MAMA’S ILOCANO PINAKBET WITH BAGNET

Pinakbet originated from the Northern Provinces of the Philippines, Ilocos. It’s a mixed veggie stew that pays homage to the Ilocano farmers and help to support their harvest. My mom says it’s a heartfelt dish that Ilocanos can survive on, due to not having enough money since farming is their main source to provide to their family. This dish lets them use whatever vegetables are available. Pinakbet comes from the Ilocano term, “pinakebbet”, which means shrunk or shriveled. A stew cooked with all the seasonal vegetables together at once.

If you know my mom, you know that this is her signature dish that everyone in the family would ask her to cook for any occasion. This dish is the first Filipino dish that she taught me how to cook, side by side. You already know Filipino mom’s don’t usually do that. I always think she’s slowly passing me the torch to keep our culture alive, and help pass it along to the next generation. No matter how many miles away I am from her, I know when I cook this dish, I’ll forever feel like she’s right there with me when I’m homesick.

♥️ Bea Lugtu

TRICIA’S BATCHOY WITH UMI ORGANIC NOODLES

This is a Filipino noodle dish that originally comes from the province of Ilo Ilo, and more specifically, from the town of La Paz. It originated from the Chinese community that settled there. The name of the dish comes from the Chinese (Hokkien) Ba-chui, meaning pieces of meat. Traditionally it is made with pork and pork offal cooked in a beef and pork stock, it uses egg noodles and is topped with chicharron, fried garlic, scallions and a raw egg that cooks in the hot broth. It is a nourishing soup that is full of umami coming from a rich bone broth and shrimp paste. This version is a variation of that dish I use at home made for how we live now with the ingredients around us and I find it is amazing with Umi Organic’s ramen because of the noodle’s amazing bite. I take the time to develop a really good beef broth and use a favorite roast pork recipe as a topping that was developed by my Tita Lydia (which is amazing on its own). I omit the chicharron because my roast pork has a crispy skin that gives it the texture contrast I love; however, if I happen to have it at home, I top it with chicharron anyway. It definitely brings it over the top.

This recipe was originally developed for and published by Umi Organic. Check it out through this link and also check out their ramen. It’s a personal favorite of mine and locally made in Portland. The owner and founder is Lola Milholland and is also part Filipino. She is definitely an inspiration.

♥️Tricia