Apan-Apan (Adobong Kangkong ng Ilonggo)

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 bunch of kangkong (water spinach), leaves separated and soft stems cut into 1½-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup vinegar (sugar cane or coconut vinegar)
  • 3 tbsps. soy sauce
  • ½ cup water
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium-sized onion, coarsely chopped
  • 3 pieces medium-sized tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ lb. pork or beef, sliced into small cubes
  • 1 tbsp. guinamos or bagoong alamang (shrimp paste)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp. cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tbsps. water (optional)
  • 1 block tokwa (tofu), sliced crosswise 1 cm. thick
  • cooking oil

PROCEDURE:
  1. Combine the water and vinegar in a large saucepan and bring to boil over high heat.
  2. Add the kangkong leaves and stems. Set to simmer for 5 minutes or shorter, just enough for the vegetables to shrink a bit. Add soy sauce and season with pepper. Stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Sprinkle some salt and pepper to sliced tokwa and deep fry until brown and crunchy. Transfer on paper towel to dry the excess oil. Cut the fried tofu into small cube slices and set aside.
  4. In a separate pan, heat the oil and sauté the garlic, onion and tomatoes until very fragrant.
  5. Add in meat and stir fry to lightly brown. Put the guinamos or alamang and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add a little liquid from the boiled kangkong if the mixture begins to dry.
  6. Add the boiled kangkong including the liquid on the guinamos sauce. Mix to combine all the ingredients.
  7. Pour in the dissolved cornstarch and simmer until the sauce slightly thickens.
  8. Remove from heat and transfer the cooked apan-apan in a platter. Sprinkle with some diced fried tofu and serve along with steamed rice. Enjoy!

**Number of Servings: 6

TIPS FROM ENZ:
  1. Any kind of cooking vinegar can be used. Balance the acidity by adjusting the ingredients.
  2. Apan-apan is best served along with fried dishes like fried daing na bangus (vinegar-soaked milkfish fillet) and crispy pata (pork belly).
  3. Regular spinach, bok choy (Chinese cabbage) and choi sum (Chinese flowering cabbage) can be used as substitutes for kangkong.