Giniling

Name: Giniling
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb ground pork, preferably 80/20 for best flavor; 0.5 large onion, chopped; 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 14 oz canned tomato sauce; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tsp fish sauce; 1 potato, diced small (about 1/2-inch pieces); 10 baby carrots, diced small; 1.5 bell peppers, any color; 0.5 cup frozen or fresh peas; 0.33 cup raisins (golden or regular); 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled; freshly ground black pepper; salt; 3 tbsp neutral oil for cooking

Filipino Giniling — Sweet, Savory Ground Pork Comfort

This homestyle Filipino dish turns humble ground pork into something deeply satisfying with its balance of savory tomato sauce and surprise bursts of sweetness from raisins. The vegetables add color and texture while everything simmers together into a comforting one-pot meal that's perfect over steamed rice.

FilipinoAsianDinnerComfort FoodBudget FriendlyOne PotPork

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Filipino kitchens have a way of turning the humblest ingredients into something that feels like a warm embrace. Giniling embodies this perfectly — ground pork, vegetables, and pantry staples that somehow create a dish greater than the sum of its parts. The secret lies in the layering of flavors and that distinctly Filipino touch of adding sweetness where you least expect it.

The raisins might seem odd if you're new to Filipino cuisine, but they're essential here. They provide little pockets of sweetness that balance the savory depth of tomato sauce and the umami punch from soy sauce and fish sauce. As everything simmers together, the raisins plump up and distribute their sweetness throughout the dish, creating that complex sweet-savory profile that defines so much Filipino cooking.

This is pure comfort food — the kind of dish Filipino families have been making for generations because it's economical, satisfying, and endlessly adaptable. Serve it over a mound of steamed rice and you have a complete meal that feels both familiar and exciting. The hard-boiled eggs aren't traditional in every household, but they add richness and make the dish feel more substantial. Some cooks skip them, others wouldn't dream of serving giniling without them.

Prep15 min

Cook25 min

Total40 min

Servings4

Difficultyeasy

Ingredients

1 lbground pork, preferably 80/20 for best flavor
½ large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
14 ozcanned tomato sauce
3 tbsptomato paste
3 tbspsoy sauce
2 tspfish sauce
1 potato, diced small (about 1/2-inch pieces)
10 baby carrots, diced small
1½ bell peppers, any color
½ cupfrozen or fresh peas
⅓ cupraisins (golden or regular)
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled(optional)
freshly ground black pepper
salt(optional)
3 tbspneutral oil for cooking

Instructions

Warm the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions, potatoes, and carrots, stirring occasionally until the onions turn translucent and the vegetables start to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer all the vegetables to a plate and set aside.
⏱ 5 min
Using the same pan, add the ground pork and break it apart with your spatula as it cooks. Keep stirring and chopping until no pink remains and the meat has developed some nice browned bits.
⏱ 5 min
Pour in the tomato sauce and stir in the tomato paste, soy sauce, and a generous amount of black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly so the pork is well-coated with the sauce mixture.
Return your cooked vegetables to the pan along with 1/2 cup of water. Let this simmer together, stirring occasionally, so the flavors can meld and the vegetables continue cooking.
⏱ 10 min
Stir in the bell peppers, peas, raisins, and fish sauce. Give everything a good mix, and add another 1/2 cup of water if the mixture looks too thick or starts sticking to the pan.
Continue cooking until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender and the flavors have had time to come together. Taste and add salt if needed — the fish sauce and soy sauce provide plenty of saltiness, so go easy.
⏱ 5 min
Spoon into bowls and nestle the hard-boiled eggs on top if you're using them. Serve over steamed rice for the full experience.

Tips & Tricks

Don't rush the browning of the pork — those caramelized bits add serious depth to the final dish.
Cut your potatoes and carrots small enough that they'll cook through in the simmering time, about 1/2-inch dice works perfectly.
The raisins will plump up as they cook, so don't worry if they look dry when you first add them.
Add the bell peppers toward the end so they keep some texture and don't turn mushy.
If your mixture gets too thick during cooking, add water a little at a time rather than dumping in too much at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ground beef instead of pork?

Absolutely — ground beef works well, though you'll lose some of the richness that pork fat brings to the dish. You might want to add an extra tablespoon of oil when browning the beef.

What can I substitute for fish sauce?

Use an extra tablespoon of soy sauce plus a pinch of salt. The flavor won't be identical, but you'll still get the savory depth the dish needs.

Can I make this ahead of time?

This actually improves overnight as the flavors meld. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat gently, adding a splash of water if it's gotten too thick.

Why are my vegetables still hard after cooking?

The potatoes and carrots need to be cut small enough to cook through in the simmering time. If they're too large, cover the pan and let them steam for a few extra minutes.