various authentic, exotic, ilokano pinakbets

More on and about pinakbet, this time, I'll show/present/feature various concoction or variations, most of it I cooked myself, trying-hard to be an authentic ilokano-pinakbet creator, utilizing the Ilokano-ness in me, my ever finicky Ilokano taste (literally, that is) to produce what's I think is real and kind of exotic Ilokano dish, of this ever ubiquitous vegetable stew.

This is basic pinakbet with the basic ingredient there is: paria, tarong, kamatis, sili, okra, and no more. I even have two different tarongs here, both "native" ones: small rounded ones and "slim" elongated ones, which are the perfect, or even required, eggplants for pakbet. My paria is also the round ones, natively grown (not hybrid), so-called Ilocos ampalaya. 

Pinakbet with young garlic roots and leaves. This is a truly Ilocos pinakbet because of the presence of the young garlic (naganus a bawang). But I cooked this one (me, here in Cagayan), of course, having had the opportunity to be blessed with young garlic bundles being peddled on the talipapas along the highway in Nassiping, Gattaran town (in Cagayan; the vendors said it came right from Ilocos Norte). Naganus a bawang itself is made into a unique pinakbet a naganus a bawang, young root/bulb and leaves. In this particular pinakbet, I didn't cut the eggplant's pamurosan (stalk) because these are fruit so young and tender, almost busel (buds), and the tender stalk is edible as well. I just removed the hard sinewy part inside. Mind you, you can only find a tarong prepared that way in an Ilokano pinakbet or dinengdeng.

Very basic pinakbet cooked by my mother. Not sautéed, ever. And it has no sagpaw or parabaw (add-on/topping, fish or meat). With lots of tomatoes and ginger that almost fermented the veggies. You can see it has some pallang (winged bean). 

One the most palatable, most delicious pinakbet I've ever encountered, prepared and cooked by the folks of Currimao town in Ilocos Norte. It has generous amounts of kardis and patani beans in it that greatly enhanced its aroma and flavor. Plus native parda and tiny sweet peppers. And utong (string beans). Its thick broth is a delightful fusion of sweetness, sourness, bitterness and moderated bugguong saltiness only a genuine Ilokano cook can manufacture :-)

Pinakbet I made spicier with a dash of cracked peppercorns, and with lots of crushed ginger.

This one is a bit oily because I added a sizeable chunk of lechon kawali (imagining its the adorable bagnet/chicharon, hehe!)

I added bagas ti kamote (sweet potato/camote roots, also called kaong in some parts of Ilocos Norte) here in lieu of the karabasa (squash fruit preferred and popularized by Tagalog in their variant of pakbet). I used the native round tarong here, similar to balballosa (wild round eggplant). I topped it with fried tilapia fish. 

And this is my pinakbet with young marunggay pods/fruit (also called drumsticks), pallang and bagas ti kamote.

This is a pinakbet by Roger D. Ancheta of Camiling, Tarlac. Besides marunggay pods, it has the young singkamas (jicama) pods! Bunga ti singkamas is a favorite veggie of mine, I'm always craving for it nowadays that it has become a rarity. It's perfect for dinengdeng, solo or with pallang pods or with sabunganay (susop, banana blossoms), and soured with salamagi (tamarind) fruit, topped with broiled attasi (dalag, mudfish) or paltat (catfish).