Tinuktok

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg buyod or freshwater shrimp, peeled and seasoned with 1 ½ tbsp salt
• Meat of 5 lukadon (alangan na niyog, grated)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp. grated ginger
• 6 cloves garlic
• A few pieces of siling labuyo
• 20 to 25 fresh gabi leaves (should be intact with no holes)
• Young coconut midrib or kitchen string with which to tie each pinangat
• 6 to 8 stalks of tanglad or lemongrass (lower white portions only), smashed
• 3 to 4 cups thin coconut milk

For the sauce/ topping:

• 2 cups thick coconut cream
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 stalks tanglad or lemongrass (lower white stalks), smashed
• Salt
• 3 to 5 spring onions, finely chopped

Instructions:

• Combine the buyod, grated lukadon, onion, ginger, garlic and siling labuyo and chop them together using a large knife or cleaver until the mixture looks like cornmeal.
• Wrap 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mixture in two (overlapping) gabi leaves and tie each with a coconut midrib or kitchen string.
• Line a heavy-bottom pot with the smashed tanglad and arrange the pinangat pieces on top.
• Pour the thin coconut milk over the pinangat.
• Cover the pot and simmer over low heat, shaking it once in a while to prevent burning.
• The pinangat is done when the gabi leaves are already soft or when all of the thin coconut milk has evaporated.
• While the pinangat is cooking, boil together in a separate saucepan the thick coconut cream, garlic, shallots and tanglad.
• Season with salt and simmer until the mixture resembles a thick creamy sauce.
• Sprinkle the spring onions on top and remove from heat.
• To serve, arrange the pinangat in a wide platter and top with the sauce.