Making Kinilaw na Tanigue (Raw Fish recipe)

Kinilaw, my dear readers, is a term used in the Philippines for cooking seafood, usually fish, in acetic acid. One may use vinegar, lime or calamansi or a combination of those in preparing the dish.

To reiterate, there is no heat involved in this kind of cooking.

Read on to get this one of a kind recipe.



Some of you may be more familiar with the term ceviche, based on the description above. Perhaps so, and there is no harm in associating ceviche with kinilaw. However, for the purpose of this post, let's stick with the term kinilaw which I am more acquainted with.

Again, thanks to my Pops for sharing with me his very own specialty - kinilaw na tanigue recipe. Thanks papa! :)


Ingredients in making kinilaw na tanigue:
- tanigue fish (fresh from the market), cubed

- Chinese celery, chopped

- garlic, chopped
- onions, finely chopped
- tomatoes, cubed in small bits
- ginger, crushed and chopped

- salt and pepper, to taste
- vinegar


Steps in making kinilaw na tanigue:
1. Immerse the tanigue fish in vinegar. Mix them well; as if to allow the acetic acid to cook the fish.

No need to marinate the fish for long minutes. Too much acetic acid will only make the fish meats tough rather than soft. 

Also, wash the fish in vinegar just once. Don't over-kill the fish with vinegar or lime. They-will-be-cooked-promise! The secret in making good kinilaw is buying fresh meats. That's it.

2. Drain the vinegar from the fish.
3. Add the following unto the fish:

• Chinese celery
• garlic
• onions
• tomatoes 
• ginger

4. Add vinegar to the dish; just enough to create sauce for the dish.
5. Season the dish with salt and peper.
6. Serve chilled.

Easy right? Some add coconut milk or mayo in their kinilaw dish to create that creamy texture. That's up to you. As for this recipe, we prefer it low cal, low fats. ;)

In summary:

Kinilaw na Tanigue (Fish Ceviche)

5/5 stars

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 5-10 minutes
Total time: 10-20 minutes

Calories per serving: Low calorie
Fat per serving: Low fat

Ingredients

• Tanigue fish
• Vinegar
• Garlic
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Ginger
• Chinese celery
• Salt
• Pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Wash (and cook) the fish in vinegar.
2. Drain the vinegar.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients together with the fish.
4. Add vinegar to dish.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Chill until serving time.

Enjoy this kinilaw dish with a Pork Soup ala Hototay. Yumm...

Remember me when you cook!


About the Author: Beingwell loves simple home cooking recipes. She enjoys sharing her quick easy meals, including Filipino cooking recipes in this blog. 

Enjoy cooking like a pro!