Aside from Bicol Express that everyone loves, we are so delighted to introduce another pride of the Bicolandia Cuisine— Ginataang Kinunot na Pagi! This Flaked Sting Ray in Coconut Cream Sauce is just one of the best Bicolanos have offered to Filipino cooking. This dish has thrived not only in Region V, rather this has reached the farthest islands of Batanes and Tawi-Tawi. Believe it or not, Filipinos are so excited to have this on their table!
Background
The term pagi (sting ray) may not be as common to kids of today’s generation, but it surely is in the vocabulary of the older generations! They love its tasty flavor especially when cooked with coconut milk, because it is no less creamy and indulging. Kinunot, which is a Bikolano term, is hinimay when translated in Filipino, or simply to make into flakes (like tiny bits and pieces). Basically this dish is thinly-sliced sting ray in coconut milk spiced with flavorful ingredients.
Sting rays or pagi have some “smell,” right? How do we remove that not-so pleasant smell?
You will notice in our cooking instructions, that we boil the sting ray with ginger. That itself is the solution; doing so minimizes the unpleasant smell of our main ingredient.
What is the best alternative for kangkong leaves and stalks?
While it is good to have kangkong in your recipe, you may also opt for some leafy veggie in lieu of it when not available. Use malunggay, which, too, is a good match to your kinunot na pagi.
Cooking Tips
- If you want to thicken the soup, it is a mortal sin to add corn starch to your dish. Never do that. Instead, we recommend that you pour a considerable amount of coconut milk before the cooking is over. It will coat the dish with some milky coconut cream and will thicken the mixture.
- In preparing the coconut cream, ready two sets. The first one is more saturated since this is obtained from the first round of squeezing the coconut meat. The second one is less creamy; this is from the second round of squeezing the same coconut meat. In cooking, pour the second set first before using more saturated one. This will give you the perfect creamy flavor of the milk you’ve always wanted to have.
Getting you hungry, let’s get cooking!
| PREP TIME | COOK TIME | TOTAL TIME | COURSE | CUISINE |
| 30 mins | 30 min | 1 hr | Main Course | Filipino |
- Pagi (sting ray)
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Thin-sliced ginger
- Onion
- Tomato (remove the seeds)
- Sliced chili
- Spring onion
- Kangkong
- Bay leaves
- Pepper
- Salt
- Vinegar
- Prepare water in a pot and put the pagi.
- Add ginger and cover to boil for 10-15 minutes.
- Prepare crushed garlic.
- When cooked, remove the pagi from the pot.
- Prepare thin slices (as in flakes) of the meat. You may use fork to tear them into pieces.
- Heat oil in the pot.
- Sauté garlic, onion, and ginger in medium heat.
- Add the sliced tomato.
- Add the flaked pagi, followed by the bay leaves, pepper, and salt.
- Mix them altogether. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
- Mix again to cook evenly.
- Add the coconut milk.
- Add water, then mix.
- Add kangkong to the mixture.
- Add the chilis.
- Add vinegar next. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Now, your Kinunot na Pagi is ready to be served!
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