Kinilaw na Bangus

Kinilaw na Bangus. There are countless way to cook and prepare Bangus or Milkfish, our National Fish. Today I want to share my special version of Kinilaw na Bangus. I have always been hesitant to make Kinilaw out of Bangus. First because of the earthy flavour of the Bangus Fish and second the fish is bonny.

My first taste of the Kinilaw na Bangus was from a recent dinner at a Bangus Specialty Restaurant with my colleagues. I though their Kinilaw na Bangus was great, I did not taste that strong earthy flavour of the fish. Their Kinilaw na Bangus was serve with the crispy fried skin from the Bangus itself. I would recommend to source your Bangus from known market or store that sell Bangus from the likes of Dagupan or places that produce Bangus without the earthy flavour.

When buying the Bangus, ask the fish monger to remove the scales, and the fish bones. The fish monger or vendor usually butterfly cut the fish then removes the fish bones using a small tweezers.

As I mentioned this is my special version of Kinilaw na Bangus, I have tried to duplicate that Kinilaw na Bangus fron that restaurant. Before I give you the recipe I want to warn you that frying the Bangus skin create a lot of splashing hot oil be warn, cover the frying fan and exercise extra caution, similar to frying a Crispy Pata.

Here is the recipe of my version of Kinilaw na Bangus.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized bangus,descaled, deboned

4 medium sized onions, peeled, sliced thinly

3-4 thumb sized ginger, skinned, sliced thinly

3-4 red hot chili, sliced thinly

3-4 long green sili, cut in half lengthwise, deseeded, sliced thinly

10-12 kalamansi, juice extracted

2 cups, white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground peppercorns

salt

To marinate the Bangus Skin

1/2 head garlic, crushed, peeled, coursly chopped

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon salt

To fry the Bangus Skin

 cooking oil

Method:

Using a spoon carefully scoop out the meat from the butterflied boneless bangus. Place the fish skin including the tail and head in in a marinating bowl. Rub the inside on the fish skin with the chopped garlic, ground peppercorns and salt. Add in the vinegar and let marinate for at least 15 minutes, keep aside until ready to fry. Cut the bangus meat into cubes, place in a bowl, add in about 1 1/2 cups of the white vinegar. Let it soak for at least 15 minutes, then drain the liquid using a sieve, lightly press the meat against the sieve to drain all the excess liquid. Using the same bowl toss together the bangus meat, ginger, onion, red chili, green long sili, ground peppercorns, kalamansi juice and vinegar. Season with salt to taste. Keep aside. Now cut off the tail and head from the marinated bangus skin. Cut the skin into wide strips. Keep aside. Heat generous amount of cooking oil until it start to smoke. First fry the bangus skin in batches until crisp. Next fry the bangus head and tail. Keep aside until ready to serve.

To serve arrange the bangus tail and head on a platter. Place the kinilaw/bangus meat in between the tail and the head. Top the kilawin with the crispy fried bangus skin and serve.

See related Kinilaw recipes; 

Kinilaw na Tanguige, KiIlawin Tanguige 
Kinilaw na Maya Maya 
Kinilaw na Tuna with Tabon Tabon 
Kinilaw na Tanguigue sa Strawberry 
Kinilaw na Blue Marlin with Green Tomatoes
Kinilaw na Pusit
Kinilaw na Malasugi
Kinilaw na Dilis
Kinilaw na Tanguigue na may Kamatis
Kinilaw na Tanguige
Kinilaw na Pusit (Cuttlefish)

Kinilaw na Talaba 
Ensaladang Guso, Kinilaw na Guso 
Kinilaw na Lato 
Jumping Salad, Fresh Water Shrimp Salad