CEBU CITY, Philippines — They do not smell nice especially when you are surrounded by containers of ginamos (fermented fish) and hipon (salted baby shrimps) at a public market.
But to many Cebuanos, these two are all-time favorites that truly makes a meal interesting and appetizing.
Ginamos is fermented fish that is best paired with boiled kamote (sweet potatoes) or boiled banana. Ginamos is often mixed with vinegar or kalamansi juice and then made spicy by sili kulikot or those small red chillies that will truly awaken your other senses as it numbs your tongue.
What Cebuanos call as hipon or the pink-colored lumps of baby shrimps is what our friends from Luzon call bagoong alamang. Slices of green mangoes is often paired with hipon.
But try to sauté hipon with minced garlic and pork fat and you already have a viand that will get you through breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Just remember to drink lots of water because ginamos and hipon are salty.
Ginamos and hipon are sold for only P15 per small cup at the T. Padilla Public Market.
Ikaw, what is your favorite appetizer?