Try this special coco-seafood combo: a healthier version of Quezon’s Pinais

 Quezon owns the badge for “Coconut Capital of the Philippines.” Fairly enough, most of their signature dishes are enriched with coconut ingredientsusually coconut meat and coconut milk or gata. Some of these coco-based food are kalamay, budin, lambanog, to ginataang pako and suso.

And of course, the list of their native coconut-inspired delicacies won’t be complete without the ever famous pinais. The signature dish basically means roasted meat wrapped in leaves and it comes in a variety of seafood and meat flavors, depending on your favorite.

Try it on your own with bangus belly and shrimps as your staple meats. With the creamy, tangy, smoky flavors of this dish, it would feel as if you’ve driven down south just to taste this Quezon delicacy. And if you’re into both seafood and coconut, the hearty flavors of this coco-seafood fusion will definitely leave you asking for more pinais. Try it now!

Pinais na Bangus Belly

Ingredients

1 -420 g Sarangani Bay Deboned Milkfish Belly
3 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
8-medium shrimps, chopped
1/2 cup young coconut meat, shredded
1 cup malunggay leaves
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 red chilis, finely chopped (siling labuyo)
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
banana leaves for wrapping

 Procedure

1. Divide bangus belly into 8 pieces. Set aside.
2. Heat cooking oil in a pan, saute ginger, garlic and onion. Add shrimps and milkfish belly cook for 2 minutes. Add coconut meat, malunggay leaves and coconut milk. Lastly add chilis and fish sauce. Cook until thick. Cool.
3. Wash banna leaves and wipe dry. Allow leaves leaves to pass over flame to make them pliable.
4. Place 2 slices of bangus belly and sauce on top of banana leaves. Wrap and secure with trimmed banana leaf stalks or toothpicks.
5. Grill or broil in an oven until banana leaves turn brown and toasted.
6. Place in a platter, unwrap and serve.