As homegrown it may seem, kilawin or kinilaw is like the Latin American ceviche in which the seafood is dressed in citrus juices with plentiful amounts of chopped onions, ginger, and chilies to balance out the sourness.
From the book, On Food and Cooking, Harold McGee writes "Kinilaw is the indigenous Philippine version of acid marination. Morsels of fish or shellfish are dipped for only a few seconds into an acidic liquid, often vinegar made from the coconut, nipa palm, or sugarcane, to which condiments have been added."
BORN “FISH” WAY
Kilawin preparation extends to the use of vegetables, fruits and other meats like pork, beef and that of a goat. But as Yummy Magazine puts it, “Ilonggos must be born to cook seafood for any dish, even the simplest sinugba nga isda on the streets, is succulently sweet”; thus kilawin for the locals is mostly associated with seafood.
And as far as seafood varies, everything from fish, shrimps and crabs to sea cucumbers and sea urchins can be made into kilawin. Even raw oysters dressed in vinegar or calamansi can be considered kilawin as long as it is cooked in “liquid fire.”
There are two varieties of fish kilawin - one is purely vinegar-based. And the secret of delicious kilawin is (aside from the freshest fish) the purest coconut vinegar which locals refer to as dalisay. The other is gata-infused for which the coconut milk is used to soften the acidity and bring all of the flavors together.
Kilawin should be enjoyed immediately after being prepared. According to the Kinilaw book by Alegre and Fernandez: "With kinilaw, the perfect moment is marked visually by a translucence towards, but without reaching, opacity. Texturally, it is a moment when the fish or shrimp retains the firm softness of the raw, but reaches a new state of being that has been called niluto sa asim--'cooked', or more accurately transformed, in sourness."
With that in mind, after you've found yourself a good piece of fresh fish, don't ruin it by letting it marinate for too long in its kinilaw dressing thus rendering it “overcook”, figuratively, of course.
MEAT KILAWIN
Another kind of kinilaw that is popular the Ilonggos, is kinilaw nga baboy (pork). The parts used are the panit (skin) and the maskara (pig jowl and ears) because they’re tastier than the pork’s regular parts.
Unlike the kinilaw nga isda which is raw then cooked in vinegar, kinilaw nga baboy starts out cooked–either by boiling (laga) the meat lightly or broiling (sugba) over charcoal. After this, the pork is sliced into thin strips and spiced up.
Not so popular but also prepared in Iloilo is kinilaw nga panit sang kanding (goat skin). Come to think of it, goat-meat is organic as compared to commercially or backyard-raised baboy.
INSTANT KILAWIN
While kilawin is mostly made and enjoyed at home, I’ve had my share of some notable ones served in some restaurants in and out of the city.
Foremost is Breakthrough restaurant where I had my first taste of shrimp kilawin and instantly loved it. My hesitation of even just trying (at first) became craving and raving ever since then and it’s among my recommended must orders at the restaurant.
Few Sundays ago I had lunch at Esca’s Garden Restaurant and was surprised to see ripe mangoes in their kilawin. Nonetheless, it provided a tinge of sweetness complementing the sourness of the dressing, giving the kinilaw recipe a new dimension in the hands of Chef Miguel Cordova.
Bauhinia Filipino Cuisine at The Avenue is known to reinvent Ilonggo and Filipino specialties with chef Miner del Mundo at the helm. Here, kilawin comes in the form of marinated mackerel fish in calamansi and vinegar served in shot glasses (thus nicknamed as “Kilawin shooters”) and seared tuna in balsamic reduction.
The newly opened Happy Kitchen Diner in Amigo Plaza serves a pork kilawin that I really loved “at the first bite”. It’s calamansi-based with totally crunchy meaty parts and flavoured with onions, chives and chilies. A perfect pulutan but I won’t say no to a cup of rice!
Doming’s Talabahan in Miag-ao, Iloilo is also noted its kilawin nga isda. Unlike other seafood restos in Iloilo city which are loyal to tangigue, Doming’s prefers bantala-an and even panit (both members of the tuna family). What’s more, the fish brought to Doming’s come direct from the waters of the area – from Tigbauan, Guimbal, Miagao, San Joaquin.
HOME MADE
My blogging mentor, Prof. Joy Sumagaysay, shares how Doming’s kilawin comes close to her father’s (Papa On) recipe because of its freshness and taste. And here’s her take on kilawin as posted at www.iloveiloilo.wordpress.com
“I grew up assisting, my Papa On, make kilawin for he was often requested by friends to prepare them for their parties. My job was to prepare the spices: sliver the hot peppers, chop the onions, garlic and ginger, mash the red eggs, open the can of black beans and grate the green mango … I just revealed to you his prized ingredients.“
“What’s missing? The filleted tangigue. Slice the meat into thin rectangles – observe TLC when handling the tangigue. Bathe the fillet in dalisay nga langgaw (pure, unadulterated, well-aged coco vinegar). Drain. Mix in the spices. Add the coconut milk. Refrigerate for a few hours and serve.”
Whether a kilawin is made from seafood, meat or vegetable, it is most important to ensure the freshness of the ingredients. And utilize whatever is local and abundantly available, preferably something that was alive and kicking only a few moments ago.
Like in Tibiao, Antique last July, where I experienced lambaklad fishing that delivered a bounty of mamsa fish. The moment the raft touched the beach, the "kilawin master" started his work – gutted and cleaned the fish. It was then was sliced and with condiments on hand, it was immediately dressed in vinegar and other spices; and finally shared the catch of the day with the fishing community..
Now that's really fresh, that’s kilawin!
ACKNOWLEDGMENT: Many thanks to Prof. Joy Rosal Sumagaysay for sharing her not only her father’s recipe but her knowledge and wisdom about kilawin. Check her blog I LOVE ILOILO
This write up is for my weekly column FLAVORS
on THE NEWS TODAY Oct. 21, 2011
