Pinakbet

Pinakbet is a Ilocano vegetable dish that I think is my favorite dish from the Philippines.  My wife's father was from Ilocano and taught his Tagalog wife how to make it.  Julie's mother then taught it to her and Julie taught it to me.  Now it's my turn to teach how to make this wonderful dish.

Pinakbet

2 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

4 thin slices ginger root

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 pound lean pork loin,sliced thinly

1 tomato, chopped

2 tablespoons Bagoong Alamang (fermented Shrimp paste)

1/2 cup water

4-6 Japanese eggplants, sliced

2 medium Ampalaya (bitter melon/bitter gourd)

1/4 pound small whole okra, fresh or frozen, stems removed

1/4 pound Sitaw (Asian Long Beans)

1 small Camote (Sweet Potato)

Prepare the Ampalaya by cutting it in half leastwise and removing the seeds with a spoon making sure the white membrane is scraped off also. Slice into 2-inch pieces and place in a bowl large enough to fit all of it. Smother it with plenty of salt and add water just above the ampalaya and lit it soak for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and make sure all the salt has been rinsed off.

Peel the Camote and cut into large bite size pieces.

Heat oil in a large pot. Saute garlic, ginger, and onions until tender. Add port and saute until browned.

Add tomatoes and Bagoong Alamang and cook for 5 minutes.

Add water and bring to a boil. Stir in eggplant, Ampalaya, okra, long beans and sweet potato. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and most of the cooking liquid has dried out, stirring occasionally.

Serve with steamed rice.

Note:

Instead of sweet potato an excellent substitute is Acorn Squash. Remove peel, cut in half and remove seeds. Cut halves into 1/2-inch rings, then quarter rings into pieces. Use where sweet potato is called for.