Cansi
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. beef shank
- 2 stalks lemongrass tied into knots with the thick end crushed
- 1 plum tomato wedged
- 3 pieces long green chili siling pansigang
- 3 pieces hot red chili pepper optional
- 7 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 medium yellow onion wedged
- 4 tablespoons annatto oil
- 1 beef cube
- 2 packs sinigang sa sampaloc mix 20g
- 3 cups unripe jackfruit sliced
- 8 to 10 cups water
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce patis
Instructions
- Heat the annatto oil in a soup pot or pressure cooker.
- Once the oil is hot, add the crushed garlic and cook until it turns light brown.
- Add the beef shank. Cook one side for about 30 seconds to a minute, then flip it over and cook the other side for a similar amount of time.
- Pour in the water and let it come to a boil.
- Add the onion, tomato, and beef cube, and give it a good stir.
- Toss in the lemongrass, then cover the pressure cooker and cook for 30 minutes. If you’re using a regular soup pot, simmer the beef over low heat for 2 to 3 hours, adding more water if needed.
- Carefully remove the pressure cooker’s cover and apply heat to bring the mixture to a boil again.
- Stir in the jackfruit and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the chili peppers and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
- Empty the contents of the sinigang mix packages into the pot, stir, and add the fish sauce. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer your delicious creation to a serving bowl and enjoy!
Cansi Recipe Details
Cansi Recipe – Filipino cuisine features a range of soup dishes with a range of protein and vegetables as the star. Among them is Cansi. Cansí, or kansi in Hiligaynon, is a savory Filipino beef soup hailing from Iloilo and widely enjoyed in the Western Visayas region. The soup is prepared by simmering beef shanks and bone marrow until fork-tender. It is then enhanced with green jackfruit, chili peppers, and the distinctive flavor of batuan (batwan). Its distinctive orange color comes from the addition of annatto seeds (atsuete). Some Tagalog regions refer to it as “sinigang na bulalo” due to its resemblance to both sinigang and bulalo.
As stated, one ingredient that makes the soup distinct is batwan. What is batwan? Batwan, also known as batuan, is a plant native to the Visayan region, characterized by its green, round fruits. These fruits are highly valued for their role as a souring agent in numerous Ilonggo dishes. If you can’t find batwan in your local stores, there are alternative souring agents that can be used in your Kansi recipe, such as kamias, a small green fruit with a sour taste, or tamarind (sampaloc).
Other Notes for a Cansi Recipe
To make a great cansi dish, there are different things to know about the ingredients. When preparing unripe jackfruit, peel it until it’s smooth, cut it into quarters, remove the white part, and slice it as needed. For lemongrass, remove the tough outer layers, pound the inner part, and tie them in a knot. The same applies to the cooking process. You should parboil beef shanks to remove impurities for a clearer broth; if in a hurry, rinse and skim any scum. If using annatto powder, mix a tablespoon with ½ cup of broth and add it. To save time, use a pressure cooker to tenderize the meat for more efficient meal prep.
The dish is best enjoyed piping hot alongside steamed rice and a side of patis (fish sauce) mixed with calamansi for dipping. When dealing with leftovers, be sure to let them cool completely before refrigerating. Avoid leaving them at room temperature for more than four hours, particularly in warmer weather. Store the leftovers in a container with a secure lid, and they should remain good for up to three days.
To test more soup dishes, check out our Halang Halang Recipe and Lomi Recipe. If you want to try similar dishes to Cansi, try our Nilaga Recipe and Dinengdeng Recipe. You can also try other dishes like our Honey Butter Skillet Corn.
