Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- For fried fish, score the skin lightly so the heat penetrates evenly and prevents curling.
- Fry fish over medium-high heat without moving it until the skin releases naturally from the pan.
- For grilled fish, oil the grates well and do not flip until the skin releases naturally.
- Remove the vein from shrimp with a toothpick for a cleaner presentation and texture.
Cooking Tips
Seafood cooks quickly — remove it from heat the moment it turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Overcooking makes it tough and rubbery. Pat shellfish dry before adding to the pan so they sear rather than steam. A hot, quick cook preserves their natural sweetness. Have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking — quick dishes leave no time for chopping mid-recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Seafood dishes are best consumed within 1–2 days. Reheat gently — microwave on low power or warm in a covered skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking. Do not refreeze thawed seafood dishes. Once reheated, consume immediately and do not re-refrigerate. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Spicy Dilis
Spicy Dilis — fresh seafood prepared Filipino-style with garlic, vinegar, and calamansi. Briny, savory, and deeply flavorful.
Instructions
- Heat a cooking pot and pour-in cooking oil.
- When the oil becomes hot, deep-fry the dried anchovies for 2 to 3 minutes or until the color turns light brown.
- Turn-off heat and remove the fried anchovies from the cooking pot. Set aside.
- Combine fried anchovies, ketchup, and hot chili sauce then mix well.
- Add brown sugar and mix until all the anchovies are coated.
- Heat the same cooking pot with the remaining cooking oil and fry the coated anchovies for 2 minutes or until the texture becomes crunchy but not burnt.
- Remove the anchovies and transfer to a serving plate.
- Serve.
Kitchen Tools We Recommend
Cook Spicy Dilis the easy way with the right tools. Shop our favorite kitchen essentials on Amazon — from reliable pots and pans to measuring tools that make Filipino cooking simpler.
🔥 Trending on Amazon right now — these products are selling fast. Check out what's climbing the charts.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- For fried fish, score the skin lightly so the heat penetrates evenly and prevents curling.
- Fry fish over medium-high heat without moving it until the skin releases naturally from the pan.
- For grilled fish, oil the grates well and do not flip until the skin releases naturally.
- Remove the vein from shrimp with a toothpick for a cleaner presentation and texture.
Cooking Tips
Pat shellfish dry before adding to the pan so they sear rather than steam. A hot, quick cook preserves their natural sweetness.
Have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking — quick dishes leave no time for chopping mid-recipe.
Substitutions
Storage & Reheating
Seafood dishes are best consumed within 1–2 days. Reheat gently — microwave on low power or warm in a covered skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking.
Do not refreeze thawed seafood dishes. Once reheated, consume immediately and do not re-refrigerate.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Comments (0)
Leave a comment