Fish for Lent - Pritong Galunggong (Fried Yellow Tail Scads)

There is no better time to post about fish than during Lent. And there’s no better fish for Lent than the humble yellow tail scad.

Although widely available in Australia it is conspicuously absent from most restaurant menus. The yellow tail’s wide availability I suppose accounts for it being less “desirable.”

To the Filipino yellow tail scads or galunggong is more than just a fish. Although outwardly maligned it is in fact highly valued by Pinoys. Associated with the less affluent it apparently is the fish of choice if you have no money. In actual fact though, it is sometimes more expensive than other fish varieties.

Presidential elections have been won and lost on account of galunggong. Nothing speaks more to a Pinoy about the “real” state of the nation than this fish. No rhetoric direct from the President’s mouth can match what the price of galunggong tells the people. The Cosumer Price Index is nothing but an arbitrary number.

So, in the observance of Good Friday I decided to prepare a simple meal for the family. We shared fried yellow tail served with a side of fresh tomato salsa.

The recipe below couldn’t be simpler.

Fried Yellow Tail Scads

6 Yellow Tail scads gutted and cleaned

Some sea salt

1. Lightly salt each fish.

2. Heat up some oil.

3. Fry the fish to desired crispness.

4. Serve with some freshly cooked rice and a side of fresh tomato salsa.

Fish for Lent – Steamed Fish with Ginger & Spring Onion

Lent is a period when some of us abstain from eating meat. Although in my humble opinion what you CHOOSE TO DO is more important than the opposite I still find it commendable for anyone to give up something for the sake of matters spiritual.



But I'm not here to lecture. Rather, I'm here to provide a fish recipe to you (whether you're in fast or not).



Steamed Fish with Ginger and Spring Onion is another family favourite. The recipe below is a variation of it in that I would normally use a whole fish to make this. I actually prefer a whole fish but it can be a bit too much for us. So for that evening we decided to get the freshest fillets we could find instead.



For this recipe, the ideal fish to use is white fleshed. The oily and stronger flavoured species (like tuna and mackerel) will overpower the delicate taste of the other ingredients. You can use tilapia, barramundi, cod, snapper or any white fish as long as it is fresh.



If you do not have a steamer baking this in the oven (covered) can work just as well



Steamed Fish with Ginger & Spring Onion

1 snapper fillet (or any white fish)
1 walnut sized ginger julienned
3-4 spring onions (missing from photos as I did not have any that evening. I used regular onion insted, julienned)
A bunch of coriander
1/4 cup stock (fish or chicken. You might need to add another 1/4 cup if you're going to bake it).
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp lime juice
A dash of white pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
A few drops of sesame oil

1. Prepare your steamer (or preheat your oven to 180C).
2. Combine all the ingredients in a deep enough plate to hold the sauce (or a baking dish covered with foil). Set aside a few sprigs of coriander and spring onion.
3. Put in the steamer (or the oven) and cook for about 10 minutes. Check for doneness. Thicker fillets might require more cooking time.
4. Take off the steamer (or the oven). Dress with some coriander, spring onion and a few drops of sesame oil before serving.

The Auction of a Thresher Shark – Dalahican Fish Port, Lucena City

Thresher shark is classified as a “vulnerable specie” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This means it is now facing a “high risk of extinction in the wild.” I did not know this when I was taking photographs but this fact made me a bit unsure about posting this. But the thing is, it happened and I was there to witness it.

The day’s catch comes to the fish port in trickles. There was no big flood of produce. What I saw instead was a constant flow of goods as the boats arrive at the port. To my surprise one boatload included a thresher shark. This must be a regular occurrence as the locals did not seem that fascinated. When it was placed on auction it only received 3 bids.

In 2008 the province Batangas tried to pass a law prohibiting the hunt of thresher sharks. I don’t know where that’s at. If it had been passed does it mean then that it does not apply anywhere else in the Philippines? I’m no law expert. Anyone out there care to enlighten me?

The shark is presented to the market

The owner starting the auction process

Gathering interest from bidders

Two bids so far (rolled pieces of paper)

Checking the bids

P3,100, P2,500 and P350

The winner claims his prize

Meat @ P150/kilo, Fins @ P1,000/kilo