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Bagoong alamang
Bagoong alamang: salted krill paste fried with garlic, onion, tomato, sugar and vinegar into a glossy, sweet-salty dip for green mango
Across Luzon, a jar of ginisang bagoong sits in nearly every kitchen. In the hot months from March to May, when green mangoes are sour and crisp, it becomes the classic merienda: thin slices of unripe mango dragged through sweet, salty, garlicky shrimp paste, often shared on a porch in the afternoon. It is also the essential partner to kare-kare and the base of binagoongang baboy. Raw salted alamang (tiny krill or shrimp) is sold pink and wet; frying it with garlic, onion and tomato, then sugar and cane vinegar, turns it deep reddish brown, thick, glossy and rounded, with the briny punch still there. The raw paste is a raw-cured seafood, so this recipe always cooks it right through; pregnant people, babies, older people and anyone with weak immunity should only eat bagoong that has been fully sautéed and kept cold. Common mistake: high heat after the sugar goes in, which scorches it and turns the bagoong bitter. Keep it at a medium-low simmer. It is ready when the oil separates and shines on top and it smells toasty rather than fishy. Chef's tip: a few slivers of crisp pork belly fried first make it richer.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the bagoong
- 9 oz raw salted shrimp paste (bagoong alamang)the pink, uncooked kind
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 garlic clovesminced
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoesfinely chopped
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp cane vinegaror white vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 3 bird's eye chillieschopped
- 5 ½ oz pork belly (optional)cut into small cubes, for a richer version
To serve
- 2 green (unripe) mangoes (optional)peeled and sliced
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Sterilise a 500 ml glass jar and lid: wash in hot soapy water, rinse, then dry in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes. Cool fully.
Step 2: If using 5 ½ oz pork belly, fry it in a wok over a medium heat until the fat runs and the cubes turn golden, 8–10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Add 4 tbsp vegetable oil and 6 garlic cloves to the wok and fry over a medium heat until light gold, 1 minute.
1 minStep 4: Add 1 onion and cook until soft and translucent, 3 minutes.
3 minStep 5: Add 2 ripe tomatoes and cook until they collapse and the oil turns orange, 4 minutes.
4 minStep 6: Stir in 9 oz raw salted shrimp paste (bagoong alamang) and cook, stirring often, until it darkens from pink to reddish brown and smells toasty rather than raw, 8 minutes.
8 minStep 7: Turn the heat to medium-low, add 3 tbsp brown sugar, 3 tbsp cane vinegar, ¼ cup water and 3 bird's eye chillies and simmer, stirring, until thick and glossy and the oil separates on top, 6–8 minutes. Taste; it should be salty-sweet with a soft tang.
8 minStep 8: Cool completely, then spoon into the jar and close. Keep in the fridge for up to 1 month, using a clean, dry spoon. Discard if it grows mould, fizzes, smells rotten or bulges the lid.
Step 9: Serve a spoonful with 2 green (unripe) mangoes slices, or beside kare-kare and rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 60 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bagoong alamang take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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