Is the common Bagoong the Probiotics of the masses?
I just finished consuming the high meat that I made in our refrigerator. This is beef I age in the refrigerator for 1 month or more. Every day I air it out and put it back. This makes good bacteria and when you eat the aged beef this is potent probiotics. Probiotics are good bacterial strains in our gut helps us digest better and makes vitamins for us.
Now I look at native Filipino traditions and I see the common bagoong is also made raw. That is raw fish or raw shrimp in salt and aged. The older the better they say. Although the provincial folk know exactly when that is. The point is, in the provinces, bagoong is an industry. Many are home made. Ah, aged meat in salt. Does this mean it is probiotic?
Lately I discovered I liked whole fish aged this way dilis or padas bagoong. I tasted dilis bagoong and it gave me a smile. I took home green unripe mangoes home but found out the dilis bagoong had been consumed by the maids. Yesterday my cook and I went to market at Tiendesitas and bought padas bagoong. I used the padas fish with cucumbers. Yummy combination. Very salty though. I tried the padas fish with my raw beef. Good combination too.
I’m relying on my taste buds to tell me I’ve had enough salty food. Is bagoong probiotic? I’m not sure. Maybe.