Learn how to cook Igado, the lowlander watered down version. This Igado recipe only uses pork and liver instead of with hearts and innards. Still as yummy!

Igado is not for the faint of hearts, because it’s made of hearts hahahhaahha. Seriously, Igado is an acquired taste. My father is an Ilocano and used to make the true blue Igado recipe with hearts, and liver, and all kinds of funky pig stuff. The taste is fine, I guess. His version is a bit on the bitter side, but knowing what’s in it, and being able to eat it, that is the real challenge.

According to food historians, this dish originated during the Spanish era and some say that the name Igado came from the Spanish term “Higado” which means liver. I’m not too crazy about this theory because the ingredients are totally predictable of the Ilocano culture, saving everything that can be used, -or eaten, for that matter. I’m guessing that this dish come from way way back and not just the Spanish era.

So today I’m sharing with you a bit of a watered down version of the Ilokano Igado, more like a Tagalog Igado. If you love liver, try this Igado recipe. This recipe is lowlander approved and not as hard to cook as the real Igado. The ingredients are easier to get and is generally available at the wet market.

Sometimes too, when I’m feeling nostalgic, I’d cook this for the family and tell them all about the times I ran away from home and went to the north to commune with the Ilocanos. Igado has got to be one of their top dishes for serving to visitors and for “pulutan”! I have fond memories of drinking with the “manongs” and eating this, among other Ilocano pulutan dishes such as Dinakdakan, Dinardaraan, and the hangover soup -Papaitan!

How to Cook Igado

Ingredients:

• a kilo of pork (menudo cut)
• 250 gms liver  (menudo cut)
• 1/2 cup (soy sauce)
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 laurel
• 3-5 cloves garlic chopped
• onion medium chopped
• 1 medium bell pepper cut into strips
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas (or canned)

Instructions:

1. Saute onion and garlic, then add pork. Cook until pork is brown.
2. Add soy sauce, vinegar, laurel, pepper and sugar. Bring to a boil and cover.
3. Once pork is tender, add green peas and liver. Simmer for 2-3 mins then add bell pepper, mix and remove from heat.

Recipe Notes:

Don’t use too much heat when cooking the pork liver because it can turn rubbery if you overcook it. I cooked this with no green peas because no one eats green peas at home.

*This recipe was originally shared by Cyrex Aguirre at the Ifoodala Food Group.

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