Ginisang Pechay (Sauteed Bok Choi with Ground Pork)

It's Monday again...and I hope your week is off to a good start! 

Today, I want to share with you a very simple Filipino dish that my mom used to cook often because it's so easy to prepare and is really very economical. It's simply pechay (a green leafy vegetable which is the Filipino Bok Choi) sauteed with ground pork. In the Philippines, pechay is available in the market all year long. It is also one of the common vegetables that can be found in many backyard gardens, so you can buy it really cheap. But cheap as it is, it is packed with nutrients! It is rich in Vitamins A & C and in folate too. It also has small amount of calcium, iron, protein, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B-6 and Vitamin K. Pechay has that crisp and mild sweet taste that make it so good in soups and stir-fries.

This Ginisang Pechay that I have for you is the simplest way of cooking it. Just like my mom, I enjoy cooking this nutritious and tasty dish! With just a bundle of pechay, a little ground pork and some spices, this will be ready in no time! You should try it!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 to 1 lb ground pork
• 1 lb pechay, wash, trimmed and chopped (stalk and leaf parts separated)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 1 Knorr pork cube
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1/2 cup garlic chives, chopped
• 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 Tbsp pure olive oil 
• salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. In a pan over medium heat, saute garlic in olive oil until light brown. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add Knorr pork cube and saute until melted. Add ground pork. Saute until juice starts to come out. 

2. Add water and fish sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until pork is tender. Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste. Add stalk part of the pechay and simmer for about 2 minutes. Add chives, leaf part of pechay and oyster sauce. Simmer for 2 more minutes.

3. Remove from heat. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with hot rice.