Filipino Bopis

Pedro Kusinero

Pedro Kusinero

— 3 min read
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Hook/Intro Bopis is a beloved Filipino stir-fry of spicy, vinegary offal—bright, tangy, and full of texture. Here’s a halal-friendly, pork-free take that keeps the kick and chewiness intact by using halal beef or chicken offal (or a handy beef-mince shortcut), and lightens the carbs/sugar so it’s a bit lighter without losing the soul of the dish.

What’s changed

  • Pork offal → halal beef or halal chicken offal (or lean halal ground beef as a shortcut).
  • No added refined sugar — small amount of erythritol/monk fruit or omit; tomato paste for color/flavor instead of sweet ketchup.
  • Serve on cauliflower rice (instead of white rice) to cut carbs substantially.
  • Soy sauce → tamari or regular soy (both fine if halal); check labels for any questionable additives.

Makes: 4 servings Total time: ~45–60 minutes (depending on offal tenderness)

Ingredients Proteins (choose one option)

  • Option A (beef offal): 400 g halal beef heart, 200 g halal beef liver, optional 150 g tripe — all cleaned and cut into small pieces
  • Option B (chicken offal): 500 g halal chicken gizzards + hearts (or a mix with small liver portion), cleaned
  • Option C (shortcut): 700 g lean halal ground beef (if you can’t source offal)

Sauce & aromatics

  • 3 tbsp neutral oil (canola, sunflower) or avocado oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2–4 bird’s eye chilis or 2 red chilies, thinly sliced (adjust to taste)
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or cane vinegar/white vinegar)
  • 1 tsp erythritol or monk-fruit sweetener (optional — balances the vinegar; omit if you prefer)
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth (or water)
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves (optional)
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro (optional)

To serve

  • Cauliflower rice (steamed or lightly sautéed), or regular rice if you prefer (note: carbs will be higher)
  • Sliced fresh chilies and calamansi/lime wedges

Why these swaps (brief)

  • Replacing pork with halal beef/chicken offal makes this halal-compliant while keeping the offal texture and flavor.
  • Tomato paste + a touch of non-sugar sweetener keeps the bright color and balance without refined sugar.
  • Cauliflower rice cuts carbs significantly compared to white rice.

Instructions

  1. Clean and prep offal
  • Rinse offal well. For beef heart/triIpe: trim excess fat/connective tissue; cut into 1–2 cm pieces. For chicken gizzards, halve or slice as needed.
  • (If using liver, keep its portion smaller — liver cooks faster and is stronger in flavor.)
  1. Parboil/tenderize offal
  • Place offal in a pot, cover with water, add 1 tsp salt and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender: chicken gizzards ~30–40 min; beef heart/tripe may need 45–60 min. Drain and reserve cooking liquid if you want extra broth later.
  • If using ground beef (shortcut), skip this step.
  1. Chop/mince for texture
  • Once cooled slightly, finely chop or pulse the cooked offal in a food processor to get the characteristic minced/crumbly bopis texture. If using ground beef, leave as is or crisp it lightly.
  1. Sauté aromatics
  • In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high. Sauté onion until translucent, then add garlic and chilies and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  1. Build the dish
  • Add the chopped minced offal (or ground beef) to the pan; brown for 3–5 minutes.
  • Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
  • Add soy/tamari, vinegar, broth, erythritol (if using), black pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until liquid mostly evaporates and mixture is fairly dry but saucy, about 8–12 minutes. Taste and adjust: more vinegar for tang, a pinch more sweetener if too sharp, salt to taste.
  1. Finish and garnish
  • Stir in sliced scallions and fresh herbs just before serving. Remove bay leaf.
  • Serve hot over cauliflower rice, with extra chilies and calamansi/lime wedges.

Notes & Tips

  • Sourcing halal offal: look for labels that explicitly say halal or ask your butcher for zabiha-certified meat. If unsure about a packaged ingredient’s halal status, verify the certification with the producer or vendor.
  • Texture tweak: the traditional bopis texture is crumbly and a bit chewy. Pulsing cooked offal briefly in a food processor gives that texture; don’t over-process into paste.
  • Short on time: use ground beef (Option C) for a quicker, more accessible version that still tastes bopis-like.
  • Heat level: increase chilis and add a splash of chili vinegar for an extra punch.
  • Storage: keeps 3–4 days in the fridge, freezes well up to 2 months. Reheat gently with a splash of broth.

Nutrition note (approximate)

  • This version (served without rice, over cauliflower rice) is lower in carbs than the traditional meal served over white rice. Expect roughly 6–10 g net carbs per serving from the sauce and cauliflower rice combined (varies by exact ingredients), versus ~50–70 g carbs per serving when served with a cup of white rice. Exact numbers depend on portion sizes and chosen substitutes.

Enjoy this halal-friendly, pork-free bopis—same tang and texture, lighter and suitable for halal diets. Want a printable version or a photo guide for cleaning offal? I can make one.

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