Mixed vegetables with coconut cream

An updated version of a recipe in the archive. Now includes additional tips.

A common dish in Filipino cuisine, variations of mixed vegetables with coconut cream are endless with so many possible combination of vegetables. Traditionally cooked with small pieces of pork belly, the fat can be reduced considerably by using a leaner cut of pork. If you prefer seafood to pork, use prawns or squid. For a purely vegetarian, dish, simply omit the pork or seafood.

Freshly squeezed coconut cream is ideal (see post on how to extract coconut cream and milk) but, if unavailable, use canned or powdered coconut cream, the latter dispersed in water.

Serves 6.

Ingredients :

250 g. of lean pork, sliced thinly then cut into strips
half a head of garlic, minced
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 tomatoes, chopped
4 green (finger) chilis, cut into thirds
1-1/2 c. of string beans, cut into 2-inch lengths
1-1/2 c. of squash, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes
2 eggplants, cut into wedges
4 pcs. of okra, cut into thirds or fourths
fish sauce, to taste
2 c. of coconut cream (see entry on how to extract the cream from grated coconut)
3 tbsps. of cooking oil

Prepare all the ingredients for sauteing: minced garlic, sliced ginger and onion, chopped tomatoes and cut chilis.

Cut the string beans into 2-inch lengths.

Cut off the squash skin, scoop out the seeds then cut the flesh into 2-inch cubes.

Depending on the size of the okra (some are as short as 3 inches in length; others, as long as 5 inches), cut them into thirds or fourths. If they are large and the skins are too fibrous, peel off the skins using a vegetable peeler before cutting.

Split the eggplants into halves horizontally, then, cut into slices about 3/4 inch thick.

Heat the cooking oil in a large shallow pan (a wok works best). Saute the ginger and garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the sliced onion and chilis to the ginger and garlic. Continue sauteing for another 30 seconds.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes start to soften and render color.

Add the pork to the pan. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the pork is no longer pink and starts to acquire the reddish tinge of the tomatoes.

At this stage, the pork should be lightly browned, the tomatoes and onions very soft and the string beans half-cooked.

Add the string beans to the pork and vegetables. Season with fish sauce. Cook, stirring, for about a minute.

Pour in about a cup of water, bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to cook the pork and string beans.

It is a better idea to boil the rest of the vegetables separately so that they can cook with minimum stirring to prevent them from breaking apart. If they are added to the pork, considering how little liquid they will cook in, a lot of stirring needs to be done and that may ruin the texture of the vegetables.

So, while the pork cooks, boil about 5 cups of water in a pot. Throw in the okra and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the eggplants and squash to the okra and continue simmering for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the eggplants and squash are almost done. Do NOT cook them through at this stage. You want them to finish cooking after they are added to the pork.

Drain the vegetables without stirring or tossing. They are almost done at this stage and too much handling can make them break apart.

Add the boiled vegetables to the pork in the pan. Do NOT stir at this point.

Pour in the coconut cream. Stir everything together lightly. Add more fish sauce, if necessary. Turn up the heat to medium and allow the pork and vegetables to boil uncovered for about 5 minutes or just until all the vegetables are cooked through.

Pour the pork, vegetables and sauce into a serving bowl and serve hot with rice.