Sinaing na Tulingan Recipe
Sinaing na Tulingan recipe of Batangas is a tasty Filipino fish dish that is easy to make. Similar to paksiw na isda but cooked slowly on a bed of pork fat with water, salt and bilimbi.
My daughter is not into fish but this sinaing na tulingan is an exemption. Cooked slowly in low heat for a tender and flavorful tulingan or tuna dish. With just a few ingredients, five to be precise, a deep pot or pan, and some patience is what you’ll need for this awesome sinaing na tulingan recipe!
Traditional way of cooking
Sinaing na Tulingan is a Filipino Fish Recipe that requires boiling. The recipe makes use of bullet tuna but any firm-meat fish can be used. This dish is famous in the sea-side towns of Batangas which uses bilimbi as souring agent. The bottom of the pot or palayok is first layered with pork fat then the fish. Not only does this method makes it tasty but also avoid the fish from drying while boiling for a long time.
Cooking alternative
Most of us may not have dried or fresh bilimbi readily available or keep a clay pot in our kitchen. Good news is, you can still make sinaing na tulingan using alternative ingredients and equipment.
Vinegar can be used as substitute for bilimbi. You can also use tamarind juice by boiling 150 tamarind in 1 cup of water then strain.
The dish usually uses bullet tuna which are thinner. I used skipjack tuna which are bigger but also works well for the recipe.
Clay pot or palayok is the preferred equipment to use for the recipe. Using a regular deep pan or a pot will do the job as well.
How to prepare the tulingan?
Cooking the fish is straight-forward and it just a matter of waiting a couple of hours for it to boil. Preparing and cleaning the fish is an important step for this tuna recipe. The need to remove the innards and the gills is a must. Once achieved, wash off any traces of blood and the fish tail is removed. To remove the tail, Twisting it around and then pull it off gently.
The secret ingredient is always LOVE
Steamed Stuffed Fish is a quick and easy whole fish dish that you can put together in a few minutes. It’s so delicious especially when dipped in a lemon – soy sauce -chili sauce.
Tinapa or smoked fish served with ensalada is just my perfect kind of meal. Mackerel fish brined for a couple of days for full on flavor!
Sinaing na Tulingan Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pcs / 800 grams skipjack tuna / tulingan (or 4 pieces tulingan / bullet tuna)
- 5 cups water (add more if needed)
- 1 cup vinegar (or 8-10 pcs. dried / fresh bilimbi)
- ¼ cup rock salt
- ¼ kg pork fat
Instructions
- Prepare and clean the fish by removing the innards, gills and tail. Wash away traces of blood from fish in running water.
- Cut 3 inches horizontal slit on both sides of the fish. Lightly press down the fish with palm of your hands to flatten a bit.
- Soak the fish in water for 10-15 minutes to remove excess blood.
- Taking 1 tbsp. from the ¼ cup rock salt. Season the fish by rubbing rock salt outside the body and inside cavity of the fish. Wrap the top part of each fish with banana leaves. Set aside
- Place a layer of banana leaf at the bottom of a cooking pot if not using a clay pot. Arrange pork fat then add rest of the salt.
- Arrange the fish on top of the pork fat then add water (water should be level with the fish) then add vinegar.
- Turn on heat to medium and simmer for an our with no cover or lid. Lower the heat then cover the pot with lid and cook 2-3 hours. Add water if needed.
- Turn off heat and serve with steamed rice. Bon appetit!
