ipon, once more

This is ipon, tiny fish, but this is actually the fries of the goby fish, or in some instance, that of the anchovy fish. Some non-Ilokano folks mistake it as hipon or small shrimps (aramang, alamang in Tagalog), due to mispronunciation or the way it sounded to them. It is also called dulong in some Ilocos places (not the big and rare, and as a result, expensive, ludong). Ipon for some is considered an Ilokano "exotic" food or a kind of delicacy because of its mystery, rarity, high price, and of course, its distinct flavor favored by Ilokanos.

Ipon, freshly caught, is best as kilawen (kilawin, raw) with sliced tomatoes and onions, some ginger, and salt.

It’s also good as sinigang with soup or broth, and as tamales, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed or broiled.

And fried:

It’s also one of the best for bugguong (bottled here, the white ones)

And yes, as a torta or omellete. And dried as daing.

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More on fish and more kilawen nga ikan:

• Ipon, fish fries/silver fish
• Kilawen a tirong, picnic by the beach
• Kilawen a bilis, raw sardine/herring
• Kilawen a sosay (tanigue, tangngigue)
• Kilawen a bilis manen, sardine/herring ceviche
• Kilawen a taburkit/munamon
• Kilawen a pusit/laki
• kilawen a talibukno

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