If you are using other types of fishes, I recommend that you go for tastier and meatier but less bony like sapsap (ponyfish), pompano, hasa-hasa (short mackerel), tambakol (yellowfin tuna) or matambaka (bigeye scad). If you got extra pennies, try the quite expensive lapu-lapu (grouper).
PINANGAT NA ISDA RECIPE (Kitang or Spotted Scat)
INGREDIENTS:
½ kilo Kitang (Spotted Scat, Kikiro, Kitong), cleaned and gutted
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 pc. medium onion, chopped
¼ cup vinegar
5 pcs green tamarind fruit + 1 cup water
1 thumb-sized ginger, peeled and chopped
2 pcs long green chili (Siling Haba)
salt and pepper
young tamarind leaves, usbong (if available)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Boil the tamarind fruit in a small pot with a cup of water, and mash it well until all the sour taste is juiced out from the fruit. Strain and set aside.
Line the bottom of a pan or wok with some slices of tomatoes, onion and ginger. And set aside the remaining tomatoes.
Place each fish on top and then place the remaining tomatoes on top of the fish.
Pour in the vinegar, tamarind juice, siling haba and usbong. Season with salt and pepper.
After arranging all the ingredients in the pot, let it sit for a few minutes to let the fish marinate. It will allow the ingredients to be absorbed by the meat of the fish.
Bring to a boil and then drizzle with some vegetable oil. Simmer over medium to low heat for 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Do not overcook the fish or it will become too flaky.
Turn off heat and transfer on a serving bowl. Serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!
COOKING TIPS:
You can use calamansi juice and kamias (bilimbi fruit) as a substitute for vinegar and tamarind fruit.
Adjust your salt and vinegar until you get the desired taste.
You can serve this with Patis (fish sauce) on the side.
