Bulalo (Beef Shank Soup)

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 lbs. bulalo (beef shank), bone-in and cut on one end exposing the bone marrow
  • 1 pc. medium-sized white onion, peeled and quartered
  • 5 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 bunch pechay (Chinese cabbage), trimmed and leaves separated
  • 3 cobs of corn, each equally cut into 3 segments
  • ½ cup spring onions, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsps. patis (fish sauce)
  • 1 tbsp. whole peppercorn
  • salt to taste
  • water

PROCEDURE:
  1. In a large casserole, pour enough water to cover the beef shank and bring to a boil.
  2. Add the beef shank, and then onion, garlic, peppercorn and patis. Lower the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Add more water if the stock begins to dry. Alternatively, cook the ingredients in a pressure cooker over moderate heat for 1.5 hours.
  3. Scoop out the scum that accumulates on the surface. Put in the corn and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Add the pechay and spring onions. Season with salt and remove from heat.
  5. Place in a bowl and serve with dipping sauce of mixed patis, calamansi and crushed Thai chili on the side. Consume while the soup is hot along with plenty of steamed rice. Enjoy!

**Number of Servings: 4

TIPS FROM ENZ:
  1. Bulalo is usually cooked with minimal ingredients but you can boost it up by adding more vegetables of your choice like potatoes, saging na saba (plantain banana), bok choy, chayote, cabbage, carrots, romaine lettuce and string beans.
  2. Some cooking techniques involve blanching /soft boiling and washing the shanks with cold water to get rid of all the scums and impurities in order to achieve a clearer soup. I prefer to just strain the broth and skip the “washing” part as this might rinse off some flavors.