Pinakbet (Mixed Vegetables)

Pinakbet or Pakbet is a popular Filipino dish. The basic vegetables used in this dish includes native bitter melon (ampalaya), eggplant, okra, tomato, string beans and squash. It is usually cooked until almost dry and shriveled; the flavors are accentuated with bagoong or shrimp paste. And it is never stirred while cooking instead the pot is shaken to toss the vegetables without making the ampalaya bitter. It is considered as a very healthy dish.

1 cup cubed pork liempo
oil
2-3 tablespoons bagoong or shrimp paste
1 cup water
1 medium-size ampalaya, quartered
3 pieces round eggplant, quartered
5 pieces okra, halved
4 pieces tomato, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 small ginger, sliced

Brown the pork in a little oil. Set aside. Boil the bagoong and water. Put the pork and the rest of the ingredients. Simmer until vegetables are done.