For many weeks now, I heard many, many times the woman fish vendor, shouting “Lobo-loboooo!” while making rounds in the subdivision where I pass by everyday. It means it’s the season of lobo-lobo once again. Lobo-lobo is a very tiny fish which others call as tabios. Tabios (Pandaka pygmaea) is related with the goby fish, which is found also in other parts of Asia.
To show you how it looks like when it’s still uncooked, I asked her if I could take a picture of this silvery white fish with a transparent flesh.
Lobo-lobo is great when you cook it as an omelet or we call it in Ilonngo as torta. Just add a little flour. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions. Make a patty. Dip in a bowl of beaten eggs, fry and there you go. A hot lobo-lobo torta in minutes! The secret of a tasty fried lobo-lobo is to fry it over high heat until it is slightly brown. Make sure it’s not over-cooked. Best paired with sinangag or just plain, warm steamed rice. Grab a bottle of ketchup and enjoy your tasty lobo-lobo. Have a nice day!
Pandaka pygmaea
