Sinigang na Bangus sa Bayabas (Milkfish in Guava Soup)

Some people don’t like this dish. Some says it smells like armpit, some says it smells like bad B.O. But very few thinks that way. Most of us love ’em because of the fragrant soup which, I think, alleviates tiredness.

The first time I cooked this was traumatic. I was 12 years old. I was assigned to cook because my mom goes to the local market every morning to sell meat.My mom and dad were meat vendors at the local wet market back then. They gave me instruction on how to cook the dish and told me that the fish was in the freezer. I did everything they told me to do and my Sinigang looked perfect except that when my dad took a spoonful of the soup it turned out to be very bitter……very very bitter. How was I to know that I was supposed to clean the fish before cooking it? Of course, I didn’t. They didn’t tell me to. The gallbladder was the culprit. Anyways, to avoid wasting food, my father still ate all the fish and vegetables….and we lived happily ever after..heehee. But you’ll never hear the end of that story.

Ingredients:
400g Ripe native guavas
1 medium size Milkfish, cleaned and sliced diagonally
2 pieces finger chili (siling haba)
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
bunch of kangkong leaves or kamote tops [sweet potato leaves]

Directions:

• Wash guavas and  cut into quarters.
• Boil in water.Simmer for a few minutes until soft then mash it to flavor the water.
• Pour in fish sauce and sugar. Stir.
• Add fish slices and simmer for a few minutes until fish is cooked.
• Add the finger chili and kangkong leaves/ kamote tops. You can also add other vegetables if you like.
• Simmer for a few minutes until kangkong leaves are wilted.
• Serve with steamed rice.