This pinakbet is a visual delight and of course gustatory treat. The use of squash as serving container is optically very pleasing. (Though I do worry what would happen to the squash afterwards as it is rather wasteful of a good vegetable and yet would be unsanitary to reuse or cook. At least it is biodegradable and compostable) 🙁
Anyway, this pinakbet recipe of Kagay-Anon is delicious.
Ingredients:
4 round aubergines (eggplants), cut in half
2 medium bitter gourd (ampalaya), deseeded and quartered
100g string beans, cut into 2-inch length
1 small sweet potato (kamote), peeled thinly and then quartered
Cooking pinakbet is all about layering, therefore minimal stirring is required. The juices and sauce from each of the layers will drip down to the bottom layer and then it will get pour down into the dish when served. 🙂
In a large casserole pan, bring the water to a boil.
Stir in the anchovy sauce in to the hot water and bring it back into a boiling point.
Add the ginger and simmer for a minute.
Add the sweet potato, then eggplant, bitter gourd, string beans and okra.
On top, add the tomatoes and and onion.
Cover the casserole and simmer gently for quarter of an hour.
Add the bagnet or lechon kawali and cook for another 5 minutes
Serve hot in a squash as above or a lovely serving dish.
Enjoy with freshly boiled rice.
This can be made a vegetarian dish by not adding bagnet or lechon kawali. Still taste as good.
