The Pork Project by Chef Redd Agustin Shares a Page from Our Rich and Diverse Culinary Tradition with Balbacua, Papaitan, Tinapa-Eh and Adobo Longganisa in Bawang Oil

Chef Redd Agustin is back with another batch of his scheduled deliveries to Manila for The Pork Project, bringing authentic regional cuisine to your table. The latest batch of savory offerings from The Pork Project included familiar local flavors like his popular Tinapa-Eh, Adobo Longganisa in Bawang Oil, Balbacua and Papaitan. Immerse yourself in traditional and diverse regional dishes with just one call to The Pork Project and rediscover Filipino cuisine prepared with the fresh and bold flavors in the unrestrained culinary style of Chef Redd Agustin. Read on for a peek at his savory offerings... 

Since the start of the lockdown early last year, the kitchens of The Pork Project have been busy preparing special bottled and frozen ready-to-heat local dishes for delivery. The many constraints of the quarantine experience did not deter Chef Redd, in fact, The Pork Project rolled out even more regular batches for deliveries to Manila. Previously, I received a batch of Chef Redd's local specialties like his best-selling Best Bagoong Ever (P225), Second Best Laing (P 250), Pupor P 225), Kambing na May K (P 650) and Taghilaw (P 550) showcasing the extensive menu of The Pork Project (see more on my earlier post, Heritage Recipes by The Pork Project, Delivered to Your Doorstep on the Taghilaw and Kambing na May K). This time, Chef Redd shared his specialty offerings like Tinapa-Eh (P 275), Adobo Longganisa in Bawang Oil, Davao-style Balbacua (P 900) and Pinapaitan Kambing or Papaitan (P 550) for another taste of savory local flavors.

Adapting to the times, The Pork Project's wide variety of offerings are packed and sealed in bottles or frozen in vacuum-sealed bags to ensure freshness made for the rigors of delivery. The quarantine experience led to the rise of the food delivery culture along with increased online transactions on social media and a surge in home-based food businesses. It's a trend that's here to stay and will remain an enduring reminder of the new normal. And The Pork Project by Chef Redd is ready to face it head on with their extensive menu of local-inspired cuisine. Packed in jars, the Tinapa-Eh (P 275) and Adobo Longganisa in Bawang Oil offer quick and convenient options to satisfy any appetite. Simply open the jars, reheat and enjoy. 

Prepared with the freshest ingredients and absolutely no preservatives, the bottled Tinapa-Eh by The Pork Project is just one of his many "ulam in a bottle" options. The traditional smoked tinapa is bottled with garlic, tomatoes and pork fat along with the other "good stuff" for an elegant and unctuous version of the local smoked fish. 

The smoked tinapa just melts in your mouth releasing its delicate notes followed by the richness of the pork fat and nutty garlic notes for an indulgent mouthfeel. The hints of smokiness punches through to round out the flavors. Think of it an an instant meal, enjoyed straight out of the bottle. 

The new Adobo Longganisa in Bawang Oil elevates the local sausage with its creative and inventive spin covered in garlic-infused oil. Inspired by the Spanish chorizo, the local longganisa is transformed delivering a savory richness tempered by the deep notes of garlic. 

The thick slices of longganisa brings a wide range of familiar notes to the palate, perfectly finished by the garlic-infused oil. Just like the Tinapa-Eh bottled in oil, the garlic-infused oil gives the longganisa a richer, more refined finish. Great as is paired with an ice-cold beer or served with rice, the Adobo Longganisa in Bawang Oil is another must-try dish from The Pork Project. Conveniently packed in glass jars, enjoying a sumptuous meal at home is as easy as twisting the lid. It's also the perfect addition to your home provisions.  

From the Visayas and Mindanao regions comes another classic local dish interpreted by Chef Redd for The Pork Project, the Balbacua. The traditional and regional beef stew made with tender beef, ox-tail and other collagen-rich parts is simmered for hours for that melt-in-your-mouth savory finish. The thick and rich sauce infused with the various cuts of collagen-rich beef gives it an almost sticky yet smooth consistency. 

Balbacua has a pronounced sweetness that drapes the palate, complementing the savory notes of the beef followed by hints of aromatic ginger and lemongrass. The addition of fresh chili, green onions and ground peanuts weaves even more layers of flavor to the complex stew. Almost like kare-kare but with a sweeter finish with vibrant hints of ginger, Balbacua is one more dish in the colorful tapestry of Filipino flavors that's as varied as the number of islands in the archipelago. 

Paired with noodles or steamed white rice, the comforting Balbacua becomes a satisfying and sumptuous meal at home. Chef Redd does all the prep work for you, so there's no need to work in the home kitchen for hours. All you have to do is call The Pork Project and your meal is delivered straight to you without the fuss. 

A dish from up north in the Mountain Province region is recreated by Chef Redd, the Papaitan or sour goat stew. Made with goat offals such as tripe, lungs, intestine and kidney soured by the bile, the Papaitan may be an acquired taste for some. The dish is a textural experience, with the various offals delivering varying degrees of tender almost melt-in-your-mouth bites. But's the bile that gives this dish a distinct finish, with its unique bitter hints that tempers the richness of the offals for balanced flavors.

But unlike the usual papaitan with its strong gamey hints, Chef Redd's version offers fresh and clean flavors from the various offals without being masked by the strong bitter notes of the bile. One more bite makes you appreciate the delicately balanced dish. 

And it's a loaded dish for a serious meal at home. Each bag is ready to heat and eat for your convenience. Hearty and sumptuous, the Papaitan is just one of many offerings from The Pork Project (for more on The Pork Project, see my earlier posts, Dining in the Next Normal: The Pork Project Presents the Pupor and Kambing na May K, Now Available for Delivery on probably the best chicharon available and Dining in the Next Normal: Chef Redd Agustin's The Pork Project Rolls Out Savory New Offerings like the Ilocos-style Dinakdakan and Frozen Chori Burger Patties). 

The Pork Project by Chef Redd Agustin will be back with another scheduled delivery to Manila by March 14 (order cut-off is March 7) with his regional cuisine as well as new seafood dishes like Cajun-Style Shrimp Broil and Baked Salmon in Crab Fat and Garlic Breadcrumbs so be sure to check their Facebook Page for updates. No need to travel far for authentic and traditional regional flavors, Chef Redd and The Pork Project brings the comforting flavors you love straight to your table with just one call or message. Make your next meal at home special with the bold, fresh and unrestrained local flavors of The Pork Project...