Betamax

Ingredients

Blood cubes

• 1 litrefresh chicken or pork blood, from a butcher
• 1 tspsalt
• 500 mlwater

Basting sauce

• 4 tbspbanana ketchup
• 3 tbspsoy sauce
• 2 tbspcane vinegar
• 2 tbspbrown sugar
• 4 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 tspground black pepper
• 1 tbspoil

To serve

• bamboo skewers, soaked
• spiced vinegar with chilli and onion, for dipping

Directions

1. Buy the blood fresh from a butcher who sells it for cooking, keep it refrigerated and use it the same day. Blood spoils quickly and this is not an ingredient to keep.
2. Stir the salt into the blood, pour it into a shallow tray to a depth of about 3 cm, and set the tray in a wider pan of simmering water.
3. Steam gently, covered, for 20–25 minutes until the blood has set completely firm, like a dense jelly, with no liquid remaining. Test with a knife in the centre — any liquid means more time.
4. Cool completely, then turn out and cut into 2 cm cubes. The name comes from the resemblance to a Betamax cassette.
5. Whisk the basting sauce ingredients together. Thread three or four cubes onto each soaked skewer, handling them gently as set blood is fragile.
6. Marinate 30 minutes in half the sauce.
7. Grill over hot charcoal for 5–6 minutes, turning frequently and basting with the remaining sauce, until the edges char and the surface glazes.
8. Serve immediately with spiced vinegar for dipping. It is a street food, eaten hot off the skewer, and it must be cooked through — set and then grilled, never eaten underdone.

Technique

• Set it fully before skewering. Under-set blood falls off the stick and cannot be grilled.
• Gentle steam, not a boil. A hard boil makes the texture spongy and full of holes.
• Banana ketchup is the Filipino default and gives the characteristic sweet red glaze; tomato ketchup is sharper but works.

Substitutions

• Pork blood in place of chicken, which is firmer and darker.
• Ready-set blood cubes are sold in Filipino markets and skip the first three steps.

Variations

• Grilled alongside isaw, adidas and helmet, the other Filipino street skewers.
• A version basted with a spicier sauce heavy on chilli.

History

Named for the rectangular videocassette; sold from the same charcoal grills as isaw at dusk.

Frequently asked questions

What is Betamax?

Betamax is a street food from Philippines: cubes of set chicken blood grilled on skewers and brushed with sauce. Named for the rectangular videocassette; sold from the same charcoal grills as isaw at dusk.

How long does Betamax take to make?

Betamax takes 20 min plus 30 min marinating of preparation and 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes 12 skewers. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Betamax?

Yes, within limits. Pork blood in place of chicken, which is firmer and darker. Ready-set blood cubes are sold in Filipino markets and skip the first three steps.

What is the most important thing to get right in Betamax?

Serve immediately with spiced vinegar for dipping. It is a street food, eaten hot off the skewer, and it must be cooked through — set and then grilled, never eaten underdone.