AI-generated image
Paksiw na isda
Fish simmered in vinegar
Paksiw na isda: Filipino fish simmered in vinegar, ginger and garlic with aubergine and bitter melon
Paksiw na isda is cooked in homes all over the Philippines, from Manila to the Visayas, as an everyday lunch with rice; the vinegar keeps it for a day or two, and many people think it tastes better the next morning. Fish simmers in vinegar and a little water with ginger, garlic, peppercorns and long chillies, with aubergine and bitter melon, until the sauce is sharp, savoury and slightly reduced. A portion has about 26 g of protein from the fish. The classic mistake is stirring the pot before the vinegar has boiled: it leaves a raw, harsh taste, so let it come to the boil uncovered and untouched first. Chef's tip: use cane or coconut vinegar if you can find it; it is gentler than distilled white vinegar.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb milkfish belly, mackerel scad or other firm fishcleaned, cut into thick pieces
- ½ cup cane or coconut vinegar
- ¾ cup water
- 2 in gingersliced
- 6 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tsp black peppercornswhole
- 1 long auberginecut into 5 cm chunks
- 1 bitter melon (optional)small, seeded and sliced
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Spread 2 in ginger and 6 cloves garlic over the base of a wide pan. Lay 1 ¾ lb milkfish belly, mackerel scad or other firm fish on top in one layer and tuck 1 long aubergine, 1 bitter melon and 3 long green chillies around it.
Step 2: Pour in ½ cup cane or coconut vinegar and ¾ cup water and add 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp fish sauce and ½ tsp salt.
Step 3: Bring to the boil over a medium heat, uncovered, and don't stir. Let it bubble for 2–3 minutes until the sharp smell of the vinegar softens.
4 minStep 4: Turn the heat down, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes, and the aubergine is soft. Shake the pan now and then rather than stirring.
15 minStep 5: Drizzle in 1 tbsp vegetable oil, simmer 2 minutes uncovered so the sauce reduces a little, then taste for salt. Serve with rice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does paksiw na isda take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
- What can I use instead of cane or coconut vinegar?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Tiyula itumBlack beef soup
Tiyula itum, 'black soup', is the pride of the Tausug people of Sulu in the far south of the Philippines, cooked for weddings, Eid celebrations and when guests come home. Beef (it is a halal, pork-free dish) is simmered with ginger, lemongrass and turmeric, then darkened with pamapa itum, a paste of grated coconut toasted until almost black and pounded with spices. The broth looks dramatic but tastes smoky, earthy and gently peppery, with heat from chillies. Serve it with plain rice. Chef's tip: toast the coconut slowly, stirring all the time, until it is very dark brown but not ashy; burnt-to-ash coconut tastes bitter and ruins the soup.
Moreton Bay bugsSlipper lobster with garlic butter
Moreton Bay bugs are the flat, shovel-nosed slipper lobsters caught off the Queensland coast around Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, and for Queenslanders they are a summer treat, split and grilled at the beach house. The tail meat is sweet and rich, somewhere between lobster and prawn. Buy them raw, frozen or fresh, from a fishmonger and ask them to halve them if you like. A common mistake is overcooking, which makes the meat rubbery; it is ready the moment it turns white. Chef's tip: grill flesh side down first to mark it, then turn and baste in the shell.
Australian
Lumpiang sariwaFresh vegetable spring rolls
Lumpiang sariwa ('fresh lumpia') is the unfried cousin of the crisp Filipino spring roll, served at fiestas, family gatherings and as a substantial afternoon merienda around Manila and the Tagalog provinces. A thin, soft egg crepe is wrapped around a lettuce leaf and a warm sauté of sweet potato, jicama, carrot, green beans, cabbage and tofu, then covered in a glossy brown garlic sauce and a shower of crushed peanuts. In Negros the filling is heart of palm (ubod) instead. It is eaten with a knife and fork, or carefully by hand. Chef's tip: make the crepes thin enough that you can almost see light through them; thick ones turn rubbery and hide the filling.