Filipino Menudo

I always get confused by the different tomato-based Filipino stews but menudo (not to be confused with the flavor packed Mexican soup) is my favorite. Packed with FLAVRRR and raisins, it’s the best with rice!

Ingredients
2 lbs. pork, cubed (in the video I started with large chunks and realized I had to cut them smaller)
1 can pork liver pate
2 medium potatoes diced
1 medium carrot diced
1 small red bell pepper diced
½ cup soy sauce
3 tbsp calamansi juice (or lemon/lime)
1-2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 medium red onion minced
5 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp granulated white sugar
1-2 tbsp tomato paste
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
3-5 pieces hotdogs sliced (I always mistakenly buy cheese filled red hotdogs)
2 pieces dried bay leaves
1/4 cup frozen green peas
1/4 cup raisins
4 tablespoons cooking oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Marinate diced pork in soy sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper and calamansi juice 30 minutes to an hour.
2. In a pan over medium heat add 2 tbsp oil and sauté potatoes and carrots 5-6 minutes until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add in hotdogs and bell peppers and continue to cook until bell peppers soften. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. In same pan, add the rest of oil and over medium high heat sauté onions 4-5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add in pork and brown.
4. Once pork has browned, add in tomato paste and sauté 30 seconds then toss in tomato sauce. Mix well then add in water. Bring to a boil. Add in bay leaves and mix. Cover and lower heat and cook 25-30 minutes to tenderize pork.
5. After pork has become tender uncover and add sugar and liver spread. Stir frequently till liver is incorporated in sauce, 5-6 minutes.
6. Add back potatoes, carrots, bell peppers and hotdogs and mix well to warm everything through, another 2-3 minutes.
7. Stir in green peas and raisins. Adjust seasoning to your liking with salt, pepper, sugar.

Menudo, not to be confused with the Puerto Rican boy band