Recipe | Tochong Bangus (Tochio, Totsong)

Hindi ko alam kung ano ba yung tamang spelling at saan nanggaling yung salitang 'tocho' sa ulam na Tochong Bangus. Pero ito yung pinaka-paborito kong ulam dahil maasim na maalat yung sabaw niya at malinamnam yung bangus. Pero iwasan po natin yung bangus na galing sa tabang ha, mas mainam yung galing sa Dagupan. Wala kasing lasang lumot.

Paano ba malalaman kung galing Dagupan?

• mas maikli yung buntot sa baba kaysa sa taas
• short head, short mouth (hindi patulis)
• maumbok yung tiyan

Yung recipe na ito e galing pa sa Nanay Juling namin. Tapos tinuro lang sa akin ng tatay ko. Kapag walang bangus, albacora (o tuna) yung gamit namin tapos hindi na namin nilalagyan ng breading. Diretso pirito na siya matapos lagyan ng asin.

Puwede niyo i-adjust yung sangkap sa pagluluto. Kani-kaniyang diskarte ba.

Nutrition facts and video recipe at the bottom of the page.

Tochong Bangus

Author: curlyscribbler (Apple G.)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Servings: 3-5 persons
A salty and tart Filipino dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 large red onions, sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 large bangus, rinsed and salted
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• salt
• half of a regular ampalaya or bitter gourd
• 1/2 cup minced ginger
• 1 ladle spoonful of patis or fish sauce
• 4-8 cups hot water
• 4 pcs tahure (fermented tofu)
• white vinegar that will cover the mashed tahure
• 1 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1 medium eggplant, chopped
• a bunch of kangkong (water spinach)
• 1 siling haba (Tagalog chili)
• 1 cup canola oil

Instructions:

1. Rinse and salt fish.
2. In a bag, mix flour, cornstarch and salt. Add in salted fish. Dredge fish and set aside.
3. Fry fish in a preheated oil.
4. While frying, mash fermented tofu (tahure) in a bowl and pour in vinegar that would cover it. Set aside.
5. Mix salt into sliced bitter gourd (ampalaya) and let it sit for 5 mins before rinsing thoroughly.
6. Once all fish pieces are fried and set aside, scoop out half of the frying oil.
7. Sweat onions then garlic. Once garlic becomes fragrant, add in tomatoes and ginger.
8. Pour a ladle spoonful of fish sauce (patis). Stir.
9. Pour in mashed fermented tofu (tahure) with white vinegar. Add 4-6 cups hot water. Let it simmer uncovered, and avoid stirring.
10. Add in rinsed bitter gourd (ampalaya). Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
11. Add eggplant, water spinach (kangkong) and chili.
12. Taste and adjust its saltiness or tartness according to your liking.
13. Best served with white rice.