INGREDIENTS:
- ½ kg freshwater shrimp, peeled and seasoned with 1 & ½ tbsp salt
- Meat of 5 pcs “alangan na niyog”, grated
- 25 pcs fresh whole gabi leaves
- 8 stalks lemongrass (lower white portions), smashed
- 4 cups thin coconut milk
- 2 pcs onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp ginger, grated
- 6 cloves garlic
- Few pieces of siling labuyo
For the Sauce:
- 2 cups thick coconut cream
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 4 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 stalks lemongrass (lower white stalks), smashed
- 5 spring onions, finely chopped
- Salt, to taste
For Tying:
- Young coconut midrib or kitchen string
HOW TO COOK:
- Combine the shrimp, grated coconut meat, onion, ginger, garlic, and siling labuyo and chop them together using a large knife or cleaver until the mixture looks like cornmeal.
- Wrap 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mixture in two (overlapping) gabi leaves and tie each with a coconut midrib or kitchen string.
- Line a heavy bottom pot with the smashed tanglad and arrange the pinangat pieces on top.
- Pour the thin coconut milk over the pinangat.
- Cover the pot and simmer over low heat, shaking it once in a while to prevent burning.
- The pinangat is done when the gabi leaves are already soft or when all of the thin coconut milk has evaporated.
- While the pinangat is cooking, boil together in a separate saucepan the thick coconut cream, garlic, shallots and tanglad.
- Season with salt and simmer until the mixture resembles a thick creamy sauce.
- Sprinkle the spring onions on top and remove from heat.
- To serve, arrange the pinangat in a wide platter and top with the sauce. Enjoy!
IMAGE: flickr.com (den_saluta)
Also try: Ginataang Gabi Laing
