11.141
25 (Mon) May 2020
Deep-Fried Cream Dory
3.0
by PR
at home
-Dasmariñas Village, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines-
with the Family, PR, LL
Enhanced Community Quarantine, Day 69 / Repax Day -6.
As a further show of thanks (see also 11.139 Pork BBQ Sticks), our family driver cooked lunch for everyone, our final family meal together.
It was my first experience eating Filipino cuisine, home-cooked by a Filipino (see also 5.081 Spanish Cuisine, Home-Cooked by a Spaniard; 8.155 Indian Cuisine, Home-Cooked by an Indian). I was honored.
The centerpiece was beef sinigang. He arrived early in the morning to get started, simmering the meat for several hours until tender. He parboiled the vegetables, set them aside to preserve their texture, then added them just prior to serving. However, he kept the yams cooking the entire time – ultimately, the starch made the soup too goopy for my liking. Otherwise, the flavor was nicely tangy.
He also made deep-fried fish fillets of cream dory. Whereas the texture of cream dory is inherently mushy by nature, PR’s breading technique rendered each piece perfectly crispy. They were served with tartare sauce and hot sauce. The boys were wide-eyed impressed. It was the standout dish of the meal.
I contributed a couple dishes, including stir-fried water cress and an omelet with woodear and scallions
I have come to trust, depend on, admire, and adore both PR and our helper LL as members of our family. They have been with us since day one. We will miss them dearly and hope to see them again someday soon.
