How to Cook Authentic Pinakbet Ilocano - No Meat - Awan Sagpaw

shrimp paste

🥗Healthier: fish sauce

💰Cheaper: soy sauce

Fish sauce offers umami flavor with fewer calories.

pork belly

🥗Healthier: chicken breast

💰Cheaper: pork shoulder

Chicken breast reduces fat while still providing protein.

bitter melon

🥗Healthier: zucchini

💰Cheaper: green bell pepper

Zucchini provides a milder flavor and is more widely available.

eggplant

🥗Healthier: mushrooms

💰Cheaper: zucchini

Mushrooms add a savory depth without the calories of eggplant.

Harvest the ampalaya (bitter melon) from the garden.

Slice the bitter melon and eggplant into large pieces, noting that they will shrink as they cook.

Use more than 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat.

Add the sliced garlic and onion to the pan and sauté until fragrant.

Stir-fry the ingredients first, as per the creator's method.

Add 1/4 cup of anchovy sauce to the pan.

Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes to develop flavors.

After 5 minutes, mix the ingredients without stirring too much, allowing them to simmer together.

After about 10 minutes, turn off the flame and serve.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary