Siyagul

Aliazer Abdurajim


Siyagul is one of the Tausug delicious viand which cannot be found in other cultures in the Philippines. I believe so, because of the presence of burned coconut and coconut milk that serve as main spices of it. Sting ray, shark and eel are ideal to cook siyagul. Siyagul has few techniques that need to follow especially if to cook shark or stingray meat. Just follow the steps below enable you could experience the awesome taste of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg. cleaned stingray meat
• Onion - 1 pc
• Garlic - 5 cloves
• Ginger - 2 thumbs
• Tumeric - 2 thumbs
• Black pepper
• Lemongrass - 2 pcs.
• Salt to taste
• Chili pepper
• Sugar - 1/2 tablespoon
• Vinegar
• Coconut - 1/2 (to be burned)
• Coconut Milk - 1 Liter

Method:

• Slice the cleaned stingray meat into cubes.
• Wash the sliced meat cubes with vinegar
• Cut the onion and peel the ginger, garlic and turmeric
• burn the coconut
• Pound the ginger, turmeric, black pepper, burned coconut, and garlic separately with pestle on mortar.
• Mix pounded ginger, turmeric, and burned coconut with sliced meat.
• Heat the frying pan and put a little cooking oil.
• Put the onion first on the hot frying pan before garlic, ginger, black pepper, and lemongrass
• Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger until they turn to reddish.
• Place the mixture meat on the sauté spices. Do not mix first the meat and sauté spices.
• Cover the frying pan.
• Make sure the water produced by the meat decrease (not dry), before pouring coconut milk into i t. To make sure before adding coconut milk check the flesh of the stingray meat first, if it is separated from its bone.
• If the coconut milk have been added, add salt, pounded chili pepper and sugar.
• Leave the frying pan to boil maximum of 10 minutes.