Pinakbet

Pinakbet is a vegetable dish known all over the Philippines, but no one cooks as deliciously as the Ilokanos. The original Ilocano pinakbet uses bagoong, of fermented monamon or other fish.

The basic vegetables used in this dish include native bittergourd, eggplant, tomato, okra, string beans, lima beans, chili peppers , parda and winged beans. A Tagalog version usually includes calabaza. Most of these vegetables are easily accessible, and are grown in backyards and gardens of most Ilocano households.

Ingredients:

• 300 g bagnet (pork crackling), sliced
• 2 tsp oil
• 1.5 tbsp crushed garlic
• 150 g shallots
• 500 g ripe tomatoes
• 75 ml bagoong isda (anchovy sauce), strained
• 150 g okra
• 150 g small ampalaya, quartered
• 300 g eggplants, sliced

Procedures:

1. Heat the oil in a casserole and saute the garlic, shallots, tomatoes and pork crackling until the liquid has completely reduced, then add anchovy sauce. From this point on, do not stir.
2. Continue to simmer until the sauce is thick, then add the okra, ampalaya, and eggplant. Cover the casserole and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Bagnet

Bagnet is the Ilocano version of Lechon Kawali. It is a choice cuts from pigs side, belly or liempo. For me, it is best with kamatis (tomato), chili and toyo (soy sauce). However,  Ilocanos prefers kamatis and lasuna (garlic) with bagoong nga munamon (fermented anchovies).

Ingredients:

• 2 kilo pork liempo (pork belly), whole cut
• 1/2 head garlic
• 1 tsp. peppercorns
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 bay leaves
• cooking oil for frying

Procedures:

1. Wash pork belly and place in a pot. Add enough water to cover the pork belly.
2. Add in salt, peppercorns, garlic and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil, simmer for 30-45 minutes or until tender. Remove all scum that rises.
3. Remove from the pot and place in a coriander and let it drain.
4. Keep refrigerated for several hours.
5. In a large kawali (frying pan), heat enough cooking oil and deep fry pork belly at low heat for 30-45 minutes.
6. Remove pork belly from the kawali (pan) and drain oil, allow to cool completely.
7. Reheat the same oil over moderate heat. Deep fry the pork belly once more for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown, crisp and blisters appear on the skin.
8. Drain on paper towels.
9. Chop bagnet to serving pieces and serve immediately with a selection of sukang Iloko (vinegar) or tomatoes and onions with bagoong isda (fermented fish) dip.