Rellenong Bangus Recipe

Prepare the fish: Lay the butterflied fish open on a tray or baking sheet. Using a spoon, carefully scrape the flesh from the bangus, avoiding the belly area and the outer edges of the fish. (Not scraping off the meat on the outermost rim of the fish and the belly will make sewing the fish closed easier.) Scrape the meat into a bowl while removing any leftover bones, and cover. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix calamansi juice and soy sauce. Pour over the inside of the fish. Massage it in for around two minutes, taking care that every bit is completely seasoned. Flip the fish a few times to completely season. Insert seasoned fish into a large resealable bag with any leftover marinade and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Make the stuffing: In a wok or pan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and red bell pepper, and sauté. Add in ground pork and season with salt and pepper. When ground pork has browned, add reserved fish meat. Add soy sauce, green peas, raisins, and sugar. When cooked, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed to your liking. Set aside to cool.

To assemble: Beat eggs and add to the stuffing mixture, mixing well. Set aside. Lay the marinated fish skin on a chopping board, skin side down. Pile half the stuffing mixture on one side of the fish. Lift and then pull the fish skin over the mixture to enclose the stuffing inside the bangus skin. With a needle and thread, sew the fish closed. (If preparing ahead of time, freeze the fish in a resealable bag. When ready to cook, thaw for an hour and then proceed to Step 5.)

When ready to fry, coat each fish with flour. In a large frying pan or wok, add around two cups of oil or enough to submerge at least one side of the fish. Once the oil is hot, fry each fish on medium-high heat until the skin becomes crisp and brown. Repeat on the other side. Remove from the oil and drain. Repeat with the other fish.

When ready to serve, slice the fish and serve with hot rice and, if desired, ketchup.