Kinilaw na Tuna or raw fish salad is an appetizer dish that is usually consumed as “pulutan”; it is best served along with cold beer. This recipe does not involve any manual cooking but the tuna meat is semi-cooked once served. This is made possible by the acids in the vinegar (acetic acid) and calamansi or lemon juice (citric acid). These mild acids slowly cook the fish meat when soaked for a few hours.
Ingredients
2lbstuna; skinneddeboned, and cubed
1 1/2cupvinegar
3tablespoons ginger minced
1large red onionminced
2teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonground black pepper
1/2cuplemon or calamansi juice
1 to 2tablespoonsred chilieschopped
Instructions
Place the cubed tuna meat in a large bowl then pour-in 3/4 cups of vinegar.
Let stand for 2 minutes then gently squeeze the tuna by placing a spoon on top applying a little pressure.
Gently wash the tuna meat with vinegar. Drain all the vinegar once done. This will help reduce the fishy smell.
Add the remaining 3/4 cup vinegar, calamansi or lemon juice, ginger, salt, ground black pepper, and red chilies then mix well.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Top with minced red onions and serve (you may also add the red onions with the rest of the ingredients in step 4).
