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Tuna kinilaw
Kinilaw na tanigue o tuna: raw fish cured in coconut vinegar with ginger, chilli, onion and calamansi
Kinilaw is the Visayas and Mindanao way with very fresh fish: raw cubes of tuna or Spanish mackerel (tanigue) cured briefly in coconut or palm vinegar with ginger, red onion, chilli and calamansi. In General Santos, the tuna capital, and on the beaches of Cebu and Siargao, it is made minutes after the catch and eaten as pulutan or a starter on hot afternoons. Please note: the fish is not cooked by heat; the vinegar only firms it and turns it opaque, and it does not kill all bacteria or parasites. Use only sashimi-grade fish that has been frozen to kill parasites, and pregnant women, young children, older people and anyone with a weakened immune system should not eat it. Chef's tip: pour a first splash of vinegar over the fish and drain it off, then dress it; this 'washing' firms the surface and keeps the flavour clean.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Keep 1 ⅛ lb sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna or Spanish mackerel in the fridge until the last minute. Buy it from a fishmonger who can confirm it is sashimi grade and has been frozen (−68°F for at least 7 days) to kill parasites. Use a clean board and knife and keep everything cold.
5 minStep 2: Put the cubes in a chilled glass or ceramic bowl, pour over ¼ cup coconut vinegar, toss gently for 30 seconds and drain it off.
2 minStep 3: Add ½ cup coconut vinegar, 3 tbsp calamansi or lime juice, 1 oz ginger, 1 red onion, 3 bird's-eye chillies, ½ cucumber, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and fold together gently.
3 minStep 4: Cover and chill for 5–10 minutes, until the outside of each cube turns opaque but the centre is still pink. A common mistake is leaving it for an hour: the fish turns chalky and dry, and it is no safer for it.
10 minStep 5: Stir in ¼ cup coconut milk for the creamier Mindanao style, if you like, scatter with 1 handful coriander leaves and serve straight away, well chilled. Don't leave it out for more than 1 hour, and don't keep leftovers.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tuna kinilaw take?
- About 20 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of coconut vinegar?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of coconut vinegar?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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