Dinengdeng is a medley of different kinds of vegetables stewed in bagoong monamon soup base then topped with fried fish.
Our Saturdays are a bit different than the rest of the week. That’s the time when we go to Quiapo Church to hear Saturday mass, give thanks to the blessings that we receive, and pray for guidance. After church, we head on to the wet market located just a few steps outside the church. That’s where I buy strawberries, lanzones, lettuce, or any fruit in season. It’s cheaper there than anywhere else.
Last Saturday, peanutbutter♥ and I spotted a few exotic vegetables we rarely cook and eat. We thought it’s something we should try and something that Ykaie should get introduced to. So we thought of cooking Dinengdeng.
Dinengdeng (also called Inabraw) is an Ilocano dish that is very much similar to Pinakbet but contains fewer vegetables and is cooked in a bagoong soup base. It is kind of like a free-style dish because you can put any vegetables you like and top it with any kind of fish. The last time I made this the ingredients were Squash, Jute leaves (saluyot), bittermelon, eggplant, and okra. Then it was topped off with fried Galunggong (Mackerel Scad).
This time I was making it with Bunga ng Malunggay (Moringa Pods), Bataw (Hyacint Beans), Patani (Lima Beans), Sweet Potato, Jute Leaves, Bittermelon, and Alakon Blossoms.
These are vegetables I rarely see at the wet market specially the lima beans, moringa pods, and the alakon.
This is the first time I’ve tried these Moringa Pods. Some call it Hagod which I think came from the manner it is eaten. It’s a bit difficult to peel because the skin is thick. So what is usually done with it when cooked is just massage it and push the pods and meat out the skin when cooked… hence Hagod.
Can you believe you can buy peeled ones in Quiapo? Saves you the time and effort to peel them.
Our Dinengdeng is topped with fried King Fish. Ykaie loved this version of Dinengdeng more than the first one. She loves the Moringa Pods while I discovered I loved the sweet potato.
Include Dinengdeng in your menu this Lenten Season. (More Recipes for Lent here)
Oh, BTW, How do you like my new lay-out? I spent quite sometime with this last week that’s why my blogpost has taken a back seat. I love love love how it looks!
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 small knob of ginger sliced
- 2 tbsp bagoong monamon, (choose boneless so you won't have to strain it)
- 2 cups water
- 2 pieces sweet potato, peeled and cut into pieces
- 1 cup lima beans (patani)
- 1 cup alakon blossoms
- 1 cup moringga pods, cut into pieces,
- 1 cup jute leaves
- 1 bittermelon, cleaned and cut into pieces,
- fried fish (king fish or mackerel scad or any fish you like)
- Heat oil in a pot.
- Sauté garlicc, onion and ginger until onion becomes translucent.
- Add bagoong monamon and water.
- Bring it to a boil then add sweet potato and lima beans. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add bittermelon, moringga pods, alakon blossoms and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add jute leaves and simmer for an additional 1 minute.
- You can either add the fried fish on top of the vegetables and the simmer it for an additional 1 minute. Or just add the fish on top of the vegetables upon serving so it will remain crispy.
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