HOW TO COOK PINAKBET: A SWEET AND SALTY VEGETABLE DISH
Pinakbet or Pakbet, is a classic, well-loved Filipino dish. This recipe, calls for a slew of vegetables to be stewed with bagoong. For those who are not familiar with it, bagoong is fermented shrimp (alamang) or fish (isda) paste.
As with any dish, there are a lot of variations to cooking pinakbet. You can use a variety of vegetables in cooking this dish. Most commonly used are squash, okra, eggplant, bitter gourd (ampalaya) and string beans. Some uses green chilis too. I usually buy and use veggies that are in season and make do without for those that aren’t.
What is crucial for this dish is bagoong. The type of bagoong you use, will yield a big difference in the resulting dish. I’m partial (translate that to addicted) to the salty-sweet flavor of bagoong alamang (fermented shrimp paste). This condiment is a staple in my pantry, and I eat it with almost everything.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF PINAKBET
Included in this, are only those I used in the recipe provided.
BAGOONG ALAMANG
Low in calories, high in protein, vitamin D and Phosphorus. Bagoong helps:
Improve beain function
Promote bone health
Aid in weight loss
Fight ageing
OKRA
Rich in vitamins A and C, fiber, folate and magnesium. Okra helps:
Promote heart health
Lower blood sugar
Promotes healthy kidney function
Reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer, stroke and heart disease
SQUASH
High in fiber, vitamins, iron, antioxidants and minerals, squash helps:
Improve blood pressure
Support gut health
Prevent chronic diseases
Protect eye health
Keep skin healthy
EGGPLANT
Low in calorie, low in carbohydrates, rich in fiber and antioxidants. Eggplant helps:
Reduce risk of heart disease
Protect against cell damage
Lower blood sugar
Aid in weight loss
Pinakbet
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 head onion minced
- 1.5 tbsp bagoong shrimp paste
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 100 g pork belly cubed
- 5 pcs okra cut into 2 inch length
- 1 segment squash cut into 2 inch cubes
- 3 sml eggplant halved then cut into 2 inch width
- 0.5 cup water
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a pot, pan fry pork in low heat for about 5 minutes to release its flavors.
- Increase heat to medium. Add garlic and onion. Sautè until soft and aromatic.
- Add shrimp paste, and fish sauce. Sauté for another minute before pouring in water, and letting it cook until it boils.
- Add squash and okra. Cover and let it simmer for about 5 minutes
- Add eggplant and simmer for another 5 or until all veggies are fully cooked.
- Taste and add salt as needed.
- Turn off heat and serve hot.
SERVING SUGGESTION
Served with steamed rice. Add fried fish for a heartier meal.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Interested in Filipino dishes? Check out the following:
Tinolang Tahong (Stewed Mussels In Ginger)
Budget Version of the Classic Pinoy Dish Ginisang Munggo