Sardines – A Favorite Old Reliable

By SOL JOSE VANZI

Rich or poor, many Filipinos have found themselves facing a food crisis: One can of sardines to feed a family. This happened to me many times during typhoons, even during news coverages, when a bunch of us reporters would be caught in a fix with nothing substantial but canned sardines to tide us over.

Sardines are the most versatile canned food products, probably why they are the top choice of Filipino relief goods recipients.

1. Sardines do not require any cooking; they can be eaten straight out of the can.
2. Sardines do not require special handling; the cans survive being dropped from choppers and getting soaked in rain and flood waters.
3. Sardines can be eaten with rice, bread, boiled bananas, or camote.
4. Sardines can be stored for several months in a relief warehouse.

A thousand ways with sardines

Uncooked, sardines need only the addition of calamansi and soy sauce, or patis and fresh chili peppers.

Synopsis of biological data on Philippine sardines: (Sardinella perforata, S. fimbriata, S. sirm, S. longiceps) (FAO fisheries biology synopsis)

Sardines Sisig – Mash the sardines with the sauce; add chopped onions and fresh chili peppers, bell peppers, and ground black pepper. At the last minute, splash with Ilocos vinegar or calamansi juice.
Mexican Sardines Salsa – Into a bowl of chopped tomatoes, onions and chili peppers, add a small can of undrained sardines and mix well until the fish is broken into pieces. Serve on toast with grated cheese.

Sardines Tacos – Spoon sardines salsa into crisp Taco shells. Dot with sour cream.

Sardines with Tausi and Tofu – Saute sardines with garlic, onions, tausi (salted black beans), and a little ginger. Add Tofu cubes and red or green peppers.

Menudong Sardinas – Stir-fry diced potatoes with onions and tomatoes, add sardines, and simmer until potatoes are done.

Sardines Pizza – Spread mashed sardines on pandesal halves. Sprinkle with grates cheese. Brown in a toaster oven for 5-8 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Sardines Pasta – Saute sardines with lots of garlic and onions, sprinkle with chopped green onions and parsley. Mix with cooked pasta and serve with grated cheese.

Baked Macaroni with Sardines – Substitute canned sardines for the required ground meat or sausages in any pasta recipe.

Ampalaya Con Sardinas Cardillo – Saute one can sardines with onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Add two cups water and one bouillon cube. Stir in ½ kilo sliced ampalaya, stir-fry two minutes. Stir-in one well-beaten egg, and mix until the egg thickens the sauce. Serve immediately.

Ginisang Pechay sa Sardinas – Sauté sardines in garlic, tomato, and onion. Add two cups water and one bouillon cube. Salt to taste. Stir in ½ kilo shredded pechay. Cook just until pechay leaves are wilted.

Sardinas Torta – Mash one can sardines, add cooked cubed potatoes (either fried or left-over boiled potatoes). Mix in two or three beaten eggs and whatever herbs are available. Season with salt and pepper and fry into little patties.

Sardine Omelet – Just like the torta without the potatoes and herbs.

Fried Stuffed Eggplants – Grill eggplants and peel off skin. Stuff with mashed canned sardines. Soak with beaten egg and fry until brown on both sides.

Sardinas Bulanglang – A variant of the Ilocano vegetable dish, this time using canned sardines in lieu of bagoong or left-over fried/broiled fish.

Sardinas Burger – Drain sardines, mash with finely minced onions, bread crumbs, ground pepper, and enough eggs to bind the mixture. Shape into patties and fry in very little oil.

Bad news for canned food buyers

Small and medium scale processed meat producers are complaining about being pushed out of supermarket shelves by big manufacturers who, they claim, are spending huge sums for their products to be positioned in choice spots in food stores.

Felix Tiukinhoy, president of Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. said the practice could kill smaller industry players.

“The industry is now very competitive. The margins are very low. That is why food processors have to continuously innovate in introducing new variants to the consumers,” he said.

Tiukinhoy, who is chief executive and president of Cebu-based Virginia Foods Inc., said cheaper brands from other countries have also jumped into the practice, adding to the woes of smaller local brands.

Now, what does this mean to the consumer?

The ordinary shopper is deprived of the freedom of choice. And small players are robbed of the opportunity to grow. Very undemocratic, don’t you think?

Published in Manila Bulletin August 15, 2010.