Pinakbet is a Filipino dish made with a variety of vegetables, pork, and a sauce made from fish or shrimp paste. It is typically served with rice and can be customized with different vegetables. Chicharron is a common type of pork used in the dish. The ingredients are caramelized and then stewed for at least 15 minutes to combine flavors.
The Filipino dish pinakbet is a medley of several native ingredients, some of which are more globally embraced than others. Served with rice, this appetizer combines a fatty type of fried pork called chicharron with a sauce made from fish or shrimp paste. What gives the dish its vibrant color and taste, however, are the vegetables – from standard staples like tomatoes and aubergines to more exotic ingredients like bitter melon and ginger.
Any type of pork can be used as the protein for pinakbet, from extra pork chops to leftover slices of tenderloin. Filipino chefs often use chicharron, however, due to the fatness and saltiness it brings to the dish. It is cooked in oil until cooked through, then set aside for adding at the end of the meal.
In the same pan, chunks or sliced vegetables such as tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, okra, ginger, onion, bitter melon, and garlic are also lightly caramelized, then added to a large stockpot or pressure cooker. Added right behind them is seared pork and enough water to coat the bottom of the pot and create copious steam. Just a little shrimp or fish paste, bagoon alamang or bagoon isda, respectively, passes into the water. This is usually stirred into the water before being added to the vegetables in the pan. Salt and pepper are also added to taste.
After covering the pot or pressure cooker, the pinakbet can stew for at least 15 minutes. This should thoroughly cook all the vegetables and combine the flavors completely. Chefs will add enough water so it doesn’t completely evaporate before the vegetables are fully cooked, leaving a flavorful sauce to complement the other ingredients.
Once the pinakbet has finished cooking, the white rice balls are placed on plates or in bowls, followed by generous portions of meat and vegetables. Variations of pinakbet abound, with vegetables being the biggest deviation. Many cooks use only what’s fresh and readily available, filling the pieces to the top of the pan before the stew begins. Some don’t even bother blanching the vegetables, just putting them in the pot to boil. Experienced chefs also commonly blanch vegetables in cold water before introducing them to heat, which helps them retain their individual flavor and texture.
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