Cansi
Cansi
Learn cansi from Bacolod: beef shank, unripe jackfruit, and batwan in a sour lemongrass broth—the Ilonggo soup between nilaga and sinigang.
Serves 6 · 3h total
The Story
Cansi is Bacolod's answer to beef soup—not the mild nilaga of Luzon, not quite sinigang either. The broth gets its signature sourness from batwan, the same Visayan fruit that gives KBL its tang, simmered with beef shank until the meat falls off the bone and unripe jackfruit turns soft but still holds its shape.
Lemongrass and ginger keep the broth fragrant without overpowering the sour edge. Locals eat it with rice and patis with calamansi on the side, the same way they would any rainy-day ulam sa sabaw.
If you have had batchoy in Iloilo and KBL in the Negros corridor, cansi completes the Visayan soup trio—beef-forward, sour, and deeply Ilonggo.
Best paired with
Steaming rice, patis with calamansi and siling labuyo, and extra batwan on the side if you like it sharper.
Use it in these KusinaPH recipes
Lola's Tips
- ✦Batwan is essential for authentic sourness—tamarind or calamansi alone will taste different.
- ✦Use unripe jackfruit that is still pale and firm; ripe sweet jackfruit will fall apart and taste wrong.
- ✦Skim the broth so it stays relatively clear, not greasy.
- ✦Beef shank needs a long simmer—do not rush or the meat will stay tough.
- ✦Leftover cansi often tastes better the next day as the batwan deepens.
Substitutions
- batwan → batwan extract (start with 2 tbsp) or tamarind plus a squeeze of calamansi
- beef shank → beef brisket or short ribs, bone-in
- unripe jackfruit → canned young green jackfruit, rinsed
Ingredients
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Instructions
- 1
Blanch beef shank 5 minutes; rinse. Simmer in 2.5 liters water with onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and peppercorns 1½–2 hours until meat is tender, skimming often.
- 2
Add unripe jackfruit and batwan halves. Simmer 30–40 minutes until jackfruit is soft and the broth tastes pleasantly sour.
- 3
Season with fish sauce and salt. Adjust sourness with more batwan or a little batwan extract if needed.
- 4
Ladle into bowls with beef, jackfruit, and broth. Top with green onions. Serve hot with rice.
Kitchen Timer · 30 min prep first
150:00
