Soup of sautéed tinapa (smoked fish) and bitter gourd leaves

Soup of sautéed smoked fish and bitter gourd leaves

The heartiest of appetites are brought on by rainy days - that’s what I notice. Almost anything tastes good. Freshly steamed rice with tuyo (dried salted fish, usually sardines) dipped in very spicy vinegar, bibingka, fish escabeche - all these and a lot more are perfect when the skies are pouring. At home, all sorts of soups make their appearance.

One of the most favoured is a soup made from tinapa (smoked fish) in a tomato base. Originally, it is called sabo tinapa-culut apalya but since I couldn’t find culut (culatding in Tagalog - thanks Maricel!) - the tendrils and very small leaves occuring in clumps and only emerge after harvesting the bitter gourd (ampalaya in Tagalog - Momordica charantia) - I had to settle for the regular bulung which means dahon in Tagalog and leaves in English.

If culut is used, the leaves are placed into the soup upon serving it on the table, just before eating. If regular leaves are used however, these are dropped into the pot to cook slightly. Since the leaves are still somewhat fresh when eaten, there is no bitter taste. However, if they are left to steep in the soup for a long time, the bitter taste then comes out. For many Kapampangans however, it is this taste which is sought after. We love spicy, sweet, sour and bitter in our food. And apalya is not worthy of its name if it is not bitter. In our family, much as we love this soup freshly cooked, we also like it the day after, when the taste of the leaves have flavoured the broth. Re-heated once or twice, it is a balm to the body and soul, especially on a rainy day.

Sabo Tinapa-Bulung Apalya

4-5 sardine-type tinapa, peeled, deboned and flaked (any kind can be used)
1 tablespoon crushed native garlic (double the amount if using the larger variety)
2 medium onions
7-10 medium ripe tomatoes
1 bunch culut apalya or leaves, detached from stem (your desired amount)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon salt (approximation only)
3-5 cups of water

Garlic, onions, tomatoes and flaked tinapa Boiling sautéed tinapa broth


In a pot, sauté the garlic only till fragrant then add the onion. Cook till transparent then add the tomatoes. Stir gently, add a pinch of salt to extract the juices then cover the pot. Simmer for around ten minutes over low fire - or until the tomatoes have softened substantially to form a base for the soup.

Stir in the tinapa and leave to simmer for around 5 minutes, pouring a few tablespoons of water if it dries up. Once the tinapa flakes have broken up into smaller pieces, pour in a cup of water, add salt to taste and simmer for around ten minutes. Add another cup of water, leave to boil then drop the bitter gourd leaves. The soup is ready as soon as it has reached boiling point.

Note: A can of sardines in tomato sauce can substitute for tinapa.

Best served very hot with a plate of rice and broiled or fried fish. With some baguc (bagoong or shrimp fry paste) and some spicy vinegar, it’s a perfect meal! Life is good!