RECIPE: VEGETARIAN FILIPINO DISH
I tell you, there's no better meal than a mother's home-cooked meal. Isn't that right, ladies and gents? For me, it's PINAKBET! Today, I want to share my happiness and by that I mean my mom's favorite Ilocano dish. Here's how she does it but with a bit of a healthy twist. Trust me, it's just as delicious without the 'Bagoong' (shrimp paste) and pork. ;-) This easy recipe takes about 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need:
2 tbsp. of natural or organic coconut oil
2 large tomatoes, chopped in halves
4 cloves of garlic, smashed not diced
1 large onion, chopped in halves
1/3 of squash, seeds removed, skin peeled and then cut into cubes
1 bundle of string beans, cut into 2 inches length
5 small round eggplants, each cut into 4 halves without removing the stem
4 pcs. of small bitter melon (ampalaya), each cut into 4 halves
6 pcs. of okra
1 cube of all-natural vegetable stock
Green long chillies (you can put as many as you want but don't chop them unless you want it really spicy)
5 pcs. of winged beans
3 stick beans, peeled and cut into 3 inches length
You can find these at the super market or, better yet, at the street market where they are fresh and pesticide-free.
On a large pot of coconut oil on medium heat, mix together the tomatoes, onions and garlic until they're a bit golden brown. Note: never over-cook the garlic other it will give a bitter taste.
Add the squash cubes and stir to even out the mixture. Cover the pot and wait for another minute until they become a bit soft. Then add 1 cup of water and stir again. Cover the pot until it simmers. Note: I like to put these in first so they can give more flavor and a little bit of a paste texture that blends well with the rest of the ingredients.
When it simmers, put in the rest of the vegetables together.
Add a cube of all-natural vegetable stock to the mixture and season with a pinch of sea salt and crucshed pepper. Then cover the pot and wait for 1 minute.
Stir the mixture from time to time until all the vegetables are cooked evenly. Cover the pot again and wait for 5-10 minutes. You'll know when it's ready when they've shrunked or shiveled. Hence, the name from a Filipino dialect called "Pinakbet". Top it off with a little drizzle of Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar for a little kick if you like.
VOILA!
And there you have it, shriveled to perfection! If you do try this, please let me know what you think on the comments down below or tag me on Instagram. Thank you so much for dropping by and I hope you have a wonderful week ahead! Stay happy, healthy and beautiful!
Love,
TJ