Back in the 80s and 90s, basketball was big in the Philippines. Both local and international. It was more than a game. It was the thing that stopped everything.

Ginebra was one of the biggest franchises in the PBA. And when they played, the streets went quiet. Everyone was inside, crowded around a television, holding their breath on every possession. Never Say Die was not just a slogan. It was how the whole room felt.

And when everyone gathered to watch the game, drinks and pulutan were a must. Something to pick at between the shouting and the groaning. Kinilaw was one of the staples of those high-adrenaline gatherings. Cold, sharp and fresh, it cut right through the heat and the tension.

I had not thought about those nights in a long time. Then today a delivery of fresh tuna came in for the restaurant, our fish of the day. And later, scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post about the Big J, Robert Jaworski, and his backcourt partner Francis Arnaiz. Then another about the Loyzaga brothers, Chito and Joey, and Dondon Ampalayo, the Magician.

And just like that I was back there. The living room. The black and white TV we had back then. The whole family leaning in. And my Dad, in the middle of it all, making his kinilaw.

The Way My Dad Made It

My Dad always used tangigue. Back home that is the fish for kinilaw. Here in Australia it goes by Spanish mackerel, and it is the same thing. Firm, clean and meaty enough to stand up to the cure.

He had his own way, and it started with something that always made people laugh. He washed the fresh fish with 7up. The lemonade. I do not know where he picked it up, but he swore by it, and I have never questioned it since.

Then came the souring. Both calamansi and white cane vinegar. Not one or the other. Both. That was how he got the brightness and the bite at the same time.

Then the trinity. Finely diced ginger, onions and sili. That was the base of everything. Nothing was ever measured. He just knew. It was as if our ancestors were whispering to him how much to put in.

And to finish it off, the part that made his kinilaw his own. He would chop up some salted eggs and toss them right through. That salt and richness against all that sharp cold fish. That was the thing I have never tasted anywhere else quite the same way.

Tuna Kinilaw

1 kg sashimi-grade tuna, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
500 ml lemonade, for washing the fish
160 ml white cane vinegar
120 ml calamansi juice
2 knobs of ginger, finely diced
2 red onions, finely diced
1 cucumber, cut into rounds
3 to 4 red bird’s eye chilies, finely diced
3 salted eggs — 2 whole and 1 yolk only, all mixed through
Salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Step 1 — Wash the diced tuna in the lemonade. Give it a gentle toss so every piece is coated, then drain it well. This is my Dad’s trick. It cleans the fish and takes away any of that strong sea smell.

Step 2 — In a bowl, mix the cane vinegar and calamansi juice. Add the tuna and toss to coat. You will see the edges of the fish start to turn opaque as the acid gets to work.

Step 3 — Add the ginger, onion, cucumber rounds and bird’s eye chili. Season with salt and pepper, then mix everything through.

Step 4 — Cover and let it sit in the fridge for a few minutes. The longer it sits, the firmer and more cooked the fish gets, so taste as you go until it is how you like it.

Step 5 — Just before serving, mix all of the salted egg through the kinilaw, whites and yolks blended right in so the richness carries all the way through. Serve it cold, ideally with an ice cold drink and a game on.

More Than a Dish

I set out today thinking about a fish delivery. I ended up back in that living room, with the game on and my Dad’s hands working the bowl. That is what food does. It keeps the people we miss close.

So this one is for him. And if you make it, wash your fish with a bit of lemonade and do not measure a thing. Let the ancestors whisper.

Chef’s Tip

Kinilaw lives and dies by the freshness of your fish. You are curing it, not cooking it with heat, so only ever use the freshest sashimi-grade fish you can get. And keep everything cold from start to finish. Cold fish, cold bowl, cold plate.

Happy Cooking and always remember to cook with your Heart…