Grilled Milkfish

Inihaw na Bangus

• 1 whole milkfish gilled and gutted, but scales left on
• 1 tomato chopped
• ½ onion minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• Juice of ½ lemon or juice of 2 calamansi
• Banana leaf (optional)
• Aluminum foil

I usually leave the scales on to further protect the fish from the grill. Slice the fish open on the dorsal (back) side all the way from the tail to the back of the head being careful not to cut the other side (belly side). Split the head open and spread it open, being careful not to cut the other side. Like filleting the fish but only slicing on one side. Then open the whole fish so that the fish is on its back, like a butterfly exposing the guts and the gills. Pull the gills and the guts out and wash the fish. Sprinkle salt on both sides, inside and out and set aside.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl and stuff it inside the fish. Fold the fish together, pushing the stuffing in and wrap in banana leaves. Use a fish grill to hold it together and you can turn it over without breaking it apart.

Cook on a hot grill about 8 minutes each side

Remove wrappings and serve with lemon wedges or calamansi sliced in half.

Milfish has a lot of long, branched bones in the flesh. Be cautious eating this but this fish is incomparable to any fish in taste. It is my favorite fish over any kind. You can also buy boneless milkfish (manually deboned) but they are smaller.