Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Rinse the shrimp paste briefly if it's too salty, then pat dry before cooking.
- Use a good quality bagoong; it's the star of this dish and cheap brands can be overwhelmingly salty.
- Adding vinegar creates a tangy-salty balance that cuts through the richness.
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.
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.
Pinakbet Tagalog
Pinakbet Tagalog is nutritious as it is delicious! A colorful medley of local vegetables, pork belly, and shrimp paste, this classic Filipino stew is perfect as a main entree or as a side dish to fried fish or grilled meat.
Instructions
- In pot on medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened.
- Add pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until it gets lightly browned.
- Drop in shrimp paste and Keep cooking, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown.
- Add tomatoes and cook, mashing them with a spoon, until softened and have released juice.
- Add water and Bring it to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until meat is tender. Add more water in ½ cup increments as needed to maintain 1 cup of liquid.
- Add squash and cook for about 2 minutes or until almost tender.
- Add long beans and Keep cooking until tender-crisp.
- Mix in ampalaya, eggplant, and okra. Keep cooking for about 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender yet crisp.
- Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Serve it while it's hot.
- Drop in the vegetables in the pot according to how long they cook. Sturdier ones such as kalabasa and sitaw go in first followed by eggplant, bittermelon, and okra which take less time to soften.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Rinse the shrimp paste briefly if it's too salty, then pat dry before cooking.
- Use a good quality bagoong; it's the star of this dish and cheap brands can be overwhelmingly salty.
- Adding vinegar creates a tangy-salty balance that cuts through the richness.
Cooking Tips
Add vegetables in stages — hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes) go in first, tender ones (leafy greens, beansprouts) at the very end.
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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