Palabok Paella

Ingredients:

½ kilo pork belly, no bone, cut into ¼ inch square slices and seasoned
Cooking oil for sauteeing
2 tablespoons garlic, rough chopped
25 pieces shrimp, medium (Heads and skin set aside)
25 pieces baby squid
1 cup tofu, firm, cut into small cubes
¼ cup atsuete oil
1 small piece onion, chopped
6 – 8 cups water
1½ cup short grain rice
2 tablespoons patis
⅛ cup calamansi juice, optional
Salt, to taste

Toppings:
Tinapa Flakes
Hard boiled eggs
Chicharon
Spring onions, chopped
Calamansi, sliced into quarters

Procedure:

1. Peel and devein shrimps. Set aside meat and shells separately.
2. Season pork and place in a paellera pan on medium heat.
3. Add about 2 cups of water enough to cover half of the pork pieces. Let the water evaporate.
4. Add cooking oil and fry the pork pieces. Set aside.
5. In the same pan, saute garlic. Once golden, add shrimp and squid. Saute until shrimp changes color. Set aside the shrimp and squid.
6. Add the tofu and fry until golden brown. Set aside.
7. Pour in atsuete oil and saute onions until translucent. Add the shrimp peels and mash. Saute until color changes.
8. Add water and mix. Continue mashing to bring out the shrimp flavors. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Mix in the rice and pork. Add more water to cover the rice. Season with patis according to your taste.
10. Cover pan and allow rice to cook.
11. Once cooked, decorate the top with the cooked shrimp, squid, and tofu along with spring onion, tinapa flakes, hard boiled eggs, and chicharon. Serve hot with a side of calamansi juice and patis.