I had a full plate last week, what with a birthday in the family, and then our high-school homecoming. I only cooked for the former, but the latter was definitely more grueling; it has been 30 years, after all, and there were gatherings all over town: a batch party, another for elementary classmates only, smaller reunions of old cliques. By grand alumni night we had had our fill of each other’s faces. And catered food (not to mention lechon). On my way to the affair, we passed vendors at a corner sidewalk. Bolináw! I called home to have someone check if they had tugnos, the small kind.
There is nothing more comforting and invigorating than home-cooked fish soup. I could have tinowa everyday and not tire of it. Fish head is especially suited for the dish, the eyes a delicacy, but tinowang tugnos/anchovy fry is special, bolináw being seasonal. True, some years there is so much of the fish we get sick just looking at them. This season followed a lackluster one, so for now we are in bolináw heaven.
The most important thing in tinowang bolináw is not to overcook the fish or else they become in turns mushy and grainy. Boil the herbs/spices first (lemongrass, green onion, tomato, finger chili) and season soup with salt, a pinch of sugar, and/or fish sauce, also MSG if you like (I prefer hon-dashi), adjusting to taste before adding the fish. Let come to a boil, add the juice of a kalamansi or two, then the vegetable component (bago leaves here), and cover for a minute or so. Serve hot, preferably alongside fritters of the fish (tortang bolináw). Did I mention it’s great for a hangover?
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