Ginataang Tilapia (Tilapia Fish in Coconut Cream Sauce)

Coconut recipes abound in the Bicol region. A province situated east of Manila. It is the location of the major plantations for coconut in the country. It is very interesting place where the majestic Mount Mayon is situated. This recipe which I now share is a variant of the ‘Pesang Tilapia’ recipe which I have shared earlier. Nevertheless, it really tastes different and the origin of the recipe is from entirely different province in the Philippines.

Ingredient:

1 kg Tilapia, scales removed, cleaned

1/4 kg Native pechay

5 cloves Garlic, minced

1 pc. Onion, medium, thinly sliced

¼ tsp. Black pepper powder

1 pc. Ginger, fresh, crushed (about a teaspoonful)

¼ cup Coconut vinegar

2 pcs. Long green pepper

1 ½ cup Water for extracting coconut milk

1 pc. Old coconut (Niyog), grated to prepare for extraction of coconut milk (gata)

½ tsp. Iodized salt

Cooking Instruction:

Place the grated coconut in a bowl and add 1 cup of water. Knead and squeeze coconut cream (kakang gata) through a cheese cloth. Set aside and return the residue to the bowl and add the remaining ½ cup of water and again knead. Repeat the extraction procedure using the cheese cloth and set this less rich coconut milk in a separate container.

In a suitable saucepan, add the ginger, garlic, onion, black pepper, fish, salt, the coconut milk that was obtained from the second extraction and the vinegar. Heat until it starts to boil and cover for about five minutes. After five minutes remove cover and let the broth evaporate to a final volume of about ¼ cup. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside. Place the long peppers first followed by the native pechay on the sauce pan, the tougher parts (stalks) of the pechay first followed by the greens on top. Place the fish atop the vegetables and add the coconut cream. When it starts to boil, cover for about five minutes. After five minutes, remove cover and continue heating strongly to reduce the volume of the sauce to about ½ cup. Serve with steamed rice.

Pesang Tilapia (Tilapia & Native Pechay Soup)

Pesa is a traditional fish soup recipe in the Philippines which typically is cooked with Dalag (Mudfish). However, I have found out the substituting the more commonly available tilapia will do as well.

Ingredients:

1 kg Tilapia (scales removed, cleaned)

¼ kg Bok Choy

1 cup Safflower oil (for frying the tilapia)

2 tbsp. Safflower oil (for sautéing)

5 cloves Garlic, minced

1 pc. Onion (medium, thinly sliced)

3 slices Ginger, fresh, sliced thinly, about 1 tbsp.

½ tsp. Black pepper powder

¼ cup Patis (native fish sauce)

1 level tbsp. Sugar

3 cups Water

Salt to taste

Cooking Instruction:

Heat 1 cup of oil in a frying pan and fry the fish to brown both sides. Set aside the fried fish on paper towels to remove excess fat.

In another large saucepan, heat oil and sauté the garlic, onion, and ginger until he garlic turns golden brown and the onion starts to caramelize. Add water and place the bok choy. Place on top of the pechay the fish and add all the other ingredients.

Cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until the bok choy is ready. Adjust salt to taste. Serve with bread or with plain steamed rice.