Bangus Belly Steak Filipino Style

Bangus or Milkfish is the Philippines' National Fish. This fish has a unique taste which I can only describe in one word:  delicious. Bangus can be cooked in different ways from the most complicated Relleno to the simplest Fried or Prito. Somewhere in between are paksiw, sinigang, totso, lumpia (yes, you can make lumpia out of the fish' flesh), and a lot more.

In our family, we all love the belly and head part and it's a good thing that we can buy boneless belly in groceries now. A pack is enough for about 4 servings so we can buy only the choice cuts in bulk instead of wasting the tail part. This sells much higher than the regular fresh Bangus but the hassle free experience is all worth it.

One of the most requested  recipe of Bangus that I always get is belly steak, pinoy style. The fish is cooked ala bistek Tagalog or Filipino beef steak using kalamansi and soy sauce and topped with lots of onion rings. This dish is very easy to prepare and I highly recommend this to kitchen newbies. Just be careful though when frying bangus, the oil will splatter to no end so you must lower the heat before turning the fish over to cook the other side. And always, always, use a pan lid to avoid skin burns and messy clothes. 


Ingredients

400 grams Bangus (boneless or regular) cleaned and cut into serving size
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup kalamansi juice
3 white onions, cut into rings
water
Oil for frying

Procedure

1. Mix soy sauce and kalamansi juice in a bowl.
2. Marinate Bangus in this mixture for 10 minutes.
3. Remove Bangus and let it drain in a rack.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry Bangus (in batches) until they reach your desired crispness. See note below.
5. Take out excess oil, on the same pan, sauté the onions for about a minute. Keep stirring. Do not over cook. Set aside.
6. Pour the marinade in the pan and add about 1/8 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced in half. 
7. Carefully dump the fish into the sauce followed by the onion.
8. Simmer for 2 minutes more. 
9. Enjoy with rice or mashed potato and buttered veggies on the side.

Note: When frying the fish, remember that the more crisp or well-done they have been, the less tendency they are to absorb the sauce.