Bacalao is a salted fish dish with vegetables that I grew up eating every Good Friday in my hometown, Cavite City. It is one of my comfort food. This dish reminds me of my childhood and gives me the Semana Santa feels. Bacalao is best served with steamed white rice or with hot pandesal.
Sharing with you my BACALAO RECIPE:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 kilo Dried Salted Cod Fish or any Dried Salted Fish with thick flesh like lapu-lapu or labahita – soak overnight and shred – remove bones
- 1/4 – 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
- 2-4 tbsp atsuete seeds (dry)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium sized onion chopped
- 1 big potato cubed
- 150 – 200 gms garbanzos or chick peas cooked and peeled
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 small cabbage cut in small pieces
- 1 big red bell pepper diced
- patis and freshly ground pepper to taste
Procedure:
- In a pan heat the olive oil, fry the cubed potatoes until light brown or half cooked, remove from oil, set aside.
- In the same pan with the same oil, fry the atsuete seeds until color is released into the oil. Remove atsuete seeds, discard.
- In the same pan and oil, sautee garlic and onions until onions are limp and transluscent, be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Place the shredded fish and sautee for about a minute
- Add the garbanzos, mix well.
- Pour in the water, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Add the cabbage, mix and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Put in the semi cooked potato and cubed bellpeppers, mix well. You may add extra olive oil if needed. Season with patis and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Serve hot with rice or pandesal.
- Enjoy!
It is not only a dish but more of a tradition that has been passed on from generation to generation. Hoping that the next generations would love it as much as we do.