Kilayin
Kilayin is a flavorful and delicious Kapampangan dish. Tender pork slices with liver and lungs marinated and cooked in vinegar. Taste even better the day after!
I borrowed this recipe from my brother which is, by the way, a terrific cook. It took me some time to make this because I can’t find any pork lungs. I could have gone and used pork heart but the authentic recipe calls for lungs! Make sure you’re committed when making this dish because you have to cook the lungs right away once you bought them because they tend to get bad easily.
Why Pork Lungs?
Lungs, intestines, and other parts for some might be deemed inedible animal parts but are considered as delicacies by others. They have a number of benefits like better iron absorption. A word of advice though, organ meats are also rich in cholesterol, so consume moderately.
The lungs give the dish thickness and somewhat creaminess to it. I also tried making it with pork heart but I like it better with lungs. Buying lungs might be a challenge for others especially in the U.S. where it’s banned. So you can swap the lungs with a heart as an alternative.
How to make Kilayin
Even if your making use of pork lungs and liver, cooking this dish is pretty straight forward. First, you need to soak the liver in a mixture of vinegar, chopped garlic, and ground black pepper. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a deep pan over medium heat and cook the minced pork lungs until they turn deep brown in color or when they start popping on the pan. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Using the same pan, add 2 tbsp cooking oil and saute onion and garlic. Add slices of pork meat and cook until half-cooked. Tip in the cooked pork lungs and mix it in then add the fish sauce and stir. Simmer for a 30 seconds then throw in bay leaves, pepper, and 2 cups of water.
Stir then simmer until the pork is soft and tender. If needed, add more water if the pork meat is still hard. When the meat is soft, add the pork liver together with the vinegar mixture, distribute the liver evenly but do not stir. Let it open-simmer for 10 minutes.
Check if the liver is soft and tender then taste and adjust with fish sauce or salt. When the liver is cooked through transfer in a serving plate. This dish taste even better on its second day! Bon Appetit!
Tips for Kilayin
- If you’re in the U.S. or by any chance can’t get any pork lungs, you can use the heart. Cut the heart into strips and add them just like when you add the pork lung in this recipe.
The secret ingredient is always LOVE
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Kilayin
Ingredients
For pork liver marinade
- ¼ kg pork liver (sliced)
- 1 cup vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped )
- ¼ tsp semi-ground black pepper
For cooking Kilayin
- 1 tbsp cooking oil (for sautéing the pork lungs)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (for saute the pork)
- ½ kg pork should ( cut into small sizes)
- 1 cup pork lungs (minced)
- 2 cloves garlic chopped (for saute)
- 1 medium sized onion slice (for saute)
- 4 tbsp fish sauce (add more if needed)
- 1 tsp semi-ground black pepper
- 2 pcs bay leaves
- 2 cups water (add more if needed)
Instructions
Marinating pork liver
- In a bowl, add pork liver, vinegar, chopped garlic, and ground black pepper. Stir and set aside.
- In a deep pan or pot, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add the pork lungs and cook until deep brown then set aside.
- Using the same pan in medium heat add 2 tbsp cooking oil. Saute the onion and garlic until onion is translucent.
- Tip in slices of pork shoulder and cook until light brown in color or half-cooked. Add the cooked pork lungs mix in with the other ingredients.
- Pour fish sauce and stir, simmer for a couple of seconds then add the bay leaves, pepper and water. Give it a quick stir then simmer until the pork is soft and tender. NOTE: add more water if the pork meat is still hard.
- Throw in the marinated liver together with the vinegar mixture. Spread the liver using a fork but do not stir and don’t cover. Let it simmer until the aroma of vinegar evaporates approx. 10 – 15 mins.
- When the liver is soft and tender, taste and adjust with fish sauce or salt. Transfer in a serving dish and serve with rice. Bon appetit!
