Sinaing na tuligan is a kind of braised fish or the local favorite “paksiw na isda” where the fish is cooked using a very small amount of liquid such as vinegar. But this sinaing na tulingan uses tamarind juice as the liquid to cook the fish. The fish is place on top of the pork fat which is layered on the bottom of the pot.
Then poured with tamarind juice along with the rest of the spices and flavorings. It is simmered until the fish is cooked and a very small amount of liquid remains and the pork fat has melted and mixed with the liquid. In serving this dish, you can eat it as-is or you can fry it first then serve. By the way, in preparing the tulingan before cooking, you should not forget to remove the toxin from the base of the tail. It is removed by twisting the tail and pulling it.
A Nostalgic Taste of Home
Just by being at where I had my childhood in Batangas, it’s not merely just a dish for me but a very worthwhile recollection of family gatherings, lazy afternoons by the beach, and the more comforting fish aroma steaming on the stove. I remember how my Lola Nora would prepare it for our Sundays, her kitchen filled with the tangy aroma of tamarind and the savory richness of pork fat. It was simple yet soul-satisfying, a meal that brought everyone together.
For the not-in-the-know, sinaing na tulingan is like a version of braised fish, similar to that beloved paksiw na isda. Normally, any ordinary vinegar cooking liquid would suffice in most recipes. However, this particular dish is exceptional in its use of tamarind juice instead. It’s a very subtle balance of sour and savory, where the fish absorbs the flavors from the tangy tamarind spices and the melting pork fat thus making each morsel melt well. Every time I cook it now, I still feel the love of the generations above me who perfected the recipes of this dish.
The Unique Technique Behind Sinaing na Tulingan
A method used in cooking their fish makes this dish stand out. Unlike most fish recipes, it was indeed a very different way of preparing the fish, with this method braising it low and slow to allow for its flavors to develop and seep into every part of the fish. My Uncle Jaime, who had spent most of his life near the coast, would always tell me that preparing this dish required patience. He taught me that the secret to really great braised fish was to let it swim gently in some liquid till only a very small amount remained, leaving a concentrated sauce clung onto the fish.
But what most people forget, especially beginners, the toxin to be removed first comes from the tail of tulingan. My Tita Sonia always reminds me of this when we are cooking together. Before serving, you have to twist and pull out that part from the tail. Such a small detail, I know, but believe me, that’s one of the essential steps because you’d like to be sure if what’s on your table is not only delish but safe to devour, too.
The Ease of Simple Ingredients
What I love the most about this recipe is how it makes something so humble just extraordinary. Tamarind juice with pork fat is an odd combination to those who haven’t tried it, but together, they combine to create an incredibly richly deliciously savory broth with great tang to it.
It was on her very first attempt at making this dish after she shifted to our hometown. She had been in Manila for years. And I still remember how shocked she was over such simple ingredients like tulingan, pork fat, tamarind juice, and spices can bring a lot of flavor to a whole meal. Such a dish reminds you that good food doesn’t have to be complicated; it just needs to be cooked with love.
A Dish with Deep Roots
Among the staples in Batangas is sinaing na tulingan. According to legend, this recipe came about due to necessity: during those times, the fisherfolk would catch loads of bullet tuna, which is locally called tulingan. They preserved it by using salt and vinegar; time amended it to its unique flavor through the incorporation of tamarind juice and pork fat, and it became the prize recipe known today.
This is a taste of home to many Batangueños. My brother Marco was away from the country for some years. How many times did I cook and prepare this dish for him? He would come home after months being away, and my mom would pack this dish for him, wrapped care enough, so that he could crave it after months of being away. There is, somehow or other, just something about the tangy, tender fish that brings back memories of simpler times and family meals shared under the warm afternoon sun.
Fry It for Extra Flavor
This dish is scrumptious enough as it is, but I often like to fry what’s left from the day after. Something I learned from Auntie Lani is that when frying the fish, it changes its texture to crispy on the outside and soft with flavor inside. Try imagining how the melted pork fat and tamarind sauce caramelize as it fries the fish to give it the richer intense flavor. Paired with a bowl of hot rice, you could be treated to a fulfilling and nostalgic meal.
Dish for All
Even as the dish has deep roots in some regions, this is good to start experimenting with Filipino food. The steps are easy enough to follow, as are the ingredients. Do not be deceived by its simplicity: the result is a richly flavored dish for the benefit of your family and guests. When I first started to cook, I really was intimidated by the idea of braising fish. But as my Uncle Jaime would always say, “Patience is key,” and after a few trips to the kitchen, I realized that that’s truly the kind of dish one gets easier with practice.
Each time I make it, I recall the days and nights when it’s cooked and shared by my relatives and me while it’s raining or on a sunny weekend lunch by the beach. A dish is not just about its nutritional value but represents our connection to the past, stories of our family, and flavors that shape who we are now.
How to Cook Sinaing na Tulingan
Ingredients
- 1/2 kilo tulingan skipjack tuna
- 2 tablespoons rock salt
- 50 grams pork fat sliced into strips
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup tamarind juice or kamias juice
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 pc medium onion sliced
- 1 thumbsize ginger crushed
- 2 pieces siling mahaba
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
How to cook Sinaing Na Tulingan
- Remove gills and all internal organs of the fish. Slit both sides of the fish and press against the sides with palms of the hands to flatten the fish and soften its flesh.
- Wash thoroughly under running water, till water runs clear. Rub fish with salt in and out.
- In a saucepan, arrange the pork fat at the bottom. Put the fish on top side by side.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes till fish is done.
For the tamarind juice:
- Boil 100 grams of tamarind in 1/2 cup water and strain.
Notes
Cooking Tips:
Remove the Tulingan’s Toxin Properly
Before cooking, twist and pull out the tail section of the tulingan where toxin resides. This is food safety, and it does not introduce bitterness into the dish. A little patience there means a delicious safe meal.Simmer in Low for Assimilation of Flavours
And this is indeed the secret to getting a Sinaing na Tulingan that is deeply flavored. Slow simmering imparts flavors as, in the slow cooking process, tamarind juice and pork fat infuse the fish completely. In case one hastens the cooking process, the dish might not be well flavored. So, save time and slow it up.Fry the Leftovers for a New Experience
You can fry any leftovers of your Sinaing na Tulingan into a crispy snack that comes in packs of flavor. Fried versions are textured, savory-tangy enhanced deliciousness that gets this old dish second life.
Hi, can I use sinigang mix in this sinaing na tulingan recipe?
Hi Lucy, of course you can use sinigang mix. Just use the the plain, only the tamarind.