The mother of all Filipino festivals—yes, that’s Ati-Atihan! Celebrated every third Sunday of January in Kalibo, Aklan, the festival honors Santo Niño or Baby Jesus as Filipinos like to call it. Despite being a renowned Catholic celebration for more than 800 years, the Ati-Atihan’s origin is actually a depiction of Atis or Aetas, with its literal meaning “to be like the Atis.”
Just like any Filipino festivity, the celebration is greeted with a feast of sumptuous meals famous in the province. One of the main highlights of every Aklanon’s dining table is grilled fish! The dish always reminds them of the joy that the festival brings, even if some are not back home celebrating.
For this year’s Ati-Atihan, feast like an Aklanon with the freshly frozen Wei Wei Grilled Pompano!
• 1 large Wei Wei Golden Pompano, cleaned and scaled
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
• ½ tablespoon pepper
• 2 pieces calamansi
Are you shocked about this grilled fish that doesn’t come with a lot of fillings? That’s because the fish itself is already good as it is! One portion of this dish can yield four servings, perfect for a group of family and friends. Allot at least an hour for preparation and cooking of this dish.
1. Make light incisions on the skin of the fish.
2. Rub sea salt and pepper on the skin. Leave for 30 minutes.
3. Heat up the grill. Spread cooking oil all over the fish.
4. On medium heat, grill each side for 8-10 minutes.
5. Rest for 1-2 minutes, then squeeze calamansi.
6. Sprinkle oil all over the fish to avoid it from drying.
7. Set it on a plate, and enjoy!
Wei Wei Grilled Pompano alone is enough to make mouths water, but a dip to toyomansi (a mixture of soy sauce and drops of calamansi) surely makes it even better! Aside from it being delicious, this dish also boosts of good fat, calcium, protein, fiber, and vitamins A and C, which are all good for your health. Pair this with a good amount of rice and all is set for you to munch!
Give this a try and experience the taste of Ati-Atihan festival even without actually going home to Aklan to celebrate. Make sure that your Golden Pompano is of the best quality! Grab one now at one of our three branches (Arranque, Cubao, BGC) or in leading grocery stores nationwide. For more information, visit our website, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
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