Bagbet combines crisp bagnet with a colorful, savory medley of vegetables and bagoong monamon.
2 hours 25 minutes · Serves 6
Ingredients for Bagbet
1 kg whole pork belly
1 whole garlic head, pounded
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt, to taste
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon baking powder
Oil, for frying and sautéing
2 small Asian eggplants, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 bunch string beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
300 g okra, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 squash or buttercup squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup frozen lima beans, edamame, or broad beans
1 large bitter melon, sliced
4 tomatoes, diced
1 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 garlic head, minced
2 tablespoons bagoong monamon
1 tablespoon sugar, optional
Fish sauce or sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup water
How to cook Bagbet
1.Cover pork with water in a pot; add pounded garlic, pepper, salt, bay leaves, and baking powder, then simmer 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool and chill until cold.
2.Cut pork into 2–3-inch portions. Fry in hot oil, lowering heat near smoking, for 10 minutes; cool, chill again, then fry 5 minutes more and chop.
3.Sauté minced garlic, onion, and tomatoes in oil until softened.
4.Add squash, okra, and beans; pan-fry 2 minutes, then cover on low heat for 5 minutes.
5.Add string beans, bitter melon, and eggplant; pan-fry for 2 minutes.
6.Add bagnet, water, sugar, and bagoong monamon; cover and simmer over medium heat 5–8 minutes until vegetables are tender. Season to taste.
