Bulanglang a Bangus

As a kid who grew up in a region where we love food, it was my regular errand to look for root crops in our backyard every time my mother cooked.. We had a huge garden where root crops, like taro and talbus kamuti, were abundant. They usually became ingredients in our daily food. One of my favorite dishes of all time was Bulanglang Bangus. This kind of soup dish is not exclusive to milkfish, as the version with pork is more popular, the bangus version, for me, is healthier, and the taste is richer since there are no oils from meat fats.

Dr. Paolo M. CASTILLO

GUAGUA

Bulanglang Bangus

POT 4 - 5 EASY 1 HR 30 MIN

Ingredients: bangus (milkfish) byabas a malulut (half a kilo of ripe byabas are enough for two big size bangus) gabi (taro root) okra talbus kamuti (sprouting sweet potato leaves and buds) balasenas (eggplant) larang pamaksi (green chili)

the guavas are boiled and squeezed flat on the pot’s surface using a ladle. Once you see the guava soup starts to boil regularly, add the peeled taro which has been cut into the desired shapes. This should be the first ingredient to be poured into the boiling bayabas. Because taro is a root crop, it takes a longer time for it to soften. Reduce the flame to a small flame, to allow a few minutes for this process to take place. Add salt to taste.

Take note that some would screen off the guava tissues to make a clean looking soup, but that is a personal preference. I prefer that the guava tissues are lurking in the soup.

The preparation of this dish is as simple as boiling the ingredients, watching for which of them soften faster. The bangus, cleaned, and if you prefer, deboned, should be cut into 4 parts in a slanting fashion. Set this aside. In the pot, boil the bayabas, where the ratio would be one-half kilo of guavas to two liters of water. Some cooks peel the bayabas, as it doesn’t look very pretty in terms of aesthetics, but I prefer to leave the skin on. The skin adds a combination of sour and sweet once Once the taro is done cooking, put the bangus in the pot, arranging them so they are easy to take out when you start serving them in a bowl.. Cover the pot for a few minutes while maintaining the flame. Add the larang pamaksi, and cover them in the boiling soup. Last, add the okra, balasenas and talbus kamuti. Cover the pot and let it simmer for around five minutes. Take note that you don’t need to mix these vegetables in the guava soup as they will gradually be soaked through..

I am a fun, energetic, ambitious individual who has developed a mature and responsible approach to any task that I undertake. I am independent and ready for any challenges in life. I am a committed, caring and compassionate Pediatric surgeon with a great passion for helping sick Filipino children. I am thankful to be blessed and have the heart to share it with others.