Midnight Express: Cavite's sinanglay na pla-pla and pancit estacion offer familiar tastes with a twist

After trying out valenciana and pansate earlier this week, Saksi's Midnight Express continues its food hopping in Cavite and tries sinanglay na pla-pla and pancit estacion. 

 

Sinanglay na pla-pla is a dish originally from Bicol. It's basically pla-pla with coconut milk or gata wrapped in pechay leaves. However, Cavite has a new take on the dish.

 

 

So what makes Cavite's version unique from Bicol's? Instead of using whole fish, Caviteños use fish fillet to avoid spines and bones. 

 

To create this recipe at home, you will need garlic, onions, tomatoes, siling pansigang, bell pepper, ginger, pechay, and coconut milk. And of course, fish. 

 

Saute garlic, onion, tomatoes, and ginger. Add siling pansigang and bell pepper. Then, put in the fish fillet and add the coconut milk. Once cooked, remove from heat and start wrapping pla-pla fillets in steamed pechay leaves. 

 

What does host Mikael Daez think of this modern version of sinanglay na pla-pla? 

 

"'Di ko alam bakit 'pag may dahon at nakabalot ang pagkain mo doon, feeling mo, 'Ah OK, healthy ito'." 

 

Pancit estacion, like palabok with a twist

 

Viewers were treated to pansate, an older version of pancit, earlier this week. But did you know that Cavite has another old pancit recipe? It's called pancit estacion. 

 

According to Caviteños, pancit estacion is from Tanza, Cavite, which is an old port and business center during the time of Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. They used to call this place 'estacion,' hence the name of the pancit.  

 

Pancit estacion looks like pancit palabok. But the addition of togue makes this recipe stand out. This dish also has tahong, squid, and chicharong bulaklak. 

 

Cooking this dish is the same as cooking as pancit palabok. Saute the garlic and onions, then add the togue. In a separate pan, cook the palabok sauce with tinapa, then put in the sotanghon. And finally, add the eggs and chicharong bulaklak and the rest of the ingredients. 

 

"Ang malalasahan mo talaga parang pancit palabok, pero may mga sangkap siya na hindi mo rin mahahanap sa normal na pancit palabok," Mikael Daez shared during his taste test.  — Trisha Macas/JST, GMA News