I honestly don't remember if I ever ate Pinakbet when I was small. Come to think of it, I probably never did. Not until we moved to the US before my teens. My mom would cook 2-3 times a day (she raised kids who don't eat left overs) and I distinctly remember her Pinakbet (stir-fried vegetables in shrimp anchovy sauce) as my favorite. To this day, it's still my most favorite vegetable dish. 
My mom's Pinakbet (which is now mine since she stopped cooking daily given that all three of us have moved out into our own homes) is pretty straight-forward. She uses the usual veggies: squash, long beans, bitter melon, eggplant, and okra. She stir-fries the veggies in olive oil with garlic, onions, and peeled shrimp, then adds shrimp paste. I do exactly the same thing but these days, I make Pinakbet with just squash and okra. Sometimes, I kick it up a notch and add coconut milk.
In any case, Pinakbet is my most favorite Filipino vegetable dish. It's funny how I order it at every Filipino restaurant I go to everywhere in the world -- be it in the US, Philippines, and even as far flung as Europe and the Middle East. It's comfort food. And truly Filipino.
Lasang Pinoy
10 comments:
I'll try that revised pinakbet recipe with coconut milk, really looks yummy. Tamang tama because I'm looking for veggie recipes for my diabetic hubby. Thank you! Kaya lang I have to check kasi baka maparami ang rice niya.
i have fond memories of pinakbet and yeah... it is also one of my favorite vegie dish :-) though as a kid, i used to hate okra so much.
i do remember loving this dish that mom cooks so well evenwhen i was a kid back home...still do!
Hey, you and Scrooch!
http://scroochchronicles.blogspot.com/2007/05/ginataang-pinakbet.html
GMTA is all I can say.
Isn't it funny how that okra grows on you? I hated that as a kid!
For me, liking pinakbet was acquired. As a child, I remember my grandmother cooking something aside, just for me because of my refusal to eat pinakbet.
I don't know when, but as I got much much older, I discovered I liked it. In fact, eating ampalaya has become tolerable, because of pinakbet. I guess even tastebuds grow up :D
Hi PurpleGirl.I love pakbet too. My yaya (who has been with me since I was a baby) cooks delicious pakbet. I just love the aroma of pakbet being cooked. Thanks for sharing your LP 18.
Naimas!! The Ilokano in me is doing 2 backflips and a triple somersault. No problem with any of the veggies mentioned..i like 'em all!
ako rin, i order pinakbet as much as possible anywhere. the one they serve at the restaurant where the waiter's sing in manila is really good because the pork sahog is bigger than bite size and crispy too.
Pinakbet is one of my favorite Pinoy veggie dishes too! Sometimes I judge a restaurant by their pinakbet. I love all the ingredients in it, especially the okra.
I think pinakbet is my favorite too! It's a meal in itself. I don't really have to have another dish when we have pinakbet. Just lots of rice :)
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