Pork Pinakbet with Squash and Mixed Vegetables

Ingredients

For the recipe

• 500 g fresh boneless, skinless pork belly (liempo), cut into pieces approximately 2 cm across
• 350 g kalabasa or kabocha squash, weighed after peeling and removing the seeds, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 250 g slender Asian eggplants (talong), trimmed and cut into 2-3 cm chunks
• 200 g sitaw (yardlong beans), weighed after trimming, cut into 4-5 cm lengths
• 150 g small, tender okra, stems lightly trimmed without cutting deeply into the pods
• 150 g ampalaya (bitter melon), weighed after removing the seeds and soft central pith, cut into 1 cm half-moons
• 250 g ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
• 1 medium onion (120 g peeled weight), finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves (15 g peeled weight), finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons cooked Filipino shrimp paste (ginisang bagoong alamang; approximately 30 g), plus up to 1 additional tablespoon (15 g) to taste
• 2 tablespoons water (30 ml), for starting the pork
• 500 ml water (approximately 2 1/8 US cups), plus extra hot water in 60 ml additions as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (approximately 0.5 g)
• Up to 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, only if needed after tasting
• Steamed white rice, for serving (optional; excluded from nutrition)

Instructions

1. Wash the vegetables under running water and prepare the onion, garlic and tomatoes. Peel and seed the squash, then cut it into evenly sized 2 cm cubes. Trim the long beans and cut them into 4-5 cm lengths. Keep the different vegetables in separate bowls so they can be added at the right time.
2. Halve the bitter melon lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and soft central pith with a spoon. Slice into 1 cm half-moons and weigh out 150 g of prepared flesh. Trim only the tough stalk tips from the okra, leaving small pods whole. Cut the eggplants shortly before they go into the pot; if cut earlier, keep them briefly in cold water and drain thoroughly before cooking.
3. Pat the pork belly dry and cut it into roughly 2 cm pieces of similar thickness. Use a separate board for the raw pork, then wash your hands, knife and any surfaces that touched it before handling the prepared vegetables.
4. Put the pork and the 30 ml water into a cold, wide, heavy-based pot with a lid, approximately 4-5 litres in capacity. Set over medium heat and cook for 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally. Let the water evaporate and allow some pork fat to render, then continue until several sides are lightly golden. Reduce the heat if the browned bits begin to darken too quickly.
5. Keep the pork and its rendered fat in the pot. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30-45 seconds, just until fragrant.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring and pressing them gently with the back of a spoon until they soften and release their juices. Stir in the initial 30 g cooked shrimp paste and cook for 1 minute over medium-low heat. Keep it moving so any sugar in the paste does not scorch.
7. Pour in the 500 ml water and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the flavorful browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cover. Cook for 30-45 minutes, checking every 10-15 minutes, until a fork enters the pork easily and the meat is tender. Add hot water in 60 ml portions whenever the liquid gets low. If the pork is still chewy, continue simmering before adding any vegetables.
8. When the pork is tender, check the liquid level. Aim for roughly 250-350 ml of sauce in the bottom of the pot before adding the vegetables. If there is much more, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce it; if there is too little, add a small splash of hot water. Taste a cooled spoonful, but reserve the final seasoning adjustment until the vegetables are cooked.
9. Add the squash and gently turn the pieces through the sauce. Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until the outside begins to soften while the middle remains firm. The squash will continue cooking with the remaining vegetables.
10. Add the long beans, fold them gently into the pork and squash, then cover and simmer for 3 minutes. Keep the heat low enough for a steady, gentle simmer and check that a little sauce remains at the bottom.
11. Add the drained eggplant, whole okra and bitter melon. Spoon some sauce over the vegetables, cover and simmer for 6-9 minutes. Fold everything gently once midway through cooking. Check the largest pieces: the squash should be tender but hold its shape, the eggplant should be soft all the way through, and the beans and okra should be cooked with a little bite. Give firmer vegetables another 1-2 minutes if necessary.
12. Taste the sauce with a piece of vegetable. Add the black pepper and, if needed, a little of the reserved shrimp paste, about 1 teaspoon at a time, up to the additional 15 g. Simmer for 1-2 minutes after the final addition. Add a small pinch of the measured salt only if the dish still needs it. For a looser sauce, fold in 1-2 tablespoons hot water; avoid vigorous stirring so the squash and eggplant stay intact.
13. Turn off the heat and let the pinakbet stand for about 3 minutes. Divide the pork, vegetables and sauce evenly among six portions and serve warm, with steamed white rice if desired. Rice is not included in the nutrition estimate.