ginataang pugita/octopus

paborito kong ginataang pugita... yup, you have read it right pugita as in octopus po at hindi po pusit (squid)...


Ingredients:

1 kilo Octopus

1 medium size niyog for your gata (coconut milk)

1 small size ginger (kapirasong luya)

3 pcs green chili pepper (3 piraso siling pangsigang)

a pinch of salt and msg

Procedure:

Making coconut milk- Coconut milk is not the juice inside a coconut, although this liquid does make a satisfying drink. Rather, coconut milk is made by squeezing the grated flesh of a coconut with some hot water resulting in a rich white liquid that looks very much like cow's milk.
My family usually make 2 batches of coconut milk, the first one is called kakang gata, the second one is I don't know, what its for is to pre-cook the octopus until its tender. Making kakang gata is adding a half cup of hot water to the pulp, then place a sieve covered with cheese cloth over a bowl and pour the coconut meat and water into the sieve squeezing handfuls of the coconut meat to extract the milk. To make the second milk is just add another 1 cup of water and repeat the process and put the milk in a casserole. Add the octopus, ginger, green chili pepper, garlic and salt/msg. Boil until octopus is tender or the milk is almost dry. Then add the kakang gata, and let it boil for 5 minutes.