Pinakbet
 Pinakbet with shrimp | |
| Alternative names | Pakbet |
|---|---|
| Course | Main course |
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Region or state | Ilocos Region |
| Associated cuisine | Filipino cuisine |
| Serving temperature | Hot, room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Vegetables, bagoong (fish or shrimp) |
| Variations | Tagalog |
| Similar dishes | Dinengdeng |
Pinakbet (also called pakbet) is an indigenous Filipino dish from the northern regions of the Philippines. Pinakbet is made with a variety of mixed vegetables flavored with bagoóng.[1] The word is the contracted from the Ilokano word pinakebbet, meaning "shrunk" or "shriveled."[2]
Ingredients
[edit]Vegetables
[edit]Ilocano cuisine is characterized by dishes that are either salty or bitter, requiring rice.[3] Original Ilocano pinakbet is seasoned with bagoóng of fermented fish (buggúong nga ikán) usually of anchovies (munámon). The dish includes bitter melon (paría).[4] These two ingredients define the inclinations of the Ilocano palate.[3][5][6]
Other typical vegetables include eggplant (taróng), tomato (kamátis), okra, string beans (utóng), chilis (síli), hyacinth beans (párda), winged beans (pállang), and others. Root crops and some beans like sweet potato (kamótig), lima beans (patáni), pigeon peas (kárdis) are optionally added. Aromatics such as ginger (layá), shallots (sibúyas), and garlic (báwang) are commonly added. Many of these vegetables are easily accessible and are grown in the backyards and gardens of most Ilocano households.[7][8]
Smaller vegetables are left whole or partially sliced in half (okra, tomatoes, chilis, hyacinth beans, smaller varieties of bitter melon and eggplants, aromatics), larger vegetables are cut into finger-length size (thinner eggplants, yardlong beans, winged beans), chopped into smaller chunks (larger varieties of bitter melon, sweet potatoes), and beans shelled from their pods (lima, pigeon peas).
Absent from this list is calabaza (karabasa). Although widely grown in the Ilocos region, historically the cooking of calabaza was omitted from pinakbet because it took longer to cook in a claypot over a wood fire, compared to the other vegetables.
Seasonings
[edit]Bagoong provides the base. However, dried whole krill or smaller shrimps (áramang), larger headless dried shrimps (hébi), and dried anchovies, can be used to further enhance the broth similar to Japanese dashi (出汁) or Korean dasima (다시마) without having to use MSG. Other than for the aromatic vegetables (garlic, ginger, shallots), no other flavoring enhancers and spices such as peppercorns or bay leaves are used.[9]
Meat and seafood
[edit]Pinakbet remains a straightforward healthy vegetable dish containing no meat.[9][10] In Ilocano cuisine, meats are typically prepared separately on its own such as adobo or dinuguan (dinárdaraan) which contains no vegetables (or very few).[11] Rather, meats including fish can be added as a garnish (ságpaw), typically stale or leftover lechon (lítson), chicharron (bágnet or tsitsarón) or fried fish (príto nga ikán). Rare and highly prized ingredients of fresh shrimps (pasáyan) or prawns (udáng) could also be used as sagpaw, when available.[3][12]
Cooking
[edit]Fats or oils are not used in the original preparation, either for the vegetables or proteins. The vegetables are cooked in a method between shallow boiling and steaming.[9] A small amount of water is boiled in a pot (bánga). Some of this water is added to a bowl containing a small amount of buggúong. The buggúong is macerated with the water to dissolved. This mixture is then strained over the pot to remove fish debris such as bones to create a fish broth.[9] The aromatics are added to the flavor the fish broth and optionally seasoned with the dried shrimp or anchovies, followed by the vegetables.[9] To mix, the vegetables are gently tossed within the pot without the use a utensil to keep them relatively intact. As its name suggests, these vegetables are cooked until "shriveled". Leftover meats or seafood garnishes can be added near the end of the cooking time.[12]
How to Cook it
[edit]Now it’s time to show you how to cook Pinakbet Ilocano. The many ingredients might seem rather daunting, but it’s actually a very simple meal to make! In a little less than an hour, this comfort food will be able to grace your dining table.
1. Make the bagnet
[edit]To start, you need to prep all the ingredients for your Pinakbet Ilocano. Before making this dish, it’s best to have already started on your crispy pork belly. Frying it may take some time, so I advise starting on it in advance. This will give you an easier time when you have to add it in later.
2. Prepare the vegetables
[edit]For the vegetables, you have quite the preparation to do! Cut 4 pieces of eggplant into half, and 2 pieces of bitter melon into quarters. Do the same to one piece of kamote. Cut half a bundle of string beans; each piece should measure about 2 inches. Lastly, cube your onions and tomatoes. Let’s start cooking!
3.Boil water and add the bagoong
[edit]In a large pot, pour in 1 ½ cups of water. Once you’ve brought this to a boil, pour in a quarter cup of anchovy sauce, or bagoong isda, and let it boil once more. The fishy smell may start to permeate through your kitchen at this point.
4.Cook the vegetables
[edit]Then, once your mixture is boiling, add in the vegetables of your recipe. Start with your sweet potato, then your okra, ampalaya, eggplant, string beans, tomatoes, and onion pieces. Stir your vegetables together, then leave your Pinakbet Ilocano to simmer for about fifteen minutes. By now, your vegetables are absorbing all the yummy flavors of your anchovy sauce, as well as mixing with the tastes of the other vegetables.
5.Add the crispy pork belly and serve Lastly, add in your crispy pork belly. Let it simmer alongside the rest of your Pinakbet Ilocano’s ingredients. Once around 5 minutes are up, your dish is finally ready! In a serving bowl, toss in your mix of meat and vegetables and enjoy! Serve your Pinakbet Ilocano to your family, and see how much they’ll love it.
Similar and related dishes
[edit]Related dishes
[edit]- Dinengdeng — similar Ilocano vegetable dish
- Kinilnat — Ilocano blanched vegetable salad
- Sinabawang gulay — Filipino vegetable soup
Other vegetable stews
[edit]- Buddha's delight — Chinese vegetarian dish
- Caponata — Sicilian dish of eggplants and other vegetables
- Ghivetch — Balkan vegetable stew
- Ratatouille — French stew of similar preparation
- Türlü — Turkish stewed vegetables
References
[edit]- ^ David Yen Ho Wu; Sidney C. H. Cheung (2002). Wu: Globalization of Chinese Food. University of Hawaii Press. p. 183. ISBN 978-0-8248-2582-9. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ^ "Pakbet / Pinakbet". San Pablo City. 2010. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
- ^ a b c "A Taste of Ilocos Norte". Museo Ilocos Norte. December 9, 2008.
- ^ Johnson-Kozlow, Marilyn; Matt, Georg E.; Rock, Cheryl L.; de la Rosa, Ruth; Conway, Terry L.; Romero, Romina A. (2011). "Assessment of Dietary Intakes of Filipino-Americans: Implications for Food Frequency Questionnaire Design". Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 43 (6). Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior: 505–510. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2010.09.001. PMC 3204150. PMID 21705276.
- ^ "Taste Philippines Foods in Ilocos Norte". Tartaruga's Boutique Hotel in Pagudpud Ilocos Norte. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
- ^ Palanca, Clinton (February 1, 2019). "Looking for the Origin of Papaitan and Finding Love in Ilocano Cuisine". Retrieved September 14, 2023.
- ^ Barrows, David P (July 1907). "Education and social progress in the Philippines". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 30 (1): 69–82.
- ^ Pauling, L. W. &, Grivetti, L. E. (1984). "The Importance of animals and forage sources within a rice cropping system northern Luzon, Philippines". Proceedings, Kansas State University's 1983 Farming Systems Research Symposium: Animals in the farming system. Manhattan, Kansas: International Programs Office, Kansas State University.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d e Gascon, Helen C., Kathryn J. Orr (2018). About FIlipino Foods.
- ^ Daus-Magbual, R. R., &, R. S. Magbual (2012). "The health of the Filipina/o America: Challenges and opportunities for Change". Handbook of Asian American Health: 45–57.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Fernandez, D. G. (2002). Vestiges of War: The Philippine-American War and the Aftermath of an Imperial Dream. New York: New York University Press. p. 237.
- ^ a b Tamayao, Antonio I. "The Role of Linguistic Capital in Filipino Ethnic Intermarriage and Identity: A Bourdieuan Analysis". Cagayan State University.
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External links
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