Bopis with minced pork lungs, carrots, and peppers is loaded with big, bold flavors you'll love! It's perfect as bar food with an ice-cold beer or a main meal with steamed rice!
One dish I was re-introduced to and fell in love with on my recent trip to the Philippines was Bopis. Although my mother cooked it often when I was growing up, I've never really taken a liking to it. When you're young (and foolish), heart and lungs are not exactly on your favorite food list.
I couldn't get enough of it now that I have grown-up tastes and a more adventurous palate! With piquant flavors and crispy edges, it's absolutely addictive!
What is Bopis
Bopis is a spicy Filipino delicacy made of minced pork lung and heart cooked in onions, garlic, and chili peppers. Popular as an appetizer, it is also commonly served as a main meal entree.
Like adobo, afritada, and other Filipino classics, there are many regional interpretations of this dish. Depending on the local version, the ingredients and seasonings may include tomato sauce, paprika, radish (labanos), carrots, bell peppers, and vinegar.
While some variations have a more saucy consistency due to the use of tomato sauce, Kapampangan bopis is mostly dry.
Bopis Kapampangan
You can mince the pork lung yourself or buy it already processed from the wet markets. Just ask the butcher for "pang-bopis" cut.
The minced lungs are first marinated in vinegar and then sauteed in onions and garlic until the meat begins to sizzle. In fact, the dish is also called pulutok in Kapampangan because of the crackling sound the meat makes in the pan as it crisps.
Once it's cooked, carrots, bell peppers, and chili peppers are added for color, texture, and spice.
Quick tip
Unfortunately, lungs are not unavailable here in the U.S. due to stringent regulatory laws. If you live in the U.S., use pork hearts and finely chop them with a knife or pulse in a food processor.
How to serve and store
- Serve as an appetizer with your favorite hard drinks or as a main dish with steamed rice.
- Refrigerate leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 3 days. Reheat in a wide pan, stirring regularly, until heated through.
If you're in the mood for more Kapampangan delicacies, you might want to try my spicy bagis made of ground beef, calamansi, and siling labuyo!
More pork recipes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds minced pork lungs
- ยฝ cup vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- ยฝ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- ยฝ red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 4 Thai chili peppers, stemmed and chopped
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine minced pork lung (or bopis mix), vinegar, and salt. Marinate for about 10 minutes.
- In a wide skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add fish sauce.
- Add minced pork lungs and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 to 30 minutes or until liquid is mostly absorbed and meat begins to sizzle.
- Add carrots, bell peppers, and chili peppers. Continue to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp.
Notes
Video
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Han Solo says
It was delicious. I used fresh butchered pork. There was a great deal of blood still in the lung. The heart was surprisingly free of blood. I blanched both heart and lung in boiling water for 5minutes before marinating in vinegar. I also added 1/4 cup of fresh fatback to help the crackle. I had some roasted garlic and onion from the previous night....also added more fresh minced. Anything cooked in onion, garlic, and fish sauce is lovely. Enjoy.
Rey Anicete says
how much is 1 serving? 1 cup? 1 bowl? in grams?
kat says
ok na sana e pumalpak yung recipe kasi pork heart pala hndi nakalagay
Joy says
Any pork lung /heart alternative po? Beef kaya pwede din? Thanks
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes, I think ground beef should work. Just brown it until nice and crispy ๐
evelyn says
i realy like all your menus.
Lalaine says
Thank you! I am glad you're enjoying the recipes ๐
Lina says
Can I use regular pork meat
Lalaine Manalo says
Bopis is traditionally made with offal but you can try minced pork butt or ground beef and brown until sizzling and crispy. ๐
D. Richard Carlson says
My wife said it looks sisig (as they called it in Mindanao). Correct?
Lalaine says
Yes, it's kind of like sisig but uses pork lungs and heart instead of pork ears and jowls ๐