Baked Soy Lapu-Lapu

1 kilo whole lapu-lapu, cleaned
1 tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chopped ginger
½ cup chopped onion
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp ginger, cut into strips
½ cup sliced leeks
¼ cup salted black beans, rinsed
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sesame oil

Mix salt, pepper and sugar then rub on the skins and cavity of fish. Combine ginger and onion and stuff into fish. Lay fish in a baking pan. Pour in lemon juice.

Heat cooking oil in a pan. Saute ginger, leeks and black beans. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Pour sauce over fish then cover with a sheet of aluminum foil, folding the edges to seal pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350ºF oven for 45 minutes or until fish is cooked. Serve immediately.

Choose fresh-smelling fish with clear bulging eyes, firm scales and flesh.