Tuna Kinilaw

Tuna Kinilaw

When you are in GenSan and you are a recognized foreign of the city, it is rare if will not be offered by the Generals with their specialty the “Tuna Kinilaw.” This food is known for its distinct taste or just the way you like it. In addition, Tuna Kinilaw has been marked as the delicacy of General Santos City since GenSan is the tuna capital of the Philippines.

Kinilaw means to cook any raw meat by soaking it to vinegar. But the process do not actually undergo some cooking, since the tuna meat is only soaked to a strong vinegar solution that makes it look like it has been cooked.

If you wanted to serve yourself some Tuna Kinilaw, you won’t find it a hard time. The recipe is surprisingly simple, yet it can drive your senses go wild to want for more of it.

Ingredients:

1/4 kilo tuna fillets (preferably yellofin tuna)

thumb-sized ginger (peeled & sliced)

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 green chili peppers, cut diagonally

1 red or green bell pepper, diced

1 cup. of vinegar

salt and pepper

1/4 c. of kalamansi juice

1 c. of kakang gata (coconut cream)

Procedure:

Wash the fillets and cut them into one-inch cubes. Place the tuna fillets in a glass bowl and sprinkle it with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Then pour in vinegar mix well again. Cover the mixture loosely and chill it for about 2 hours.

Afterwards, drain the fish. Add kalamansi juice, chili peppers, bell pepper, ginger and onion. Mix well and chill it for another 20 minutes. After chilling, pour the coconut cream in, mix well, and serve cold.

Kinilaw eating trick - Whenever you eat the fish cubes, also eat the onions with it, wherein the sourness of the fish fillet is magically contrasted with the taste of onions. 

Visit us here in GenSan for more of it. Generals are known as the best Tuna Kinilaw mixers ever. Enjoy your Tuna Kinilaw!