Saksak con Tilapia

CEBU, Philippines - Prepared by the students of the Cebu Technological University-Camotes Campus, this tempting dish (sans the guilt), with locally sourced ingredients, was featured during the third stop of the “Suroy-Suroy Sugbo: Enchanting Camotes” on April 9.

Ingredients:

1 kilo tilapia (cultured at Lake Danao in San Francisco town)

2 cups cubed sweet potato (camote)

½ cup rice; another half-cup glutinous rice (pilit)

2 pieces eggs

A box of cheese (cut in strips)

1 cup of raisins and bread crumbs

1 tsp. salt and crushed paminta to season

2 pieces calamansi (lemonsito)

½ cup red bell pepper

Cooking oil

Utensils:

Knife, chopping board, bowl, measuring spoons and cups, serving dish

Stove, wok and a turner, cauldron

Other materials:

Banana leaves or aluminum foil

How to prepare:

1. For the saksak or sinanduloy, wash the sweet potatoes properly and cut in bite-size cubes. Mix ½ cup of rice with ½ cup of glutinous rice in a cauldron. Add in the cubed sweet potatoes. Let it cook. Saksak or sinanduloy is the mix of rice and sweet potatoes the Cebuanos are known for, in our frugal means of extending the availability of our rice supply.

2. In a bowl, place the sliced tilapia meat along with salt and black pepper to taste, with a dash of calamansi juice to remove the fishy smell. Let stand for 10 minutes.

3. Once the tilapia meat slices are ready, dip these in beaten eggs. Roll onto bread crumbs and deep fry until golden brown.

4. Once the saksak or sinanduloy is ready, place a good serving onto the banana leaves or aluminum foil, whichever is preferred. Cebuanos are also known for utilizing the hinawob nga dahon sa saging for its very pleasant smell. Scatter the saksak to allow room for the fried tilapia bits, cheese, raisins, and julienned red bell pepper. Innovation could go as far as including cut-up pieces of hard-boiled eggs.

5. Roll the banana leaves or aluminum foil the way you would roll suman or budbod (similar to the rolling done when preparing embutido and sushi).

6. When serving, remove the banana leaves or aluminum foil. Cut diagonally into desired sizes.