| English | Milkfish |
| Filipino | Bangus |
| Scientific | Chanos chanos |
| Other | Giant herring |
Milkfish in the Philippines is called
bangus. The scientific name of
bangus is
Chanos chanos. It is the sole specie in the family Chanidae in the order Gonorynchiformes in the subclass Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish). It has a bright silvery sheen, a relatively small toothless mouth, and a single dorsal fin. Milkfish can grow to over a meter long although the ones found in markets are generally smaller.
It is an important aquaculture and commercial fish species. Milkfish farming has been practiced for around 800 years and provides much of the current supply. In 2007, milkfish made up 17% of global finfish production behind only the 40% share accounted for by
Atlantic salmon. The Philippines and Indonesia account for the vast majority of production. In 2009, Philippine milkfish production contributed to 14.03% of Philippine aquaculture production behind seaweed (70.23%) and ahead of tilapia (10.53%).
Philippine Bangus
Bangus – Philippine national fish?
Philippine waters are home to myriad fish species, many of which are not found elsewhere. But out of all of these fish
bangus has managed to capture the attention of Filipinos the most. There are other notable fish in Filipino culture to be sure. More popular with the masses is the inexpensive
galunggong—but it has a fishy taste (
malansa). The grouper or
lapu-lapu (a name it shares with a national hero) on the other hand is commonly served in fine restaurants. Another prized fish among foodies is the
maliputo, as is the increasingly rare
ludong. But unlike bangus fish like these usually have no role in the everyday lives of people. The tasty yet relevant fish most everyone in the country can get behind is the milkfish unofficially considered by many as the Philippines' national fish.
Taste
Milkfish has a distinct flavor; it is not a neutral bland white fish. Still its natural flavor is mild enough that it can be cooked in the manner of neutral white fish, but it tastes best when its flavor is selectively paired with complementary ingredients and cooking methods. It is said that somewhat smaller milkfish taste better. Milkfish from Dagupan/Bonuan, also have a reputation for their flavor. They can be identified by their slightly smaller and more pointed heads.
Preparation
Before cooking, the milkfish is cleaned by removing the scales and guts. It also has many small bones that will need to be removed at some point, either in preparation or later while eating. Still, deboning is optional for some recipes. Fortunately the small bones are usually clustered together facilitating their removal. The skin is often left on as it can be separated from the meat at the dining table as well or simply eaten. A dark meat lining lies between the white meat and skin and helps to naturally separate the two. The milkfish's belly fat has a flavorful taste. Indeed the belly is a prized portion of the fish. Boneless milkfish belly cuts sold in Philippine markets command a premium.
Cooking
There are many popular Filipino milkfish recipes such as
paksiw na bangus,
sinigang na bangus,
rellenong bangus,
pinaputok na bangus, bangus sa tausi,
bangus escabeche and
bangus sisig. In my view, however, the qualities of milkfish are shown to best advantage in bangus recipes where it is fried in oil to brown it and create a maillard reaction rather than steamed or baked which can leave bangus tasting somewhat limp although this can be overcome if it is accompanied in the dish by other ingredients imparting contrasting flavors and textures. The classic—and in my book definitive—way to cook milkfish is that used in
daing na bangus: marinate in vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic and then fry to a golden brown. This cooking method is applied to other fish as well but milkfish cooked this way is especially good. The vinegar and garlic moderate and blend with the flavor of the milkfish's belly fat without overwhelming it and the crispy bangus skin is a contrast with the tender meat. Fried milkfish is often served with
atsara or sliced tomato as a side dish or condiment. On the other hand cooking milkfish as a
paksiw or
sinigang has been shown to retain more of its nutritional attributes.
Milkfish in Other Countries
In Indonesia milkfish is called
bandeng; in Taiwan 虱目魚. In Taiwanese cuisine, the belly is often used in a dish of milkfish congee.
Nutrition Information
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference raw milkfish contains the following nutrients:
| Nutrient |
Unit |
Value per 100.0g |
# of Data Points |
Std. Error |
85g
|
|---|
| Proximates |
| Water
|
g |
70.85 |
2 |
-- |
60.22 |
| Energy
|
kcal |
148 |
-- |
-- |
126 |
| Energy
|
kJ |
619 |
-- |
-- |
526 |
| Protein
|
g |
20.53 |
1 |
-- |
17.45 |
| Total lipid (fat)
|
g |
6.73 |
2 |
-- |
5.72 |
| Ash
|
g |
1.14 |
1 |
-- |
0.97 |
| Carbohydrate, by difference
|
g |
0.00 |
-- |
-- |
0.00 |
| Fiber, total dietary
|
g |
0.0 |
-- |
-- |
0.0 |
| Minerals |
| Calcium, Ca
|
mg |
51 |
1 |
-- |
43 |
| Iron, Fe
|
mg |
0.32 |
1 |
-- |
0.27 |
| Magnesium, Mg
|
mg |
30 |
-- |
-- |
26 |
| Phosphorus, P
|
mg |
162 |
1 |
-- |
138 |
| Potassium, K
|
mg |
292 |
-- |
-- |
248 |
| Sodium, Na
|
mg |
72 |
-- |
-- |
61 |
| Zinc, Zn
|
mg |
0.82 |
40 |
0.040 |
0.70 |
| Copper, Cu
|
mg |
0.034 |
41 |
0.002 |
0.029 |
| Manganese, Mn
|
mg |
0.020 |
-- |
-- |
0.017 |
| Selenium, Se
|
µg |
12.6 |
-- |
-- |
10.7 |
| Vitamins |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid
|
mg |
0.0 |
-- |
-- |
0.0 |
| Thiamin
|
mg |
0.013 |
1 |
-- |
0.011 |
| Riboflavin
|
mg |
0.054 |
1 |
-- |
0.046 |
| Niacin
|
mg |
6.440 |
1 |
-- |
5.474 |
| Pantothenic acid
|
mg |
0.750 |
-- |
-- |
0.638 |
| Vitamin B-6
|
mg |
0.423 |
1 |
-- |
0.360 |
| Folate, total
|
µg |
16 |
-- |
-- |
14 |
| Folic acid
|
µg |
0 |
-- |
-- |
0 |
| Folate, food
|
µg |
16 |
-- |
-- |
14 |
| Folate, DFE
|
mcg_DFE |
16 |
-- |
-- |
14 |
| Vitamin B-12
|
µg |
3.40 |
1 |
-- |
2.89 |
| Vitamin A, RAE
|
mcg_RAE |
30 |
-- |
-- |
26 |
| Retinol
|
µg |
30 |
-- |
-- |
26 |
| Vitamin A, IU
|
IU |
100 |
-- |
-- |
85 |
| Lipids |
| Fatty acids, total saturated
|
g |
1.660 |
-- |
-- |
1.411 |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated
|
g |
2.580 |
-- |
-- |
2.193 |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated
|
g |
1.840 |
-- |
-- |
1.564 |
| Cholesterol
|
mg |
52 |
1 |
-- |
44 |
| Amino Acids |
| Tryptophan
|
g |
0.230 |
-- |
-- |
0.196 |
| Threonine
|
g |
0.900 |
-- |
-- |
0.765 |
| Isoleucine
|
g |
0.946 |
-- |
-- |
0.804 |
| Leucine
|
g |
1.669 |
-- |
-- |
1.419 |
| Lysine
|
g |
1.886 |
-- |
-- |
1.603 |
| Methionine
|
g |
0.608 |
-- |
-- |
0.517 |
| Cystine
|
g |
0.220 |
-- |
-- |
0.187 |
| Phenylalanine
|
g |
0.802 |
-- |
-- |
0.682 |
| Tyrosine
|
g |
0.693 |
-- |
-- |
0.589 |
| Valine
|
g |
1.058 |
-- |
-- |
0.899 |
| Arginine
|
g |
1.229 |
-- |
-- |
1.045 |
| Histidine
|
g |
0.604 |
-- |
-- |
0.513 |
| Alanine
|
g |
1.242 |
-- |
-- |
1.056 |
| Aspartic acid
|
g |
2.102 |
-- |
-- |
1.787 |
| Glutamic acid
|
g |
3.065 |
-- |
-- |
2.605 |
| Glycine
|
g |
0.986 |
-- |
-- |
0.838 |
| Proline
|
g |
0.726 |
-- |
-- |
0.617 |
| Serine
|
g |
0.838 |
-- |
-- |
0.712 |
More information:
- About Bangus. (n.d.). Bureau of Agricultural Research, Philippines.
- Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, Department of Agriculture, Philippines. (March 2012). Milkfish Situation Report 2006–2010.
- Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. (c. 2010). Philippine Fisheries Profile, 2009.
- Cultured Aquatic Species Information Programme – Chanos chanos. (n.d.). Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- Milkfish. (n.d.). Bureau of Agricultural Research, Philippines.
- Milkfish. (2011). Global Aquaculture Performance Index, Seafood Ecology Research Group, University of Victoria, Canada.
- Nelson, A.L. and C.Q. Marygrace. (November 23, 2007). Chanos chanos. Cultured Aquatic Species Information Programme. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department.
- Semi-intensive Culture of Milkfish. (n.d.). Department of Agriculture, Philippines.
- Tanaka, Hideyuki et al. (Eds.). (1990). Proceedings of the Regional Workshop on Milkfish Culture Development in the South Pacific. Suva, Fiji: South Pacific Aquaculture Development Project. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- Tiangson-Bayaga, Cecille Leah P. and Genevieve F. Deveza. (2005). Milkfish (Chanos chanos Forskaal) Consumption in the Philippines and the Docosahexaenoic Acid Level of the Cooked Fish. Food Science and Technology Research 11: 127–133.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. (2012). Full Report – Nutrient data for 15053, Fish, milkfish, raw. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 25.
- Yap, W.G., A.C. Villaluz, M.G.G. Soriano and M.N. Santos. (2007). Milkfish Production and Processing Technologies in the Philippines. Milkfish Project Publication Series No. 2.
- Yap, Wilfredo G. (1999). Rural Aquaculture in the Philippines. Bangkok: Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, FAO.
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