Tuyo refers to any salted dried fish. In Tagalog, it’s literally translated to mean dry. Sun drying is the oldest way of preserving fish and thus giving it several years of shelf life. The Southern and Central Philippines is known to have the most varieties of dried fish available in the market.

Cooking dried fish can be bit of a hassle though because of it’s pungent smell. This can either be something good or a turn off depending on the person. In recent years, there are entrepreneurs who developed and made what they call “gourmet tuyo”. These are pre-cooked (fried) tuyo bottled in oil. This became an instant hit to those living outside the Philippines who crave for this delicacy but want to forgo the hassle of cooking it.

Nowadays, there are several brands in the market you can choose from. I for one prefer “Connie’s Kitchen”. I was introduced to this product by a friend who gifted me a bottle way back in 2005. I find that it does not have a very strong smell and is not as salty as the traditional dried tuyo. This brand is of good quality because the fish stays firm and does not fall apart when you take it out.

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The best and simplest form of eating it is to serve it with garlic fried rice and a sunny side egg. You can have some tomatoes and mangoes one the side as well. Some prefer having a dipping sauce of vinegar to cut the salt. Traditionally tuyo is served for breakfast but I can eat this anytime of the day.

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