Clay-Pot Pinakbet Ilocano

Layered vegetables in concentrated tomato and bagoong broth.

Ingredients

• 265 g kalabasa
• 306 g okra
• 475 g combined talong and ampalaya
• 331 g sitaw

Seasoning and aromatics

• 280–300 g ripe tomatoes, quartered
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 7 cloves garlic, crushed
• 45 g ginger, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp pure bagoong isda, initially
• 1¼ cups water
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 2–3 siling pansigang, optional
• Do not add salt. Depending on its saltiness, you may need another 1–2 tbsp bagoong isda after tasting.

Method

• Use an intact, cool clay pot rated for stovetop cooking. Mix the bagoong, water and pepper; strain if necessary.
• Put tomatoes, onion, garlic and ginger on the bottom. Layer squash, sitaw, ampalaya, eggplant, then okra and chilies. Pour the broth around the sides. Use two batches if the pot is too full.
• Cover and heat gradually over low heat, preferably with a diffuser. Allow about 10–15 minutes to reach a gentle simmer, then cook covered for 10 minutes.
• Spoon broth gently over the top vegetables. Cover and cook another 7–10 minutes, checking early because clay retains heat. Avoid vigorous stirring or shaking the pot.
• Taste before adding more bagoong. Turn off the heat when the squash is tender and sitaw still has a little bite. Rest covered for 5 minutes and place the pot on a dry trivet.

Before you cook

Read the ingredient labels for allergens, especially seafood, soy, wheat, dairy and eggs. Prepared sauces and seasoning powders vary in saltiness, so taste before adding more. Cooking times are guides; check doneness in the actual batch.

Cook poultry and reheated leftovers to 74°C, ground meat to 71°C, and fish to 63°C. FoodSafety.gov cooking guidance ↗