Pesa (Bitso)

My first initiation to the Cavite lifestyle, and was taught how to cook Pesa. It’s similar to cooking Tinola, and for this recipe, a fish called Bitso was used with no sautéing involved.

Admittedly, I’ve never heard of this kind of fish until now (which means I need to explore cooking more!). I've cooked Galungong, Dalagang Bukid, Tilapia, Bangus, Tanigue and Sap-sap, and Bitso seem interesting.

Ingredients:
1Kilo Bitso fish
5 cups Rice Wash
1 Round Cabbage, sliced
2 Bundles of Pechay, ends chopped
4 Potatoes, quartered
1 Head half an inch of Ginger, sliced
1/2 tsp Salt
Pinch of Pepper

1. Boil thinly sliced ginger for 4 minutes in rice wash.
2. After 4 minutes, add the quartered potatoes and combine the sliced cabbage and pechay. Boil for 3 minutes or less, depending on your choice.
3. Add the Bitso fish and boil for 4 or 5 minutes.
4. Season with 1/2 salt to taste or as desired.
5. Add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce.
6. Add a pinch of pepper.

The outcome should have the taste of Bitso and the vegetables combined. At first, I was kind of amused about the appearance of this fish because it looked like a koi and in my attempt to be humorous, I joked that I felt bad we had to cook goldfish for lunch. But I was told that a grown Bitso is what we know as a Lapu-Lapu fish.

Admittedly, my recent initiation to gastronomical adventures by my best friend and loved one, has awakened an interest in me to pursue learning to whip up delectable concoctions, and maybe learn a trick or two on how to refine this skill to create more out of my own sleeve.