February 07, 2009

Galunggong atbp...

My version of garlic fried galunggong fillet!

I don't follow exact measurements but usually prepare and cook food as I see it fit.

So the recipe is as simple as I usually prepare it...

Wash galunggong thoroughly under running water until water return is clear.

In a clean covered pot (earthenware-palayok is preferred) spread kamyas (pierce each kamyas with fork first) at the bottom of the pot (calamansi is an alternative- cut in half, remove the seed and spread in the pot with the cut-half facing up). Add 2-3 cloves of garlic in between.

Lay the fish on top of that bed of kamyas (or calamasnsi); sprinkle small amount of sea salt and black pepper. Top it with another 3 cloves of (this time crushed) garlic and 3-4 more pieces of kamyas or calamansi.

Add water, about 1 to 1&1/2 cup or 1/3 full of the total volume in the pot.

Put in high fire and once it comes to a boil put into low fire and slowly simmer until the water is almost completely evaporated. This would take about 30-45 minutes.

Once cooked, let it cool for a minute or two before removing the fish from the pot carefully by hand one by one.

While still hot, remove the head off then slice the fish in the middle to split it open and remove the bone, whole. Carefully pick out remaining bone, usually located at the head and tail parts. Lay it down in a clean plate with the cut half facing up; do this for the rest of the fish. Once done, carefully squeeze (but do not mash) the remaining juice from kamyas and garlic and mix this with the remaining sauce that has settled/remained in the pot. Spread this to the cut half of the fish. The fish can be eaten as is, or this can be fried to crispiness. The cut head of the fish can be deep fried to crispiness in any vegetable oil. Crunchy -Yum!!

For the garlic fried fillet!

Peel and finely minced several cloves of garlic.

In a non-stick pan, put olive oil just enough to coat and cover the pan; put in high fire for about a minute until the oil is hot then, reduce fire into very low setting . Sprinkle the minced garlic in the pan until all surface of the pan is covered; let the garlic fry for 10-15 seconds before putting the fish. Place the fish on top of the bed of minced garlic with the cut half facing up and sprinkle some more garlic on top of the cut half of the fish; fry for 1-2 minutes on each side or until all the garlic has turned brown. Remove the fish from the pan together with the fried garlic. Put in fresh bed of minced garlic for each batch of fish to be fried. Get the remaining used olive oil and spread it in the fried fish before serving.

Voila, a delicious gourmet galunggong!!!


Atbp...

That was my recipe of galunggong I have recently shared over YM chat with a childhood friend. During the course, he blurted out that he has come to know and read this blog. And so, another soul has made the discovery.

Was I surprised? I have seen it coming actually. I was actually expecting it to be precise, from the time he stumbled upon on my YM address which is linked to my other world. I was sure glad he told me, that only meant he was ready and open to receive the revelation; and I was happy with his reassurance that nothing changed with the revelation. I have a hunch he's not the only one among my friends who has stumbled upon this blog, maybe they're not ready yet. Just the same I'm just here waiting to be discovered...

Thank you kabayan!

Enjoy the crispy garlic galunggong!!!

:)


February 05, 2009

Bebe...

A change in the name…

A change in image…

A change, out of the closet into out in the open…

When the late Rustom (with due respect to the man) came out on national TV with his confessions (more of confirmation than confession) one of the things he shared as his realization was that, not all gay men are parlorista that people have stereotyped. He was sure to emphasize that a man need not dressed or be dolled up like a woman to be gay. I was sure to be glad that he said that, I thought here is a man coming out to shatter the stereotype. Alas, Rustom is dead and Bebe just reinforced the stereotype.

I was supposed to make a more lengthy discourse on closet, coming out, label, plu and what have you about being gay, but then it’s been too long since I first drafted this so let this be as it is for now.