Kinilaw – the Pinoy Sashimi

Kilawin or also known as Kinilaw is a native Filipino dish of amazing freshness made from raw seafood soaked in vinegar. Some food experts said that Kinilaw resembles the Ceviche of Central America for the bathing of seafood with citrus juice. However, the ceviche is cooked after soaking for long hours in sour juice, kinilaw is really eaten raw. Kinilaw could be best compared with the Japanese sashimi.

Kinilaw can be varied in style (Photo courtesy of marketmanila.com)

Even though various types of vinegars are best souring liquid for Kinilaw, you can also use calamansi and other lime juices. Spices such as onion, ginger and siling labuyo are also added in the bathe to balance out the sour taste. Some varieties have kamyas and green mangoes for extra sourness.

For the sea food main ingredient, it seems that every known sea food in the Philippine marine dishes can be prepared for a kinilaw. Even raw shells bathed in vinegar or calamansi is a variety of kinilaw.

Even though fresh raw sea food are the most famous type of kilawin, there are other raw food that can be easily soaked in vinegar and can be classified as kinilaw.

For instance, vegetable kinilaw can be made from ampalaya or puso ng saging. There are also kinilaw for pork, beef and goat.

Try this basic recipe for Fish Kinilaw

Serves 2-4 for appetizer

½ cup sukang maasim (white vinegar) or any kind of souring liquid you prefer

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

2-4 chili, sliced diagonally

11/2 tsp sea salt or table salt

Black pepper for added spice

1 kilo fish (tuna, tanigue or yellow fin)

Calamansi for extra souring

Cooking procedure

In a large dish, mix the vinegar, ginger, chili, salt and pepper. Cover then store in the fridge for later use.

Cut the fish into medium pieces or about ¼ inch thick

Once ready for serving, place the fish into the dish with the vinegar mixture and toss for bathing. Put all the contents into a serving plate and serve with rice or lots of beer.