Bangus (Milkfish) is a very mild-tasting fish that’s why it is a great canvas for a lot of dishes. I haven’t tasted a bangus dish that I didn’t like and daing na bangus is one of my family’s favorite way of eating this beloved Filipino fish.
Daing na Bangus (Milkfish)
Ingredients
- 1 350 g pack frozen unmarinated baby bangus thawed
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 garlic cloves finely chopped
- Crushed hot pepper flakes optional**
- Cooking oil for frying
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine vinegar, salt, pepper and chopped garlic. Stir well to combine.
- Place the thawed bangus (skin side up) in a long 9×13 glass pyrex pan (non-reactive) and pour the vinegar mixture over it, making sure to coat the fish well. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Place about 1/2 inch cooking oil in the frying pan. Turn the heat to medium until oil is hot enough for frying. Test the heat by placing a wooden chopstick/back of a wooden spoon in the oil. If it bubbles around the wood, it’s ready. Cook the fish for 6-10 minutes (depending on the size) flipping halfway or until each side is golden. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.
- Serve with atchara (pickled green papaya) or any dipping sauce of your choice. Best served with any vegetable dish like Pinakbet.
Notes
*Frozen unmarinated bangus can be found in Asian stores. They’re sold butterflied, deboned (or not) and in packs of 3 for baby bangus or just one big piece. Make sure you get one that is from the Philippines, it tastes way better than the others.
**Add 1/2 to a teaspoon of hot pepper flakes to the marinade to make it spicy.
[…] or dishes in gravy-like consistency for easier handling. Lumpiang Shanghai, Fried Chicken and Daing na Bangus are just some of the commonly served dishes. If you have Lechon, Roast Pork, Roasted Chicken or […]
[…] I always have some Sarangani boneless bangus stashed in the freezer but there are recipes where whole bangus (bone-in) is much preferred. I normally have a couple when I need it but lately, I haven’t been seeing whole milkfish at asian stores (I only buy the ones from the Philippines). Once I bought another brand (also from the Philippines) that sells bangus slices, I was disappointed. Though it came already cut into steaks which is convenient, the whole fish only weighed a mere 400 grams. It was a size that I wouldn’t even consider buying at the wet market… Read more »