Sinigang na baboy (pork sinigang)

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs pork belly (or buto-buto)
• 1 bunch spinach (or kangkong)
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 bunch string beans (sitaw), cut in 2 inch length
• 2 pieces medium sized tomato, quartered
• 3 pieces chili (or banana pepper)
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 liters water 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 pieces taro (gabi), quartered
• 1 pack sinigang mix (good for 2 liters water)
•   *you may also add okra and eggplant if desired

Preparations:

Heat the pot and add cooking oil. As it's heating chop and saute the onion until the layers separate. Add the pork belly or (buto-buto in Filipino) and cook until outer parts turn light brown. Pour the water and bring to a boil.

I just got home from school when I saw my dad already cooking. Its aroma lingering the whole house. This was the moment I hated the most. You know why? I have to bare the torment of waiting. It takes a long time for it to cook. It releases its mouth watering aroma which makes my stomach growls. I hated when its angry. It has to cook for a while to make the pork soft and tender.

My grandmother thought of a way to soften the meat faster though. Putting forks on the meat while its cooking in boiling water. The forks becomes a conductor of heat and because the fork is inside it it cooks faster. But my mom refuses to do it. She refuses because she was afraid the fork might melt and mix in with the meat and I disagree. Its not gonna have enough heat to melt it. I told her but she wants to play it safe so I can't argue about it when it comes to safety.

I helped my father afterwards (I took over actually) after I fixed myself up and changed my clothes. I added the taro and tomatoes and let it sit for 40 minutes. I waited, done my homework, then waited, then I put the sinigang mix and chili then the string beans which I hated but my mother forces me to put them. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.

My brother started to prepare the plates, the spoons and forks. Getting ready for supper or hapunan. And while he's doing all that, I was putting the spinach but I prefer kang-kong -which does not grow in the US. Spinach wasn't the same as kang-kong. Turn off the heat and cover the pot and let the spinach cook using the remaining heat. Then I started doing the mixture that I prefer that makes Sinigang better. Put fish-sauce on a small bowl then squeeze and add lime or lemon but I prefer kalamansi which again does not grow in America and still not the same. This makes the dish a little sour and the more sour Sinigang is the better because it compliments the rice which you can use as a side dish.

Then my brother started serving it after it was done. At last! We started calling out everyone, my dad and mother, my brother and sister. We started sitting, talking on the the dining table. And then we started praying, thanking God for this gift. It wasn't a typical day, It was a special day. We ate, we laughed, and we enjoyed the meal. It was my favorite dish. And it didn't matter where, but whenever I ate Sinigang, I always feel the warmth of home.