Pinapaitan

Pinapaitanorpapaitan(lit."to [make] bitter") is a Filipino-Ilocanostewmade withgoat meatandoffaland flavored with itsbile,chyme, orcud(also known aspapait).Thispapaitgives the stew its signature bitter flavor profile or "pait" (lit. "bitter"),a flavor profile commonly associated with Ilocano cuisine.Similar to other Ilocano meat dishes,pinapaitandoes not contain any vegetables other than those used for flavoring.
Various offal includetripe,kidneys,liver,heart,intestines,pancreas, andspleen.Hideandbloodmay also be added.Alternately, it can be made with beef when goat is not available.It also goes by the namesangkutsarfrom theSpanish term"sancochar" meaning "to parboil".InViganandPangasinan,pinapaitanmade with beef is known assinanglaw.
It is enjoyed as amain dishserved with rice or aspulutan(appetizer) with alcohol.One researcher has suggested that the consumption ofpinapaitanmay be an underlying display ofmachismo, not dissimilar to extreme chili-eating competitions. Nevertheless, the consumption of bitter foods including bile is said to trigger the body's innate immunity, thus supporting disease prevention and promoting health.
It has no relation to the similar sounding dish namedpaitan(白湯), a common soup for Japaneseramen.
Pinapaitanhas been a staple ofIlocanocuisine for hundreds of years, and it remains a popular comfort food to this day.
The most probable origin ofpinapaitanis from theSpanish colonial era. In the early 1800s, theSpanish friarswould get the best meat, while the Filipinos were given the less desirable cuts.Pinapaitanis said to be a product of this resourcefulness, which dates back to that time.
Pinapaitanis typically prepared the same day the goat (or cattle) is butchered.Bile is collected from the liver and gallbladder, or cud from the stomach or small intestines of the same animal.
The meat and offal are sliced into thin bitesize pieces 3 cm to 5 cm and parboiled in water mixed with vinegar to remove impurities or gaminess. Aromatics vegetables, primarilyginger(optionallygarlicorshallots) is sauteed, followed by the meat and offal. Water is added to the meat and simmered until tender.
The bile (or cud) is added to the stew towards the end of the cooking process. It is optionally soured withvinegar,bilimbi, ortamarind(pulp or leaves), or spiced withchili peppers. It may be seasoned withsalt,patis, orMSG.
Some recipes usebittermelon, or its leaves, as a substitute for bile or when it is not available.
Kinigtot(lit. "surprised") orginulatis a similar Ilocanostir-frieddish usinggoat meator beef, which is mixed withpapait.Kilawinis another Ilocano dish withparcookedgoat that is traditionally eaten withpapait.
Ilocanosare not the only ones partial to bitter flavors usingbile.Niu bie tangis a soup made by theDongethnic group in theGuizhouProvince of China. Cattle are fed fine grass and herbs before slaughtering and extracting the ingredients. Other ingredients are added to the cud and bile and boiled to make a soup. People in Guizhou enjoy the soup as the base of noodle dishes.
TheDaiethnic group in southernYunnanis noted for its noodle dishsapie(撒撇), a dish laced with bile and chyme.Similarly, theThái people (Vietnam)in Vietnam also has a dish called nậm pịa or nặm pịa (intestine juice). TheIsanethnic community in northernThailandandLaotians, also feature bile inlaap(ລາບ).Further afield in Italy, chyme from unweaned calves furnishes the sauce for a Roman dish calledpajata.