Dinakdakan

by Ariel Jasa
(Mandaluyong City)

Dinakdakan

Dinakdakan is an Ilocano dish, somewhat similar to Pampango's sisig.

The Ilocanos have a wide variety of interesting dishes that we tend to crave after the first taste.

One of these dishes is like a version of sisig called the “Dinakdakan”.

This is made from pig’s head (maskara) with some intestines which are boiled, then grilled or fried, seasoned, and mixed with star of this dish: the boiled and mashed pig’s brain.

The preparation is somewhat similar to kinilaw, but this one is grilled or fried with the pig’s brain added.

It was my mother who taught me about this recipe. Knowing what's in it made me think twice of even tasting it, but after trying it, I couldn't have enough of it!

The pig’s brain is actually very tasty, very creamy like mayonnaise.

I suggest that if you were serve this to your family and closest friends, that you wait until they have tasted and liked it before breaking the news that 'pig's brain' is one of the ingredients. That is, only if you know that they have not dieting or with no allergies or qualms of eating such kind of food.


Ingredients:

1 kilo pig’s face, ear, tongue, intestine
1 whole pig’s brain
1 pc. white onion, quartered
Enough water to boil the meat

2 pieces white or red onions (diced finely)
1/2 cup vinegar
10 pieces calamansi or lime
5 pieces long chili peppers (sili pansigang)
3 pieces thai bird's eye chili (siling labuyo)
Salt and Pepper to taste



Procedures:

1. Boil the meat with the quartered onion until tender, drain, pat dry and set aside.

2. Put the pig’s brain in a strainer, dip briefly in boiling water until it turns white.

3. Grill the tenderized meat, and cut into bite size pieces.

4. Add in vinegar, calamansi, chopped siling pansigang, onion, siling labuyo and season with salt & pepper.

5. Put the pig’s brain and smash it in until thoroughly blended with the meat.

6. Serve and enjoy!