Beef tongue comes in different sizes. This recipe is for a tongue that weighs just a little over a kilogram.The prep and cook times exclude cooking the tongue, and frying the potatoes, carrots and saba bananas.
Saute the shallots, garlic and oregano with the black pepper until softened and aromatic.
Pour in the soy sauce and vinegar.
Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved.
Add the tomato paste and bay leaf, and pour in the broth. Cook until simmering.
Taste and adjust the amount of vinegar or sugar, or both (note that as the sauce simmers, the flavors will become stronger). Add salt, if needed, not more soy sauce to prevent the sauce from turning too dark.
Add the beef tongue slices and spread the bell peppers over them.
Simmer for ten minutes.
Carefully scoop out the beef tongue slices and move to a serving bowl or individual bowls.
Add the fried potatoes, carrots and saba bananas to the sauce (and, optionally, torn mint leaves), and stir.
If there is too little sauce, add more broth and adjust the seasonings. Be careful not to add too much liquid though to prevent the dish from becoming soupy.
Simmer for another ten minutes.
Ladle the sauce, bananas and vegetables beside the beef tongue slices.