Recipes
Humbà Beets
This meatless riff on Filipino red braised pork is redolent with garlic, miso, and star anise.
- Serves
4–6
- Time
2 hours 45 minutes
Red braised pork (hong-bah), brought to the Visayas Islands by Hokkien Chinese traders, gave humbà its name. Though traditionally made with meat, this humbà beet recipe is equally decadent. Jamilyn Salonga-Bailey’s great grandmother Leoncia was known for the pork humbà she made during fiesta time, but she was vegetarian—so this recipe is a tribute to her. The leftover sauce (which will keep for two weeks in the fridge) is great over grilled or roasted vegetables.
Featured in “Make Your Next Dinner Party a Kamayan” by Jasmine Ting.
Ingredients
For the beets:
- 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1½ tsp. sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 1 thyme sprig
- 2½ lb. beets, cleaned and dried
- 2 cups coarse sea salt
For the sauce:
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1½ tsp. black peppercorns
- 20 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped (about ½ cup)
- 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 whole star anise
- 1½ cups light brown sugar
- ½ cup fermented black beans
- 3 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. red miso
- 1 cup cane vinegar, such as Datu Puti brand, or rice vinegar
- ¼ cup plus 3 Tbsp. Filipino soy sauce, such as Datu Puti brand, or other soy sauce
- Kale chips and chopped pili nuts, for garnish (optional)
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Instructions
Step 1
Make the beets: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir together the vinegar, kosher salt, sugar, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Add the beets and toss, then transfer to a large sheet of foil, cover with another sheet, and fold tightly to make a packet. In a 9- by 13-inch baking dish, spread the coarse salt, then place the packet on top. Bake until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 2½ hours, then set aside to cool.
Step 2
Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium pot over medium heat, cook the oil, peppercorns, garlic, onions, bay leaf, and star anise, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, fermented beans, and miso and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and soy sauce, turn the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced, about 25 minutes more.
Step 3
In a blender or food processor, pulse the sauce until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl.
Step 4
When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and cut them into wedges. Transfer to a bowl, add ½ cup of the sauce, and toss to coat. On a platter, spread another ½ cup of the sauce, then top with the beets. Garnish with kale chips and pili nuts if desired.
- Make the beets: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir together the vinegar, kosher salt, sugar, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Add the beets and toss, then transfer to a large sheet of foil, cover with another sheet, and fold tightly to make a packet. In a 9- by 13-inch baking dish, spread the coarse salt, then place the packet on top. Bake until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 2½ hours, then set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium pot over medium heat, cook the oil, peppercorns, garlic, onions, bay leaf, and star anise, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, fermented beans, and miso and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and soy sauce, turn the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced, about 25 minutes more.
- In a blender or food processor, pulse the sauce until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl.
- When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and cut them into wedges. Transfer to a bowl, add ½ cup of the sauce, and toss to coat. On a platter, spread another ½ cup of the sauce, then top with the beets. Garnish with kale chips and pili nuts if desired.
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