Not all people like the idea of eating vegetables. Others simply don’t like it, especially kids nowadays. But I must say that vegetables are kind of food that we need to eat. Many studies showed that vegetables are rich in nutrients. Aside from being affordable, it is also a good source of vitamins. According to a dietitian, we must eat leafy vegetables at least 75- 100 grams a day.
As a country that one of the main sources of living is agriculture, it is already a part of our tradition to cook different kinds of vegetable dishes. Many Filipinos love to create their own version of some popular dishes. One of the most Filipino popular vegetable dish is pinakbet also known before as “pinakebbet” which means “shrunk” or “shriveled”.
Pinakbet is an Ilocano dish from the northern region of the Philippines. It is a dish that is a mix of different kinds of vegetables. The usual ingredients of pinakbet are bitter melon, eggplant, tomato, ginger, okra, lima beans, chili peppers, parda, winged beans, squash, pork and bagoong isda or bagoong alamang. Others don’t like the taste of bitter melon, and usually they don’t include it as part of the ingredients. Before, our ancestors cooked pinakbet in earthen pots because they believed that it is the best way to cook it. In order to maintain the good quality of vegetables, it is advisable not to use a ladle to mix them.
As a veggie lover, I always want to eat pinakbet, especially if it is cooked by my mother. The unusual taste of pinakbet is what I really love. Years passed, some people also used it as a flavor in pizza. This popular Ilocano dish had a great influence to Filipinos. Aside from the fact that it is one of our authentic food, this dish represents the quality of being plain of Filipinos.
