The tomato-mango salsa is a classic Filipino side to almost any dish. Its sweet-salty flavors go well with almost any Asian entrée. Best of all, the tomato is one of the most versatile ingredients. Anywhere we go in the world, there is a tomato somewhere, in some market and it is not hard to find a recipe for it.
To pair with this Tomato-Mango Salsa, I baked a pork shoulder dish called “Binagoongan” which had tomatoes, onions, shrimp paste and coconut cream. Pork Binagoongan is a pork dish with a base broth made of “bagoong”, the Filipino shrimp paste.
I was inspired by a classic Filipino pork dish made by a fellow blogger, Gio of The Hungry Giant. His baked Binagoongan ( say “bee- na- goh- o – ngang” ) looked so easy to do during our recent virtual cooking event for the Kulinarya Cooking Club. The usual version of this dish is to pan fry it. But I’m always intimidated by a hot skillet with bits of meat jumping up and down the hot oil, flying off into the air if not properly done. So a baked pork casserole was the easier cooking route I chose.
First, the pound of pork shoulder, cut in small cubes was pre-marinated and then kept in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, I added the tomato slices and coconut cream to the glass baking dish. And then I popped it into the oven to cook for an hour and a few minutes.
While that was going on, I sliced a whole fresh, ripe mango. The sweet, golden-yellow slices with its fruity fragrance never fails to make me go weak in the knees. Yes, I love mangoes with a passion, having grown up with them back in the Philippines. When I mix mangoes with a bowl of tomatoes, cubed and seeded, the salsa-like side concoction is guaranteed to make our meals irresistible, any day or season.
So here it is, a pork entrée and a side dish both made terrific by tomatoes. I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Filipino Pork Binagoongan – Pork Shoulder Baked in Shrimp Paste & Coconut Cream
- Adapted from a recipe by Gio of The Hungry Giant
- Servings : 4 to 6
1 pound pork shoulder ( called “kasim” in the Filipino or Asian markets), cut in 1-inch cubes
10 whole small tomatoes, sliced, seeded
1 large whole onion, sliced
8 teaspoons Bagoong Alamang or shrimp paste (find in Asian groceries in the Filipino aisle)
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup canned coconut cream
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Steamed white jasmine rice, for serving
- The day before, marinate the pork shoulder cubes with the onions, bagoong or shrimp paste, pepper and garlic powder. Place in a glass bowl or pan that’s non-reactive and cover with a plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, preheat the oven at 350 F degrees. Remove the plastic wrap cover. Add the tomatoes, vinegar and coconut cream. Blend ingredients well, but make sure the tomatoes and onions are on top.
- Cover pork shoulder casserole with foil. Bake at 350 F degrees for one hour and 10 minutes. In the middle of baking, Gio suggests “turn the pan halfway around for even cooking”.
TOMATO-MANGO SALSA
Servings: 4
2 large whole tomatoes, seeded, cubed
2 large fresh ripe mangoes, pitted, sliced in chunks
1 teaspoon salt
Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
- Mix together the tomatoes and mangoes. Toss in the salt and blend ingredients.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Chill in refrigerator till ready to serve with the Pork Binagoongan. Serve with steamed white jasmine rice.
Great side dish, Elizabeth! perfect for a hearty meat meal like this baked pork, good recipes (both)!
Sending you some #tomatolove 😉
Hi Helena! Thanks so much for stopping by! This is a perfect meal made special by the tomatoes !
Ahh, I love reading your recipes and learning about Filipino cuisine. I’ve had fruit salsas before but never just simply tomatoes & mango – I love both of them so definitely will be making this!
Hi Deanna! Awwww, so kind of you to say that. Do try this tomato-mango salsa ~ it’s an explosion of deliciousness! Thanks for the blog-love!
Yum, I never would have thought of just tomatoes and mango but why not. The pork shoulder looks fabulous too, great recipes, thanks.
Thanks, Suzanne. Yes, these are mainstays on our table, they’re so yummy! Glad you stopped by!
I love some slow-braised pork, and I can imagine the freshness of the side salsa would really make it sing.
Thanks, Tora! Isn’t slow-braised pork just awesome? And yes, the tomato-mango salsa was a great side! Thanks for the blog-love!
Looks good! Thanks for stopping by my blog! Hope you had a nice day!
Thank you, too, Lois ! Nice of you to come visit! Have a great summer!
I made salsa too! Mango salsa sounds super yummy!!
Hi Sheila, thanks for visiting my blog. Yes, isn’t mango-tomato salsa just so versatile ?
when i saw this post at the hungry giant i thought i would make it too one day. we definitely think alike haha.
i love the mango salsa too.. who doesn’t?
happy monday!
malou
Hi Malou! Yes, we think so alike, it’s amazing! One of these days, you and I need to schedule a visit with each other. We’d both have a fun cookout/potluck! Thanks for the blog-love 🙂
Your tomato mango salsa looks wonderful! Happy #tomatolove!
Thanks, Cindy! These tomato dishes were terrific. Thanks for stopping by & all the tweet-love!
Love the mix of tomato and mango, so intense acidic and sweet. A perfect match to the pork. And the coconut shrimp paste…sounds so good.
Thanks, Evelyne! Yes, these dishes were terrific esp. with the tomatoes! Glad you came by!
Wow this would go well with sinangag! BTW thanks for visiting my site otherwise I would not find out your wonderful blog
Thanks, Raymund! I follow your site & tweets and always like what you post. I agree these tomato entree & side is best with sinangang. Mabuhay & thanks!
wow i love the tomato and mango salsa! great flavors!! and the pork shoulder dish looks incredibly savory! ps – when you link up to the linky tool, could you copy the URL to the blogpost instead of to your blog? then people can find your blogpost for the #tomatolove bloghop without having to scroll down. thanks elizabeth!
Hi Junia! Glad you stopped by. Thanks for the advice. I’ll look into it. Hope you don’t mind if I come back to you on the FB page & ask you again. Thanks for the tomato-love & blog visit!
Food like this make me eat too much. Just too delicious. I love banging food in the oven but haven’t thought of doing that to binagoongan. To die for!
Thanks, Adora! This is a great recipe from Gio & I’ve made it many times. It’s the baking part that makes it even easier. Enjoy 🙂