Try this amazing recipe of the Pinangat Na Isda (Tomato Fish Stew) and enjoy the savory flavor each ingredient brings. You get to taste the perfect blend of saltiness and sourness in one simple dish you could easily make.
What is Pinangat na Isda?
Pinangat na Isda or Pangat is a popular Filipino dish that comes from the Southern Luzon region. This is a dish made out of fish—as its name suggests—partnered with tomatoes that is stewed into a broth along with sour fruits such as tamarind, calamansi, lemon, or kamias.
This dish is almost similar to sinigang na isda, but it is not as soupy as the said dish commonly is.
This dish can sometimes be mixed with another dish with a similar name (Pinangat or Laing), which comes from Bicol. This dish is made with coconut milk, and they are completely different when it comes to the preparation and ingredients.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Fish
You will need a large-sized whole fish for this dish. We recommend that you use pompano or other similar fish.
Aside from these, we will also be using other regular pantry ingredients like onion, garlic, ginger, tomato, fish sauce, tamarind powder, salt, black pepper, and cooking oil. If you are filling up your pantry, here’s a handy shopping guide:
Equipment You’ll Need
- Cooking Pan (Kawali)- Pinangat na isda is a one-pan dish and we will be using a regular Filipino kawali in the whole cooking process. You can substitute any wide pan or skillet as long as it can hold the amount of liquids in this recipe.
In need of kitchen tools and equipment? Read this before you buy:
How to Cook Pinangat na Isda
You might think that cooking Pinangat na Isda is a difficult process based on how it looks, but really, it is just as simple as putting and mixing the ingredients together.
All you have to do is combine your initial ingredients, and let it boil until the ingredients have a good consistency and until the fish is nice and tender.
After the initial cooking, you might want to add some ingredients for flavoring of the dish such as green chilis to add some spiciness to it. Other than that some simple seasonings like salt and pepper, or maybe even lemon juice or calamansi juice can fit your taste buds.
Cooking Tips
- This recipe has no number one recommendation on what fish to use, but we suggest using golden pompano, as this is one of the most commonly used types of fish when it comes to this dish. Other types you can use for the pinangat are tilapia, bangus, catfish, talakitok, among many others.
- Since the pompano is quite large when it is cooked whole, you can cut it in half in the case that you cannot fit the whole fish into the pan. You can also adjust the ingredients depending if you want to divide the serving into two separate times.
- This dish can be adjusted according to your liking, you may want it to have a saucy and savory feel into it or you may want it to be a bit on the dry side. Depending on what you want, you can adjust how much water you want to add into the pan and let it reduce to the amount that fits your needs.
How to Serve Pinangat na Isda
Pinangat na Isda is best served warm during lunch or dinner. It is already main course and is usually served with freshly cooked white rice. You can also serve this with a vegetable dish, and don’t forget a cool drink like soda or iced tea.
How to Store and Reheat Pinangat na Isda
In case you have leftovers, transfer to a clean food container with lid. You can refrigerate this to extend the shelf life to 3 days. To reheat, you can either use a microwave oven or over a stove. Apply low-medium heat when reheating over a stove.
Other Fish Recipes
For a quick reference about this recipe, see the recipe table below:
Pinangat Na Isda (Pangat) Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking Pan
Ingredients
- 1 pc whole fish, pompano, cleaned
- 1 pc onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pc thumb-size ginger, minced
- 2 pcs large tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
- 3 tbsp tamarind powder
- 2 cups water
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a wide cooking pan, pour in and heat cooking oil over medium heat.
- Add-in the onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened and fragrant.
- Add-in the tomatoes. Cook until soft and juices are released.
- Pour in the fish sauce and then pour in the water. Bring to a boil.
- Add tamarind powder and stir until well-dissolved.
- Add in the fish, making sure that it fits the pan. Lower the heat and cover. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and the liquids are reduced.
- Season generously with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving tray or serving plate. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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