Cooking Stingray meat with coconut milk and medicinal herb

Backgrounder

Stingray belongs to a family of bottom dwelling rays having a long, whip like tail bearing one or more serrated venomous spines. Stingray is also called stingaree. Although stingray belongs to protected specie in the Philippines, it is not listed in endangered category of marine species strictly prohibited by law for any commercial use and for other purposes. But just the same, fishermen were advised not to over-catch the stingray family in their fishing activities, otherwise they will be in endangered list soon enough.

Stingray meat has no exact food properties but it was said that it has 20% protein with a little of mercury which is usually found in marine species like tuna, salmon etc. Nevertheless, stingray meat offers a savory dish one cannot resist even those with discriminating taste buds.

Horseradish tree (moringa oleifera) also called malunggay in the Philippines is very much known worldwide for having the most vitamins among the green leafy vegetables available in the market or in backyard farming. Many articles attributed to horseradish tree that can be found in the internet and in health forums and seminars detailing the health benefit of the said plant.

Peppermint is an herbal plant recognized around the world for having medicinal properties. People in the Philippines most especially in the south, use peppermint in cooking for added flavor and taste. Peppermint is proven to help a person having seizure and a sleepy driver on wheels by just squeezing the leaves near to the nostril. Other benefits attributed to peppermint can be found in the internet.

Lemongrass is widely used in Asia especially in cooking and likewise it is a herbal plant good for different kind of illness like irregular bowel movement, colon disease and UTI to name a few.

Onion, garlic, ginger and pepper these four spices form the basic part of cooking and everybody knows the benefit it brings to dishes and to health as well.

Coconut milk also contains health benefits known all over South East Asia but not in the West. For one, coconut milk is effective in maintaining a healthy hair, of slowing the “gray matter” and prevents dandruff from developing. Other attributes can be found in the web.

Stingray meat ingredients

One kilo sliced Stingray meat

Salt

Minced Garlic

Minced Ginger

Pepper

Chopped Onion

Peppermint

Lemongrass

Coconut milk

Horseradish tree

Procedure

1. Wash thoroughly the stingray meat

2. Boil the meat for 5 to 10 minutes

3. After boiling, remove the bone and the sandpaper-like outer skin layer of the meat in slow running tap water

4. Hand-squeeze the meat to remove the remaining stench or “fishy taste”

5. Separate the coconut milk in to two ( use coconut milk powder or grated coconut)

*add 2 cups of water to the first half of coconut milk powder

*add 4 cups of water to the other half of coconut milk powder

6. Put the onion, garlic and peppermint into the first half of coconut milk

6. Cook the stingray meat by using the other half of the coconut milk together with ginger and lemongrass for 20 minutes or until it becomes tender

7. And then put the remaining first half of the coconut milk together with horseradish tree and pepper, add salt for a better and balance taste.

8. Cook for another 3-5 minutes and presto you have now a stingray meat cooked in coconut milk spiced with herbs.

Note: Do not over-cook the horseradish tree to maintain its vitamins. Hot chili is optional.