Pork Nilapad

Pork Nilapad (flat)

I am taking you to my childhood food which my grandmother used to prepare every fiesta.  This pork recipe is a tradition, i have no idea how to translate the recipe's title, but my lola and the elders called it nilapad (bisaya language, one of philippines native dialects). Maybe because the ingredients are supposed to be sliced in thin but flat?.. anyways..for me this has been a comfort food with all the vegies and so easy to prepare..and simple homecooking is the best.  I used to offer myself together with my siblings to help in preparing the ingredients during fiesta every year, with the assistance ofcourse of the adults on how the ingredients supposed to be cut. We would wake up like 1am to prepare all the ingredients. it was fun and educational...So without further adue these are the ingredients:

The pork is sliced thinly and i marinated it in soy sauce, cornstarch, oil, and brown sugar. It adds flavour to the pork, to marinade the pork is optional.

These are all the vegies..

and..this is how i love to serve it, with fried egg and steamed rice. the fried is already my personal additional, cause it tastes even better with it.
Let me give you the full the recipe and how to make it.

PORK NILAPAD.

serves 2

Ings:

• 1/4 kl pork meat, i prefer without fat, cut into thin slices
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tomato sliced thinly 
• 1 red/green bell pepper
• 2 medium size potatoes cut into flat and thin (according to your liking)
• 2 medium carrots cut into same thickness as the potatoes 
• green peas (cooked)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• soy sauce according to taste
• fish sauce (patis) according to taste
• brown sugar according to taste (act as flavour balancer)
• 2 tsp of cornstarch dissolve in water (too thicken the dish)
• siling haba/labuyo (optional) i want mine a little bit spicy
• green inion leaves (thinly sliced for garnish)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2c water 

Method:

1. prepare the meat
2. in a pan heat the olive oil, add the onion, garlic, siling haba, tomato and allow the tomato to cook so the flavour will mix in our dish very well
3. add the pork, let it simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the soy sauce, simmer for a while and then add the patis or fish sauce, simmer for awhile before adding the water. let it boil before adding the pepper.Simmer for 15 mins, add potatoes, carrots and bell pepper, cook until the vegies are tender checking every now and then so it will not dry and burnt..add water if you need too.
4. when the vegies and meat is tender add the peas and simmer for while, taste first before adding the salt and sugar to taste and the add the cornstarch dissolved in water and wait for it to thick. once it's thick taste again if the taste is to your liking then it's ready to serve.

I find it best served with steamed rice and fried egg. It is very simple and deliscious.  You can put your own method in seasoning this dish.

Enjoy!