Ginataang Mackerel with Spinach is a simple dish that can be eaten for lunch. It is composed of Canned Mackerel in brine, coconut milk, and fresh spinach. This budget-friendly recipe is simple and straightforward. It only takes less than 20 minutes to complete the entire dish.
I love the outcome of this fish recipe because the flavors are well balanced. There is no fishy aftertaste. The texture of the dish is perfect. I also love the rich and creamy taste of coconut milk when vinegar was added. Adding vinegar helped balance the fishy flavor of the mackerel and made the coconut milk sauce taste fresher.
How to Cook Ginataang Mackerel
This version of ginataan is simple to prepare. The result is a rich and creamy dish worthy to be topped over warm rice.
Start by sauteeing onion, garlic, and ginger on a pot. I like my garlic browned for that roasted garlicky flavor. It helps make the dish taste better. Make sure that the onion softens before adding the next ingredients. Onions tend to be on the sweeter side when softened or caramelized.
Pour coconut milk into the pot and add chili peppers. Let it boil. This is where the first part of the magic happens. The flavors from all of the ingredients are extracted while the liquid boils and it is infused in the coconut milk. I usually cover the pot and let the coconut milk cook between low to medium heat for 5 minutes. This method provides the optimal result.
Add the fish and then pour water and vinegar. Let it boil. The vinegar helps reduce the fishy after taste. Cook it for 5 minutes before seasoning with fish sauce and ground black pepper.
Add the spinach last and cook for a minute. Alternative ingredients for spinach are hot pepper leaves, moringa leaves (this known as Malunggay in the Philippines), and bok choy.
Aside from fish, there are countless of dishes that can be prepared with coconut milk. Ginataang gulay is one of my favorites. It is composed of vegetables such as kalabasa and sitaw (calabaza or butter nut squash and snake beans), along with shrimp.
Try this Ginataang Mackerel Recipe. Let me know what you think.
Ginataang Mackerel
Ingredients
- 30 ounces mackerel canned in brine
- 1 bunch spinach
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 5 pieces Thai chili pepper optional
- 3 thumbs ginger sliced into thin strips
- 1 piece onion chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- Fish sauce and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a cooking pot.
- Saute onion, garlic, and ginger until garlic browns and onion softens.
- Pour coconut milk into the cooking pot. Add chili pepper.Stir. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add mackerel. Pour water and vinegar into the pot. Let boil. Stir and cover the pot. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Season with fish sauce and ground black pepper.
- Add spinach. Cook for 1 minute.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Serve.
- Share and enjoy!
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