Kadios, Baboy and Langka

Copyright 2012 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Kadios (pigeon pea), Baboy (pork) and Langka (jackfruit) or KBL is a well-loved Ilonggo dish and is one of the staples of our summer Sunday dinners growing up. When my grandmother on my Mom's side was in her 70s, she tilled the land next to our house and every summer, pigeon pea is one of her crops due to the fact that this pea variety is commonly grown in her hometown of Miag-ao (the same place where I now work). As one of the younger grandkids, we get the honor to harvest the pods and shuck the peas out of their pods. This was a fun activity and by the end of the afternoon, your fingers have already turned purple as well as your tongues from sneaking a few morsels of the fresh peas every now and then. 

Copyright 2012 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

The peas are smallish in size and range from a mottled purple/green mosaic to a deep purple black color. The ripe ones are the darkest in color which also means the stew you make from it turns a dark purple. The most common combination for the stew is how it obtained its now infamous name. The pork used to make this stew is of the unhealthy variety. The more fat, the better. Of course, you can go a bit healthier but bear in mind that most of the flavor comes from the fatty pieces of pork so you have two choices: first is to use a couple of fatty pieces of pork which you can later remove when you are ready to serve. A second option is to use bone in meat to add more flavor to the broth. 

Copyright 2012 LtDan'sKtchen blogs

The third component is probably the hardest one to find in the US. Kadios by themselves are hard to find but black beans make a good substitute. Jackfruit on the other hand is a do or die component of the dish. When I was still living in the US in the city of Atlanta, canned young jackfruit were sold in oriental stores for about $1.50. Take note that ripe jackfruit are also sold in bottles as strands of the now yellow-colored ripe jackfruit flesh. However, you don't want these ripe flesh for this dish. You want the unripe fruit because when young, the flesh has a firm texture and is great for stews and can be cooked as a vegetable. When ripe, the bland flavor of the flesh have turned very sweet and are best eaten as a fruit or made into a marmalade. Personally, I like to eat the ripe fruit straight from the tree which you can easily tell when ripe from the pungent odor that emanates from it. To keep the bugs out, the fruit is wrapped in a sack and allowed to grow to its full size until mature. 

Copyright 2012 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

I have been craving for this dish ever since I visited California back in 2006. I was informed they had kadios in their Filipino stores. Unfortunately, they always disappear from the shelves so I went home empty handed that time. Having issues with gout lately made me forsake this dish in the realms of "How I wish I can eat that" category except that my Dad especially asked for it this weekend. Since the peas were out of season in our city, I had to settle for dried ones so a cup of dried pigeon peas when cooked in water gave about 4 cups of perfectly cooked peas. I also had the first batch of cooking liquid discarded to get rid of all the uric acid to ensure that my gout does not flare up after eating this dish. As you can see, I cooked the stew the old fashioned way that would make my Mom proud. 

Kadios, Baboy and Langka

3 lbs pork pieces, with skin, bones and fat on
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, tied in a bundle
2 lbs young jackfruit, sliced
1 cup dried kadios, cooked
8-10 cups beef broth
4 tbsp fish sauce (optional)
salt and pepper
3 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Cook the pigeon peas in a large pot with enough water over medium heat 
    until soft when pressed between the fingers. Add more water whenever 
    necessary. Set aside. 

2. In another large pot, heat the oil and saute the garlic and onion until 
    softened. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the pork and saute until slightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
    Add the lemon grass and mix in with the meat.

4. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 
    40 minutes. 

5. Check for flavor and season with the fish sauce if using or salt. Add the 
    cooked pigeon peas with the cooking liquid and simmer for another 30 
    minutes. 

6. Add the jackfruit and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Check for 
    flavor and serve with steamed rice.