Humba Tokwa at Tainga is a savory-sweet Filipino braised dish made with tender pork ears, crispy tofu, and rich, flavorful sauce—perfectly paired with rice for a comforting meal.
Ingredients Selection Tips:
Pork ears – Tainga (1 lb, cleaned and sliced) • Choose ears that are pink, smooth, and free of hair or blemishes. • Ask your butcher to slice and clean thoroughly to save time.
Whole peppercorns (½ tbsp) • Use fresh whole peppercorns for deeper aroma during boiling.
Water (3–4 cups) • Use just enough to submerge the pork ears while maintaining concentrated flavor.
Dried bay leaves (2 pcs) • Choose bay leaves that are greenish and intact; old ones lose potency.
Salt (1 tsp) • Sea salt works best to season the pork without overpowering.
Cooking oil (2 tbsp) • Use neutral oil like canola to let braising flavors dominate.
Garlic (4 cloves, minced) • Fresh garlic gives better aroma than bottled; avoid sprouting cloves.
Onion (1 medium, chopped) • Pick firm onions with no soft spots or sprouting; red or yellow both work.
Star anise (2 pcs) • Whole, unbroken star anise gives a floral sweetness essential to humba flavor.
Ground black pepper (1 tsp + ½ tsp for finishing) • Freshly ground pepper offers sharper flavor and a fragrant finish.
Boiled pork ears • Use after fully tenderizing and skimming scum for a cleaner, richer sauce.
Fried tofu – Tokwa (cubed) • Use firm tofu; it should feel dense and dry for better frying and sauce absorption.
Soy sauce (3 tbsp) • Choose dark soy sauce for deeper color and umami base.
Hoisin sauce (1½ tbsp) • Pick thick hoisin with minimal sugar; this adds signature humba sweetness and depth.
Vinegar (2 tbsp) • White cane or sukang Iloko gives acidity without sweetness.
Cooking wine (1 tbsp) • Adds aromatic complexity; use Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry.
Brown sugar (3 tbsp) • Dark brown sugar gives molasses-like sweetness and body to the sauce.
Water (1 cup) • Used to adjust braising consistency without diluting flavor.
Chili sauce (1 tbsp, optional) • Optional for heat; use chili garlic or sriracha depending on preference.
Dried banana blossoms (¼ cup, rinsed and soaked) • Should be soft and pliable; soak well to avoid bitterness.
Sesame oil (1 tsp) • Add sparingly for nutty aroma; drizzle near the end to retain fragrance.
Slurry – Cornstarch (1 tbsp) + Water (1 tbsp) • Mix right before using to avoid lumps and control thickness.
Bokchoy stems and leaves (separated) • Stems should be firm and white; leaves bright green and crisp.
Cooking Tips:
- Boiling pork ears with aromatics removes odor and tenderizes without losing structure.
- Use star anise sparingly—it’s powerful and can dominate if overused.
- Fry tofu until golden and chewy to help it absorb braising sauce better.
- Hoisin and brown sugar create humba’s signature sweet-savory profile—don’t substitute with white sugar.
- Balance vinegar carefully; too much can overpower the sauce’s richness.
- Banana blossoms soak up flavor but must be soaked well to avoid bitterness.
- Slurry should be added gradually to control sauce thickness—overdoing it makes it too sticky.
- Sesame oil is potent—add at the end to retain aroma without overpowering.
- Bokchoy stems need longer cooking than leaves; add in stages to keep texture balanced.
- Let the sauce reduce slowly for better flavor concentration and glossy finish.
Humba Tainga at Tokwa (Braised Pork Ears with Tofu)
Ingredients
Boil pork ears
- 1 lb pork ears tainga, cleaned and sliced
- ½ tbsp whole peppercorns
- 3 –4 cups water
- 2 pcs dried bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
The Braise
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 pcs star anise
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- Boiled pork ears
- Fried tofu tokwa, cubed
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp cooking wine
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp chili sauce optional or to taste
- ¼ cup dried banana blossoms rinsed and soaked
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp ground black pepper extra for finishing
- Slurry: 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water
Vegetables
- Bokchoy stems chopped
- Bokchoy leaves separated
Instructions
Boil pork ears
- In a pot, combine pork ears, peppercorns, bay leaves, salt, and water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the pork ears are tender (about 45–60 minutes).
- Drain and set aside.
SautéAromatics:
- In a separate pan or wok, heat 2 tbsp cooking oil over medium heat.
- Sauté garlic and onion until fragrant.
- Add star anise and 1 tsp ground black pepper.
. Add Meats and Sauces:
- Add the boiled pork ears and fried tofu. Toss to combine.
- Pour in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, cooking wine, and brown sugar.
- Stir well, then add 1 cup of water.
Simmer and thicken
- Add the banana blossoms and chili sauce.
- Let simmer for about 10–15 minutes until flavors meld.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
- Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle ½ tsp black pepper.
Add vegetables
- Add bokchoy stems first, cook for 2 minutes.
- Then add bokchoy leaves, cover, and simmer for 1 more minute. Turn off heat.
Video
Notes
