Authentic Isaw Recipe Philippines, Asia
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Isaw, an inexpensive Filipino street food dish consists of boiled, then grilled pork or chicken intestines. The dish is made with intestines, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, peppercorn, dried bay leaves, onion, garlic, chilies, and more often than not, banana ketchup. The intestines are meticulously cleaned and boiled in seasoned water. After cooling, they are cut into smaller pieces, skewed, and grilled over hot charcoal, basted in a soy sauce mixture. Isaw is served hot, usually accompanied by some soy sauce or a spiced dip made with vinegar, onion, garlic, and chilies. Isaw is most commonly sold at street stalls named isawans, and is traditionally consumed as an afternoon snack.
Pair with
Serve With
Cooking tips
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cleaning
Make sure to buy only pre-cleaned chicken or pig intestines from a trusted seller, then clean them some more before cooking. Rinse the intestines under running water, turning them inside out, or slicing them open for easier cleaning. Some sources suggest inserting a small water hose inside the intestines. -
method
Boiling the intestines before grilling is an essential step in the preparation process. Cooking the intestines in boiling water for 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the recipe, eliminates the food-borne bacteria. Even though the traditional preparation method includes grilling isaw over hot charcoal, some recipes call for deep-frying the intestines in hot oil. Besides the traditional seasonings, some ... Read more -
serving
The dish is served hot, with some soy sauce or spicy vinegar dip on the side. The sour vinegar mixture goes well with the smoky flavor of the isaw.
Recipe variations
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Isaw and Balunbalunan
Ready in 1h 20minThis next recipe is adapted from the Ang Sarap website (www.angsarap.net) and features a barbecued mix of pork intestine and chicken gizzard. For the authentic isaw version, prepare only the pork intestine. Clean the intestine thoroughly under running water and soak in boiling water. If your kitchen doesn't have a good ventilation system, try cooking this dish outdoors. Soak the skewers in water overnight to prevent them from burning.
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Crispy Fried Isaw
Ready in 45minThe next recipe, adapted from the Sarap Pinoy Recipes website (www.sarappinoyrecipes.com), includes a crunchy version of the chicken dish, coated in flour, eggs, and cornstarch, then deep-fried in oil. Even though this recipe doesn't call for it, boiling the cleaned intestines before proceeding with the preparation process might be the safest option.
Isaw and Balunbalunan
PREP 30min
COOK 50min
READY IN 1h 20min
This next recipe is adapted from the Ang Sarap website (www.angsarap.net) and features a barbecued mix of pork intestine and chicken gizzard. For the authentic isaw version, prepare only the pork intestine. Clean the intestine thoroughly under running water and soak in boiling water. If your kitchen doesn't have a good ventilation system, try cooking this dish outdoors. Soak the skewers in water overnight to prevent them from burning.
Ingredients
Isaw and Balunbalunan
FOR THE BARBECUE:
1 kg (2.2 lb) mix of pork intestine and chicken gizzard
1 1/2 (360 ml) cup white vinegar
1 1/2 (360 ml) liters water
¼ cup (145g) whole peppercorn
¼ cup (135g) salt
1 whole garlic
Dozen bay leaves
FOR THE VINEGAR DIP:
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 cup (240 ml) white vinegar
1 large red onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 pcs bird's eye chilies
¼ cup (50g) sugar
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
FOR THE BASTING SAUCE:
½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce
½ cup (120 ml) water
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sugar
Preparation
Isaw and Balunbalunan
Mix the vinegar dip ingredients in a clean jar and set aside.
Add water, white vinegar, salt, peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves to a big pot and bring to a boil. Cook the intestines for about 30 minutes and the gizzard for approximately 45 minutes, then strain and leave to cool.
Cut the intestines crosswise about 1.5 cm thick and halve the gizzards. Place 4 pieces on each skewer.
Combine the basting sauce ingredients in a bowl.
Grill the intestines and the gizzards over flaming charcoal for approximately 3-5 minutes, all the while basting with the sauce. When lightly charred, serve with some vinegar dip.
Other Variations
-
Crispy Fried Isaw
Ready in 45minThe next recipe, adapted from the Sarap Pinoy Recipes website (www.sarappinoyrecipes.com), includes a crunchy version of the chicken dish, coated in flour, eggs, and cornstarch, then deep-fried in oil. Even though this recipe doesn't call for it, boiling the cleaned intestines before proceeding with the preparation process might be the safest option.
Other authentic recipes
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