Relyenong Bangus

Ingredients:

• 2 pcs whole Bangus (milkfish)
• ¼ cup Mama Sita’s Oyster Sauce
• 1 tbsp calamansi or lemon juice
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsps cooking oil, for sautéing
• 2/3 cup onion, chopped finely
• ½ cup carrots, chopped finely
• ½ cup potato, chopped finely
• ½ cup green peas
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1 pc egg, beaten
• 1 cup flour to coat the fish
• 2 cups Cooking oil for deep frying

Procedures:

1. Clean and scale the fish. Place the fish on a flat surface. Pound the body with the back of a knife or a mallet. Press your left hand firmly against the fish and with your right hand, jerk the tail upward. The idea is to break the middle bone of the fish. With a spoon, scrape out all the flesh and set it aside. Discard the middle bone.
2. Combine the Mama Sita’s Oyster Sauce with the calamansi juice. Marinate the fish skin in this mixture for 30 minutes. Set aside the marinade.
3. In a medium-sized saucepan, boil water; add the fish meat, cooking just until it turns white. Drain and pick out the bones.
4. In a wok, heat oil and sauté the onions. Add the carrots, potatoes and green peas. Stir-fry.
5. When the vegetables are tender, add the fish meat, marinade and raisins.
6. Remove from heat and add the beaten eggs.
7. Stuff this mixture into the fish skin until it reaches the neck. Dredge in flour. Deep fry with its head intact until the fish is golden brown.

Variation: Wrap in banana leaf or aluminum foil and bake at 325ºF for 45 minutes.