Philippine – Kinamatisang Baka

by Fauzan Anandika

January maybe becomes the most rousing in the Philippines. They not only celebrating New Year’s eve, but also Black Nazarene or in a local language named Poong itim na Nazareno. Black Nazarene become the biggest celebration in the Philippines held every 9 January. Thousand of people will be gathering in the place where Jesus statue paraded through the main street. The festival is held starting from Luneta to Little Basilika in Quiapo.

The festival participant grows every year, and the route also has been extended to accommodate more participants. Most Philippine citizens presume the Nazarene statue as a miracle and believe it can cure the end stage cancer, grant a petition, and help them with what they need. 

A statue of Jesus in Basilica Quiapo attracts many visitors around to the church in the entire year. Black Nazarene place in the outdoor three times a year. In the new year, the ceremony leads to every 9 January. In every Black Nazarene festival, people come from all over the Philippines. They want to see and touch the statue. The festival is held for more than 22 hours. And become the largest religious celebration in the country.

During the festival, many different kinds of the traditional dish served for the visitor. This festival also a way to promote their culture. Kinamatisang Baka is one of the culinary that become the center of attention. A beef soup filled with cow neck bone, tomatoes, peanut, and cassava leaves. This soup was a perfect dish to eat in the rainy season.

To get the perfect taste of Kinamatisang Baka, the bone neck need to boil for more than 90 minutes until the meat becomes tender. Kinamatisang Baka could be the main dish for lunch or dinner served with a side of Kwek Kwek.  

Try this simple and easy Kinamatisang Baka recipe. Let me know what you think.

Ingredient

• 2 kg of the cow neck bone
• 15 gram of beef broth powder
• 2 liter of water
• 6 pieces of tomatoes, diced cut
• 1 piece of onion, dice cut
• 5 clove of garlic, minced
• 12 snake beans, cut 2 cm long
• 100 grams cassava leaves
• 3 tablespoon of cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper

Kwek Kwek ingredient

• 250 gram of quails egg
• 150 gram of flour
• ½ teaspoon of pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of chicken broth powder
• 200 ml of water
• 100 gram of tapioca flour
• 300 ml of cooking oil
• 150 ml tomato sauce

Kwek Kwek preparation

1. Boil quails egg, peeled and cleaned.
2. Cover the egg with flour and tapioca.
3. Prepare a dough with flour, salt, pepper, chicken broth powder, and water. Make a thick mixture.
4. Heat cooking oil in a frying pan.
5. Fry the egg in hot cooking oil.
6. Place the egg on a serving plate.

How to cook

1. Prepare a cooking pot, fill it with water. Add bone neck and boil for 2 hours until the meat tender.
2. Remove bones from the cooking pot.
3. Prepare a cooking pan, add cooking oil. 
4. Add onion and garlic, stir fry until fragrance.
5. Add tomatoes. 
6. Add bone neck, stir for 2 minutes. 
7. Add beef broth, cook until boiling.
8. Add beef broth powder, stir for two minutes. 
9. Add fish sauce and black pepper.
10. Add snake beans and cook for 5 minutes.
11. Add cassava leaves, covet the pan and cook for 2 minutes. 
12. Remove to a serving bowl and serve while still hot with a side of Kwek Kwek.