Pinakbet (Filipino Vegetable Stew)

Pinakbet is a pungent Filipino vegetable stew made by simmering a variety of vegetables with shrimp or lechon kawali (crispy fried pork belly) in a fermented seafood-infused broth. The dish originated on the northern island of Luzon and has since spread throughout the country and abroad. Served alongside cooked white rice and fried or grilled fish and meat, this nourishing dish is a staple on Filipino dinner tables. 

In the Philippines, there are two popular versions of this dish: pinakbet Ilocano and pinakbet Tagalog (a derivative of the former). Pinakbet Ilocano, the traditional version, relies on bagoong isda, a thick fermented fish sauce typically made from a mix of anchovies and salt, to flavor the stew. Pinakbet Tagalog, on the other hand, utilizes bagoong alamang, which is a fermented shrimp or krill paste. Each bagoong lends a different flavor profile to the pinakbet; bagoong isda increases the funky savoriness of the dish, whereas bagoong alamang adds a hint of sweetness that complements the umami flavor. 

My mom only uses ginisang bagoong—a variation of bagoong alamang that is sautéed with onion, garlic, vinegar, and sugar—which imbues the pinakbet with a sweeter, more complex flavor. Consequently, I prefer pinakbet Tagalog made with ginisang bagoong (and call for it in this recipe), but if you have another type of bagoong you’d like to use (whether bagoong isda or alamang), feel free to substitute with an equal amount by volume. 

While the above versions exist and interpretations are plentiful, pinakbet should, at minimum, include a mix of hearty vegetables—eggplant, long green beans, bitter melon, okra, and squash or sweet potato—and your fermented seafood of choice. Besides slicing the vegetables (the most time-consuming part of this recipe), this one-pot dish, which uses dashi instead of water to build a punchy broth, is remarkably simple in its preparation. I start by sautéeing onion, garlic, tomatoes, and ginisang bagoong to build a flavorful base, then add dashi and the vegetables in staggered additions. Within thirty minutes, you'll have a slightly funky, hearty stew you can eat along with white rice for a simple but delicious meal, or you can serve it as part of a large meal, perhaps alongside chicken inasal and tortang talong (and, of course, rice!).