Mmmm.. Missing my mom’s Mechado

My mom emailed last week to let us know how they spent All Souls’ Day over the weekend. Nov 02 is observed as a public holiday in the Philippines. It is a Roman Catholic celebration for remembering and praying for the departed. This is the second year that I’ll miss going to the cemetery with my family. The scene would always be like a big picnic reunion where we meet with our relatives to pray for our departed loved ones, eat lunch and catch up. Every year, my mom prepares her much-loved Mechado to the potluck lunch. I have tried making it myself but nothing compares to my mom’s cooking!

Below is her recipe: (Try it!)

Ingredients:

1/2 kg  beef round or sirloin, cut into chunks
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 small can of tomato sauce
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup water, optional

Procedure:

1. Marinate the cleaned meat in soy sauce and lemon juice for 20 minutes.
2. Saute the garlic in cooking oil until golden brown. Add the onion and allow to become translucent in color. Add and mash the tomatoes.
3. Add the beef along with the marinade and mix well.  Add in the tomato sauce. Let this simmer for 20 minutes until meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the potatoes and bell pepper. Add water depending on how thick you want the sauce to be. Let this simmer until the potatoes are cooked.

Serve hot with steamed white rice. You may wish to add carrots along with the potatoes. Another variation is to add grated cheese once the Mechado is cooked (I got this yummy idea from my mother-in-law!).

Happy cooking!