My Pinakbet craving is strong the past few days — so kahit hindi masyado bet ng kids ang Pinakbet ay gora ang Mommy Peach nyo to cook. And because I don’t want to put pork, I opted to cook Pinakbet with Shrimp.
To my non-Filipino friends, Pinakbet is the beloved vegetable stew from the Ilocos region. It’s a classic Filipino dish treasured for its vibrant mix of textures and flavors. Traditionally, it’s made with in season vegetables simmered in a savory bagoong (shrimp paste) sauce. Pinakbet offers endless possibilities for customization but my usual go to veggies for this dish is squash, kangkong, sitaw, eggplant, okra (my favorite), ampalaya, and squash blossoms. Basically, kung anong makita kong available in the market.
PINAKBET WITH SHRIMP VIDEO RECIPE
Why Shrimp?
Because I don’t want to eat pork today.. LOLz. Just kidding. Shrimp adds a delightful layer of seafood sweetness to the earthy notes of the vegetables and the savory depth of the bagoong. The plump texture of the shrimp complements the various vegetables in my Pinakbet, creating a more well-rounded and satisfying healthy dish.
One day that I’m feeling adventurous, I tried cooking Pinakbet Fried Rice with Liempo and it was nice too.
Do you have a favorite Pinakbet variation? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!
PrintPinakbet with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 500g shrimp, shells removed and deveined
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 tomato, chopped
- 3 tbsp shrimp paste, I used the sweet kind
- 1 cup water
- 1.5 cup diced squash
- 1/2 large ampalaya, sl;iced
- 1 bunch sitaw, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 10 peices okra, cut in half
- 1 eggplant, cut into pieces
- patis and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pot. Sauté garlic, onion and tomato until onions are translucent and tomatoes are wilted.
- Add the shrimp and cook until it turns pink. Add the shrimp paste and water. Give it a good stir.
- Add squash and ampalaya. Simmer for 3 minutes or until these veggies are tender.
- Add sitaw, eggplant and okra. Simmer for another 3 minutes. Stir.
- Add more water if the sauce is drying up.
- Season with patis, if needed and pepper
- Serve with steamed rice
One Response
This looks like a great dish. I like the variety of the veggies and the unique ingredients (like the okra). I love a veggie dish like this that is paired with rice.