Frequently misspelled longanisa, the Filipino name comes from the Spanish word longaniza, referring to a type of spicy cold pork sausage.
You can easily buy prepared longganisa. It is tricky to make yourself because you will need a curing agent like potassium nitrate and a lot of things could go wrong. Regardless of whether you make it yourself or buy it from a reputable store, cook the sausage thoroughly to prevent food poisoning.
INGREDIENTS FOR LONGGANISA
a little over 2 pounds of fatty pork
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp freshly ground peppercorn
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp vinegar
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp anisado wine (substitute anise seeds)
1/2 tsp potassium nitrate (saltpeter)
1. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and then stuff into sausage casings.
2. Tie up the casings at intervals of four inches to create “links” in the sausage.
3. Hang in a cool place for two to three days for curing.
HOW TO COOK LONGGANISA
1. Place the sausage links side by side in a frying pan. Do not stack them on top of each other.
2. Add enough water to cover the sausages halfway up.
3. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the cover and simmer over low heat, letting the water evaporate.
5. Fat will start oozing out. You can now pan-fry the sausages.
6. Turn the sausages over to brown evenly. If there’s not enough fat, add some oil.
Remember to fry thoroughly! Do not ever eat raw longganisa.
