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| Beef Nilaga or The Filipino Beef Soup |
My book says go green, buy green, eat green. I vividly remember my former Relief Society President in my ward in the Philippines. She is one of those people who will find the natural "cures" first before seeing a doctor. One Sunday afternoon after church services we we're hanging out having fun just talking. She has a funny way of sharing her thoughts and ideas that makes me smile in my head every time I think about it. At that time, she was recounting her adventures in finding the natural "remedy" for one to be able to "go". And so, she said that drinking half a glass of juiced Ampalaya or Bitter melon helped her "go". Then suddenly as if an "aha" or testimony moment for her, she swung her head and snapped her fingers and shouted with joy "Chlorophyll!". Excitement and Laughter! It was such a feel good moment for everyone of us that afternoon. A cherished simple experience. Aside from the fact that I miss my troops in the PI, I am ushering in a series of green veggies that I love to eat starting off with Beef Nilaga or the Filipino Beef Soup. Ampalaya is a bitter tasting veggie with a wrinkled outer texture which I also like but is reserved for another day and time.
Ingredients:
- a bunch of baby bokchoy washed and cleaned
- fresh corn in cob leaves removed, washed and cut in half or quartered
- a head of cabbage (optional) cut in wedges
- a piece of sweet onion sliced in wedges
- ground pepper
- beef diced in bite size cubes
- (optional) ginger cut in strips
- a cube of beef Knorr bouillon
- 2 cups water
- Wash and clean beef off excess fat. Cut in bite size cubes. Boil cut up beef in large pot with two cups water. Skim off or strain fat saving the juice and beef.
- In the same pot, re-boil saved juice and beef adding sliced onions, ginger and Knorr bouillon cube.
- Add in cut-up corn. Cook for three minutes. Add in bokchoy. Cook for two minutes. Add in cabbage. Cook for two minutes.
- Serve hot by itself or with steamed rice on the side
