Pinakabet (Pakbet)

Pinakbet or pakbet is a popular Ilocano dish, from the northern regions of the Philippines.The word is the contracted form of the Ilocano word pinakebbet, meaning "shrunk" or "shriveled". The vegetable dish pinakbet is more than a regional cuisine. It is an enduring symbol of the Ilocano palate and a lucid display of the Ilocanos’ history of contestations and struggles with the physical and social environment. The recipe weaves intimations of the cultural productions of the Ilokanos' transaction to their arid and less productive land.

Estimated cooking time: 35 minutes

Pinakbet (Pakbet) Ingredients:

• Pork with fat, cut into small pieces 
• Amapalya (bitter melons) sliced to bite size pieces
• Eggplants, sliced to bite size pieces
• Pieces of okra, cut in two
• Head garlic, minced
• Onions, diced
• Tomatoes, sliced
• Ginger, crushed and sliced
• 4 Tablespoons bagoong isda or bagoong alamang
• 3 Tablespoons of oil
• 1 1/2 cup water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Pinakbet (Pakbet) Cooking Instructions:

• In a cooking pan, heat oil and fry the pork until brown.
• On the same pan,add to saute garlic, onion, ginger and tomatoes.
• In a casserole, boil water and add bagoong.
• Add the pork, sautéed garlic, onion, ginger and tomatoes in the casserole. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add in all the vegetables and cook until the vegetables are done, careful not to overcook.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve hot with plain rice.
  
  
  (Good to serve for whole family)