Focused recipe
Pinapaitan sa Ampalaya
Traditional Filipino beef offal soup with bitter melon, featuring a complex savory-bitter flavor profile from beef tripe, heart, liver, and small intestine simmered with ampalaya and kamias.
Filipino Updated 1/12/2022
Ingredients
Measured from the catalog payload.
- 2 pieces bitter melon seeded and sliced
- 10 ounces beef tripe boiled and chopped
- 10 ounces beef heart boiled and chopped
- 4 ounces pork liver sliced
- 12 ounces beef small intestine boiled and chopped
- 5 pieces chili pepper
- 5 pieces kamias
- 1 piece onion minced
- 3 tablespoons ginger minced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 5 tablespoons white vinegar
- 6 cups water
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
9 cooking steps
- Prepare the bitter melons by cutting them in half lengthwise and removing the seeds with a spoon. Slice into thin half-moons or chop into small pieces. Note: you can also use a food processor for best results.
- Bring water to a boil in a cooking pot. Add the chopped bitter melons and boil for 3 minutes to reduce bitterness. Drain and set aside, reserving the boiling liquid.
- Heat cooking oil in a clean wok or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic, onion, and ginger until fragrant and the onion begins to soften, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the boiled and chopped beef tripe, beef heart, and beef small intestine to the pot. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and heated through.
- Add the sliced pork liver to the pot. Cook for 1 minute, stirring gently to avoid breaking the liver.
- Pour white vinegar into the wok, scraping the bottom to deglaze. Let the mixture boil uncovered for 2 minutes to cook off the sharp acidity.
- Pour in the reserved bitter melon boiling water through a fine strainer to remove any solids. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the offal is tender, approximately 45-60 minutes.
- Add kamias and whole chili peppers to the soup. Continue cooking for 15 minutes to develop the sour and spicy notes.
- Season with fish sauce and ground black pepper to taste. Adjust bitterness and sourness as desired. Serve hot with steamed rice. Share and enjoy!
Catalog details
Useful for browsing and sync.
Soup, Beef bitter melon, bitter soup, papaitan Public recipe Revision 1
Recipe notes
- Offal requires thorough cleaning and pre-boiling before use in this recipe.
- Kamias (bilimbi fruit) provides essential sourness; substitute with tamarind or additional vinegar if unavailable.
- Bitterness level can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing bitter melon and kamias quantities.
- Traditional versions may include bile for enhanced bitterness (pinapaitan).
- Best consumed immediately; leftovers develop stronger flavors overnight.
Storage notes
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze portions without the bitter melon for up to 2 months; add fresh bitter melon when reheating.
- Reheat gently over low heat to prevent liver from becoming tough.