Kinunot na Pagi or Kinunot na Isda

Kinunotis a Bicolano dish spicy appetizer made up of either cooked in coconut milk with malungay or moringa leaves”Kinunot” in Tagalog means “hinimay” (flaked) and “pagi” is sting ray. Some would substitute the pagi with pating (shark). I still prefer the pagi though.

• 1/2 kg pagi
• 1 coconut grated (set aside the kakang gata)
• 1 cup malunggay
• 1 medium sized onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• small ginger, crushed
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 5 pcs siling haba, sliced
• 2 siling labuyo
• salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Boil the cut pagi and ginger  for 10-15 minutes or until meat can be easily pulled from the cartilages. (Tip: Adding ginger takes the “lansa” / strong fishy taste off seafood dishes)
2. Drain the water and let it cool. Peel skin off and flake the pagi by pulling the meat from its cartilages.
3. Combine pagi flakes, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the pagi flakes to the marinade.Completely drain off vinegar after an hour.
4. In a medium heat, combine coconut cream, garlic, onion, salt and pepper.  Stir continuously. After about 5 minutes, add the pagi flakes and malunggay. Simmer until coconut milk is almost dry.
5. Add the kakang gata (thick coconut cream), sliced siling haba and siling labuyo (you can adjust the proportions to suit the hotness of your dish. Simmer again until coconut cream is thick and almost dry.

Tip: Always add the kakang gata just before the dish is done. DO NOT add corn starch or flour just to thicken – its a major sin in cooking gata dishes.