Angel’s still busy watching his DVD of The Wiggles so I figured I could take a moment to answer this question from Aurora Miyata (no e-mail or URL provided) about whether or not she should put ginger in her Nilagang Baka. No, no, no… no ginger in the Nilagang Baka please. Maghunos-dili ka, Aurora, hindi nilalagyan ng luya ang Nilagang Baka. (I’m not being presumptive, I know, thinking Aurora is Pinay..)
Nilagang Baka is very basic and it’s something I whip up just for the bone marrow treat. My favorite part is Beef Shin which has marbling that is perfect for long term boiling. I boil the beef and skim the fat off when it boils, and when I feel I’ve gotten rid of sufficient scum, I add at least a half teaspoon of WHOLE peppercorn and then I quarter a whole onion. I let it simmer until the meat is tender enough, and then thirty minutes before serving, I add any bone marrow I have. You adjust and season with fish sauce of patis. It’s in the last half hour that you can also add the vegetables, although there are times when I cook this just to have a good helping of bone marrow or litid which are tendons, so yummy when tenderized correctly.
The chinese grocery sometimes sells the bone marrow with other suitable beef stock ingredients for $1 a bag, and I try to grab it even if I don’t have the beef shin, and just boil it for the stock and for the marrow which I love to eat with some patis and calamansi.
Good luck, Aurora!
Pinay New Yorker 
I know this such a long time since you have posted this but as a home cook i am curious have tried using ginger on your nilaga ever? If no, i urge you to try it bec it will bring another dimension your nilaga.
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Hi, Panky— I know ginger can do wonders but that would technically be Tinola and no longer Nilaga only. Ginger is the main twist in the other dish that lends it its distinct flavor. And yes, I love tinola as well, even if we don’t do it with the Dahon ng sili as we do back home. I usually substitute regular spinach for the greens..
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yup me too im not using ginger in nilagang baka,as my observation pag meron luya ay mabilis mapanis ang nilaga same as tinola napapanis agad dahil sa luya
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I didn’t know about that! My mom taught me that Ginger is for Tinola . Onions are for nilaga .. and you add garlic to the onion for sotanghon soup. I miss all that!
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Ginger goes with Nilaga and my mom adds lemongrass as well and removes it after it’s cooked but not the ginger. Happy cooking
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I’ve seen that but in Bulalo which is a usually spicier version. Nilaga, per se, is more basic and milder. But everyone has their version.. and like adobo, we do our dishes different ways depending on the region. You’re making me hungry! Thanks for visiting ..
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