How to cook Pinakbet
Pinakbet Tagalog is a Filipino dish made of pork and vegetables such as eggplant, okra, bitter melon, long beans, and kalabasa. It's a delicious and nutritious dish served as a main entree or a side to fried fish or grilled meat.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 pound pork belly, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon shrimp paste
- 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 small kalabasa, peeled and cut into pieces
- 8 okra, ends trimmed
- 1/2 bunch long beans, ends trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths
- 1 medium ampalaya (bittermelon), seeded, halved and cut into 1-inch thick
- 1 large eggplant, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch thick
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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In pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until softened.
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Add pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add shrimp paste and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown.
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Add tomatoes and cook, mashing with the back of a spoon, until softened and have released juice.
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Add water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until meat is tender. Add more water in 1/2 cup increments as needed to maintain about 1 cup of liquid.
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Add squash and cook for about 2 minutes or until almost tender.
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Add long beans and continue to cook until tender-crisp.
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Add ampalaya, eggplant, and okra. Continue to cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender yet crisp.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
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