Pinakbet

Go vegetable heavy. Reverse the psychology of your plate by making meat the side dish and vegetables the main course.~Bobby Flay

Last week, I bought a bottle of bagoong isda (anchovy sauce) and decided to cook pinakbet. This dish was completely different from my favorite (veggies with coco milk), but I must admit, this was so darn good! The vegetables are sweet and the sauce is salty and fishy. It's like Yin and Yang, the combination of the two gives you balance of flavor and the taste is truly amazing. 

Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
250 grams pork liempo, chopped
300 grams squash (kalabasa), sliced
1 big eggplant (talong), sliced
1 bundle or 15 pcs string beans (sitaw), cut into 2.5 inch pieces
1 medium size bitter gourd (ampalaya), sliced
8-10 pcs okra
1 bundle of kangkong
1 bundle of kamote tops
5 Tbsp anchovy sauce (bagoong isda)
3 cups water
5 cloves garlic
1 medium red onion 
1/3 cup water (for the pork)
fish sauce and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE:
1. Put 1/3 cup water and pork in the pan. Cook the pork until the water completely evaporates. Put a little oil and cook until the color of the pork changes to golden brown. Set aside and if the pork fat renders too much oil, remove some of it.

2. Add the onion then the garlic. Cook for a minute or until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant.

3.  Put the vegetables (except for kangkong and kamote tops), start with string beans (sitaw) then squash (kalabasa), bitter gourd (ampalaya), eggplant (talong), lastly okra.

4. Add the anchovy sauce (bagoong isda).

4. Add water. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but not mushy. Add kangkong leaves and kamote tops. Cook for a minute. Taste it, add pepper and fish sauce if needed. Turn off the heat.

5. Serve with hot-steamy rice. Share and enjoy.

QUICK NOTES:
1. Add 2 pcs of kamote/sweet potatoes (chopped) and 4 pcs of tomatoes (halved). I didn't have these 2 ingredients when I cooked the pinakbet but adding these 2 will surely make a difference in taste.
2. You may substitute pork with fried or inihaw na bangus, tilapia, or any fish available at your home.
3. If you want drier version of pinakbet, reduce the amount of water and bagoong isda.
4. Add lechon kawali or bagnet or pork cracklings (chicharon) for a nice crunch.
5. If bagoong isda is not available, you may use alamang (shrimp paste) or fish sauce.

Happy day always,

Rhea