Pulutan: KILAWIN NA TANGUIGUE

If you or your husband are planning some drinking sessions tonight, or have chanced upon some fresh Tanguigue (Mackerel) on your local market today, make sure to make this: Kilawin na Tanguigue (Mackerel cooked in Vinegar and Calamansi Juice extract).

Kilawin is a popular appetizer or Pulutan (beer match) in this country; the concept is very similar to the Spanish Ceviche; probably because this came about because of the influence of the Spaniards during their colonization. Well, I really am no expert as to how this dish came to our culinary account, I am just glad I can enjoy it now.

Anyway, we were lucky enough to chanced upon this fresh tanguigue steak at the market yesterday, so even if there were no drinking session planned, I still made this into some Kilawin.

1) First, thoroughly clean the fish, what we bought was 1/2 kg  of tanguigue steak; fillet to remove skin and bones and cut into 2 cm cubes. Wash them with about 1/2 cup of white cane vinegar, then strain and transfer it into a non-reactive bowl, such as glass.

2) Then, extract the calamansi to make about 1  cup of juice (about 20 or more calamansi will be used); then  incorporate it into the bowl.

3) Chop about 2 red onions,  3-4 tbsp worth of ginger (luya), and 4 finger chilies (siling haba).  Toss it all in the bowl.

tip: If you have at  hand some red bell pepper, you can add one too. And if you want to spice up your kilawin, add some bird's eye chilies (siling labuyo).

4) Add about 1/3 cup of white cane vinegar (you can use any high quality white vinegar: palm cane  or coconut); and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a shallow non-reactive ware such as glass or ceramic. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve to still allow it to "cook" in the vinegar. When its opaque in color, it's ready.

tip: If you can't find some fresh tanguigue, you can use also use milkfish, marlin or swordfish; again as fresh as possible. You can also add some inihaw na liempo (grilled pork) to add some depth to any kilawin or kinilaw.

My husband and all the guys I know loves to wash this dish down with beer, but there is no strict rule to this; so take it as you please.

Happy Drinking and Eating! =)