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Home » Recipe Index » Fruits and Vegetables » Pork Bulanglang

Pork Bulanglang

Published: Jun 9, 2019 · Modified: Jul 22, 2019 by Lalaine Manalo · This post may contain affiliate links

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Pork Bulanglang is a refreshing sour soup made with pork belly, guava, kangkong, and gabi. This Kapampangan version of sinigang is delicious, comforting, and perfect with steamed rice.

sinigang na baboy sa bayabas in a white bowl and a plate of steamed rice on the side

As you probably know, we moved from Southern California to Texas at the end of last year. We're happy about the change and love the overall culture here, but sourcing ingredients for the blog has been frustrating so far.

The nearest Asian supermarket is 20 miles away, and it is not as well-stocked as the Filipino grocery store I go to in SoCal. Just an example, we've been in Texas for six months, and I have yet to find sitaw!

On a positive note, there seems to be an abundance of tropical fruits here probably because of its sub-tropical climate. I can go to any supermarket and have access to boatloads of papaya, star fruit, dragon fruit, mango, and guava!

And what does a Kapampangan do with boatloads of juicy guavas? Make pork bulanglang, of course. 🙂

Pork Bulanglang in a red potWhat is Bulanglang

While bulanglang in other regions refers to a type of boiled vegetable dish flavored with fermented fish or bagoong, it is for us Kampangan the collective term for the different kinds of sinigang na bayabas. This sinigang variant can made with pork, shrimp or milkfish, and traditionally includes kangkong, puso nang saging, and gabi.

In contrast to the sharp tang of the more popular tamarind-based version, Kapampangan bulanglang is delicate tasting with a subtle note of sourness and a slight hint of sweetness from the fruit. Delicious on its own or served with steamed rice, it's a comforting soup to enjoy on a cold rainy day yet can be equally refreshing during hot Summer months.

bulanglang na baboy over steamed rice on a white plate

Tips on How to Make Pork Bulanglang

  • I like pork belly with ribs in my sinigang but feel free to swap a leaner cut such as pork shoulder if you like to trim some of the fat.
  • I use Mexican cream guavas which are small in size and have thin pale-yellow skin,  creamy white flesh, and soft, edible seeds. Some varieties of the fruit have harder seeds and thicker flesh so you might have to peel them and cook longer.
  • The seeds are not something you'd want to bite into in the soup but they do carry flavor. In a bowl, combine the scooped seeds with about a cup of water and mash with the back of a spoon. Strain in a fine-mesh sieve, discard the seeds and add the extracted juice to the pot.
  • Use a mix of almost ripe and still green guavas for a good balance of sour and sweet fruit taste.
Pork Bulanglang in a red pot
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5 from 4 votes

Pork Bulanglang

Pork Bulanglang is a refreshing sour soup made with pork belly, guava, spinach, and gabi. This Kapampangan version of sinigang is delicious, comforting, and perfect with steamed rice.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr 20 mins
Total Time1 hr 35 mins
Course: Main Entree, Soup
Cuisine: Filipino
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 846kcal
Author: Lalaine Manalo

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds pork belly, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 7 cups water
  • 1 onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 bunch kangkong
  • 1 pound (about 10 to 12 pieces) fresh guava
  • 8 pieces gabi, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • salt to taste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a pot over medium heat, combine pork and water. Bring to a boil, skimming scum that floats on top.
  • When the broth has cleared, add onions and fish sauce.
  • Lower heat, cover, and continue to cook for about 1 to 1 ½ hours or until pork is tender. Add more water in ½ cup increments, if needed, to maintain about 6 cups.
  • Meanwhile, cut into guavas into halves and using a small spoon, scoop out the seeds.
  • In a bowl, combine guava seeds and the remaining 1 cup water. Using the back of a spoon, mash to extract pulp and strain in a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve the guava juice and discard the seeds.
  • Trim about 2 inches from the kangkongs stalks and discard. Cut kangkong into 3-inch lengths, separating the sturdier stalks from the leaves. Wash thoroughly and drain well. Set aside.
  • Add gabi, sliced guava, and the guava juice to the pot and continue to cook for about 5 minutes or until tender.
  • Season with salt to taste.
  • Add kangkong beginning with the sturdier stalks and then the leaves. Continue to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 846kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 81g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 667mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1075IU | Vitamin C: 179.5mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1.2mg
Tried this recipe? I'd love to see what you made!mention @Kawalingpinoy and hashtag your photo with #kawalingpinoy

 

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Lalaine from Kawaling Pinoy

Hello! My name is Lalaine and welcome to Kawaling Pinoy where you’ll find Filipino and Asian-inspired recipes, cooking tips, and how-to videos. Read more...

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Comments

  1. Bernadette Espinosa says

    August 10, 2019 at 2:13 am

    5 stars
    Hi Lalaine!
    I'm a fan of your blog and your recipes are the most legit recipes in the internet. I'm a kapampangan too and I reside here in the UAE, I usually cook some of the food that we really miss for my family, my churchmates and colleagues. I tried your kutchinta, calamares and chicken kare kare they are all hit! I was able to make kutchinta because I have a small bottle of lye water that my aunt brought here from the Phils. left over when she made Kapit here. Unfortunately, there is no lye water available here. I will have to ask again from someone coming back to Dubai next time. But I want to thank you for sharing all these amazing recipes. You are a blessing to us. 😘❤️ I just want to add some tips for other readers for the bulanglang recipe, it's hard here to find guava fruits so instead I use guava juice nectar it comes with bottle or can, and since its too sweet I add a bit of sinigang mix sa sampaloc, more water since it's a bit concentrated.

    Dakal a salamat ulit Lalaine. God bless you more ❤️

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      September 04, 2019 at 8:26 pm

      Thank you so much, Bernadette. I am glad you find the recipes useful. I'll definitely try using guava nectar the next time I crave this soup; such a great tip to use when guavas are not in season 🙂

      Reply
  2. Anafe says

    August 05, 2019 at 3:21 am

    It is so delicious thanks for your recipe

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      August 09, 2019 at 4:48 am

      You're welcome, Anife.

      Reply
  3. Susan says

    August 01, 2019 at 4:41 am

    What is tamarind powder ? Mean sinigang mix powder ?

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      September 04, 2019 at 8:24 pm

      Yes, tamarind powder is sinigang tamarind mix 🙂

      Reply

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