📝 About This Recipe
A soul-satisfying heritage dish from the coastal province of Batangas, Philippines, this recipe transforms humble mackerel into a melt-in-your-mouth delicacy. The fish is slow-cooked for hours in a clay pot with dried kamias and pork fat, resulting in a rich, savory broth and bones so soft they can be eaten. It is the pinnacle of Filipino 'slow food,' balancing sour, salty, and umami notes in every bite.
🥗 Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 kg Small to Medium Tulingan (Skipjack Mackerel) (cleaned, guts removed, and tails twisted/pulled)
- 150 grams Pork Back Fat (sliced into thin strips to line the pot)
- 1 cup Dried Kamias (Bilimbi) (soaked in water for 10 minutes; fresh can be used if available)
Aromatics and Seasoning
- 3 tablespoons Rock Salt (for rubbing and seasoning)
- 1 tablespoon Whole Black Peppercorns (slightly crushed)
- 1 head Garlic (cloves smashed)
- 2 inch thumb Ginger (sliced into coins)
- 1 medium Red Onion (quartered)
- 1/4 cup Fish Sauce (Patis) (high quality)
Cooking Liquid
- 4-6 cups Water (enough to submerge the fish)
- 3-5 pieces Siling Haba (Finger Chilies) (whole for mild heat)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Clean the fish thoroughly. A crucial step in Batangas tradition is to twist the tail of the Tulingan and pull it out to remove the 'venomous' tendon, then make two diagonal slits on each side of the fish body.
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2
Generously rub the rock salt all over the fish, including the slits and the cavity. Let it sit for 15 minutes to firm up the flesh.
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3
Prepare your 'Palayok' (clay pot) or a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Line the bottom of the pot with the strips of pork back fat; this prevents the fish from sticking and adds a luxurious richness to the sauce.
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4
Layer half of the dried kamias, garlic, ginger, and onions over the pork fat.
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5
Arrange the salted fish inside the pot. If using a clay pot, you can stack them snugly, but try to keep them in a single layer if using a wide pan.
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6
Top the fish with the remaining kamias, garlic, ginger, onions, and the crushed peppercorns.
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7
Pour in the water and the fish sauce. The liquid should just barely cover the fish.
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8
Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to the lowest setting possible (a simmer).
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9
Cover the pot tightly. If using a clay pot, you can seal the edges with a simple flour-and-water dough to keep the steam trapped.
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10
Let the fish simmer for at least 4 hours. Check occasionally to ensure the liquid hasn't completely evaporated; add a little warm water if necessary.
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11
In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the finger chilies on top to infuse a subtle heat and aroma.
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12
The dish is ready when the liquid has reduced to a thick, oily sauce (patis-pure) and the fish is dark and tender.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use rock salt rather than fine table salt for a more controlled seasoning and authentic texture. If you cannot find dried kamias, you can substitute with fresh tamarind pulp or even slices of green mango. Do not stir the fish during the long cooking process; this will break the delicate flesh apart. For the best flavor, let the dish rest for at least an hour before serving, or even better, eat it the next day. If the fish bones aren't soft enough after 4 hours, continue simmering on low heat for another 1-2 hours.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a mound of steaming hot white jasmine rice or garlic fried rice. Pair with a side of 'Ensaladang Talong' (grilled eggplant salad with tomatoes and onions). Provide a small dipping bowl of calamansi, extra patis, and crushed bird's eye chilies (siling labuyo). The leftover sauce (patis-pure) is liquid gold—drizzle it generously over your rice. For a crispy variation, pan-fry the cooked fish in a little oil until the skin is golden before serving.