panah betThe Cooking Procedure. The orinal Ilocano pinakbet calls for cooking all the vegetables in a claypot, with water and seasonings. Everything cooks together until the vegetables have a shrunken appearance.Pinakbet vegetables: shown are bitter melon, calabaza squash, okra, eggplants, string beans, and chili. Ilocano cuisine is characterized by dishes that are either salty or bitter, requiring rice.