Pinakbet Recipe

Vegetable Medley with Pork and Bagoong

Pinakbet

This favorite dish of the Ilocanos in the north is flavored with pork and pungent bagoong or fermented shrimp.

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 12 oz (350 g) pork, cubed
• 21/2 in (6 cm) ginger, cubed
• 4 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon fermented baby shrimp (bagoong alamang)
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
• 14 oz (400 g) Asian eggplants (about
• 2–3 eggplants), cut into strips
• 3 small bitter melons (bitter gourd)(about 9 oz/275 g total) or 
• 1 small zucchini, soft center and seeds discarded, cut into strips
• 6 okras (about 31/2 oz/100 g), caps discarded, stems halved
• 10 French beans, cut into lengths
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

1 Heat the oil in a saucepan and stir-fry the garlic until golden brown, then stir-fry the onion until translucent. Add the pork and stir-fry over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until browned.

2 Add the ginger and tomatoes, and stir-fry for another 5 minutes. Then, add the fermented shrimp and stir-fry for 3 minutes.

3 Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the pork is tender. Add the eggplants, bitter melons, okras and beans, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for another 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 
Preparation time: 25 mins 
Cooking time: 45 mins