Pork Giniling Recipe (Simplified and Kid-Approved)
This is a simplified Pork Giniling recipe with the same flavor but less ingredients to make it both kids and adult approved!
This Pork Giniling recipe is a staple in our house. I make it quite often as this is one of those meals that my kids truly adore. Along with Instant Pot Korean Beef, this makes it to our menu almost every month.
For more kid-approved meals, check out Bang Bang Chicken, Orange Chicken and Easy Baked Chicken Meatballs.
Recipe Overview
So why do I call it kid approved? I used to make my pork giniling with all the ingredients cast (bell pepper, peas etc). A few trial and errors made me realize that while I love those versions, my kids happily gobbled their plates up when it is this simplified (aka less veggies) version.
Recipe Tips
- Diced Carrots and Potatoes. Another key here that makes the recipe a kid-friendly version is to dice the potatoes and veggies reasonably small. The photo above shows how I dice my veggies. Chopped this way, my 4 year old savors each spoonful without complain.
- A Bit of Acidity. The lemon or kalamansi juice added at the end gives the dish a bright boost without making it sour. It is just enough to sharpen the flavor without overpowering the dish.
Adjust the Flavor to Your Preference
At the end of cooking, you can add more of the flavorings to make this dish your own. The recipe is a base guideline. In the end, you can tailor the flavor to your desire by adding more salt, pepper, soy sauce, sugar and lemon.
Just make sure to allow it to simmer for a few more minutes after seasoning. I hope you and your little ones enjoy this!
Pork Giniling (Simplified and Kid-Approved)
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp canola oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 lbs ground pork
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 1 medium carrot diced
- 2 medium potatoes diced
- 1 cup water
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or kalamansi juice
- 1 tbsp sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown the Pork. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the garlic and onion, tossing frequently until fragrant and softened. Add the ground pork. Allow to brown, breaking it into chunks while cooking. Add the fish sauce and bay leaves. Toss and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add Vegetables. Add carrots, potatoes, soy sauce and water. Stir everything. Bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Thicken the Broth. Add tomato paste. Stir and cover the pot. Allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the broth has slightly thicken and reduced. Add the lemon juice and sugar.
- Season. Season with salt and pepper according to your preference. At this point you can also adjust the flavor by adding more sugar, or soy sauce. Allow to cook for a few more minutes, then turn off heat. Serve with rice.
Notes
- You can also add more to this recipe. Raisins, boiled quail eggs, diced bell pepper, vienna sausages. My kids prefer this basic version so I call this kid-approved for that reason.
- A key tip to make this really kid-approved is to dice the potatoes and carrots small. Because you know.. veggies.
I left out the lemon juice and added green peas. It’s really delicious and easy to make!
Hi Nel! Green peas are a perfect addition!
My kids love this so much!