Nilagang Baboy (Filipino Pork Stew)

Steps

1. 1
   Rinse the pork meat thoroughly and clean it well to remove any impurities.
2. 2
   Place the cleaned pork in a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot with a slight gap for steam to escape, allowing the meat to cook through while skimming off any scum or impurities that rise to the surface.
3. 3
   While the pork is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Peel and halve onions lengthwise, leaving some layers intact. Cut carrots into rolls or rounds. Prepare baby bok choy by leaving them mostly whole. Remove the tough center core from the cabbage and cut into sections. Trim the ends of the long beans.
4. 4
   Peel and cut the sweet potato into chunks, and immediately place them in water to prevent discoloration. Peel the saba banana and cut into thick slices.
5. 5
   Prepare the condiment by slicing red chili peppers finely (or crushing them), and have lime or lemon ready for squeezing.
6. 6
   Once the pork is partially cooked and the broth is simmering, add the harder vegetables that take longer to cook: carrots first, then after a few minutes add the saba banana slices and sweet potato.
7. 7
   Add the cabbage and baby bok choy to the pot. Season with fish sauce or salt to taste, and add ground black pepper.
8. 8
   If using beef broth or bouillon, add it now for extra flavor. For the long beans, quickly blanch or microwave them separately for about one minute until softened, then add them to the pot just before serving to keep them fresh-tasting.
9. 9
   Adjust the seasoning by tasting the broth. The stew should have a clean, gentle flavor that lets the pork and vegetables shine.
10. 10
    Serve the nilagang baboy hot with the prepared chili and lime condiment on the side. Diners can squeeze lime juice and add chili peppers to their bowl according to personal taste preference.