Pork & Milkfish with Peanut in Soy Sauce

This recipe which I prepared recently is an heirloom recipe. This is a favourite recipe of my grandfather according to my father. My grandfather hailed from Amoy China. They were simple people in the area. He and some of his relatives chose to leave China because of difficulties with living due to the communist regime. Some were fortunate enough to leave the country before the communist regime and were able to bring with them a sizeable amount of their family’s fortune. For some people however, luck was not with them at that time that they were caught either unaware or did not have enough resource to finance leaving mainland China. Like what happened to my grandfather. But, with hopes to live a new, peaceful, happy, contented life, he was able to leave but most of the family’s wealth was taken by the communist government. His wife, my grandmother and other children, including my father, were left behind. They however maintained contact and he sent some of his earnings to his family so that their difficult living during the time can be alleviated even for a little bit. After several years, my father was able to follow him to the Philippines. At that time my father studied at night and worked in the mornings. They lived simple lives even when they were in the Philippines and according to my father; my grandfather’s regular fare was this recipe which I share. I don’t know if others know of this recipe but it is popular among the old Chinese migrants during that time and during the Japanese occupation. Here goes the simple recipe.

Ingredients

1 kg Milkfish (cleaned and cut into pieces)

1 kg Pork (cubed)

½ cup Peanuts (with skins)

5 cloves Garlic (minced)

1 pc. Onion (medium, thinly sliced)

3 slices Ginger (thinly sliced, about 1 level tablespoon)

½ tsp. Black pepper powder

1 tsp. Sugar

¼ cup Premium dark soy sauce

2 tbsp. Cooking oil (for sautéing the garlic and onion)

1 cup Cooking oil (for frying the fish)

2 cups Water

Cooking Instruction:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the fish to brown the surface both sides. Set aside the fish on paper towels to remove excess fat.

Heat oil in saucepan and sauté the garlic, onion, and ginger until the garlic turns golden brown and the onion starts to caramelize. Add the pork and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, black pepper, soy sauce, sugar, peanuts, and water. Place the fried fish on top of the mixture that is being cooked and allow to boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cover. Cook until the pork is very tender and sauce is reduced to about ¾ cup, do not stir or else the milkfish will crumble. Should further cooking is needed to tenderize the meat just add more water. Serve with plain steamed rice.