Ginisang Labanos

Sauteed Daikon

Ginisang Labanos / Sauteed Daikon

Sauteed white radish, or daikon, is a quick and easy-to-prepare Filipino vegetable dish perfect with steamed rice. 
I remember growing up, my Nanay used to cook this dish and it was my least favorite dish of all. I do not like its mild bitterness and lack of flavor. Eventually, our taste buds changes over the years as we grow older. Now, I can eat any dish with this vegetable and even pickled one.
In this recipe, I used pork and shrimps to enhance its flavor. Sometimes, I also put fried tofu as substitute to pork, for a much healthier dish. Like my Nanay, I opted to add vinegar to give a little bite of tartness and generous dash of ground black pepper to make it more savory.

Ingredients for Ginisang Labanos 

Ingredients:

2 large - Labanos or White Radish/Daikon (pared, washed and sliced into thick strips)
1 cup - Pork (sliced thinly)
1 cup - Shrimps (shelled and set aside shell for broth)
2 medium size - Tomatoes (washed and cubed)
1 medium size - Onion (sliced)
6 cloves - Garlic (minched) 
2 tbsp. - Fish Sauce (Patis) or to taste
2 tbsp. - Vinegar (Optional)
1 tsp. - Ground Black Pepper or to taste
1/2 cup - Water 
1 cup -  Shrimp Broth (boil shrimps shell and strain)
1 tbsp. - Canola Cooking Oil (Optional - fat from pork can be use for sauteing)

Let's Cook!

1. In a large pan, combine water and pork. Bring  to a boil.
2. When water has fully evaporated, lower the heat, cover the pan and let pork fry in its own fat until golden brown. Stir occasionally. 
3. Set the browned pork at the side of the pan and saute garlic, followed by onion and tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes.
4. Combine pork and the sauteed garlic, onion and tomatoes. Stir, then add shrimp broth. Simmer for 5 minutes.
   
5. Put in daikon, cover and cook for 3 minutes.
6. Add-in shrimps, ground black pepper, fish sauce and the optional vinegar.
7. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes or until the shrimps are cooked.
8. Remove from heat and place in a bowl.
9. Dish up with steamed rice. Enjoy!