Bangus 6 Ways (Meet Our New Cooks!)

Bangus or milkfish is a household favorite in the Philippines. It’s easy to find, affordable, and can be cooked in so many ways! We are in the kitchen with the newest batch of FEATR food creators, and we’re excited for you guys to get to know them through their cooking!

Who’s going to emerge victorious in their mission to cook the best bangus? Stay with us until the end to find out! If you enjoyed this video, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment so we can continue to make these easy recipe videos for you!

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RECIPES:
POACHED BANGUS
Ingredients:
1 liter water
¼ cup rock sugar
2 stalks leeks
1 knob ginger, crushed
¼ cup dark soy sauce
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 pcs boneless bangus fillet, cleaned with fin and scales removed
1 cup flour
2 pc egg whites
1 cup ready to fry prawn crackers, crushed
Oil for frying

Sauce:
3 tbsp oil
1 pc small red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup store-bought burong kanin
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp pepper
leeks, thinly sliced and placed in ice bath
mustasa leaves

Procedure:
1. In a pot, combine water, sugar, leeks, ginger, soy sauce, and garlic to a boil. Turn off the heat and add bangus. Cover and let it cook for 15 minutes.
2. Dry the skin of cooked bangus and dredge in flour. Coat with egg whites on one side and prawn/fish crackers.
3. Heat your oil up to 160 F and fry the breaded side of the fish for 1 minute.
4. In a pan, saute your onions and garlic. Add buro and cream. Simmer for 1 minute or until thick. Season with sugar and pepper.
5. Serve with leeks, buro, and mustasa. Makes about 2 servings.

SMOKED BANGUS SPREAD
Ingredients:
1 long baguette
2 whole tinapang bangus, shredded
1 ½ cup kewpie mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 celery stem, minced
1 lemon, juice & zest
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 red onions, julienned
1 ½ cup white vinegar
1 cup white sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:
8pcs cherry tomato
dill or chives
pickled red onions
sesame seeds

Procedure:
1. Cut baguette on a bias into 12 – 16 portions before toasting on both sides and setting aside.
In a bowl combine, bangus, mayonnaise, garlic, celery, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper flakes and mix together until fully combined.
2. Mix sugar and vinegar together until fully dissolved before adding onions and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
3. Place smoked bangus spread on top of your toasted baguettes and top of with garnishes of your choice. Makes 5 servings.

ASIAN STYLE PASTA
Ingredients:
½ kg spaghetti pasta, cooked
1 whole bangus filet, cubed
6 pcs shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 small white onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup peanuts, unsalted
spring onions, chopped
peanut oil (for sauteing)
pasta water (as needed)
salt and pepper (to taste)

For the pasta sauce:
¼ cup oyster sauce
¼ cup chicken stock
2 tbsp char siu sauce
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp sesame oil

Procedure:
1. Season your bangus with salt and pepper and fry it to perfection. Set it aside to cool down before cutting it into 1” cubes.
2. In a separate bowl, combine all sauce ingredients together.
3. In a wok, add peanut oil and saute the aromatics.
4. Add the mushrooms and saute slightly before adding back your cubed bangus.
5. Add in the sauce and your cooked pasta and stir fry for another minute.
6. Mix in the peanuts until pasta is fully coated. If the pasta seems dry, you can add in some pasta water.
7. Garnish your pasta with spring onions and serve! Makes 4-6 servings.

BANGUS ARAYES
Ingredients:
300 grams of ground pork
300 grams of steamed and shredded bangus
½ white onion (grated and drained)
½ red onion minced
1/4 cup parsley(chopped)
1/4 cup cilantro(chopped)
siling labuyo chopped
3 cloves garlic(grated)
2 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp of mayonnaise
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
4-5 pitas
olive oil for cooking

Sauce
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 tbsp parsley(chopped)
2 tbsp cilantro(chopped)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic (grated)
1 tbsp olive oil
sinamak

Procedure:
1. Grate onion and squeeze out liquid using a clean kitchen towel.
2. Combine onion, grated garlic, parsley, cilantro, spices, and olive oil in a bowl.
3. Thoroughly incorporate mixture with pork and bangus.
4. Cut pita in half, stuff with mix and drizzle generously with olive oil.
5. Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium heat and sear arayes meat side down for 1-2 minutes until it gets a nice crust then toast on the pita sides until golden brown and crisp.
6. Place in an oven set at 350°F until cooked through (10-15 minutes). Meat should register around 155°F.
7. Make sauce by combining all ingredients making sure to adjust for personal taste.
8. Serve arayes with sauce and enjoy.

CRISPY BANGUS DINUGUAN
Ingredients:
1 kilo Bangus, Cut to Medium Squares
1 cup cornstarch
½ cup flour
500 ml vegetable oil

Sauce:
800 grams pork blood
100 ml, coconut Vinegar
½ cup red onions, minced
¼ cup garlic, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, crushed
4 green chillies, whole
2 bird’s eye chillies, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp black pepper

Garnish:
3 ready made puto
1 tbsp fish crackers
1 tbsp spring onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp crispy garlic
1 tbsp pickled onions

Procedure:
1. Cut the bangus, season wit salt and pepper set aside
2. Coat in cornstarch and flour mixture then fry, set aside then allow to cool
3. Make the blood sauce by sauteing all aromats together, then slowly combining the blood and vinegar little by little to avoid instant coagulation
4. Fry off your bangus again at a higher heat to achieve a really crispy texture
5. After frying immediately add in bangus to the blood sauce and let infuse for about 3 minutes
6. Serve with all the garnish bits on the side. Kind of like a make your own bit
7. Best eaten with puto. Makes about 3 servings.

SPANISH STYLE BANGUS
Ingredients:
1 pc large boneless bangus, sliced into fillet
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp cooking oil (for frying)
2 heads garlic, cloves whole, peeled
1 medium carrot, peeled, sliced into florets
5 pcs dried bay leaves
1 tbsp whole peppercorn
½ cup green olives
½ cup pickled cucumber, sliced
6 pcs red chilis, whole
1 tbsp salt (to taste)
2 tbsp oyster sauce
4 tbsp vinegar
2 cups olive oil
2 cups water

Procedure:
1. Season the bangus with salt and set aside.
2. In a pan, heat cooking oil over medium heat. Add the bangus, skin side down, and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden brown. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until done. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. In a deep skillet, layer the sliced carrots and garlic at the bottom. Place the bangus on top.
4. Add a layer of bay leaves, peppercorns, green olives, pickled cucumber, and chilis on top.
5. Season with salt, then add in oyster sauce and vinegar. Pour the olive oil and water until everything is covered. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the water evaporates.
6. Transfer the cooked Spanish-style bangus to a serving plate. Enjoy! Makes 4-6 servings.

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