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This easy Giniling (Picadillo) recipe will have you sitting on the couch in no time, with a full belly. This dish is perfect for those cold Fall or Winter days but hearty to satisfy hunger, year round. This dish is also a great way to introduce veggies to kids. All of the flavors just blend into one. All it takes is that first daring bite and they will see that peas and carrots aren’t that bad.
A Filipino Comfort Food
Giniling is the best Fall or Winter time comfort food. Growing up in the Bay Area, Daly City/South City, the whole year is pretty much cold and foggy. I could have happily eaten Giniling all year. Now in Arizona, after a long 115 degree day, Giniling is a perfect way to wind down with the family.
The dish is a perfect combination of ground beef and potatoes. Complimented with carrots and peas, in a tomato based sauce. But of course, the star of the show is the patis. You might think that because it is fish sauce, the flavor or smell will be overbearing. In reality, it gives Filipino dishes a subtle, natural saltiness.
Not Just Your Ordinary Meat and Potatoes Dish
Just because ground beef and potatoes are the two main ingredients of this dish, this is so much more than a meat and potatoes dish. Our easy Giniling (Picadillo) recipe will guide you step by step to creating your new Filipino favorite. Our recommendation is to serve it over rice with a couple of sunny side up eggs. For you first bite, cut right through that yoke to get a mix of egg, rice and Giniling. Now repeat after me, “Masarap!”
I would love to try this dish with an added anghang or spiciness to it. Maybe add some peppers to the ingredients or dash some of my favorite hot sauce on my plate. This would be perfect with a San Miguel or Red Horse in hand.
I hope that you didn’t forget to press the cook button on your rice cooker.
Enjoy and feel free to send us pictures of your easy Giniling (Picadillo) recipe!
Masayang Pagluluto!
Kain na tayo!
Giniling (Picadillo)
Equipment
- 5 quart pan or pot
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef lean recommended so you don't have to remove excess fat
- 1 med-large onion chopped
- 1 large tomato sliced into wedges
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced. I like to use a mortar and pestle to grind up the garlic to spread it and its oils throughout the dish.
- 3 Tbsp Avocado Oil Similar nutritional qualities of OliveOil but Avocado Oil can be used for high temp sautéing
- 2 cups carrots about 3 large carrots, chopped
- 1 12 oz bag frozen peas
- 4 cups potatos chopped into cubes
- 2 Tbs Patis (fish sauce) Don't leave this out!!!
- 1 cup water
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- salt and pepper add to taste
Instructions
- Medium High Heat
- Coat pan or pot with oil
- Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes
- Add tomatoes, cook until pulp pulls away from the wedge
- Add ground beef and brown until almost fully cooked. If using 75%-85% lean, remove excess fat but don't worry about removing all. Some of the liquid is from the tomatoes as well.
- Pour Patis (fish sauce) and stir
- Add water. Bring to a boil.
- Stir in garlic
- Add potatoes and carrots and mix.
- Add tomato sauce and stir.
- Cover and cook until potatoes and carrots are cooked firmly (not mushy).
- Reduce heat to medium and add peas.
- Lower heat until time to serve, add salt and pepper to taste.
- Recommended serving suggestion: serve with rice and fried egg. It is delicious!
