Kinilaw na Tanigue

Ingredients

• 500 g sashimi-grade tanigue (Spanish mackerel), skinned and boned
• 1 cup coconut vinegar, for the first wash
• 1/2 cup coconut vinegar, for the dressing
• 3 tbsp calamansi juice
• 40 g fresh ginger, cut into fine matchsticks
• 1 red onion, very thinly sliced
• 5 siling labuyo, thinly sliced
• 1 small cucumber, seeded and diced
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1/4 cup thick coconut cream, optional

Before you cook

• Buy the fish the same day and keep it on ice until the moment you cut it.
• Cut the fish into even 1.5 cm cubes with a very sharp knife.
• Cut the ginger into the finest matchsticks you can and slice the onion paper thin.
• Chill a serving bowl in the fridge.

Steps

1. Put the cubed fish in a non-reactive bowl and pour over the first cup of coconut vinegar.
2. Stir gently and leave it for exactly 2 minutes, watching the surface of the cubes turn opaque and firm.
3. Tip the fish into a sieve and let it drain thoroughly, then throw that first vinegar away.
4. Return the drained fish to the chilled bowl.
5. Add the ginger, red onion, chillies and cucumber.
6. Pour over the remaining half cup of coconut vinegar and the calamansi juice.
7. Season with the sea salt and cracked pepper and fold everything together with a spoon.
8. Taste a cube and adjust the salt and chilli, keeping the sourness sharp and clean.
9. Stir through the coconut cream now if you want the softer Mindanao style.
10. Let it stand for 5 minutes, no longer, so the fish stays silky rather than chalky.
11. Serve straight from the cold bowl, with cold beer or hot rice.