Mida Food, my source for all edible creatures under the sea, just recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.

The company was formed in 1997 when the opportunity to import tuna from Indonesia presented itself. Since then, its product line continues to expand to include varieties of crab (soft-shell crab, king crab, snow crab), lobster, shrimp, squid, octopus, bacalao, halibut, dory, cod, salmon, tuna, scallops and mollusks.

Mida Food managing director Chingling Tanco, through the Fisheries and Aquatic board, advocated for Vannamei shrimp aquaculture—a species developed in the United States that is more efficient and ultimately cheaper to grow.

Through Tanco’s efforts, Vannamei is now the leading aquacultured species in the Philippines. As the economy continues to strengthen, an emerging market is in search for variety. This paved the way for the creation of its retail brand, Pacific Bay.

For the home cook

Pacific Bay was made with the home cook in mind. The seafood comes cleaned, cut to serving size, and ready to cook. It has revolutionized the preparation of fish and shellfish for the homemaker.

The variety of what’s available allows the home cook to create restaurant-quality dishes at home.

Congratulations to Chingling Tanco and Enrique Valles (Mida Food president) for their unwavering commitment to product excellence and for bringing the best of the sea to our kitchens.

As a treat, I’m sharing some of the recipes that were prepared during Mida Food’s 20th anniversary celebration.

Chef Jonas Ng of Le Jardin’s Pomelo Salad with Prawn and Crab Meat

150 g pomelo seeded
60 g prawns, poached and peeled
30 g crab meat, cooked
1 tbsp shredded coconut, toasted
1 tbsp glutinous rice, toasted ground
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp fresh mint
1 tbsp fresh cilantro
30 g romaine lettuce heart, sliced thin
1 tbsp shallot, fried
2 tbsp peanuts, roasted

Make the dressing, making sure it has a balance of sweet, sour and salty.

Peel and break pomelo into bite-size chunks. Toss the pomelo, prawns, crab, cilantro, mint, lettuce in a large bowl.

Toss in the ground roasted rice, ground toasted coconut, and nuts.

Finish with the dressing.

Top with crispy shallots. Add chili for spice if desired.

Chef Roland Laudico’s Kinilaw

Chef Lau says this kinilaw is special not just because the fish used is hamachi, but it also combines a calamansi and coconut cream-based sauce with a spicy capsicum sauce.

It is made interesting with a twist of candied ginger.

500g hamachi, sliced sashimi-thick (or use tuna or tanigue)

Sea salt to taste

Filet hamachi and slice ¼ inch thick (as you would sashimi), thick or thinner as you would a carpaccio.

Season with sea salt before serving.

For the coconut calamansi espuma:

250 ml coconut milk
60 ml calamansi juice
120 g egg whites
15 g gelatin powder

Let gelatin bloom by adding it with a tablespoon of warm water. Heat calamansi juice and mix in bloomed gelatin, then add to warm coconut milk and mix until gelatin dissolves completely.

Transfer mixture to a bowl. Cool down gelatin mixture and whisk in egg whites.

Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Transfer the mixture to a siphon and add 1 or 2 N20 gas cartridges to make an espuma or use an immersion blender to create foam. Or you can also whisk very hard and scoop out the foam that develops on top.

For the candied ginger:

250 g ginger, thinly sliced
250 g sugar
2 ½ c water
¼ c reserved ginger liquid
Boil 250 grams ginger in 2 ½ cups water until soft around 30 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup of ginger water.

In a different sauce pan add sugar and ginger. Cook until the sugar has completely melted to a thick syrup. Do not caramelize.

Toss in soft ginger pieces, then place on parchment paper and let it dry for a day.

Spicy capsicum puree:

200 g red bell pepper, roast and peel skin off
50 g red onion
25 g garlic
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
30 g Dijon mustard
30 ml coconut vinegar
2-4 pcs sili labuyo
Sea salt to taste

Put everything in a blender and puree until smooth. If it is too thick, add more vinegar. If too thin, add more roasted capsicum.

Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs, chopped green onions, chopped red onions, chopped candied ginger.

To assemble:

On a plate, add spicy capsicum sauce and spread. Add hamachi slices and sprinkle with sea salt.

Top hamachi with the coconut calamansi espuma or foam, then add garnish of chopped red onions, green onions and candied ginger and fresh cilantro sprigs.

Mida Food, tel. 5240006