Linarang is a Cebuano fish stew cooked with tomatoes, tausi, ginger and a little pork fat, with a sour and savory sabaw. Firm, oily fish like tanigue, tulingan or malasugi hold up best.
45 minutes · Serves 4
Ingredients for Linarang na Isda
800 g fish steaks (tanigue, tulingan or malasugi), about 2 cm thick
1 teaspoon salt
100 g pork belly fat, cut into small cubes
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
1 thumb-sized ginger, cut into strips
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons fermented black beans (tausi), rinsed and lightly mashed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cane vinegar, or 4 kamias, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups water
4 siling haba
2 stalks green onion, chopped
How to cook Linarang na Isda
1.Season the fish with the salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
2.Render the pork fat in a pot over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the cubes are golden and crisp. Scoop out the crisp bits and keep them, leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot.
3.Saute the garlic, onion and ginger until soft. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes until they break down.
4.Stir in the tausi, soy sauce, vinegar or kamias, sugar and water. Bring to a boil and let it bubble for a minute before stirring.
5.Slide in the fish and siling haba. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish, until it flakes easily. Avoid stirring so the pieces stay whole.
6.Taste and adjust the seasoning. Top with the crisp pork bits and green onion, and serve with rice.
