Dinengdeng is a Filipino vegetable stew made with fish sauce and a variety of vegetables, including eggplant, okra, and bitter melon. Meat or fish can be added, and it is traditionally served over rice. The dish is made with bagoong, a fermented fish sauce.
Dinengdeng is a Filipino stew made mostly of vegetables; it was first eaten in the area of northern Luzon known as the Ilocos region. The ingredients vary widely, but generally consist of several types of tubers, roots, spices, and other vegetables that are cooked in a strong fish sauce. Meats such as beef or pork may be added in small pieces to help accentuate the flavor, although fish, sometimes whole, may also be added. Traditionally, dinengdeng is served hot over cooked rice. It can be a side dish to a larger, heavier meal or it can contain a number of substantial ingredients that can help it stand on its own as a main course.
The basis of dinengdeng is a type of fish broth made with an ingredient known as bagoong, which is considered one of the most important aspects of the dish. Bagoong is made by fermenting fish or other types of seafood, such as shrimp or oysters. The resulting fermented fish solids are ground finely and sometimes added to a brine mix, completing the process. Most recipes for dinengdeng call for bagoong isda, which means that the sauce was made from fish rather than shellfish or fish roe. Some recipes use bagoong alamang, which is made with prawns and has a smoother flavor.
Although there is often a certain type of meat in dinengdeng, it is still considered a vegetable stew due to the prevalence of vegetables. The traditional vegetables that are added to the stew are usually of Filipino origin. The dish mostly uses ingredients that can be found growing in the countryside or found natively in gardens and backyards. There are specific types of beans, peas and sprouts that can be used, but they are not found outside the Philippines.
Other common ingredients include eggplant and okra, with the okra used to thicken the sauce. The eggplants used look nothing like the eggplants that are frequently seen in North America and instead appear more like small purple-white cylinders with a slightly different flavor. Many dinengdeng recipes also call for bitter melon, amaranth leaves, taro, and squash blossoms. All the ingredients are added to the bagoong base and water and simmered until fully cooked and the liquid has thickened.
Meat, such as cubes of pork, can be added to the stew. Some preparations involve placing large pieces of fish into the sauce, allowing it to cook alongside the vegetables. These pieces of fish can include the head and bones, providing another element that will help thicken the sauce. The final dish is served with cooked rice.
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