Things you can do with Pla-pla
Gerry’s Grill offers new ways of putting twist to big tilapia, also known as pla-pla.
Experts say that tilapia is one of the most versatile seafood in the world. In fact, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service in the US, tilapia ranks fifth as the most consumed seafood because of its high growth rate, adaptability to different environmental conditions, and ability to reproduce in captivity.
In some Asian countries such as the Philippines, the smaller variety is simply called tilapia, and the larger ones are called pla-pla.
Any chef or cook can play up with its mild flavor and rich texture through various ingredients and cooking methods – on the grill, fillet, cooked in broth or with sauce, fried, steamed, or prepared with dry rub or marinade, seasoned with just lime or pepper, dipped in toyo and calamansi, or bagoong with mango-tomato salad on the side.
Big tilapia or pla-pla takes center stage as Gerry’s Grill launches its newest dishes, courtesy of its Head Chef Fred Redoblado, who has been with the restaurant for the last 10 years.
First on the menu: the fish and chips, a platter of fish cubes wrapped in batter and deep-fried for that perfect crispiness, served with fries on the side and mayo garlic dip.
Sinigang na plapla sa miso is not just your typical sour broth dish. The mild taste of pla-pla complements the tanginess of the broth and the fresh crispiness of the vegetables.
Another must-try is the crispy pla-pla with ensaladang talong, deep-fried whole pla-pla served with eggplant salad. Then, there’s the ginataang pla-pla, fish fillet simmered in coconut milk and ginger and garnished with siling labuyo, and the pinaputok na pla-pla, steam-fried whole pla-pla seasoned with salt and pepper and wrapped in foil.
When you cook daing na tilapia, seasoned it with toyo, and top it with fried garlic, then you’ll have Sizzling tilapia ala Pobre. This dish is a perfect beer match. It is quite tender and has the right saltiness. Just squeeze calamansi and it would be perfect!
Then, the star of the night is the sizzling binagoongan. It’s your typical binagoongan na baboy with a twist. Instead of serving it plainly, Gerry’s serves it on a hot plate. The pork is quite tender and it is not too salty, even if it is cooked with bagoong alamang.
“We take out dishes that are not moving,” shares Meggie Jose, Gerry’s Grill marketing director. “Like for instance, the baked tahong. We used to have two tahong dishes: tahong ala pobre and the baked tahong. But since we already have baked scallops, and tahong ala pobre is more saleable, we decided to take baked tahong out.”
Since its opening in 1997, Gerry’s Grill has been making waves by introducing innovative dishes. Diners are served with only the freshest food which becomes all-time Filipino favorites such as sisig, crispy pata, and kare-kare, among others. For more information, log on to www.gerrysgrill.com or visit the Gerry’s Grill branches located nationwide. – Article courtesy of The Manila Bulletin
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