.png)
This is a local vegetable dish recipe that originated from the Northern part of the Philippines or the Ilocos region. It is called Pinakbet which came from the Ilocano word “pinakebbet” meaning “shrunk”. From the name of the dish, the vegetable ingredients such as eggplant, string beans, okra, ampalaya or bitter gourd, pumpkin, and winged bean, will be shrunk when the dish is cooked. Pinakbet or Pakbet is mixed vegetables cooked with bagoong, with pork meat or fried fish.
This is very easy to cook basically just combined all the ingredients in a pot and then wait until aromatic and then it’s done. However, a lot of style or ways to cook this dish has been discovered but for this blog, I am doing the authentic Ilocano Pinakbet dish as I have seen my mother and other Ilocano relatives do it.
Ingredients:
- Ampalaya or bitter gourd or bitter melon
- Green chili long
- Malunggay Fruit
- Eggplant
- String beans
- Winged bean
- Okra
- Pumpkin
- Tomato
- Bagoong
- Pork meat
- Water
- Seasoning
It is okay if the vegetables are not complete, you can still proceed with this dish as long as you follow the instruction. You can as well experiment add different kinds of vegetables. In this recipe, I added chili long, and malunggay fruit.
Instructions:
- Pan-fry the pork meat until oil comes out, turns brown and crunchy
- Add the sliced tomatoes to the meat and saute until the tomatoes are well cooked
- Add the bagoong
- Add all the vegetables, toss a little bit to spread the meat
- Add a little bit of water, or until halfway of the vegetable level
- Add seasoning of your choice (I used msg)
- Cover and simmer over medium flame. Do not cover the pan entirely, leave it a little bit open
- Check from time to time and don’t forget to taste and adjust
- Continue to simmer with the lid a little bit open
- It’s done when the vegetables are already cooked and shrunk
Cook extra rice and happy eating!