We call this Bulinao. Available in almost every local market in the Philippines, these tiny dried fishes pair well with the usual vegetable stew, mung bean soup (monggo) or even on its own as a snack.
Normal people would class this as an appetizer. I devour my appetizers with rice.
I love these things fried crispy with garlic and sprinkled with a bit of brown sugar. Sweet, salty and dipped in vinegar. Nom nom.
Although I do keep a pack of this at home, I have a favorite eatery that prepares this well. Here they added some tomato slices and a few spices for a subtle kick. I'd down that with the vegetable soup.
This isn't something to overindulge. This is a sodium beast, like any other dried fish product! But surely a must try for those who haven't tried it and a must-have in every Filipino pantry.
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