another 10 minutes.
- Lastly, add the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chopped green onion.
- Mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
I have a true passion for cooking and experimenting with new ingredients, and I have been creating and perfecting recipes for friends and family for years.
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