Bagnet (Twice-Fried Pork) & Alex III's Pinakbet sa Bagnet

I commonly go to Alex III for the chicken barbecue. That also goes for Aristocrat and Serye, of course.

On this particular visit, although I still did order a two-piece bone-in chicken barbecue, C got something else. And, boy, am I so glad that he did.

It was my first time to try Alex III's Pinakbet sa Bagnet. Normally, I don't go for Filipino food with a twist. I like my Pinoy dishes raw, authentic and home-cooked. But the Pinakbet sa Bagnet was a revelation.

You might think, duh, of course it'll work. How can you go wrong with bagnet? And pinakbet? And bagoong?

Believe me, I've eaten so many wrong things in my life that I know you can still go wrong with attempts like this. One of my fears while waiting for the Pinakbet sa Bagnet to come out from the kitchen was that the bagnet might get soggy when paired with a sauce dish.

Oh, but this pairing was perfect. The marriage of these two Ilokano dishes was simply divine, more divine than most real marriages of late.

For one, the bagnet was still pretty solid and crispy. Huge chunks of it were generously included that I still got to eat at least three pieces for lunch the next day. By then, the flavors only grew more intense, as the sauce of the pinakbet was rich with bagoong yet the saltiness wasn't off-putting. In fact, some might want it even saltier.

To understand what the fuss is all about, I guess you would first have to understand the two dishes on their own.

How to cook bagnet

Bagnet is the famous twice-fried crispy pork belly or liempo from Ilocos, a region in the north. No one in his right mind does not go crazy over bagnet, which is made special because of how it is cooked. The pork belly is boiled first to cook and soften the meat. It is then drained, cooled  and refrigerated. When ready to cook (again), it is deep fried in low heat for up to one hour. It is then cooled, chopped into chunks and deep fried the second time in the same oil, just reheated, for 10-15 minutes before serving. This is how perfectly blistered skin and a deep brown color around the pork are achieved. Eating the crispy, toasted outer meat is the best part of having bagnet, next to the to-die-for skin, of course.

What is pinakbet

Pinakbet has its own charm. This vegetable stew, although normally served with bits of pork, is a popular accompaniment to meat dishes throughout the country. Its secret weapon is the bagoong alamang (shrimp paste) that makes the sauce. Add that to the various flavors and textures that the different vegetables create then you get a dish that guarantees an interesting meal. The typical vegetables used include bitter melon, okra, string beans and eggplant.

There you have it. Two great dishes from the Philippines working hand in hand to elevate your eating experience.