[Recipe] KBL (or Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka)

KBL (which is the short name for kadyos-baboy-langka) is one of Iloilo's iconic yet simple dishes that consists of just 4 basic ingredients (pigeon peas, pork, immature jackfruit, and the fourth just as important ingredient - batuan or Garcinia morella). The broth is mildly sour because of the batuan and the meat typically acquires a slight purple shade because of the pigeon peas.

KBL or kadyos, baboy, at langka is an iconic ilonggo dish

I wasn't particularly fond of this dish when I was growing up but I do remember that my late father used to like it a lot. I only started appreciating it quite recently (call it nostalgia but I have been seeking my Ilonggo roots when it comes to food lately) and it was something that I have always wanted to try cooking myself. One of the challenges I faced is that 2 of the main ingredients were not readily available in Metro Manila. These are kadyos (pigeon peas) and batuan (Garcinia morella, a souring agent used a lot in ilonggo cuisine). Fortunately, my mom was coming over from our hometown and she was a bit surprised when she asked if there is anything I would like from there and I readily answered these 2 ingredients. The kadyos is available fresh in the local market but I believe it is also available in its dried form in some stores. In this recipe, I made use of fresh beans so soaking and prolonged cooking time are unnecessary. I have also used a pressure cooker to speed things up but it is entirely optional.

Ingredients:
1 Kg pork cut into cubes (I used a combination of bony rib cuts and normal meaty cuts)
2 cups immature langka (jackfruit) chopped roughly 
1 cup fresh kadyos (pigeon peas), washed
5 to 7 pieces batuan 
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and quartered 
2 pcs instant pork bouillon cubes or 2 liters of pork stock
2 Tablespoons patis (fish sauce)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a pressure cooker, place the pork, onions, kadyos, and batuan. Add enough water to just cover the ingredients and pressure cook for 15 to 17 minutes. I usually heat the pot uncovered first letting it go into a rolling boil and scoop up the scum that forms on the top. Cover the pressure cooker and set the heat to medium. Once the pressure cooker starts venting, lower the temperature just to maintain the pressure (the venting as low as possible).

Once finished pressure cooking, add the stock and jackfruit. Cook it for another 20 to 25 minutes to let the jackfruit become tender. Season with the fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Serve hot with freshly cooked rice.