Pinakbet is a known Filipino viand that originated from the northern regions of the country and is packed with nutrition. There are tons of variations of the famous dish – from cooking it with fish sauce or shrimp paste, while some even use tomato sauce – all mixed together to provide that flavorful experience Filipinos are used to.
This sounds really good and delicious, right? But more than the taste and the flavor, there are many more reasons why Pinakbet is an intelligent meal choice. Global vegetable seed company East-West Seed Philippines (EWS), a long advocate and supporter of producing good quality vegetables in the country, highlights four reasons why Pinakbet is a dish that should be a staple in the meal plan of every Filipino family.
A Plate Full of Nutrition
In every serving of Pinakbet, there are at least seven types of vegetables that go with it. These are usually ampalaya, eggplant, okra, green beans, chili peppers, tomatoes, sweet potato, and squash – all of which are good sources of different vitamins and minerals that our body needs to stay healthy.
Ampalaya contains many antioxidants and studies found that it has medicinal properties that help reduce blood sugar. Eggplant supports the reduction of causes of heart disease. Green beans help to keep your digestive system healthy and running smoothly. Squash is high in beta-carotene, which our body turn into vitamin A that can strengthen our immune system and promote healthy eyesight.
Eating Pinakbet on a regular basis would mean that Filipino families can take advantage of all the nutritional benefits from its vegetable ingredients.
Accessible Ingredients
The key ingredients in Pinakbet are all easily accessible. It is recommended to make sure that when buying the ingredients, consumers choose good quality vegetables, so you really get the nutrients from it.
This is one reason why East-West Seed has been supporting and working with Filipino farmers across the country to make vegetables more accessible to Filipinos. Backed by research and innovation experiences for close to four decades, EWS has been developing improved vegetable seed varieties that help farmers improve their yields, reduce pesticide and water usage, and earn more from their work. The vegetable seeds they offer were developed and bred here in the Philippines to ensure that they will thrive in local growing conditions. Their seeds can also be grown in anyone’s backyard or home garden.
Quick to Prepare
Cooking Pinakbet is very easy taking only around 10 to 15 minutes to cook with your mise en place all set. Whether a chef or a regular consumer, preparing Pinakbet does not require much cooking experience.
First, sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger in a pot with hot cooking oil. Then add pork or shrimp for flavor depending on preference. Add a touch of fish sauce or shrimp paste and continue to stir, add some water, and add in the vegetables. Cook until all ingredients are tender but make sure to not overcook the vegetables to retain its nutrients.
There may be other ways of cooking Pinakbet or Pakbet as some would call it but no matter the preference, it is surely always as easy as 1, 2, 3 and is perfect for quick recipes for busy individuals.
Supports Local Farmers
With vegetables as main ingredients, Pinakbet is a dish that supports Filipino farmers. When consumers purchase vegetables, they are not only providing their households with a healthy meal but are also helping and supporting the livelihood of Filipino farmers working hard to produce good quality vegetable crops.
East West Seed continues with its unwavering commitment in empowering farmers to create a better life for themselves and for consumers to gain access to a variety of nutritional vegetables. EWS constantly provides smallholder farmers with knowledge and skills training as well as with high-quality and locally adapted hybrid vegetables to allow them to produce better crops and earn better profits.