Regional cookery

DURING the rainy season, we see in the market a plethora of leaves. Malungay leaves, ampalaya leaves, sitaw leaves, camote leaves, sili leaves, squash leaves and flowers, gabi leaves, all the leaves of all the (what Baguio residents call ) lowland veggies.

While technically, the dinengdeng, or the inabraw is a mix of leaves and fruit, meaning the veggies, The definition of the dinengdeng is...

Dinengdeng (also called inabraw) is a dish of the Ilocano people of the Philippines, similar to pinakbet. (also called bulanglang by the tagalogs) But the Pakbet and its variations is for another time. The dinengdeng is classified as a bagoong soup based dish. Unlike pinakbet, dinengdeng contains fewer vegetables and contains more bagoong soup base.

The dish contains the following vegetables: jute leaves, the pods and leaves of the malungay, the leaves and fruits of bitter melon, the kalabasa squash and blossoms, alakon blossoms, amaranth leaves, sweet potato tubers and leaves, gourds (like kabatiti and tabungaw), string beans and shoots, talinum, chayote squash and shoots, chili peppers, sabunganay (banana blossoms), corn, West-Indian pea blossoms, tangkoy (winter melon), eggplant, okra, winged beans, parda beans, lima beans, various mushrooms like oyster mushrooms, whole taro, cassava tubers, purple yams, and wild potatoes.

Some add fried or roasted fish or other meats, usually leftovers, to the dish.

There is a variation which a want to share with you my readers. The lady who served this first to us has long passed, pure ilocana that she was, and we considered it the top drawer of the dinengdeng/inabraw.

We were served a dish of all leaves, sili leaves, sayote leaves, ampalaya leaves, malungay leaves, sitaw leaves, squash leaves and flowers, gourd leaves sweet potato (camote) leaves, talinum leaves, saluyot leaves banana blossoms and other leaves of your choice. She also added a goodly amount of banana mushrooms. Suffice it to say that the leaves must be the tenderest shoots one can find. Hence the topdrawerness of the dish.

While dinengdeng usually consists of calabaza squash, shoots and blossoms, and other vegetables and grilled fish.

Dinengdeng (also called inabraw) is a dish of the Ilocano people[1] of the Philippines, similar to pinakbet. It is classified as a bagoong soup based dish. Unlike pinakbet, dinengdeng contains fewer vegetables and contains more leaves flowers and bagoong soup base.

The more common dinengdeng dish contains the following vegetables: jute leaves, the pods and leaves of the marunggay, the leaves and fruits of bitter melon, the calabaza squash and blossoms, alakon blossoms, amaranth leaves, sweet potato tubers and leaves, gourds (like kabatiti and tabungaw), string beans and shoots, talinum, chayote squash and shoots, chili peppers, sabunganay (banana blossoms), corn, West-Indian pea blossoms, tangkoy (winter melon), eggplant, okra, winged beans, parda beans, lima beans, various mushrooms like oyster mushrooms, whole taro, cassava tubers, purple yams, and wild potatoes.

Some add fried or roasted fish or other meats, usually leftovers, to the dish. If you prefer the above, do make it that way, but the following version is the version which contains just leaves.

This version of the dish.

This following version was what was served to us and forgetting that dish is an impossible thing. It was so good, so fresh and so invigorating. No wonder the late Pres. F. Marcos loved that dish!

DINENGDENG INGREDIENTS:

Approximate 1/2 kilo enough largish shrimps, for your diners whiskers removed, fried or grilled

1 onion; sliced

1/2 kilo of banana mushrooms

2 large tomatoes; sliced

1 root ginger; crushed or julienned

Bagoong isda (not alamang)

3 cups water

All leaves of the above mentioned vegetables

Remember that the leaves will wilt and to serve about 8 people you should have about a bunch of each vegetable.

DINENGDENG COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

In a casserole, bring water to boil. Add onion, ginger, and tomatoes. Let simmer for 3 minutes. Season with bagoong to taste and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Remove the scum that rises on top of the liquid and then drop the grilled shrimps. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add vegetables. Cook until vegetables are done. Since they are all leaves and flowers, it should cook in 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning according to taste. Use patis to add a saltier flavor. Serve hot with freshly cooked steamed rice! You may also served fried bangus on the side, or grilled pork chops. Yum Yum.

COOKING TIP:

You should prep all ingredients, specially the leaves, since this dish cooks in ten minutes.

You can also use or add other vegetables like sweet potato and malunggay fruits. Although then it will not be all leaves. Since the dingdeng is a dish of preference and availability, add or subtract from the veggies, and enjoy your meal. If you use grilled shrimp, you may also use a shrimp cube.

BON APPETIT.