Instant Chunky Soup

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There were only 3 small potatoes and 1/4 kilo (250g) of presauteed ground (minced) pork. At first, I wanted to simply cook it in soy sauce, and maybe add liver spread/liver pate, but I would have to walk to the sari-sari store to buy one can, and didn't feel like doing so. As the minutes ticked by, I was still undecided because I felt it won't be enough. I glanced at the pantry and realized I could make soup instead. I started heating a carton of beef stock and dumped the garlic, onion, ginger and pork in it. I added a can of diced tomatoes, the potatoes, and the small piece of squash from the fridge. When they were tender, I added a can of creamed corn, ground pepper, laurel leaf, a cube of beef bouillon, the leftover tomato paste someone put in the freezer, and some water. It felt like the parable of the barley loaves and fishes - from 3 small potatoes and some ground pork to a pot of chunky soup. It felt good to use up all the odds and ends in the kitchen. After eating this soup with buttered bread (pandesal), I saw the wrinkled sweet potatoes in the basket. I'll try to add them to other dishes next time. Ingredients: garlic, onion, ginger, 1/4 kg or 250g ground (mince) pork, carton of beef stock, can of diced tomatoes, diced potatoes, diced squash, can of creamed corn, ground pepper, laurel leaf, cube of beef bouillon, tomato paste and water.