Sinuglaw: Kinilaw With A Twist
One
of the famous dishes in Davao, a fusion of the two different culinary
processes: the “sugba” which is to grill, and the “kinilaw”, which refers to a raw fish cooked in vinegar, is known
for its distinctive amalgam of grilled pork and the traditional Davao kinilaw consisting of cubed meats of the
yellowfin tuna. Added to it are the sliced cucumber and radish, several spices
like soy sauce and small chili, and the native vinegar, pinakurat, which all in all reflects the Dabawenyo’s characteristic
of thinking outside the box where options are embraced and mediocrity is a
no-no. Sinuglaw is an extraordinary
dish in a sense that the combination of the tuna and pork reveals that
Dabawenyos are grounded and one of a kind. One’s impression of a sinuglaw may depend on how it is
presented. The grilled pork and cubed tuna are surrounded with soy sauce and
vinegar with the not-so-colorful mixture of vegetables which seem to be an
island of murky water and burned-down trees. A foreigner or a tourist would see
it as an exotic food but undeniably, it looks so delicious and irresistible
that just by looking, your stomach grumbles. The added elements, especially the
combination of the vegetables, make the dish look more appetizing and appealing
to the eye. But, there’s more to what the eye can see.
Now, how could one create such a delicious
dish? First, marinate the pork in soy sauce and vinegar for an hour or so. Chop
ginger, onions, and garlic. One could opt to add unripe mangoes to add more flavor
to the dish. Second, grill the pork and set it aside after. It is recommended
to chop the grilled pork so that when combined with its special sauce, the different
flavors will be infused. Third, toss in the remaining ingredients: ginger,
cucumber, radish, mango, onions and spices into a deep bowl. Then, mix it all
together with the chopped pork and add the condiments: soy sauce and vinegar,
until it is well-mixed or combined.
The smell of Sinuglaw is as distinct as it really is. The fishy smell of the
tuna complements the smoky and pungent aroma of the grilled pork. At first, you
might think it’s not a perfect combination, but the smell of the dish just
proves you wrong. Moreover, the mixed vegetables have their own distinct smell.
Like a rancid vegetable, radish gives off a bitter stench which is comparable
to the sogginess of the cucumber. The garlic and the onion’s strong and pungent
aroma is balanced by the ginger’s fragrant and the spicy tang. When all these
ingredients are combined, no wonder the smell becomes a blast! You see, the
balance of the ingredient’s aroma could be interrelated to how Dabawenyos have
become somehow two-headed, open to two completely opposite things.
Imagining and digging deep in the
feelings when eating this dish might seem unusual, but given the chance to talk
about how it feels inside just makes you crave for more. Eating sinuglaw could make you reminisce the
days when you spent your time with your family. The thought of grilling the
pork helps you imagine that you’re at the beach. The moment you eat sinuglaw, you feel relieved because it
could bring you back to many childhood memories. With one just bite, you could
feel like you’re ready to dive in for more. You could just wish that it’s
always available. The thought itself sounds ridiculous, but yes, for sinuglaw, you could just be as crazy as
a hungry monkey looking only for bananas despite the variety dishes offered in the
wild.
Sinuglaw
is one of the unique Davao dishes that might tickle the taste buds of Filipinos
or even the people from other countries. Since it is from two different dishes,
their contrast makes it explosive. The bitterness of the radish complements the
dull taste of the cucumber. The flavorful sugba,
entwined with the tuna’s saline taste, creates a vivid picture of heaven on
earth. On the other hand, the vegetables add texture and flavor to the
combination of both grilled pork and tuna. People would really appreciate this
dish because of its distinctive taste – tangy because of the contrast of the
two dishes and of the different spices, and savory because it will surely hit
your palate in a different way.
Now, does this make you hungry? All
your senses will be captivated by its aroma, flavors, and presentation. So, why
not try Davao’s kinilaw...with a
twist!
