Lent is among the few times of the year when religion dictates much of the gastronomy. For most Filipinos, it means no or less (red) meat starting Ash Wednesday and every Friday thereafter until the peak of the celebration – the Holy Week. As predominantly Catholic nation, it’s like clock work that when the season arrives, seafood becomes king. Restaurants highlight fish (and other seafood variations) on their menu to entice the devout while households prepare special meatless recipes for this reason.
HOME “EAT” HOMEDuring Semana Santa, it’s almost a tradition at home to have rellenong bangus on the table. A daunting task back when I was younger for I had the honour of removing the “sikag” (fishbones) from the pile of bangus meat. After seasonings are added, it’s all stuffed back to the fish skin and stitched. A truly penitential task but in the end the finished product is all worth it!
Linagpang na bangus is simple to make and this delicious recipe made is with left over grilled bangus (most of the time we grill for that purpose). It is then mixed with fresh tomatoes, onions, chives and seasoned with salt. Then boiling water is poured in – no real cooking involved! Leftover fried bangus? Just serve it cardillo-style by adding beaten eggs into a broth with sautéed onions, garlic and tomatoes. Another favorite bangus recipe is sinigang with puso ng saging – a “milky soup” for milkfish!
Pantat (catfish) also is a staple especially when there are balikbayans since it is among their first requests. The simplest would be grilled partnered with sawsawan of choice; soy-sauce-calamansi and sili, please. Another specialty would be adobado nga alimusan, a variety of catfish cooked adobo style but with coconut milk (gata).
Another Ilonggo specialty “in” for the season is pinamalhan or as I always say “paksiw made dry”. Like adobo, it can have so variations and can also be made with a variety of fishes. Bangus, salmonite, bilong-bilong, and aloy are among the best for this recipe.
EATS OUTSIDE
Eating out for Lent brings one to numerous seafood restaurants exploding with an array of choices. “Catch” your meal from the live seafood tanks in the case of Breakthrough along Villa beach. Managat, a local snapper, is a specialty of the restaurant with the fish head made into a soup and the tail - grilled.
Nearby Tatoy’s has sinugba na bangus with its signature “manilaw nilaw” (yellowish) hue brought about by its basting concoction. Some swear it almost tastes like their lechon. They also have a variety of fish simple served sinabawan (with broth).
Fancy a change of ambiance? At Bauhinia try the Sinigang na Pink Salmon. The restaurants specialty brings in fried pink salmon served with vegetables with the servers dishing out the broth – right in front of you.
Or you can also have it ginata-an style. Kinilaw na tangigue are served in shot glasses.
Craving for dishes with international flair would bring you to Bourbon Street. You’ll definitely say “saranghamnida” after having their Korean sizzling fish; deep-fried fish served with freshly made kimchi (contrasting the original preserved delicacy) and Asian-style sauce. The Snapper Florentine (fried fish in light creamy sauce with spinach, mushroom, broccoli among others as sides) served by the bistro gets one to have taste of Italy. For more more Italian specialties, try the Al Frutta di Mare at Amalfi or the Seafood Marinara at Bluejay, and taste the freshest and finest ingredients all in one plate. Pink salmon pizza at Afriques offers a light and fresh take on this Italian specialty. Indulge in Japanese specialties with the Meshi buffet at Days Hotel Iloilo or at Emilion at Grand Dame Hotel.
Fast foods also cash in during this season and offer less expensive items. KFC includes fish fillet among its twister variations. Local fast food chain Green Mango has bangus meals on the menu whether fried, grilled or sinigang (all with unlimited servings of rice) on top of their best selling fish escabeche combo meal. And speaking of unli-rice, Mang Inasal swears its bangus sisig “is da” best in the land.
CAN-DID EATS
But the easiest (and cheapest) way to have seafood is just getting them canned. Even just the simplest “sardinas” can taste like heaven with some tweaks into it. I like adding gourmet tomato sauces (Italian, Four cheese or even Pinoy spaghetti) and serve them in a bed of vegetables (asparagus or just kangkong). Canned mackerels too! I fry them then sauté with onions, garlic and chillis and add its broth. To make it more appetizing, I add sinigang mix – extra rice please! One can also check out fried sardines in chili sauce or Spanish style
But canned tuna is my favorite! Not corned tuna nor those seasoned like meat dishes like adobo, afritada and mechado. Just the plain tuna – it’s all pure goodness and can easily be reinvented. Like my favorite experiment turned into a well loved recipe – canned tuna sisig. First just cook canned tuna (solid variety – for quantity) adobo style (that is simmer in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and peppercorn). When almost dry, hot and spicy tuna, chopped onions, chili peppers and serve on a sizzling plate (optional of course)! Definitely, you’ll be asking for more.
Whether at home or out in the scene with native dishes or those with international flair, the bounty of the sea abound. Yet the Holy Week is also a season to reflect and consider what goes into your body and soul. And it all boils down to choice – to fast or no to fast, to abstain or not, but remember, fish be with you!
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This article was published on The news Today last April 14, 2011, Thursday.