Recipe: Binagoongang Okra, healthier alternative to Binagoongang Baboy
MANILA, Philippines — You've always had Binagoongang Baboy, and you love it except that you’ve been trying to steer clear of it to help manage your cholesterol problem. Why not turn that indulgent, cholesterol-laden meaty favorite of yours into a lighter, much healthier vegetable version?
Just recently, I chanced upon the Facebook post of Ces Nepomuceno-Gamad, who works for Mama Sita’s and develops creative recipes using local produce harvested from the family farm.
She shared a photo of the Binagoongang Okra, which she whipped up for her family and I thought it was a brilliant idea to create a simple vegetable version of Binagoongang Baboy. I asked her for the recipe, which she is happily sharing with Philstar.com.
Binagoongang Okra
Ingredients:
250 grams okra, trimmed
1/2 tsp. sliced ginger
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pc. medium-sized red onion
1/2 tsp.
2 tbsps. Bagoong Alamang Guisado
Pinch of ground black pepper
Procedure:
1. Cook the dish Ilocano style by putting together ginger, onion, and garlic in a pot. Add Bagoong Alamang, season with black pepper, and put a layer of okra on top.
2. Let boil for a few minutes and give it a little shake to combine the flavors and allow the aromatic bagoong to coat the okra.
3. If using fresh bagoong from the market, sauté it first with garlic and onion then add ginger and, finally, the layer of okra.
Tip: This can also be done with leafy vegetables, such as kangkong, as well as with tahong (mussels).
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