Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (2024)

BY :Bebs | Published: | Updated: | 4 Comments

RECIPE VIDEO PRINT

5 from 2 votes

Pin It

Try this Cansi (Kansi) recipe, a hearty and comforting Ilonggo sour soup with tender beef shanks, unripe jackfruit, batwan, and chilis made extra tasty with annatto seeds. This flavorful soup is perfect for those gloomy, chilly days that would keep you toasty warm from head to toe!

Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (1)
  • What is Cansi?
  • Other Hearty Soup Recipes
  • Ingredients
  • What is batwan?
  • Cooking Tips
  • Recipe Video
  • Serving and Storing Tips
  • Printable Recipe
  • Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe

What is Cansi?

Cansi or Kansi is a hearty beef soup popularly known for its tangy and fresh flavor that is known to have originated from Bacolod and is staple dish in the Ilonggo culture. This soup is normally made from a broth of beef shanks with green jackfruit, chili peppers, and batuan (batwan).

Many say this Ilonggo delicacy is a fusion of Bulalo and Sinigang. Similar to Bulalo, because of the use of beef shanks and bone marrows. Meanwhile, Kansi has the same lip-smacking sour and tangy flavors much like Sinigang. The one unique component is the use of green jackfruit as a vegetable or extender.

Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (2)

Cansi's fork-tender beef is loved by many. The beef shanks are boiled over low heat to achieve the desired tenderness. You may simmer the meat in a pot or, better yet, in a pressure cooker to cut down on the cooking time.

Most of the time Cansi is distinguished for its yellowish or orangey soup. Some locals add atsuete to the broth to make it extra appetizing but it also adds an extra savory taste and aroma to the dish.

Other Hearty Soup Recipes

Ingredients

Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (7)
  • Beef Shanks- Cansi usually uses beef shanks as its meat. If unavailable, you may use beef cuts like beef short ribs, beef bone, or oxtail to keep and achieve a similar taste and texture. These cuts are best for making flavorful beef soups.
  • Batwan- as souring-agent
  • Unripe or green jackfruit- has a neutral taste and a meaty, stringy texture similar to meat. If fresh langka is unavailable, you may use the canned one.
  • Onion- yellow onion is best for cooking soups. If not available, you may also use white onion.
  • Lemon grass-is optional but it gives the soup a mild citrusy flavor and aroma.
  • Green and Red Chilis- add a kick of spice to your soup. You may chop the chilis to add more heat to the soup.
  • Achuete Seeds- is optional, you may also use annatto powder as a substitute. (see Tips)

What is batwan?

Batuan or batwan is a plant that is endemic to the Visayan region with its green, round fruits that are used mainly as a souring agent in many Ilonggo dishes and are especially known and preferred in cooking Kansi. It is called binukaw in Tagalog from the scientific name Garcinia Binucao.

Alternative to batwan for Kansi?

Since it is a native fruit in the Western Visayas region, chances are it is not available in all local stores. But here are some alternative souring agents that you can use for your Kansi recipe:

  • Kamias- is a small, green fruit that has a sour taste. It is used in various Filipino dishes as well.
  • Tamarind (Sampaloc)- is a pod-like, brown fruit known for its sweet and sour taste. If not available, you can opt-in using Tamarind Sinigang Mix.

Cooking Tips

Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (8)
  • To prepare the unripe jackfruit, cut off the skin until you get to the smooth surface. Cut into quarters and remove the inner white part of each piece. Depending on the recipe, cut the green jackfruit into the desired size.
  • Prepare the lemongrass by peeling off the outer layers of the stalks until you reach the lighter core. Pound the white part a few times to release its flavor. Tie them together into a knot.
  • Parboiling the beef shanks helps remove the impurities for a clearer broth. But if you are in a hurry, you may skip this and just thoroughly rinse and drain the beef shanks. Do not forget to skim any scum that may float on top.
  • If using annatto powder, take about ½ cup of the broth, stir in about a tablespoon of annatto powder until dissolved, then add to the pot.
  • To reduce the cooking time, use a pressure cooker to tenderize the meat if available.

Recipe Video

Serving and Storing Tips

Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (9)

Locals enjoy eating Kansi piping hot served with steamed rice and patis (fish sauce) with calamansi as a dipping sauce.

Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing them in the refrigerator. Do not leave it at room temperature for longer than four hours, especially on a hot day. Transfer them to a container with a tight-fitting lid. It should last for up to 3 days.

To reheat, place in a sauce pot and simmer over medium heat until heated.

Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (10)

Printable Recipe

Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (11)

Print Review

Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Try this Cansi recipe, a hearty and comforting Ilonggo sour soup with tender beef shanks, unripe jackfruit, batwan, and chilis made extra tasty with annatto seeds.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course :Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Servings =6

Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2-3 pounds beef shanks
  • 6-8 cups water
  • 1 tbsp rock salt
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 1 stalk lemongrass tied into a knot
  • salt to taste
  • 5-6 pcs batwan
  • 1 tbsp annatto seeds
  • 3 cups unripe jackfruit sliced
  • 3 pcs green chilis
  • 2 pcs red chilis

Instructions

  • 2-3 pounds beef shanks, 6-8 cups water, 1 tbsp rock salt

    Place beef shanks in a pot and add water and salt. Cover and cook over high heat and bring to a rolling boil.

  • Drain the water from the pot. Rinse the meat and the pot.

  • Return the meat to the pot and add enough water to cover the meat. Cover and bring to a boil over low heat.

  • 1 medium onion, 1 stalk lemongrass, salt

    Remove the cover and add onion, lemongrass, and salt to taste. Cover and simmer until beef is fork-tender.

  • 5-6 pcs batwan

    Add the batwan, cover the pot again and cook until soft.

  • 1 tbsp annatto seeds

    Place annatto seeds in a small fine-mesh sieve/ strainer. Submerge it into the pot and press to release the color.

  • 3 cups unripe jackfruit, 3 pcs green chilis, 2 pcs red chilis

    Add unripe langka and cook until tender. Add chilis and simmer for about 3 mins.

  • Remove from heat and serve while piping hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 22gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 1254mgPotassium: 793mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 100IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 3mg

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

More Soup Recipes

  • Nilagang Baboy
  • Beef Pares
  • Sinigang sa Miso
  • Pesang Isda

Latest Recipes

Ginisang Togue

Binignit

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Sinangag

Palitaw sa Latik

Peri-Peri Chicken

Graham Balls

Lechon Paksiw

Reader Interactions

Comments

    What do you think?

  1. Ma. Irene Galvan says

    Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (24)
    As a native Bacolodnon Cansi is my favorite ilonggo dish. But I want to know if it’s a typographical error when you mentioned in the second part of the paragraph that it’s a staple in ilocos region, since batuan can only be found in panay areas. Thank you. I always get recipes from your site…🥰

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Hi Irene, yep, hehe...thanks for brining it to my attention and it is now corrected. Glad you are enjoying our recipes, btw... 🙂

      Reply

  2. Odessa says

    any replacement for batwan please

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      You can also use tamarind or other souring agents available to you.

      Reply

Cansi - Authentic Ilonggo Recipe - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the meaning of Cansi? ›

Cansí (Hiligaynon: kansi) is a Filipino beef soup originating from Iloilo which is spread across the rest of the Western Visayas region. It is made with beef shank and bone marrow boiled until gelatinous. It is uniquely slightly soured with fruits like batuan or bilimbi.

What is a substitute for batwan in kansi? ›

Ingredient substitutions

Since batwan is hard to find outside of the Iloilo area and nearly impossible to get here in the US, I substituted kamias and a package of tamarind powder to flavor the broth.

What does cansi taste like? ›

Many say this Ilonggo delicacy is a fusion of Bulalo and Sinigang. Similar to Bulalo, because of the use of beef shanks and bone marrows. Meanwhile, Kansi has the same lip-smacking sour and tangy flavors much like Sinigang. The one unique component is the use of green jackfruit as a vegetable or extender.

How to cook kanse? ›

Instructions
  1. Heat Annatto oil in a soup pot or pressure cooker.
  2. Put the garlic in once the oil gets hot. ...
  3. Add the beef shank. ...
  4. Pour water. ...
  5. Add the onion, tomato, and beef cube. ...
  6. Add the lemongrass. ...
  7. Safely remove the cover of the pressure cooker. ...
  8. Stir-in the jackfruit and cook for 5 minutes.

What is the English name for Batwan? ›

Batwan (Garcinia binucao) is a wild tree about 15 – 20 meters tall that grows in the forests of the Islands of Panay and Negros. Batwan bears fruits abundantly during the wet season and mature fruits hang on the main trunk and branches of the tree until harvested.

What is the English name for Batuan? ›

Garcinia binucao is a species of flowering plant in the Clusiaceae family. It is commonly known as binukaw or batuan, is a species of Garcinia endemic to the Philippines. It is not cultivated, though its edible fruits are harvested from the wild for use as a souring agent in some Filipino dishes.

What is batwan in luzon? ›

In the Philippines, “batuan” trees are grown scattered in primary, low and medium altitude forests throughout Luzon, specifically in Masbate; Mindanao and commonly found in the Visayas particularly in Panay, Negros Occidental, Guimaras Island, Leyte, Samar, Cebu and Bohol (delaCruz,2012;FloridoandCortiguerra,2003).

What is the famous soup in Bacolod? ›

Kansi is a famous soup in Bacolod, and the taste is a combination of Sinigang and Bulalo. And, you must use Batuan as a souring agent because, without Batuan, the flavor will be like regular Sinigang.

What is the difference between bulalo and kansi? ›

As the name of the restaurant suggests, its specialty is kansi, a classic Ilonggo dish made with beef shank and sour broth. Many would describe it as bulalo fused with sinigang—a fairly accurate description, except kansi is purely meat and bones, and has no vegetables or other ingredients.

What is kanse? ›

Kanse is a village located in Ambegaon tehsil in Pune district, Maharashtra state in India. Kanse. village. Country.

How to cook singua? ›

Turn to medium high heat (high heat if using electric stove) and add the okra to the skillet. Stir quickly to coat okra with oil, about 1 minute. Swirl in the soy sauce and stir to mix well. Cook and stir until the okra is cooked through and charred on the edges, 2 to 3 minutes.

How to cook carduna? ›

Strip the cardoons of leaves and string as you would celery. Cut each stalk lengthwise into 2 or 3 long strips, then crosswise into 2-inch lengths. You'll have about 3 cups. Squeeze the lemon juice into the water and boil the cardoons until fairly tender, 10 to 12 minutes; drain and rinse.

What is the fruit Batuan in Vietnam? ›

The batuan is a wild tree that can grow from 12 to 25 meters in height and is usually found in Southeast Asian regions such as Sri Lanka and Vietnam. In the Philippines, it's found in abundance in the southern parts. It produces fruits that are somewhat round and has a greenish color which turns yellow when mature.

What is batuan powder? ›

Batuan is a type of sour plant that is commonly used as a souring agent. We were able to turn it into powder to enable and extract more flavour from the contents of the fruit.

What is batuan puree? ›

Batuan is a souring ingredient in regional Filipino cooking, commonly used in a dish called kansi or beef in batuan broth. Mama Sita's Batuan Fruit Paste is made from 100% natural batuan pulp. Try it to sour kansi, sinigang, or KBL, a popular ilonggo dish of pork, pigeon peas (kadyos), and unripe jackfruit (langka).

Is batwan seasonal? ›

Its fruit is used as souring ingredients of Filipinos in their main dishes just like the tamarind fruit. It is seasonal and not available in the market in most part the Philippines at all the times. OFW in Western Visayas bring along with them these fresh Batuan Fruit when they return to their foreign land.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Annamae Dooley

Last Updated:

Views: 6480

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Annamae Dooley

Birthday: 2001-07-26

Address: 9687 Tambra Meadow, Bradleyhaven, TN 53219

Phone: +9316045904039

Job: Future Coordinator

Hobby: Archery, Couponing, Poi, Kite flying, Knitting, Rappelling, Baseball

Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.