How to Cook My Steamed Fish in Oil and Sauce: How About My Sauteed Aubergine?

extra-relish.com

I like to cook and believe me I can cook a lot of delicious Pinoy food dishes like sinigang, adobo, mitsado, almon bigas, and tinola, to name a few--and of course, rice. But often, what I cook for lunch or dinner is my expertise--what I call steamed fish in oil and sauce--which sounds complicated but is actually a dish anyone can cook, even folks who hate cooking.

How? You simply open a can of Ligo sardines in oil and tomato sauce and put that on top of your stove. You may want to close the lead a little bit to make it steam. And there you have your steamed fish in oil and sauce. It's delicious but easy to cook and prepare (preparation is simply getting a can opener and open the lead--but wash it first with soap and water).

I like topping it with thinly sliced fresh onion rings and maybe put a teaspoon of soy. This is specially appetizing when you top it on steaming hot rice--steamed fish on steamed rice. Perfect, isn't it? And how do you steam rice? I do it simply--whisk enough water on rice leftovers from last night and put the pot they're in over the stove.

But my eldest son insists that, since he's learned to  appreciate simple living, he can live with steamed Ligo sardines daily as long as they are partnered with at least 3 thick pieces of grilled pork chops--plus Coke.

How do you make my steamed fish in oil and sauce really healthy? Try partnering it with my sauteed aubergine (the last word pronounced as o-be-gzine). Again, it just sounds complicated with a French term inserted in it, but it's actually nothing but sauteed eggplant. You boil the eggplant until it gets tender enough to easily peel and then saute it in chopped tomatoes and onions. Or just plain boil and peel off its skin.

Now, the real question is, where do you think I learned these recipes? From chefs or cooks? From my grandma or mom who were experts in culinary arts?

Nope--I learned them from carpenters who loved to bake..