KBL (Ilonggo Style)

KBL (Kadyos + Baboy + Langka). Photo by Mommy Shelette.

Kadios refers to the pigeon pea, also known as red gram or Congo peas in English. The plant’s scientific name is Cajanus cajan.

The Philippine variety of this legume looks like small black beans. It is sometimes translated into English as black-eyed peas.

Iloilo’s cuisine is known for the use of kadios beans, and a particular Ilonggo dish in which they are used as an essential ingredient is KBL.

K = kadios
B = baboy (pork)
L = langka (jackfruit)

The reason KBL is easy for many older Filipinos to remember is because it was the name of a political party from the 1980s.

In the Ilocos region, KBL refers to Kamatis, Bagoong and Lasuna (Tomatoes, Fish Sauce, and Small Onions)

More on that soon!