Seafood Pinakbet Recipe

Pinakbet is popular throughout the Philippines, with  different regional variations depending on ingredient availability and local taste adaptations, but this vegetable dish was originated as Ilocano dishes. It is basically a mix of string beans, okra, eggplant, pumpkin, and bitter gourd (ampalaya) cooked in broth and spices until the liquid is reduced, which is where it gets its name from, “pinakebbet”, which means, “made smaller”. This is usually flavored with bagoong, or shrimp paste.

Papaitan or Pinapaitan Recipe

The name Papaitan is derived from the Filipino root word "pait" which means "bitter". This dish is famous is a famous Ilocano soup dish mostly composed of beef or goat innards. The bitter taste of this soup dish comes from the bile, the bitter juice extracted by the liver and stored in the gallbladder to aid digestion. Papaitan popularly served those who love drinking liquor, and one of the specialty in many carinderias and restaurants in the north of the Philippines even in the metro.

Igado (Filipino Pork Meat and Liver Stew) Recipe

Igado is a Ilocano dish (in the northern part of the Philippines) with fatty pork loin meat and pork liver cooked with red bell pepper and peas, in a salty-sour sauce. There are variations of igado that include ingredients like fried potatoes, carrots, and green peas. Some have little but thick sauce which gives a dry texture to the dish. Others are prepared like a soupy dish, which should be ideal for places where the weather is cold.

Pakbet or Pinakbet Ilocano Recipe

Pinakbet or Pakbet Ilocano is popular vegetable dish in northern part of Philippines especially in Ilocos and neighboring provinces. The vegetables used on this pakbet are usually grown in the back yard of every villager and are available almost all year long. Ampalaya (bitter melon), eggplant, okra, and string beans are just some of the vegetables that make-up this delightful dish. Usually Pakbet  Ilocano is cooked in a clay pot called “Palayok” and Anchovy sauce (bagoong isda) is used to add flavor. Also this dish is a variation of the popular dish the Pakbet Tagalog which is very common in central, southern part of Luzon and other part of the country.

Bagnet (Deep-Fried Pork Meat) Recipe

In Ilocos Norte (A province in the northern part of the Philippines) a delicious and unique Vigan Bagnet is the Ilocano version of "lechon kawali" also known as Ilocano Chicharon Baboy or deep-fried pork meat. Large chunks of pork leimpo, belly or pork sides, deep fried for at least two times until crispy. It is serve with tamatis and lasuna with bagoong nga munamon. Just the thought of it makes every genuine Ilocano drool. Just be careful when cooking or deep frying this dish, expect a lot of hot oil splashing. This dish takes few easy steps to complete and will just take you 1.5 hours to prepare.