Inabraw refers to the method of cooking an authentic Filipino dish that you can only eat in the Philippines, and sometimes there are only specific places in the country where it is available. However, if you learn how to cook it or if someone you know is actually knowledgeable about the recipe, then you can enjoy it anytime you can and that is something great!
Inabraw is boiled vegetables with grilled or fried fish.
WHAT IS INABRAW?
Inabraw is made entirely of a variety of vegetables and all of them are very healthy. Tomato, eggplant, bitter melon, saluyot, okra, and malunggay are just some of the few vegetables that can be used for the dish. Imagine the overflowing nutrients from all those vegetables. Plus, they are all delicious too.
If you are not familiar with inabraw, you can try thinking of a more well-known traditional Pinoy food known as pinakbet to have an idea. So, can you already imagine pinakbet right now? Because if you do, it will give you an idea of what inabraw is. There may be a few differences, but both of them have an almost similar taste and way of cooking. Actually, there is another name for this Filipino dish, which is the name it is more known for - dinengdeng. Compared to pinakbet, it can include a whole grilled or fried fish of any kind (but usually tilapia) in the overall presentation of the food.
The Ilocanos from the Ilocos Region, are some of the most culinary-focused people in the country. They love cooking, and they were able to make a lot of dishes that are exclusively theirs; one of them is the dinengdeng. Their lands also produce high quality and fresh ingredients which help them achieve healthy food recipes.
Use the Inabraw Recipe as you cook your family a healthy and hearty meal for lunch; they will surely love it! The combination of flavors is just perfect, with all those vegetables, fish, and bagoong soup. It may be a little salty because of bagoong but it enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
Inabraw Recipe
Inabraw is a healthy dish made of boiled vegetables with fried or grilled fish. It's a super easy recipe, mostly loved by Ilocanos.
INGREDIENTS
1 Tilapia fried or grilled
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium tomato chopped
1 thumb-size ginger sliced
1 medium sweet potato peeled and cut into large cubes
3 cups saluyot
1 medium bitermelon cut into ½ inch thick
7 pcs okra
3 medium eggplant cut into 2-3 inch long
1 cup sitaw
2 tbsp fish sauce or use bagoong isda
2 cups water or more as required
salt and pepper to taste
cooking oil
INSTRUCTIONS
In a pan over medium heat, add the cooking oil and pan-fry the fish for 7 minutes on each side or until golden. Alternatively, you may grill the fish instead.
Using a wide skillet, pour the water then add the onion, tomato, ginger and fish sauce or bagoong isda. Bring to boil then add the pumpkin, sweet potato, sitaw, bittermelon and eggplant. Cook until the vegetables are nearly tender.
Add the saluyot and okra. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Put back the fried fish and serve with hot steamed rice.
Xoxo
Gil
