Dugo-dugo

Dugo-dugo (image courtesy of Wikipedia)

Here's another dish that I've never actually cooked myself, but just eaten in restaurants and shopping mall food courts. Called dugo-dugo in the Cebuano dialect of Visayan and dinuguan in pure Visayan, it's one of those things that sound absolutely disgusting but taste delicious. It's a type of stew made from pork meat and/or offal (which may include lungs, kidneys, liver, intestines, ears, heart and snout) cooked in the pig's blood with vinegar and hot green peppers (siling mahaba or sword peppers.)

Americans usually are appalled at the idea of eating pig's blood, but the English and Germans are more used to the idea: to them, this dish is a spicier, moister version of black pudding or blutwurst. 

I, too. was at first turned off by the ingredients, but after trying it I was hooked! My wife and I once joined several friends and acquaintances for lunch after church on Sunday, and the particular restaurant we chose, Golden Cowrie, served very large portions (and unlimited rice), so we dined "family style." I was in a fish and chips mood for some reason, so I ordered a large batter-fried fish dish. My wife ordered dugo-dugo, and after tasting it I ended up eating half of her order without knowing what it was! It was only afterward that I found out what was in it. I often order it in food courts now, if I happen to want to eat when I'm at a mall.

I once kind of tricked an American acquaintance of mine, who is visiting Cebu, into trying it. We were meeting up to do some sightseeing, and first had lunch in the food court at the SM mall in Cebu City. I ordered dugo-dugo (as well as some barbecue and some adobong kangkong) and he asked me what it was. I just said, "It's pork" so he ordered some too, and loved it. I never did tell him what was in it. (Sorry, Doc Kieth.)

Some people make their dugo-dugo kind of sweet: I prefer it to be more sour and spicier from the chili peppers. Anyway, a small serving goes a long way in seasoning your cooked rice so it's a cheap meal when dining out. Oh, did I tell you it's absolutely delicious? No? Well, it's absolutely delicious.