Saint Peter’s Fish with Coconut Milk (Ginataang Tilapia)

I can’t remember where exactly I learned this dish..I guess its either in my Uncle Jess' house when I stayed there during my college days or from Ate Baby (my landlady in KNL – Diliman, Q.C.) :)

It’s a dish I learned while away from home…then shared to my family when I went back…and they love it!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg tilapia, cleaned & sliced into desired portion
• 5 cloves garlic, pealed
• 1 medium ginger, pealed & julienne sliced (this helps eradicate the ‘bad’ smell of the fish)
• 2 spring onions, cut into 3 inches length
• 5 medium sized eggplants, cut length-wise into quarters
• 1/8 kg string beans (or more if you desire), cut into around 3 inches long
• Optional: 1 long green pepper / siling haba (for a bit of spice)
• Other veggies you may add: 1 bundle of pechay (separate the stalks with the leaves; cut stalks into half)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/2 vegetable bullion cube (fish cube may do)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar (or lemon juice)
• 1/4 cup water

Preparation /Cooking:

• Arrange the fish slices in a casserole. Put in the garlic cloves and ginger. Sprinkle some salt & pepper. Add the vinegar and water. Cover, bring to boil and simmer in low fire until all the water has nearly evaporated.
• Pour in the coconut milk. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Next, drop the bullion cube and all the vegetables except the spring onions. If pechay is among your veggies, put first the stalks as they take longer time to cook. When the vegetables are nearly done, add the pechay leaves and spring onions.
• Lastly, check the taste. Season with salt if necessary.
• Garnish, serve with rice.

For guests with saltier taste, prepare fish sauce squeezed with a bit of lemon juice.

Note: You may substitute the tilapia with crab. All you need to do is remove the vinegar from the ingredients and just cook the same way as instructed.