''Burong isda'' (literally "pickled fish") is a
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
dish consisting of cooked rice and raw
filleted fish
Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...
fermented
Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food ...
with salt and ''
angkak
Red yeast rice (), red rice ''koji'' (べにこうじ, lit. 'red ''koji), red fermented rice, red kojic rice, red ''koji'' rice, ''anka'', or ''angkak'', is a bright reddish purple fermented rice, which acquires its color from being cultivate ...
'' (red yeast rice) for around a week. The dish is common in
central Luzon
Central Luzon ( pam, (Reyun ning) Kalibudtarang Luzon, pag, (Rehiyon na) Pegley na Luzon, tgl, (Rehiyon ng) Gitnang Luzon, ilo, (Rehion/Deppaar ti) Tengnga ti Luzon), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines, ...
, most notably in the province of
Pampanga
Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
. ''Angkak'' may also be omitted, especially in western central Luzon, resulting in a white-colored version. ''Burong isda'' variants are usually named after the fish they were made with; e.g. ''burong bangus'' for ''burong isda'' made with ''bangus'' (
milkfish
The milkfish (''Chanos chanos'') is the sole living species in the family Chanidae. However, there are at least five extinct genera from the Cretaceous.
The repeating scientific name (tautonym) is from Greek ( ‘mouth’).
The species has many ...
). Shrimp versions of the dish are known as ''burong hipon'' or ''
balao-balao
''Balao-balao'', also known as ''burong hipon'' ("pickled shrimp"), is a Filipino condiment of cooked rice and whole raw shrimp (esp. ''Alamang'') fermented with salt and ''angkak'' (red yeast rice). Once stirfried, it can be eaten as is with r ...
''. ''Burong isda'' is very similar to other fermented fish and rice dishes of Asia, including ''
narezushi
is a Japanese dish of prepared , usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of , such as seafood, often raw, and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is "sushi rice," als ...
'' of
Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and other ...
and ''
pla ra
''Pla ra'' ( th, ปลาร้า, ), similar to padaek in Laos, is a traditional Thai seasoning produced by fermenting fish with rice bran or roasted rice flour and salt fermented in a closed container for at least six months. Fermented fi ...
'' of
Thai cuisine
Thai cuisine ( th, อาหารไทย, , ) is the national cuisine of Thailand.
Thai cooking places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong Odor, aromatic components and a spicy edge. Australian chef David Thompson (chef), David ...
. All of these dishes rely on
lactic acid fermentation
Lactic acid fermentation is a metabolic process by which glucose or other six-carbon sugars (also, disaccharides of six-carbon sugars, e.g. sucrose or lactose) are converted into cellular energy and the metabolite lactate, which is lactic acid ...
to preserve the food.
See also
*
Binagoongan
''Binagoongan'' is a Filipino cooking process consisting of vegetables (most notably water spinach) or meat (usually pork, but can also be chicken or beef) sautéed or braised in ''bagoong alamang'' (shrimp paste), garlic, black peppercorns, ...
*
Daing
''Daing'', ''tuyô'', or ''bilad'' (literally " sun-dried" or "sun-baked") are dried fish from the Philippines. Fish prepared as ''daing'' are usually split open (though they may be left whole), gutted, salted liberally, and then sun and air-dr ...
*
Kinilaw
''Kinilaw'' ( or , literally "eaten raw") is a raw seafood dish and preparation method native to the Philippines. It is also referred to as Philippine ceviche due to its similarity to the Latin American dish ceviche. It is more accurately a co ...
*
Tapai
''Tapai'' (also ''tapay'' or ''tape'') is a traditional fermented preparation of rice or other starchy foods, and is found throughout much of Southeast Asia, especially in Austronesian cultures, and parts of East Asia. It refers to both the ...
*
Burong mangga
''Burong mangga'' is a Filipino side dish made by mixing sugar, salt, and water to mangoes that have previously been salted. The mixture of water and sugar should be boiled and cooled first, before pouring it over the salted mangoes. Some varia ...
*
Atchara
''Atchara'' (also spelled ''achara'' or ''atsara'') is a pickle made from grated unripe papaya originating from the Philippines. This dish is often served as a side dish for fried or grilled foods such as pork barbecue.
History
The nam ...
References
{{Filipino food
Fermented fish
Philippine seafood dishes