Milk Fish Hot Sardines

This is an inherited recipe from my godmother, which she learned from working with a canning company back in the 1980s in Negros Occidental, a province known as the Philippine's sugar bowl, located in Western Visayas.  

From its main business district in Bacolod City, you have to take a one-hour bus ride, passing acres of rolling sugarcane plantations as far as the eyes can see, before you reach Victorias Milling Company (VMC), a century-old sugar mill known for its world-class refined sugar and the maker of VMC "Hot" Bangus and "Hot" Sardines, among other processed food.

A landmark locomotive replica found inside the VMC compound,
telling tourists how sugarcanes were transported from
the haciendas to the "central" or mill site 

Albeit the ownership of the cannery has shifted hands, the products are still there. I also remember that these canned foods are not available nationwide. You can even barely see these in supermarkets in the province's cities since they are primarily for exports.

Chef at the cannery office with tourist-kids

If this country is ever to change its choice for a national fish or authorities would dare to drop the humble "Bangus" from the roster of the nation's symbols, I would strongly object.  Chanos Chanos as it is scientifically called, or Milkfish in English, the humble bangus lives up to its name and the very reason why it was picked to carry the Philippine flag under the sea.  

It is very tasty like milk, and you can cook it in many ways: fried, stewed, soup, broiled, stuffed, the list can go a long way. Although it is very bony, they also come already deboned, hence the double "B" for Boneless Bangus.   

And do you know what are the best parts of this fish? For me, the belly, the eyes, and the brain!  I hope you will all agree with me because here's a remake recipe of the VMC "Hot" Bangus as told by my godmother, of course with a twist, like I own it.

Ingredients:

1 kilo                               bangus                       1 tbsp.          salt

1 cup                              corn oil                       1/2 tsp          Ajinomoto

1 1/2 cups                       water                                             chili flakes

laurel leaf and seeds                                                               finger chili pepper

atsuete (for coloring)                                                              carrots (round cut)

Directions (super simple):

You need a pressure cooker to accomplish this.  Cover the inner bottom of the pot with aluminum foil to prevent the fish from sticking on the surface of the cooker.  Arrange the fish inside (maybe cut or whole) then put all ingredients.  Pressure cook for one hour.

Ingredients, All In!