Dinengdeng na Labong with Fried Bangus

Bamboo shoots, squash and sitaw with fried milkfish and bagoong broth.

Ingredients

Labong and vegetables

• 266 g pre-boiled julienned labong, drained
• 150 g kalabasa, peeled and cut into about 2.5–3 cm chunks
• 100 g sitaw, cut into 5–7 cm lengths
• 2 medium tomatoes (about 140–160 g), quartered
• 2 siling pansigang, left whole or slit once
• 1 small onion (about 60 g), sliced
• 15 g ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed — optional

Broth

• 750 mL water
• 1½ tbsp bagoong isda, preferably strained liquid, plus more to taste
• Black pepper, optional

Fish

• About 400–500 g bangus steaks
• ¼–½ tsp salt
• Oil for frying

Method

• Rinse and drain the pre-boiled bamboo shoots. If they still need another brief boil, boil in fresh water for 5–8 minutes and drain.
• Pat bangus dry, season lightly, then fry until golden and cooked through, about 4–6 minutes per side depending on thickness.
• Simmer water, onion, tomatoes, ginger and optional garlic for 5–6 minutes. Add bagoong and simmer 2 minutes; taste before adding more.
• Add labong for 6–8 minutes, squash for 4 minutes, then sitaw and whole chilies for 3–4 minutes. Keep the vegetables intact.
• Place fried bangus on top and spoon broth over it. Cover and simmer very gently for 2 minutes; turn off the heat and rest 5 minutes.

Before you cook

Read the ingredient labels for allergens, especially seafood, soy, wheat, dairy and eggs. Prepared sauces and seasoning powders vary in saltiness, so taste before adding more. Cooking times are guides; check doneness in the actual batch.

Cook poultry and reheated leftovers to 74°C, ground meat to 71°C, and fish to 63°C. FoodSafety.gov cooking guidance ↗