How to Make Pinakbet Ilocano Style
This blog was my first activity on Sir Andre Tiangco class, Fundamentals for Writing in Mass Media. I just wanna share it to you guys because I enjoy a lot doing this activity. Enjoy! :)
I love how my mother cooks different dishes. She can cook many Filipino dishes. She cooks Chinese or even Italian food. But the dish I love the most is the "Pinakbet," Ilocano style. I remember when I first tasted it at my grandmother's house in Tarlac. Actually at that time I didn't know what kind of Ilocano dish was prepared. So I kept asking my mother, "What was that? It tastes good! I want more!” Until now, whenever my mother asks what dish we want to eat for lunch or dinner, I prefer Pinakbet.
I like the mixture of vegetables, especially squash and okra, the pork and salty soup (because I prefer Pinakbet to be a bit soupy) that as I ate it with rice it filled my tummy. Despite my fondness for Pinakbet, however, I had never attempted to make it. I just watch my mother while she cooked. I know that its basic ingredients consist of tomatoes, squash, long beans, ampalaya, okra (my favorite), eggplant, pork and bagoong.
According to my mother's advice, all I would have to do with these ingredients is to throw them in a pot with a bit of water, bring it to a boil, and then simmer for 30 minutes until tender. Easy right? Sometimes I think my mother tells me things just to mess with me. In fact, as I watch and ask my mother while cooking Pinakbet, step-by-step and while I’m eating chicharon, I learned how she actually makes it.
This is how she does it.
First, you have to prepare and wash all the ingredients: diced 1/4 kilo pork, 2 eggplants cut in bite sizes, 1 ampalaya also cut in bite sizes, 10 pieces of okra cut in half (I prefer more okra because for me, it makes pinakbet tastier), 1/4 squash cut into cubes, 1 bundle of string beans, bataw, batani (any choice of filipino vegetables), 1 small tomato diced, 1 pack of chicharon, 2 tablespoon of bagoong alamang, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 cup of water. You also need a pot.
Second, put the pot on the gas burner. Add the cup of water (my mother said that sometimes she uses the water from the rice wash because it will add more flavor and true Ilocanos do that) and the pork. Simmer over medium heat, until the pork is tender.
Then add all the vegetables. Cook for 25 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Through 25 minutes of waiting, you can put some salt, vetsin or pepper, the 2 tbsp. of bagoong alamang and the chicharon, then stir.
After it boils, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Finally, remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes (it is good and tastier when it is slightly warm) before serving.
Then? It is done! Easy right? We cooked pinakbet approximately in one hour.
Serve pinakbet with your family, eat it with some fried fish and rice. Enjoy!
The process and instructions that I wrote originated from my mother's Pinakbet recipe as I observed her while cooking. I would normally provide an exact recipe here, but there is no exact recipe for Pinakbet. You just throw everything in a pot and cook it! That’s how Pinoy food is cooked. No recipe. :)
ganitong-ganito yung gusto kong luto ng pinakbet ilocano ^_^
I love how my mother cooks different dishes. She can cook many Filipino dishes. She cooks Chinese or even Italian food. But the dish I love the most is the "Pinakbet," Ilocano style. I remember when I first tasted it at my grandmother's house in Tarlac. Actually at that time I didn't know what kind of Ilocano dish was prepared. So I kept asking my mother, "What was that? It tastes good! I want more!” Until now, whenever my mother asks what dish we want to eat for lunch or dinner, I prefer Pinakbet.
I like the mixture of vegetables, especially squash and okra, the pork and salty soup (because I prefer Pinakbet to be a bit soupy) that as I ate it with rice it filled my tummy. Despite my fondness for Pinakbet, however, I had never attempted to make it. I just watch my mother while she cooked. I know that its basic ingredients consist of tomatoes, squash, long beans, ampalaya, okra (my favorite), eggplant, pork and bagoong.
According to my mother's advice, all I would have to do with these ingredients is to throw them in a pot with a bit of water, bring it to a boil, and then simmer for 30 minutes until tender. Easy right? Sometimes I think my mother tells me things just to mess with me. In fact, as I watch and ask my mother while cooking Pinakbet, step-by-step and while I’m eating chicharon, I learned how she actually makes it.
This is how she does it.
First, you have to prepare and wash all the ingredients: diced 1/4 kilo pork, 2 eggplants cut in bite sizes, 1 ampalaya also cut in bite sizes, 10 pieces of okra cut in half (I prefer more okra because for me, it makes pinakbet tastier), 1/4 squash cut into cubes, 1 bundle of string beans, bataw, batani (any choice of filipino vegetables), 1 small tomato diced, 1 pack of chicharon, 2 tablespoon of bagoong alamang, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 cup of water. You also need a pot.
Second, put the pot on the gas burner. Add the cup of water (my mother said that sometimes she uses the water from the rice wash because it will add more flavor and true Ilocanos do that) and the pork. Simmer over medium heat, until the pork is tender.
Then add all the vegetables. Cook for 25 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Through 25 minutes of waiting, you can put some salt, vetsin or pepper, the 2 tbsp. of bagoong alamang and the chicharon, then stir.
After it boils, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Finally, remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes (it is good and tastier when it is slightly warm) before serving.
Then? It is done! Easy right? We cooked pinakbet approximately in one hour.
Serve pinakbet with your family, eat it with some fried fish and rice. Enjoy!
The process and instructions that I wrote originated from my mother's Pinakbet recipe as I observed her while cooking. I would normally provide an exact recipe here, but there is no exact recipe for Pinakbet. You just throw everything in a pot and cook it! That’s how Pinoy food is cooked. No recipe. :)
ganitong-ganito yung gusto kong luto ng pinakbet ilocano ^_^
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