How to Cook Tokwa’t Baboy, Philippine Beancurd and Pork Dish

Tokwa’t baboy is a tofu and pork Philippine dish that Filipinos often eat alongside their favorite porridges like arroz caldo, lugaw and goto.

Tokwa is the Filipino term for tofu or beancurd, which is a food that is soft, white in color, rectangular in shape, and smooth in texture. It is made from soy milk.

Baboy is the Filipino term for pork.

To combine the two foods, Filipinos contract at or “and” in the English language and add this word between tokwa and baboy.

So, when referring to the dish, they say tokwa’t baboy rather than tokwa at baboy.

It is thought that tokwa’t baboy actually comes from the early Chinese people who settled in the Philippines.

There can be little contest to this.

Chinese people made a huge culinary influence on Filipinos.

In the Philippines, Chinese people introduced porridges or congee.

They also created tofu and made it a popular ingredient in many foods not just in the Philippines but across Asia.

Tokwa’t baboy is a not really a fussy dish.

With a little soy sauce and vinegar, a small onion and garlic, and of course tofu and pork, the dish can be readied without much sweat.

To add a little yet special something to the dish, Filipinos love adding in tausi or black beans into tokwa’t baboy.

Deli!

The flavors of the pork and tofu are just made tastier with tausi.

Filipinos also love their tokwa’t baboy with kinchay or Philippine kinchay, which many people think is similar to parsley, celery, and cilantro but is actually quite different from those.

Let me say that this herb is small.

But don’t be deceived with its size, it is packed with flavors! A little of it goes a long way.

A sprinkle of kinchay in tokwa’t baboy instantly makes it aromatic and savory.

Scrumptious!

Now, here’s the recipe for the Philippine tokwa’t baboy.

• brown sugar – 2 tablespoons
• cooking oil
• garlic – 3 cloves; minced
• kinchay – ½ teaspoon; chopped
• onion – 1 medium-sized; chopped
• pepper and salt to taste
• pork – about 250 grams; cut into cubes
• pork broth – ½ cup
• soy sauce – 3 table spoons
• tausi or black beans – 3 tablespoons
• tofu – 5 small rectangular blocks; fried then cut into cubes
• vinegar – 2 tablespoons
• water – ½ cup

1. In a pan set over medium heat, pour in water.
2. Add in pork and cook until water has dried up or until pork has become brown in color.
3. Remove cooked pork from pan and set aside.
4. Pour in cooking oil and heat.
5. Add in onion and sauté.
6. Add in garlic until slightly brown in color.
7. Place cooked pork back into the pan.
8. Add in cooked tofu cubes.
9. Place tausi or back beans then mix thoroughly.
10. Pour in pork broth.
11. Flavor the dish with sugar, pepper, salt, soy sauce and vinegar as desired.
12. Allow the dish to simmer for five minutes.
13. Remove the dish from the pan and place in a serving plate.
14. Garnish the dish with kinchay.

Serve.

Voila! Your tokwa’t baboy is ready to eat! Enjoy it with Philippine arroz caldo, lugaw or goto.

Copyright © 2012 Kerlyn Bautista

All Rights Reserved

• Arroz Caldo
• Lugaw
• Lumpiang Sariwa