Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Let the stew rest for 10 minutes after cooking — the flavors deepen noticeably as it sits.
- Cook tomato-based stews until the oil separates and rises to the surface for maximum flavor concentration.
- Cook shrimp and squid quickly over high heat — they turn rubbery in under 3 minutes.
- Add a pinch of sugar to tomato-based vegetable dishes to balance acidity.
Cooking Tips
Blanch leafy vegetables in boiling salted water for 30–60 seconds, then plunge into ice water. This locks in their bright color and crisp texture. Add vegetables in stages — hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes) go in first, tender ones (leafy greens, beansprouts) at the very end. True to Ilocano tradition, this Monggo Pinakbet pairs wonderfully with a side of steamed rice and fresh bagoong (fermented shrimp paste) for an authentic regional experience.
Ingredient Substitutions
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Monggo Pinakbet
Mung beans are simmered with cubed squash, eggplant, string beans, bitter melon, and okra in a savory shrimp paste broth, combining the heartiness of monggo with the vegetable medley of pinakbet into one satisfying stew.
Instructions
- Soak the mung beans in water overnight. Drain the water and set the mung beans aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan. Saute half of the total amount of garlic, onion, and tomatoes. Once the onion and tomato soften, add the mung beans. Saute for 2 minutes.
- Pour the water into the pot. Let boil.
- Add the Knorr Pork Cube. Stir. Cover the pot and boil the mung beans using low to medium heat for 45 minutes. Note: Add water as needed. Set this aside.
- On a separate pan, sauté the remaining garlic, onion, and tomato. Add the ginger. Continue sautéing until the onion and tomato softens.
- Add the sliced pork. Saute until the color of the pork turns light brown.
- Pour in ¾ cup water. Let it boil. Cover the pot and continue boiling the pork until the water evaporates completely.
- Add the shrimp paste. Saute for 1 minute.
- Add calabaza squash. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add in eggplant, bitter melon, okra, and string beans. Saute for 2 minutes.
- Add ½ cup water. Let it boil.
- Pour the cooked mung beans into the pot. Stir and continue cooking for 3 to minutes.
- Season with salt and ground black pepper.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with rice.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Let the stew rest for 10 minutes after cooking — the flavors deepen noticeably as it sits.
- Cook tomato-based stews until the oil separates and rises to the surface for maximum flavor concentration.
- Cook shrimp and squid quickly over high heat — they turn rubbery in under 3 minutes.
- Add a pinch of sugar to tomato-based vegetable dishes to balance acidity.
Cooking Tips
Add vegetables in stages — hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes) go in first, tender ones (leafy greens, beansprouts) at the very end.
True to Ilocano tradition, this Monggo Pinakbet pairs wonderfully with a side of steamed rice and fresh bagoong (fermented shrimp paste) for an authentic regional experience.
Substitutions
Storage & Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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