Normally, you add vegetables (such as diced bell pepper and onion) to really fresh fish fillet (tuna, tanigue, blue marlin, bangus, dilis), ‘cook’ them in acid (vinegar, lemon, lime, calamansi juice), season with salt and pepper, and you’ve got a good kinilaw for appetizer or pulutan (food to share) with friends over beer).
Seldom do you hear fruits, such as ripe langka (jackfruit), being added to it, but celebrity chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou’s version of kinilaw is unique. He incorporates shredded ripe langka into his fish, adding a little sweetness, texture and mouthfeel into the dish. And it works!
‘Not every kinilaw has to be sharp and austere. In this version, ripe langka lends a quiet sweetness that softens the vinegar without taking away the freshness of the fish. It is a pairing that feels familiar in many Southern Filipino kitchens, where fruit often finds its way into savory dishes,’ the chef noted.
He added: ‘The beauty of this kinilaw lies in its balance. The ginger should announce itself before the vinegar does. The langka should leave only a whisper of sweetness, and the fish should always remain the star. Like all good kinilaws, it should taste less like a recipe and more like the sea, brightened by the generosity of the land.’
Kinilaw with Shredded Ripe Langka
Ingredients:
500 grams very fresh tuna, blue marlin or tanigue, cut into 1cm. cubes
1 1/2 tsps. sea salt
80 ml. sukang tuba
20 ml. fesh biasing or calamansi juice
2 tbsps. finely minced ginger
1 pc. small red onion, thinly sliced
1 pc. small shallot, thinly sliced
1 pc. bird’s eye chili, thinly sliced (optional)
80-100 grams ripe langka, finely shredded
2 tbsps. cucumber, finely diced
2 tbsps. leeks, finely chopped
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp. finely chopped tabon-tabon (optional)
Procedure:
1. Sprinkle sea salt on fish. Let it rest for about 5 minutes.
2. In a bowl, combine sukang tuba, biasing juice, ginger, onion, shallot, and chili. Allow the flavors to meld together for about 10 minutes.
3. Add the fish and toss gently. Cure for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on how firm you like your kinilaw.
4. Fold in shredded langka, cucumber, and leeks. Mix gently so the fish keeps its shape.
5. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. Taste and adjust with a little more vinegar or citrus, if needed.
6. Serve immediately while well chilled.