Pinapaitan or papaitan (lit. "to [make] bitter") is a Filipino-Ilocanostew made with goat meat and offal and flavored with its bile, chyme, or cud (also known as papait).[2][3][4] This papait gives the stew its signature bitter flavor profile or "pait" (lit. "bitter"),[5][6] a flavor profile commonly associated with Ilocano cuisine.[7][8] Similar to other Ilocano meat dishes, pinapaitan does not contain any vegetables other than those used for flavoring.[9]
It is enjoyed as a main dish served with rice or as pulutan (appetizer) with alcohol.[16] One researcher has suggested that the consumption of pinapaitan may be an underlying display of machismo, not dissimilar to extreme chili-eating competitions. Nevertheless, the consumption of bitter foods including bile is said to trigger the body's innate immunity, thus supporting disease prevention and promoting health.[17]
It has no relation to the similar sounding dish named paitan (白湯), a common soup for Japanese ramen.
^Prein, M.; Oficial, R.; Bimbao, M.A.; Lopez, T. (2002). Aquaculture for diversification of small farms within forest buffer zone management: an example from the uplands of Quirino province, Philippines. In Rural aquaculture. Wallingford UK: CABI Publishing. p. 97-109.