Pakbet – Ilocano Recipe

I'm not speaking in general terms, like it's my favorite Filipino dish, no. I really mean that Pinakbet--the illest of Ilocano dishes--is my most favorite food in the whole entire world times infinity! Even by Filipino standards, this is a curious choice (I think) on my part as I know of many Pinoys who can't stand this vegetable medley. I'm sure it has to do with the ever-present ampalaya.

Ingredients:

1 grilled fish (bangus or tilapia)
3 tomato; sliced
2 Camote (sweet potato)
2 eggplant, (round shape)
4 ampalaya (young ampalaya – round shape)
5 okras
1 hand bundle of string beans
1 cup of patani (lima beans)
6 squash flower
1 hand bundle of sigarillas
2 tablespoon of oil (extract from fried pork)
Bagoong isda
2 cups of hugas - bigas

Pakbet Cooking Instructions:

In a pot (tayab or banga) boil the hugas bigas together with grilled fish, tomato and bagoong isda. Add vegetables. Simmer until all vegetables are cooked. Add extract oil from fried pork and seasoning. Serve hot!

Posted in: Ilocano