Kinilaw ng Pinoy

KINILAW is better known to Japanese food-eating Pinoys as raw fish sashimi. But to Filipino folk from Aparri to Jolo, it has been there forever. Kilawín is a raw seafood or meat dish from the Philippines, similar to ceviche. In the Ilocos region, kilawín is made with raw fresh meat of goat, beef, carabao, and deer, while seafood used includes shrimp, tuna, and anchovies. The main ingredient of the dish is an acidic solution, often vinegar, calamansî (Citrofortunella microcarpa) juice, or a combination of both. Shallots, ginger and Chile peppers are also added. The meat used in kilawín must be fresh, i.e., taken immediately after an animal has been butchered or from fishermen that have just docked their boats, as there are bacterial hazards involved with consuming raw meat and seafood.

Kinilaw applies to fish (such as tuna, dalag, pagi, dilis); crustaceans (such as shrimps, crabs and talangka); mollusks (such as oysters, sea urchins and clams); meats (such as deer, carabao, boar); other seafoods (like squid, octopus, seaweeds). All can be eaten raw with a souring agent-commonly vinegar, kalamansi, or dayap and ginger, pepper, garlic, onions, salt. Perfect as an appetizer or “pulutan” (beer pairing) Kinilaw or Kilawin is a delicacy often found at Filipino parties with drunk uncles and grandpas…or in this case, here on Food pinoy delicacies.