Kinilaw

Kinilaw(pronounced[kɪnɪˈlaʊ]or[kɪˈnɪlaʊ], literally "eaten raw") is a rawseafooddish and preparation method native to thePhilippines.It is more accurately a cooking process that relies onvinegarand acidic fruit juices (usuallycitrus) todenaturethe ingredients, rather than a dish, as it can also be used to prepare meat and vegetables.Kinilaw dishes are usually eaten asappetizersbefore a meal, or asfinger food(Tagalog:pulutan) withalcoholic drinks.Kinilaw is also sometimes calledkilawin, especially in thenorthern Philippines, but the termkilawinmore commonly applies to a similar lightly grilled meat dish.
The most common kinilaw dish iskinilaw na isda("fishkinilaw"), prepared using raw cubed fish mixed with vinegar (usuallycoconut vinegarorcane vinegar) as the primarydenaturingagent; along with a souring agent to enhance the tartness likecalamansi,dayap(key lime),biasong,kamias(bilimbi),tamarind, greenmangoes,balimbing, and greensineguelas. It is flavored with salt and spices likeblack pepper,ginger,onions, andchili peppers(commonly thesiling labuyocultivar).An average serving of fish kinilaw contains just 147 calories.
To neutralize the fishy taste and acidity before serving, juice extracts from the grated flesh oftabon-tabon,dungon, or young coconuts are also commonly added.Tannin-rich extracts (tungog) from the bark scrapings ofbakawantrees (Rhizophoramangroves) orsineguelasare also used similarly.Some regional variants also includegatâ(coconut milk), sugar, or evensoft drinksto balance the sourness.
Fish are primarily used, ranging fromtanigueortangigue(Spanish mackerels,king mackerel, orwahoo),malasugi(marlinsorswordfish),tambakol,bangus, shark, andanchovies.Other variants include shrimp, squid, clams, oysters, crabs, sea urchinroe,seaweed, jellyfish,shipworms(tamilok), or evenbeetle larvae.
Seafood must be fresh and properly cleaned, mitigating health hazards involved with consuming raw seafood.Some like squid, however, must be blanched to tenderize the flesh.
Kinilaw also refers to dishes using raw fruits and vegetables marinated in vinegar and spices, in which case the dishes are sometimes referred to by the Spanish termensalada("salad"). Examples includepipino(cucumber),ampalaya(bitter melon), youngcamoteleaves, youngpapaya,pako(fern), andbanana flowers.
Kinilaw is native to the Philippines. Thebalangayarchaeological excavation site inButuan(dated c. 10th to 13th century AD) uncovered remains of halved tabon-tabon fruits and fish bones cut in a manner suggesting that they were cubed, thus indicating that the cooking process is at least a thousand years old.It was also described by Spanish colonists and explorers to the Philippines, with the earliest mention being in theVocabulario de la lengua tagala(1613) ascqinicqilaoandcquilao,aHispanicized spellingof theVisayanverbkilaw("to eat raw"), and acognateof the adjectivehilaw("raw", "uncooked", or "unripe").Other sources that mention it include theVocabulario de la lengua Pampanga en romance(1732) asquilao; and in the 1754 edition ofVocabulario de la lengua tagalaasquilauin.
Unlike Latin Americanceviches, which exclusively use citrus juices (which are not native to the Americas), kinilaw instead primarily uses a combination ofvinegarand citrus (native to tropical Asia), and other acidic fruit juices.
Some of the oldest surviving kinilaw variants are from the southernVisayasandNorthern Mindanao, likeCagayan de Oro's kinilaw (sometimes stylized askinilaw de Oro) andDumaguete'sbinakhaw. Both are direct descendants of ancientVisayanpreparation methods as displayed in the Butuan archeological finds. These are the original versions that use tabon-tabon and dungon fruits respectively.
Several regions of the Philippines have local specialties or names ofkinilawdishes. InNorthern Luzon, particularly among theIlocano people,kinilawis commonly referred to askilawinorkilawen. Among Ilocanos, however, the termkilawenis understood as a method of food preparation that encompasses a variety of raw, lightly cooked, or cured dishes, including those traditionally classified askinilaw.These dishes are typically prepared using raw, lightly grilled, or boiled meat or seafood, marinated insugarcane vinegar(sukang Iloko) or citrus juices such ascalamansiordayap.The most commonly used ingredients include fish,shrimp,carabao, beef, goat, and pork, which are seasoned with ginger, chili, salt, and other spices to enhance their flavor. Notable examples ofkilawinorkilawendishes includeKilawen nga Ipon(babyanchoviesor small fish), Jumping Salad (live shrimp),Kilawen a Kalding(grilled goat meat),Insarabasab(a dish similar todinakdakanbut without pig brain), Ata-ata orKappukan(rare beef or carabao meat) andKudilorCaliente(boiled carabao or cow skin). These dishes are integral to Ilocano cuisine and are highly regarded for their tangy and robust flavors.Among theIvatan peopleof theBatanesislands refer to kinilaw aslataven. Fish lataven is known aslataven a among(also spelledlataven a amung).
In the southern Philippines, theTausug peopleof theSuluislands refer to fish kinilaw aslawal. Unlike other kinilaw dishes, lawal uses vinegar only to wash the fish, and uses citrus fruits and other souring agents to denature the fish meat.Among theSama-Bajau people, it is known askilauorkinilauand sometimes includes unripe mangoes as a souring agent. Among theMaranao peopleof southwesternMindanao,biyaringis a type of kinilaw made with tiny shrimp. It is a regional favorite and is notable because it is ideally prepared while the shrimp are still alive.
A common way of serving kinilaw in the islands ofVisayasandMindanaoissinuglaw, which combines fish kinilaw (usually tuna) and charcoal-grilledpork belly(sinugba).