This Fish Stew recipe is wealthy and engaging. The dish entails simmering fish in each coconut milk and vinegar. The recipe additionally makes use of eggplants and quite a lot of peppers.
Printed: 4/4/25
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This Fish Stew recipe makes use of fish steaks, which suggests there is no such thing as a must take care of fish bones whereas consuming. The broth is wealthy and made with coconut milk, balanced by the acidity of white vinegar. Within the Philippines, this dish known as “Paksiw na Isda sa Gata.” It is sort of a mixture of paksiw na isda, which interprets to fish cooked in vinegar, and ginataang isda, which suggests fish cooked in coconut milk. This stew may be served at any time of the day, although it’s generally loved for lunch or dinner, paired with a heat cup of white rice.

The way to Cook dinner Fish Stew (Paksiw na Isda sa Gata)
- Put together the Fish – Begin by gently rubbing the coarse sea salt everywhere in the fish steaks and put aside for later use. It will make the fish extra flavorful when simmered.
- Frying the Eggplants – Warmth ¼ cup of cooking oil in a pan. Fry the slices of Chinese language eggplants for about 1 ½ minutes on all sides, or till they develop a light-weight golden brown shade. This step helps the eggplants maintain their form and provides a little bit of depth to their taste. Take away them from the pan and put aside for later use.
- Prepping the Fish for a Flavorful Base – Add the remaining cooking oil to the pan and warmth it. Place the fish steaks within the pan and fry all sides till it turns golden brown. This course of locks within the juices and enhances the general texture of the fish. As soon as fried, switch the fish to a plate and put aside.
- Constructing the Fragrant Base – Fastidiously take away extra oil from the pan, leaving about 3 tablespoons. Warmth it once more and sauté the chopped onion for a minute till it softens. Add the minced garlic and ginger, cooking them for one more 1 ½ minutes. This step builds the aromatic basis of the dish.
- Simmering the Fish with Coconut and Chili – Organize the fried fish steaks again into the pan. Pour 4 cups of coconut milk evenly over them and scatter the slices of inexperienced and Thai chili peppers on high. Sprinkle with floor black pepper for seasoning. Cowl the pan, carry the combination to a boil, and simmer for 4 minutes to mix the flavors.
- Including Tanginess and Ultimate Touches – Pour in 1 cup of white vinegar, cowl the pan, and let it boil. Simmer till the liquid reduces to half, making a wealthy, flavorful broth. Gently add the fried eggplants and season the dish with fish sauce and Maggi Magic Sarap to style. Switch to a serving plate and luxuriate in your stew with heat white rice. Take pleasure in your Fish Stew (Paksiw na Isda sa Gata)!
The way to Put together Fish in Fish Stew
To chop fish steaks, select a contemporary, cleaned entire fish. Place it on a steady reducing board, ensuring you have got a pointy knife for clear cuts. Slice by means of the fish perpendicular to the backbone, aiming for items round 1 to 1.5 inches thick. These cuts embrace each flesh and bone, which improve taste when cooked. Take away any scales or fins that may nonetheless be current to make sure a greater consuming expertise.
To organize the fish steaks for this fish stew, rinse them below chilly water to eradicate any remaining particles or blood. Pat them dry with a paper towel to keep away from oil splatters throughout frying.


Coconut Milk and Vinegar in a Dish
Some regional recipes use coconut milk and vinegar to stability their flavors. There are numerous dishes, from curries to stews, the place these substances may be included. In Caribbean delicacies, Escovitch fish is an instance the place a tangy vinegar-based sauce is paired with Coconut Rundown Sauce, mixing bitter and creamy notes fantastically. Equally, whereas conventional Indonesian Rendang doesn’t sometimes embrace vinegar, variations of the dish typically incorporate it to create a novel taste twist.
This Paksiw na Isda sa Gata recipe is one other nice instance. The coconut milk and vinegar come collectively naturally, proving how properly they will complement one another in a single dish. This mix of flavors not solely provides richness but in addition makes the stew stand out.
Which Fish Are Greatest for Fish Stews
In fish stew recipes like Paksiw na Isda sa Gata, fish steaks from snapper or tilapia are generally used. They’ve a texture that’s each agency and tender, making them appropriate for stews. They maintain their form properly throughout simmering and don’t collapse simply, even in a wealthy broth. Their gentle taste permits them to tackle the tanginess of the vinegar and the creamy style of coconut milk.


Advised Recipes
Tomato and Onion with Bagoong Isda
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Filipino Fish Stew (Paksiw na Isda sa Gata)
Fish steaks cooked in coconut milk and vinegar
Directions
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Rub the coarse sea salt on the fish steaks and put aside. (see notes beneath)
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt, 4 lbs. fish steaks
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Warmth ¼ cup cooking oil. Fry the eggplants for 1 ½ minutes per facet. Take away the eggplants from the pan. Set it apart.
1 cup cooking oil, 2 Chinese language eggplants
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Pour the remaining cooking oil into the pan after which warmth it up.
1 cup cooking oil
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Fry one facet of the fish steaks till it browns. Do the identical on the alternative facet. Take away the fried fish. Put aside.
4 lbs. fish steaks
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Scoop out the oil within the pan till the quantity will get near round 3 tablespoons. Warmth it up after which sauté the onion for 1 minute.
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Add the garlic and ginger. Proceed sautéing for 1 ½ minutes.
3 cloves garlic, 1 thumb ginger
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Organize the fried fish steaks on the pan.
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Pour the coconut milk after which distribute the inexperienced and Thai chili peppers on the pan. Add floor black pepper. (see notes beneath)
4 cups coconut milk, 2 lengthy inexperienced peppers, 5 Thai chili pepper
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Cowl the pan. Let the combination boil. Simmer for 4 minutes.
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Pour the vinegar. Cowl the pan, let the combination boil.
1 cup white vinegar
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Simmer till reduces near half.
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Add the fried eggplants.
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Season with fish sauce and Maggi Magic Sarap.
Fish sauce and floor black pepper to style, 8 grams Maggi Magic Sarap
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Switch to a serving plate. Serve with rice.
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Share and luxuriate in!
Notes
- Coarse Sea Salt – Its bigger crystals carry out the pure taste of the fish. When rubbed onto the fish steaks earlier than cooking, it seasons the floor and helps keep the fish’s firmness in the course of the frying and simmering course of.
- Spiciness Degree – Should you desire a non-spicy model of this dish, keep away from slicing the lengthy inexperienced peppers or Thai chili peppers. You’ll be able to select to skip all of the peppers or embrace just one sort. Lengthy inexperienced peppers, nonetheless, add a definite aroma and taste. Eradicating them will barely alter the general style and perfume of the dish, however it should nonetheless stay fulfilling.
Diet Data
Energy: 6693kcal (335%) Carbohydrates: 90g (30%) Protein: 385g (770%) Fats: 539g (829%) Saturated Fats: 217g (1085%) Polyunsaturated Fats: 87g Monounsaturated Fats: 204g Trans Fats: 2g Ldl cholesterol: 1197mg (399%) Sodium: 22842mg (952%) Potassium: 11771mg (336%) Fiber: 31g (124%) Sugar: 36g (40%) Vitamin A: 2566IU (51%) Vitamin C: 79mg (96%) Calcium: 383mg (38%) Iron: 39mg (217%)
Watch The way to Cook dinner Fish Stew (Paksiw na Isda sa Gata)