Pinakbet – Classic Filipino Vegetable Stew Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 100 – 150 grams pork belly (chopped to ½ inch)
• 2 small onions
• 5 big cloves garlic
• 2 pieces tomatoes
• ½ a small butternut squash
• 1 & ½ cup water or pork broth
• 1 cup string beans
• 1 bundle of okra
• 1 piece eggplant
• 1 piece bitter melon
• 2 tablespoons shrimp paste

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix together the pork, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a pan at medium heat, add oil and cook the pork till all the sides have browned.
3. Slice the onions and tomatoes, roughly chop the garlic, and slice the string beans into bite-sized pieces.
4. Chop the squash and eggplant into small pieces, slice the okra melon gourd into half, and then slice this diagonally.
5. In the same pan, cook the onions, garlic, and tomatoes with the remaining oil till aromatic.
6. Add in the butternut squash and pork broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 5 – 7 minutes or till the squash has softened and can be easily pierced by a fork.
7. Mix in the string beans, okra, eggplant bitter melon, and shrimp paste. Cover and let this cook for 3 – 5 minutes.
8. Once the eggplants have softened, serve hot with steamed rice