Ngohiong ... Not for the weak of heart.

Ngohiong ..... a Cebuano fried lumpia made with  NGOHIONG or Chinese Five Spice powder.  It is my new favorite now.  I feel bad that I was not able to have my fill in Cebu because I was distracted with all the other food.  It seems like a distant memory.... the taste quite vague but I remember I really enjoyed it so much.

I cooked ngohiong today  and Candy helped me with the recipe.  I went to Farmers Market in Cubao to buy a good kind of Ubod which they call, primera - very tender, not too fibrous and not prone to discoloration.

Ngohiong



1/2 K. ubod, cut into strips and soaked in salted water
2 T. lard
garlic, crushed
white onion, chopped
100 g. ground pork
1 T. soy sauce
1 C. water
1 T.sugar
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. Ngohiong or Five Spice powder
2 T. green onions, chopped

Saute garlic and onions in lard.  Add the ground pork.  When it is not pink anymore, season with soy sauce.
Add water and the rest of the seasonings.
Add the drained and rinsed ubod strips.

Adjust according to taste.  When the ubod is tender, add the green onions and drain immediately.  Let it cool before wrapping.



Dip in batter before deep frying in lard.

Batter

1/2 C. flour
1/2 C cornstarch
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. paprika powder
1/2 t. five spice powder
salt and pepper
1/2 C. water

Mix all the ingredients and dip lumpia before frying.

Candy said, I have to use lard in deep frying.

I asked around in Farmers Market if they were selling pork fat.  Unfortunately, there was none.  I had to go to Rustans Rockwell to buy half a kilo of back fat.





I turned the back fat into lard.



I do not know yet what I will do with the crispy pork bits.



I told Hermie to just store it in a jar.

Dipping Sauce



400 grams raw potatoes
6-8 pcs. dried whole sili
1/3 - 1/2 C. cane vinegar
salt
soy sauce
sugar

Put the potatoes, cane vinegar and dried sili in a blender and process until smooth.  Season with salt, soy sauce and sugar.

Whew!!!! This ngohiong is not for the weak of heart! Literally!!!

I am now drinking a cup of green tea.  So scary!!!!  Fried in pork lard?!?!?!   OMG! I am not trying to kill myself. 

Do you think a lot of restaurants use lard to fry  food that is why  it tastes so good???!!! 

I would like to say for my first Ngohiong experiement, I did quite well!