#katmon

Katmon

CATmon!

Katmon are flowering plants native to the country and surrounding areas from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. Their fruit is an indigenous ingredient used in sinigang.

Mahal in Baybayin surrounded by Philippine flora, all but two species can only be found in the country. 

Philippine plants featured:

Anahaw (Saribus rotundifolius) Deguai (Saurauia bontocensis) Katmon (Dillenia philippinensis) Dudoa (Hydnocarpus alcalae) Saurauia abbreviata Saurauia avellana Hydnocarpus sumatranus

This is one in a set of two printables that come in different sizes, now available in my Gumroad shop:

Sharing my pompano sinigang recipe using catmon or katmon powder from members of KUMARE Inc., in Real, Quezon. Made possible by the Women Go project of the Haribon Foundation.

INGREDIENTS

Vegetables

3 kamatis or tomato, sliced

4 siling haba

1 tali or small bunch of dahong sili or spinach, stems removed

2 red onions or 1 large white onion, sliced.

Half or full bulb garlic, peeled and diced

1 bunch sitaw or 9-10 long beans, chopped into 1 inch pieces.

1 medium talong or eggplant sliced

1 medium gabi or taro root cut into cubes

Meat

1 kilo or 2 lbs pompano (about 2 medium sized fish), sliced

Seasonings

2 sachets catmon powder OR, 8 catmon fruit peeled and sliced.

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp oil

3-4 cups water, preferably from hugas bigas or the 2nd and subsequent rinses of washing rice (adds a light texture and flavor from the rice).

DIRECTIONS

Add oil to large pot on medium heat. Sautee onion and garlic until onion is glossy.

Add sitaw and gabi, toss for 6-8 minutes to soften the long beans.

Add talong and kamatis (add catmon if using catmon fruit). Toss for 3 minutes.

Add 3-4 cups water (add catmon powder if using this instead of catmon fruit)

Stir, then and add pompano slices until they are submerged. Add water if needed. Close pot and let simmer for 10 minutes. The flavors of the souring agents plus the cooking fish will combine.

Open pot and add salt and pepper to taste, but stir soup carefully as to not damage the softened fish too much.

Once fish is cooked, and gabi and sitaw are softened, you’re done.