Fuchka, Fish, and Mangoes

Probably all you foodie friends out there are wondering where my pictures of food are. I was debating what to display-- fuchka (a typical street food), fish, or mangoes (fuchka won out; it’s pronounced “fooch-ka”). Today I woke up a little homesick and had a sore throat, so I decided to cook some familiar foods today. Breakfast- French Toast. Lunch- Oatmeal. Dinner- Fish adobo. Dinner was a project. First off, I had to walk 25 meters to the nearby market while avoiding rain puddles, swerving rickshaws, and impatient drivers. Then, I wasn’t sure whether the store was open because it seemed dark inside, but soon I remembered the frequent power outages here and discovered that it was, in fact, open. When I approached the fresh meat counter, I debated between chicken and fish. Since the fish eyes looked fresh, I decide on a 12-inch, 700 gram fish. When I got home, I knew I had to gut it somehow, but I was too scared to gut it fresh. I let the fish simmer a bit and then took it out of the pan, and holding a dull knife against its stomach I made a cut. To my surprise, red liquid squirted out; at least it was fresh. I added soy sauce, a whole head of garlic, and finally, a little vinegar (but no bay leaves). Fortunately, my roommate and her friend found the fish tasty. I know all you Filipinos out there would be proud that I shared our ethnic food today (especially you, LL)! After dinner, we ate some fresh mangoes and now I’m feeling MUCH better. Miss you all!