January 30, 2008

Pata Tim

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 pata tim and steamed baby bokchoy

Pata (pork hocks) Tim and Pato (duck) Tim are Filipino dishes that are similar in taste but cooked in different ways. Pata Tim is stewed in a pot and Pato Tim is steamed. I have never eaten both outside of the Philippines, not in Hong Kong and not here in the US. Filipinos know these are Chinese in origin but from which region is not clear. Some say it's from Guangzhou (Canton), others from Fujian (Fukien). I consulted my cookbook CHINESE REGIONAL COOKING by Deh-Ta Hsiung and the closest and the only entry is from Sichuan, a duck dish called SOY BRAISED DUCK which is first deep fried then steamed for over 2 hours. The ingredients and cooking method are very very similar to Pato Tim. The cooked duck is then served on a bed of blanched seasonal greens much like the Tims I remember eating back in Manila. The following recipe which is my entry to Lasang Pinoy 23: Crock Pot Cooking has all the seasonings from this cookbook. I stewed the pork hocks until the meat is coming off from the bones. Dining on a plateful of the fatty meaty gelatinous pork, baby bokchoy, and steamed rice was like being transported back home. Delicious!

Pata Tim
2 ½ pounds pork hocks
2 T chopped scallions
1 T chopped ginger
¼ C hoi sin sauce
¼ C soy sauce
¼ C dark brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 C rice wine or sherry
1 C water plus more if needed
baby bokchoy, well cleaned and dried
  1. Place all ingredients except bokchoy in a pot and bring to a boil, skim off top.
  2. Turn heat to very low, cover and simmer for 3 - 4 hours or until meat is very tender. Once in a while check and add water or sherry if needed. There should be about a cup and half of sauce.
  3. Steam bokchoy for 3 minutes, set aside, keep warm.
  4. Turn heat off and transfer cooked meat into a serving platter.
  5. Remove bones and discard. Arrange cooked bokchoy around the meat. Pour the sauce all over the meat.
  6. Serve with steamed rice.

27 comments:

Sidney said...

You really need to publish your own cookbook!

Yummy, as usual!

raissa said...

I love Pata Tim. Come to think of it, I dont think I have eaten it here. Last time was still back in the Philippines. I will be on a look out next time we eat at a Filipino restaurant.

Anonymous said...

I've never heard of this dish. But it looks good and sweet.

Oggi said...

Sidney thanks, I've been working on it, can't decide which ones to choose.:)

Raissa I know, there aren't any Chinese or Filipino restos that serve them.

Marvin you should try it at least once. The duck is more tedious to make but is so delicious. It isn't very sweet at all, just a hint of brown sugar.

Sidney said...

We want them ALL !
Reserve a copy for me but it must be with a dedication.

Ruy said...

I love pata tim! Our version has a little bit of sesame oil and mushrooms (shitake preferably).
Yours however looks just delicious.
The bokchoy (or petchay) looks perfectly cooked. I'm a sucker for beautifully cooked green veggies.=)

desie said...

i've never had pata tim:-( it sounds absolutely delicious.

Oggi said...

Sidney, you are so funny, okay then, I'll do it!:D

Ruy I saw several versions online, one has dried squid. Sesame oil and shiitake sound good. I steamed the bokchoys in a Ziploc steamer bag which I am giving 2 thumbs up. You put the vegetables in the bag and nuke it according to the time/wattage of your microwave oven and voila perfectly cooked vegetables, no pans/equipment to clean.

Maybahay if you have a crock pot this is the perfect dish to make. It's really yummy.:)

Ruy said...

Hey, thanks for that tip!

Chibog in Chief said...

i always here about pata tim..but i never imagined it look like this..looks delicious..speacially i love pata...great entry for LP!!

Oggi said...

You're welcome Ruy.

Thanks Dhanggit. Me too I love pata, paksiw or humba.

raissa said...

I love humba! I dont know the other ways of cooking humba. the only one I know is the one from Leyte where I am from. It has boiled peanuts. Its drowning in oil but its so sinfully good =)

Oggi said...

Raissa the humba I make has lots of onions, soy sauce, brown sugar, and black pepper, sometimes I add lily buds for that Chinese flavor. I think peanuts sound appealing, I'll add them next time I make.
Yeah, why should something so good be so unhealthy? *Sigh*

Anonymous said...

I love pork hocks! I have some in the freezer now, so you know I'll have to try this recipe out. Thanks for sharing.

Oggi said...

Hi jmom you're welcome! Please do, it's really delicious and simple to make.:)

Anonymous said...

I have to try it this one…

Oggi said...

Hi ut-man thanks for dropping by.:)

Don't you just love blogging to find recipes to try?:D

jorbin124 said...

I remember eating this at a Chinese restaurant when I was a little girl and I loved it. And that was hard to do with a picky little 10 yr old. I will definitely try this although I remember it had straw mushrooms, so I might add that.

Anonymous said...

If you ever go to the Philippines, try the pata tim at Green Emerald restaurant across the US embasy in Manila... The best I ever tasted...

Oggi said...

Anon, thanks for the tip.:)

Anonymous said...

im from davao.. me and my mom loves pata tim. my aunt always cook that .. and also my lolo is really good in cooking pato tim.. love those food especially the humba na huyong huyong..lol

Anonymous said...

there's one restaurant also near US embassy.. called Rose Bowl .. they have pata tim and pato tim.. its really good...

Oggi said...

Now I want me some humba.:)

Thanks for the resto tip. I will add it to my list of restaurants to try.

Cait said...

Try adding some Star Anise, Shiitake, Hibe (small dried shrimps that are added when making monggo), and some tengang daga for more flavor =)

Oggi said...

Cait, thanks.:-)

Anonymous said...

Could I use broth or apple juice as a substitute for rice wine/sherry? I don't have any alcoholic beverages but I have Shaoxing Hua Tiao cooking wine and Mitsukan seasoned rice vinegar. Thanks :) - RR

Cheryll said...

thanks for this recipe, I cooked it last night and we give it a two thumbs up :) I also added some star anise (2pcs) and some shiitake mushrooms. and instead of rice wine/sherry, I used cooking wine because it was what I had in the pantry.

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