I’ll never forget my first taste of authentic La Paz Batchoy during a business trip to Iloilo City. After a long day of meetings, a local colleague insisted we skip the hotel food and head to a small, bustling eatery in the La Paz district.
That steaming bowl of noodle soup changed everything I thought I knew about batchoy – the rich bone marrow broth that had been simmering for hours, the perfectly chewy miki noodles, tender pieces of pork, and that magical moment when the raw egg yolk melted into the hot soup.
I spent weeks perfecting this la paz batchoy recipe, calling my Ilonggo friends for their family secrets, and now I’m thrilled to share my version of this Ilonggo classic that’s as close as you can get to the streets of La Paz.
While it takes a few hours to make, most of it is hands-off simmering time – perfect for lazy Sunday cooking when you want to fill your home with the mouthwatering aroma of garlicky bone broth. Once you try this homemade La Paz Batchoy, there’s no going back to instant versions.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Authentic taste straight from Iloilo’s kitchens
- Rich, complex bone broth developed over hours of slow cooking
- Perfect balance of textures from silky noodles to crunchy chicharon
- Deeply satisfying and comforting, especially during cold weather
- Complete meal in one bowl
- Customizable toppings to suit your taste
- Freezer-friendly broth for future meals
La Paz Batchoy
Equipment
- Large stock pot (kaldero) For making the rich bone broth
- Fine-mesh strainer (salaan) For achieving clear broth
- Sharp knife (kutsilyo) For precise meat cutting
- Cutting board (Sangkalan) For preparation work
- Kitchen scale (timbangan) For accurate measurements
- Soup Bowls (Mangkok) Traditional deep bowls for serving
- Spider Strainer (Sandok Butas) For blanching noodles
- Ladle – sandok For serving hot broth
Ingredients
For the Broth (Sabaw)
- 3 pounds pork bones buto ng baboy
- 2 pounds beef bones with marrow buto ng baka na may utak
- 1 whole red onion minced (sibuyas)
- 2 whole garlic heads minced (bawang)
- 1 tablespoon sautéed shrimp paste ginisang bagoong alamang
- 2 tablespoons sugar asukal
- Rock salt asin and pepper (paminta) to taste
- 14-16 cups water tubig
Main Components
- 2 packages 16 ounces each fresh miki noodles (sariwang miki)
- ½ pound pork shoulder kasim
- ½ pound cleaned pork intestines bituka ng baboy
- ½ pound pork liver atay ng baboy
Toppings (Sahog)
- Crushed pork cracklings dinurog na chicharon
- Fried garlic bits sinangag na bawang
- Green onions chopped (sibuyas dahon)
- 8 whole raw eggs hilaw na itlog
Instructions
- Start by bringing a large pot of water to a full boil (hanggang kumulo). Add the pork and beef bones and boil for 10 minutes, skimming off any scum (langis at dumi) that rises to the surface. Drain the bones and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water. Clean your pot well before continuing.
- Return the cleaned bones to the pot and add fresh cold water until the bones are completely covered (mga 10-12 tasa ng tubig). Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to achieve a gentle simmer (dahan-dahang pakuluan). Cover and let simmer for about 3 hours, occasionally skimming off any foam that forms.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer (salaan). Remove any meat attached to the bones and set aside. Carefully extract the marrow (utak ng buto) from the beef bones using a small spoon and reserve for serving. Discard the cleaned bones.
- Return the strained broth to the pot and bring back to a boil. Add the pork shoulder and cleaned intestines (bituka). Cook for 30-40 minutes until tender (malambot na). Remove from the pot, let cool slightly, then slice into thin strips (manipis na hiwa).
- Add the liver to the simmering broth and cook for 7-10 minutes until just done but still tender. Remove, cool slightly, then slice thinly.
- Add the minced onions and garlic to the hot broth. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened (malambot). Stir in the sautéed shrimp paste (ginisang bagoong) until well distributed. Add sugar, then season with rock salt and pepper to taste (timplahan ng asin at paminta).
- Bring a separate pot of water to boil for the noodles. Using a strainer basket, blanch the fresh miki noodles for 30-40 seconds (huwag lutuin ng matagal). Drain well and divide among serving bowls.
- Pour the hot broth over the noodles (ibabad sa mainit na sabaw). Top each bowl with sliced pork, intestines, liver, and the reserved meat from the bones. Add a portion of the reserved bone marrow if desired (lagyan ng utak ng buto kung gusto).
- Garnish each bowl with crushed chicharon (baboy), fried garlic bits (sinangag na bawang), and chopped green onions (sibuyas dahon). Finally, crack a raw egg into each bowl if desired (pwedeng lagyan ng hilaw na itlog). Serve immediately while piping hot (ihain habang mainit na mainit).
- For best results, enjoy with additional toppings on the side and extra hot broth (sabaw) for refills. Remember, authentic La Paz Batchoy should be eaten while very hot to fully appreciate the melding of flavors and the silky texture of the egg as it gently cooks in the broth.
Tips from Lola’s Kitchen
- Para sa malinaw na sabaw (For clear broth):
- Always blanch bones first
- Simmer, never boil
- Skim regularly
- Strain through fine mesh
- Para sa masarap na lasa (For best flavor):
- Toast garlic until golden brown
- Use fresh, not frozen, miki noodles
- Don’t overcook the liver
- Add shrimp paste gradually to taste
Nutrition
Traditional Serving Suggestions (Tradisyonal na Paraan ng Pagsilbi)
- Serve piping hot
- Offer extra broth on the side
- Accompany with:
- Puto (Filipino rice cakes)
- Fresh pandesal
- Calamansi halves
- Additional chicharon
- Extra fried garlic
Troubleshooting (Solusyon sa Mga Problema)
- Cloudy Broth
- Solution: Blanch bones properly, maintain gentle simmer
- Tough Meat
- Solution: Extend cooking time, maintain lower temperature
- Mushy Noodles
- Solution: Cook briefly, serve immediately
- Bland Taste
- Solution: Add more shrimp paste, adjust salt, enhance with fried garlic
Ingredient Alternatives (Mga Alternatibong Sangkap)
- Fresh miki → dried egg noodles (adjust cooking time)
- Pork intestines → extra pork meat
- Raw egg → poached egg
- Shrimp paste → fish sauce (patis)
- Bone marrow → additional meat
Storage & Reheating (Pag-iimbak at Pag-iinit)
Storage
- Broth: 3-4 days in refrigerator, 3 months in freezer
- Cooked meats: 2-3 days in refrigerator
- Assembled bowl: Best consumed immediately
Reheating
- Broth: Bring to full boil
- Noodles: Prepare fresh
- Meats: Add to hot broth until warmed through
Variations
- Seafood Batchoy
- Add shrimp, squid rings
- Light Version
- Skip intestines, reduce fat
- Special Batchoy
- Add beef tendons, tripe
- Modern Batchoy
- Add mushrooms, baby bok choy
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make the broth ahead?
- Yes, it keeps well frozen for 3 months
- Is raw egg safe to eat?
- Use pasteurized eggs if concerned
- Optional component
- How do I clean intestines properly?
- Soak in vinegar water
- Rinse thoroughly
- Boil with ginger first
- Can I use instant noodles?
- Fresh miki is traditional
- Results won’t be the same
- Use only as last resort
The Story Behind La Paz Batchoy
In the bustling streets of La Paz, Iloilo City, a culinary legacy was born in the 1930s that would forever change Filipino soup culture. La Paz Batchoy, the iconic noodle soup that captures both hearts and palates, traces its roots to the Chinese community that once thrived in the historic La Paz district. The dish’s name itself reveals its fascinating origins – “Batchoy” evolved from “Ba-Chui,” a Hokkien Chinese term meaning “pieces of meat,” reflecting the soup’s hearty, meat-rich character that defines it today.
Federico Guillergan Sr., often credited as the father of modern La Paz Batchoy, transformed this humble Chinese-inspired soup into what Filipinos know and love today. Working as a butcher in the La Paz public market, Guillergan experimented with combining Chinese noodle soup traditions with local Filipino ingredients and flavors. His innovation? The addition of guinamos (shrimp paste) to the bone broth, creating that distinctive umami depth that sets La Paz Batchoy apart from other Filipino noodle soups.
What began as simple market fare has evolved into a cultural phenomenon. The original recipe featured only pork organs and broth, but over time, the soup acquired its signature elements: miki noodles, bone marrow-enriched broth, tender meats, crushed chicharon, and that crowning glory – the raw egg that creates a luxurious finish when stirred into the steaming soup. Today, countless batchoy houses line the streets of La Paz, each claiming to serve the most authentic version, but all paying homage to this remarkable fusion of Chinese and Ilonggo culinary traditions.
While modern interpretations abound, traditional La Paz Batchoy remains a testament to Filipino ingenuity in transforming foreign influences into something uniquely our own. From its humble beginnings as a market worker’s meal to its current status as a celebrated Filipino comfort food, La Paz Batchoy embodies the rich tapestry of Philippine cuisine – where every bowl tells a story of cultural exchange, innovation, and the timeless appeal of a well-made soup.
The dish’s evolution continues as new generations discover and reinvent it, but the soul of La Paz Batchoy remains unchanged: a hearty, satisfying bowl of noodle soup that carries within it the flavors of history, the warmth of community, and the pride of Iloilo. Whether enjoyed in a humble carinderia or an upscale restaurant, each bowl of La Paz Batchoy serves as a delicious reminder of how cultural connections and local creativity can create something truly extraordinary.
