Mussels or tahong are the most abundant shellfish in the Philippines and it is the perfect source of iodine aside from other more expensive shellfish. This is also one of the cheapest shellfish from the sea and there are many dishes that can be cooked using this. And among the Filipino recipes that we can put in our menu is the afritadang tahong. I think this is the easiest afritada dish to cook because you just need to boil the tahong and remove the meat then put all the ingredients to the pot after sauteing the aromatics and tahong meat then presto! you have afritadang tahong!
To cook afritadang tahong; Boil tahong in 2 cups water for 2 minutes or until the shell opens. Remove the meat from shell and set aside. Saute garlic, onions and tahong. Add ginger juice and stir cook for a few seconds. Pour tomato sauce, mussel or tahong broth and annato liquid. Add vegetable and season with MSG and salt then simmer for 3 minutes. Add peanuts, bread crumbs and potatoes then mix to combine all the ingredients. Simmer for 5 minutes more until the potatoes are cooked.
How to Cook Afritadang Tahong
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 kilo tahong or mussels
- 200 grams potatoes sliced and fried
- 200 grams Baguio beans cut dagonally
- 2 tsp. ginger juice
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 medium size onion chopped
- 1/4 cup cooking oil
- 1 red bell pepper cut into strips
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup mussel broth liquid from boiled tahong
- 1 Tbsp. bread crumbs
- 1 Tbsp. ground fried or toasted peanuts
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. MSG
- 4 tsp. liquid from annato soak 1 Tbsp. annato or atsuete in 5 tsp. warm water
Instructions
How to cook afritadang tahong:
- Soak the mussels or tahong in water to remove the debris inside for a few hours.
- Then clean and trim the fibrous clumps of hair and wash in running water.
- Boil tahong in 2 cups water for 2 minutes or until the shell opens.
- Remove the meat from shell and set aside.
- Saute garlic, onions and tahong. Add ginger juice and stir cook for a few seconds.
- Pour tomato sauce, mussel or tahong broth and annato liquid.
- Add vegetable and season with MSG and salt then simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add peanuts, bread crumbs and potatoes then mix to combine all the ingredients.
- Simmer for 5 minutes more until the potatoes are cooked.
- Serve hot.
