one filipino dish a week

Filipino food as it is known by most Filipinos now is in its essence fusion food. The food has been influenced by the different colonizers (Spain and USA) and the merchant trade (China and Mexico). Chinese food is everywhere in the Philippines. It’s not like the Chinese food here in the US (you won’t find General Tso’s Chicken) and I’m sure it’s not like the Chinese food in China. It’s the Chinese food that has been adapted to the Filipino palate.

When I went home to the ‘rents house I was tasked to cooked pan fried flounder similar to the one we always get in Hop Kee in NYC’s chinatown. I don’t think you would really see this in Chinese restaurants in the Philippines but if you did I bet everyone would like it.

Here’s how I made it:

1 whole flounder
1 bunch scallions
ginger julienned
soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
canola oil for frying

Heat your wok or saute pan and have enough canola oil to fry the fish. Fry the fish until the skin gets light brown and crispy turning once. While the fish is frying, in a saucepan heat the soy sauce and ginger until it is about to simmer. Add the scallions and take off the heat. Mix in the sesame oil. One the fish is done pour the sauce over and serve.

It didn’t exactly taste like Hop Kee but it sure was a great lunch!

Eat (Chinese-)Filipino Food!