OTAN LAW-OY

              It’s perfect season for soups once again! Although Filipinos eat our hot soups all-year round, from where I am at (Northern California), the colder weather calls for some really comfort soups to warm the tummy everyday. So I am getting ready my slow cooker and stock pots to make our family’s favorite soup recipes all throughout the season.

            For today, I’d like to share with you guys a fish and vegetable soup known as “law-uy”. It’s very popular in the Visayas and Mindanao region in the Philippines, particularly in Cebu where I grew up.

Also goes by the name “utan Bisaya“, it is a local favorite for its ease of preparation and delicious taste. You can get most of the ingredients for cheap or almost free if you grow vegetables in your backyard.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup of water
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 200g squash
• 3 pcs tomatoes
• 200g eggplant
• 200g okra
• 100g alugbati
• 1 cup malunggay
• 1 tsp patis
• 2 pcs mackerel
• oil for deep frying

Cooking Instructions:

1.  Fry fish in hot oil and set aside.
2.  In a pot, bring water to a boil. When boiling, add the fish and lemongrass and simmer for a few minutes till broth becomes flavorful.
3. Add vegetables except malunggay and simmer till vegetables are cooked.
4.  Season to taste with fish sauce then add the malunggay leaves last. Serve while hot.