SINIGANG NA ULO NG MAYA-MAYA SA MISO

(Red Snapper in Sour Soup with Miso)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cooking oil for sautéing

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 (1 to 2-inch piece) ginger, peeled and sliced

2 medium sized onion, sliced

3 pcs. big tomatoes, sliced into wedges

2-3 tbsps Miso Paste (Learn more about miso here)

1 to 1 ½ kilos Ulo ng Maya-Maya, cut in large chunks, slightly fried

5-7 cups Water or Hugas Bigas (please see below)

1 (40-gram) pack Sinigang Mix

2 bunches Mustard leaves (Mustasa) 

Japanese Miso Paste 

Mustard Leaves (Mustasa) 

& Green Chillies

Sinigang Mix

Cooking Procedure:

1.      In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat, sauté garlic, ginger and onion, saute for a few minutes, then add tomatoes and cook until tender, mash the tomatoes well.  Then add the miso paste, stir well, then add the fish sauce, if it tends to dry, add ½ cup water, cover the pot to cook further.

2.     After a few minutes, add the water (or hugas bigas), let it boil for 2-3 minutes, then season the broth with the Sinigang Mix before we add the other ingredients.  When it starts to boil we can  add the Maya Maya, you may also put in the green chillies and the mustard leaves.  Cook for 5-7 minutes, taste it again if it needs additional salt.  Serve while hot…  Enjoy!

              COOKING TIPS:

·        Frying the fish heads help to avoid the fishy taste of the broth, just fry it in very hot cooking oil for a few minutes; or

·        If you don’t want additional oil in the Sinigang, you can blanch the fish quickly in very hot water, and remove the fish immediately.

·        Miso is fermented soy bean, it is of Japanese origin.  I used the Japanese Miso bought in the grocery, but you can also buy the ordinary miso from the market.

 ·        Hugas bigas - water obtained from washing rice grains and used as broth base for sinigang

 ·        Aside from Maya-Maya, you can also use other kinds of fish like Bangus, Talakitok, Lapu-Lapu, or Salmon.