The Philippines is abundant in different kinds of vegetables and root crops. We are an agricultural country after all, right? This is the same reason why many Filipinos, no matter what their age is, are vegetable-loving persons. Which is a good thing! Unlike the other countries, especially the western nations, they are more prone to ailments because of their diet. Here in the Philippines, it’s not always steaks, burgers, and fried chicken. We were taught to always include vegetables in our dishes. 

There are many vegetable dishes here in our country. There’s the Pinakbet, Tortang Talong, Ginataang Sigarilyas, Nilaga, Ginisang Kalabasa, Adobong Sitaw at Kangkong, and many more! Some also love to simply blanch fresh vegetables and then make it a side dish together with bagoong, yum! That being said, there’s one popular dish that is said to have originated from the central region of Luzon, the Bulanglang. 

As we all know, Central Luzon is hailed as the “Rice Bowl of the Philippines” for being the main supplier of rice in the entire country. It also contains the largest agricultural plains in the Philippines covering 40% of the entire region. With that fact in mind, it is no surprise to learn that most of our country’s vegetables can also be found here in Central Luzon. Also, it gives us a hint that vegetables and root crops are a huge part of people’s diet. And the best example of it is the popular Filipino dish, Bulanglang. 

Bulanglang is basically a salad because it is a combination of different kinds of vegetables. It is prepared in various ways in different regions but the idea of the recipe and ingredients remains intact. As we have mentioned, Bulanglang is a vegetable dish, but other versions include Bangus (milkfish) as its main ingredient! Of course, other restaurants and households also use pork or chicken instead of meat. It depends on your preference, really. 

Again, this dish is well-loved by the whole country not only because it’s healthy, but also because it’s delicious! So, are you excited? So am I! Today, Panlasang Pinoy Recipes will teach us how to cook the famous Bulanglang Dish of Luzon!

Original Filipino Bulanglang Recipe

Don’t worry, like most Filipino vegetable dishes, this will be easy! You’ll just have to combine different kinds of vegetables into one and there you have it. Of course, you can easily find all of the needed ingredients at your local market and grocery stores. Well, there’s also a high chance that you’ll find some of them in your own backyard! Alright, are you ready? Let’s begin! 

To start, here are all of the ingredients we’ll need: tomato, okra, eggplant, ampalaya, sitaw (string beans), small papaya, onion, lemongrass, malunggay leaves, patola, ginger, salt, pepper, and water! 

To begin, simply wash all of the vegetables thoroughly before using them. Then cut them all into bite-sized pieces. After that, prepare a pot and put some water on it together with the ginger, garlic, tomato, onion, lemongrass, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to boil and incorporate all of the flavors. 

Next, once the mixture is already boiling, simply add the sliced papaya and string beans and cover the pot for at least two (2) minutes. Finally, add the okra, eggplant, ampalaya, and patola! Just let it cook for a while and also adjust the seasoning depending on your taste. Lastly, add the malunggay leaves to make it even more healthy! And voila! Just like that, you have made a delicious and healthy meal for your family. Serve the dish while it’s hot

How about that? That was very easy, right? It seems like you just combined different types of vegetables in one pot. Just like what I’ve mentioned earlier, you can add a twist to your dish by adding meat like pork and chicken, you can also go traditional by using Bangus (milkfish) instead. 

Did you like our Bulanglang Recipe? Well, you know what to do! For more quick and exciting Filipino dish recipes, follow Panlasang Pinoy Recipes.

Ingredients:

• 2 pcs tomato
• 10 pcs Okra
• 1 pc Eggplant
• 1 small of Ampalaya
• 10 pcs String beans
• 1 pc small papaya
• 2 pcs onion
• 1 stalk of Lemongrass
• Malunggay leaves
• 1 small of Patola (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb ginger
• Salt
• Pepper
• Water

Procedures:

1. Wash and cut all the vegetables.
2. Add water in a pot and put ginger, garlic, onion, lemongrass, tomato, salt and pepper.
3. When it’s boiling add the sliced papaya and string beans then cover and after 2 minutes of boiling add the okra, eggplant, ampalaya, and patola.
4. Adjust the seasoning depending on your taste bud.
5. Lastly add the malunggay leaves. Serve while hot