Pinakbet or pakbet is a native dish in Ilocandia. It is a contracted Ilocano word “pinakebbet” which means shrunk or shrivelled. The basic ingredients are tarong (eggplant), okra (ladyfinger), parya (bitter gourd), kamatis (tomatoes), bawang (garlic) & lasona (onion with or without its spring). These vegetables are usually cooked until almost dry. The flavor of the veggies is accentuated by buggoung (fermented fish) but in some municipalities, they use buggoong aramang (fermented shrimp). Karne ti baboy (pork), sometimes cooked into different dishes like bagnet, lechon or chicharon, is also added.
Aside from the basic ingredients, some Ilocanos put additional veggies like repolyo (cabbage), cauliflower,patani (lima beans), parda (Indian beans), Utong (string beans) karabasa (squash), and chicharo. In some areas, they prefer kamote (sweet potato), sili a pimmasayan (long pepper), kabatiti (sponge gourd), cardis (green peas) and other vegetables available in their backyard garden..
Originally, when Ilocano cook this dish, they just place all the ingredients in a banga (earthen pot), putting the veggies which are harder to cook below the easier ones like the repolyo, kamatis and the like, then stirred frequently until it is almost dry. But in some areas lately, they sauté first the pork, kamatis, lasona, laya and buggoong before putting the veggies.
Ilocano enjoys eating this dish especially when it is cold (even a day after it was cooked) and with fried rice.
