Fifth Quarter Foods
We are at a critical moment in rethinking how we produce and consume food.
The global population is projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, while the current food system contributes 20–30% of greenhouse gas emissions and leaves 10% of the world’s population hungry or malnourished.
In England, as in many countries, our diets rely on an increasingly narrow range of foods, with industrial farming and ultra-processed products dominating supply chains. This lack of dietary diversity undermines both planetary health and cultural heritage.
“Fifth quarter” foods – the lesser-used parts of animals – offer an opportunity to reconnect with more sustainable, whole-animal practices and to revive cultural food traditions that valued resourcefulness and reduced waste. Yet these foods are rapidly disappearing from everyday cooking and collective memory. Documenting the stories and practices around offal now is essential to preserving this knowledge for future generations, while sparking conversations about food security, sustainability, and identity.
Sinanglaw
Joanne Garcia Feliciano-Cabiguen
I discovered Sinanglaw in December 2022, during my first winter in the UK. At that time, I was doing my best to make both ends meet. One day, I looked in my fridge and found only beef tripe, ginger, and chillies.
A quick Google search showed me that I could make Sinanglaw, a traditional Ilocano dish from the Philippines. I had to make some substitutions for the usual ingredients, but it came together — and the taste was close to Papaitan.
It was a heartwarming moment because I had been missing home.
Now, whenever I visit someone’s home and have the chance to cook, I make sure to prepare Sinanglaw. It has become my signature dish, and it always receives praise.
1 kg beef tripe
500 g pork belly for richness
1 thumb of ginger
Plenty of garlic
1 whole onion
A squeeze of lemon
1 sachet of Knorr Sinigang sa Gabi
Salt, pepper, bay leaves, chillies, fish sauce, spring onions
I boil the tripe until all the scum rises, then remove it and keep the stock. I slice the meat thinly — I don’t measure, I go by instinct. I sauté onion, garlic, and turmeric, then add them to the stock. I season with the sinigang mix, lemon, fish sauce, salt, bay leaves, and pepper.
You keep adjusting the flavour until it tastes right. Cook with love and longing for Papaitan and the warmth of Filipino gatherings. This dish will always fill you up.
Gulai Tunjang
Ahmad Novindri Aji Sukma
Gulai means curry in Indonesia. I started cooking this dish in the UK out of homesickness, but over time it became a conversational starter.
Fried Liver
Guillo Colloma
My grandma Lily wasn’t the biggest fan of cooking, but she’ll do it just for us. Her cooking was simple but delicious, that kind of food that touches something inside your soul and makes you feel warm and love, you know….grandma’s food.
Lily teaches me to soak the liver in milk “para que quede suavecito,” fry it with a little oil, and while it rested, she’d start her sofrito. just tomatoes, onions, garlic, salt, and a spoon of chicken bouillon. That smell would fill the whole house before lunchtime.
We didn’t have much money growing up, but somehow, she always made meals that were amazing. She’d serve the liver with some rice and her carrot salad, creamy, fresh, and a little tangy from the lime. We’d sit around the table, all of us eating while watching “ventaneando” (Mexican gossip show), while she smiled, pretending she wasn’t hungry yet.
That dish wasn’t just food, it was her love, her care, and the quiet strength that kept us all going. Every time I cook it now, it feels like she’s right there again, stirring the sofrito and saying, “Guillo, muéveme la sartén para que no se queme!.”
For sure this is a dish to try at least ones in your life!
Ingredients:
500 g beef liver, sliced thin
2 cups of milk
Sofrito:
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (maggi)
A pinch of salt
¼ cup water
For the sides:
Steamed white rice
Grandma Lily’s carrot salad:
2 carrots, shredded
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lime
A pinch of salt
How to Make It:
Soak the liver:
Rinse the liver slices and soak them in milk for 20–30 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.Fry the liver:
In a large pan, heat a little oil over medium heat. Add the liver slices and fry them for just a few minutes on each side until browned but not fully cooked inside. Take them out and set aside.Make the sofrito:
In the same pan, using the leftover bits from the liver, add the chopped tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Let them cook slowly until the tomatoes break down and everything turns soft and juicy.
Add the chicken bouillon, a pinch of salt, and a splash of water. Stir and let it simmer for 8–10 minutes until it becomes a sauce.Finish cooking the liver:
Add the fried liver back into the sofrito. Mix gently so every piece gets coated in the sauce. Let it simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes until the liver is fully cooked and tender.
Do you want to contribute?
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If you have a photo, recipe, memory, or reflection to share, I’d love to hear from you.
Send your contributions to jessa.garibay.yayen@gmail.com.