I am not sure if I'm calling it right, but according to my mom, "Pinakbet" has a lot of version. There Pinakbet na Ilocano and our version is Pinakbet Tagalog. That is what I will share with you today.
Ingredients:
2 strips of pork belly (liempo) cut into bite size
5 small pieces of baby ampalaya (bitter melon / bitter gourd)
5 string beans (cut into small pieces about 1 inch)
5 pcs of okra (cut off the head and the tip and slice into half)
5 small pcs of baby eggplant (cut into small pieces)
1/4 of squash / pumpkin (peel and cut off into small pieces)
half clove of crushed garlic
1 medium size sliced onion
2 medium sized of ripe sliced tomatoes
3-5 tbsp of strained anchovy ("bagoong na isda")
white pepper (optional)
cooking oil
1 cup of water
Step 1: Heat and oil the pan under medium heat. Saute garlic, onion and tomatoes with at least 1 minute apart. Add the pork and 1/2 cup of water then simmer it for 5 minutes or until the water evaporates.
Step 2: Add the anchovy little by little (warning: the anchovy could smell funky so ensure that all windows are open while cooking). Let the pork absorb the flavor of anchovy. Add the other 1/2 cup of water and simmer it for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the squash and simmer it for another 2 minutes. Then add ampalaya, eggplant together and simmer it for another minute. Do not stir too much so it won't taste. Add the rest of the vegetables and simmer it for another 1 minute. Add the pepper
Step 4: Taste it. If it's too salty for your taste, add a little bit of water (about 1 tbsp at a time) then just simmer it for a minute. Once cooked do not cover it so the vegetables will not be overcooked.
Did you try cooking Pinakbet? Let me know your experience.
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