Dinengdeng (Ilocano)

As a native of La Union in the Ilocano region of the Philippines, this dish always brings me back home. We grew a small vegetable garden in our backyard during summer months to mainly grow ingredients I use for this dish to re-live the original fresh sweet taste of vegetables the way my parents prepare it when I was growing up. We used to buy fresh veges from wet market available on a daily basis back home. Now during summer months, I can substantially sustain and harvest fresh ingredients from our yard whenever I crave for this.

Dinengdeng (Ilocano)

A simple mixture of greens and native vegetables cooked on a fish sauce and topped with favorite fried fish or whole prawn

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 cups String beans (cut 1.5 inch long)
• 1.5 cups eggplant (sliced)
• 8 pieces okra (whole)
• 2 cups Saluyot leaves
• 2 cups Sliced ampalaya fruit or leaves
• 2 cups Squash Flowers (Clean by removing pistil and sepals)
• 2 tbsp Fish bagoong sauce (strained)
• 2 cups Water
• 6 pieces Prawn (whole) or 1 fried fish
• 1 inch smashed ginger

Other vegetables that can be added

• squash (cubed)
• bamboo shoots
• 2 small tomatoes (whole)

Method

 

1. Boil water, ginger and whole tomatoes until soft. Smash the tomato to create a nice reddish water.
2. Add bagoong, salt and fried fish or prawns and boil for 5 minutes. Remove shrimp or the fried fish.
3. Add the string beans and boil for 2 minutes. Add okra and eggplant (bamboo shoots and squash) and cook for another 2 minutes. Add saluyot, bitter melon and squash flower. Cook for another 2 minutes.
   
4. Mix carefully and remove from heat. Add back the shrimp or fish. Do not cover.
   
5. Serve with white steamed rice. Enjoy