 Modern version of pinakbet, consisting of eggplant, squash, bitter mellon, okra, and long beans, topped withbagnet, a crispy deep-fried pork belly. | |
| Alternative names | Pakbét, Pinakebbét |
|---|---|
| Course | Main course |
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Region or state | Ilocos Region |
| Serving temperature | Hot, room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Fermented anchovies,eggplant, bitter mellon,okra, string beans,tomato andsweet potato or squash. |
| Ingredients generally used | Garlic,onion orshallots. |
| Variations | Pakbet-Tagalog, Ginataang Pakbet |
| Similar dishes | Dinengdeng |
Pinakbet also known aspakbét, is aFilipino vegetable dish characterized by its savory, earthy, and complex flavor profile, primarily derived from the pungent, saltyumami of fermentedfish sauce made fromanchovies (buggúong orbagoong isda) or, in some modern variations,shrimp paste (armang orbagoong alamang).[1] It traditionally consists of a variety of vegetables, includingeggplant,tomato,okra,bitter melon,string beans, andsweet potato although modern versions may usesquash as a substitute.[2] It is commonly served as a main course and eaten withsteamed rice. Originating from theIlocos Region in northernLuzon,Philippines, pinakbet is a staple dish among theIlocano people.[3][4]
Traditionally, pinakbet is prepared by cooking the vegetables together with fermented fish sauce using a method that falls between shallow boiling and steaming, often without the use of added fats or oil.[2] In other regional variations, such asTagalog-style pinakbet, the ingredients aresautéed prior to cooking, partly to lessen the strongaroma of the fermented fish sauce, andsquash may be used as a substitute. Some versions substituteshrimp paste, while others incorporatecoconut milk.[4][5]
The etymology ofpinakbet traces back to theIloco (Ilocano) wordpinakebbet, which is derived from the root wordkebbet, meaning"shriveled" or"dried up." This refers to the visual transformation of the vegetables as they cook, where their moisture evaporates and they shrink in size.[6] The prefixpina- in Ilocano often conveys a sense of something being done or prepared, giving the termpinakebbet the meaning of vegetables that have been "shriveled" or "shrunk" through cooking.[6] Whilepakbet has also evolved into a colloquial or slang term.[7]
The wordpinakbet is thus a reflection of the dish's preparation method, where vegetables are slowly simmered until they soften and shrink, absorbing the rich flavors of the accompanying seasonings. The etymology highlights the focus on the texture and cooking process, rather than the specific ingredients themselves.[8]
Ilocano cuisine is characterized by dishes that are either salty or bitter, requiring rice.[7] Original Ilocanopinakbet is seasoned withbagoóng of fermented fish (buggúong nga ikán) usually ofanchovies (munámon). The dish includesbitter melon (paría).[9] These two ingredients define the inclinations of the Ilocano palate.[7][10][11]
Other typical vegetables includeeggplant (taróng),tomato (kamátis),okra,string beans (utóng),chilis (síli),hyacinth beans (párda),winged beans (pállang), and others. Root crops and some beans likesweet potato (kamótig),lima beans (patáni),pigeon peas (kárdis) are optionally added. Aromatics such asginger (layá),shallots (sibúyas), andgarlic (báwang) are commonly added. Many of these vegetables are easily accessible and are grown in the backyards and gardens of most Ilocano households.[12][13]
Smaller vegetables are left whole or partially sliced in half (okra, tomatoes, chilis, hyacinth beans, smaller varieties of bitter melon and eggplants, aromatics), larger vegetables are cut into finger-length size (thinner eggplants, yardlong beans, winged beans), chopped into smaller chunks (larger varieties of bitter melon, sweet potatoes), and beans shelled from their pods (lima, pigeon peas).
Absent from this list iscalabaza (karabasa). Although widely grown in the Ilocos region, historically the cooking of calabaza was omitted frompinakbet because it took longer to cook in a claypot over a wood fire, compared to the other vegetables.
Bagoong provides the base. However, dried wholekrill or smallershrimp (áramang), larger headlessdried shrimp (hébi), and dried anchovies, can be used to further enhance the broth similar to Japanesedashi (出汁) or Koreandasima (다시마) without having to useMSG. Other than for the aromatic vegetables (garlic, ginger, shallots), no other flavoring enhancers and spices such as peppercorns or bay leaves are used.[14]
Pinakbet remains a straightforward vegetable dish containing no meat.[14][15] In Ilocano cuisine, meats are typically prepared separately on their own, as inadobo ordinuguan (dinárdaraan), which contains no vegetables (or very few).[16]
Rather, meats including fish can be added as a garnish (ságpaw), typically stale or leftoverlechon (lítson),chicharron (bágnet ortsitsarón) or fried fish (príto nga ikán). Rare and highly prized ingredients of fresh shrimp (pasáyan) orprawns (udáng) could also be used assagpaw, when available.[7][17]
Fats or oils are not used in the original preparation, either for the vegetables or proteins. The vegetables are cooked in a method between shallow boiling and steaming.[14] A small amount of water is boiled in apot (bánga). Some of this water is added to a bowl containing a small amount ofbuggúong. Thebuggúong is macerated with the water to be dissolved. This mixture is then strained over the pot to remove fish debris such as bones to create afish broth.[14] The aromatics are added to add furthe flavor to the fish broth, and optionally seasoned with dried shrimp or anchovies, followed by the vegetables.[14] To mix, the vegetables are gently tossed within the pot without the use of a utensil to keep them relatively intact. As its name suggests, these vegetables are cooked until "shriveled". Leftover meats or seafood garnishes can be added near the end of the cooking time.[17]
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