Piyalam

Back to the life in rural areas, I still remember before going to work to eat a heavy breakfast with piyalam match with siyanglag or piyutu and black coffee. They really give a full blown of power to every veins in our system. Even to work for 6 hours the stomach is still full. This is how the Tausug in Sulu archipelago did in the morning before going to work, though the viand is not always piyalam.

Piyalam is the easiest recipe to be prepared in the morning, lunch and dinner – it’s up to you what time do you prefer. This recipe cannot be called piyalam with the absence of turmeric. For me I preferred small fishes than bigger one with this recipe. Why? Try them if you’d like to know the answer.

Here are few steps to do:

Ingredients:

• ½ kg of any small fish
  
• Turmeric – 2 thumbs
  
• Ginger – 1 thumb
  
• Small onion – 1 piece
  
• Garlic – 3 cloves
  
• Lemongrass – 1 piece
  
• Aroma and pungent herb (sulasi) – 5 leaves
  
• Oil
  
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Clean the fish
  
• Peel the ginger, turmeric, onion, garlic
  
• Pound the ginger, turmeric, garlic and lemongrass with pestle on mortar
  
• Put all the ingredients on the small pot together with the fish
  
• Pour a teaspoon of cooking oil
  
• Add a cup of clean water to ensure a yummy taste of piyalam
  
• Allow it to boil for 5 minutes.