Filipino Sinuglaw (grilled meat & fish)
Filipino fusion of crispy grilled pork belly and fresh, spicy ceviche
Whether you, as a BBQ lover, crave a delicious piece of grilled pork belly – I won’t even ask. What I will ask is if you’re also into ceviche, that dish of fish cured in citrus juice? You’ve tried it before, right? Well, in the Philippines, they know a dish called Sinuglaw, which combines these two delights into one incredibly tasty snack. It may sound like an unusual fusion, but after a few bites, you’ll realize it’s an absolute flavor bomb. The sweet, rich, slightly fatty pork pairs perfectly with the bright acidity of the ceviche marinade and the spicy kick from the peppers. Traditionally, this dish is made with kalamansi, the local lime that’s a cross between a kumquat and a mandarin, but you can easily substitute it with some fresh lime juice.
The ingredients;
(4 persons)
INIHAW NA LIEMPO (GRILLED PORK BELLY)
- 600 g pork belly with skin (about 1.3 lbs)
- 60 ml light soy sauce (about ¼ cup)
- Juice of 1 lime or 1 calamansi
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 piece of ginger root, about 5 cm (about 2 inches), peeled and roughly chopped
- 30 ml (banana) ketchup (about 2 tbsp)
SINUGLAW
- 300 g fresh tuna, diced (about 10.5 oz)
- 300 ml vinegar (cane sugar, white, or coconut vinegar) (about 1¼ cups)
- ½ cucumber, deseeded and cut into thin strips
- 1 medium red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 piece of ginger root, about 2 cm (about ¾ inch), peeled and cut into fine julienne
- 3 fresh green chilies, thinly sliced
- 3 bird’s eye chilies, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp salt
- Juice of 1 lime or 1 calamansi
EQUIPMENT
- BBQ or grill
- Brush
How to make:
Prep time: 3 hours
Cook time: 45 minutes
Slice the pork belly into 1.5 cm (½ inch) thick slices. In a bowl, combine the pork belly with the light soy sauce, lime or calamansi juice, salt, black pepper, garlic, and ginger, and mix well. Marinate the pork belly for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Prepare a BBQ for direct grilling and heat it to medium-high with a cool zone set up on one side.
Drain the marinade from the pork belly slices. Mix the marinade with the (banana) ketchup and stir well — this will be your basting sauce for the meat.
Grill the marinated pork belly slices over direct heat for about 15–20 minutes, turning regularly, until nicely roasted and the skin has become crispy.
If too much fat drips down and flare-ups occur, move the meat to the cooler side of the grill from time to time to avoid burning.
Once the pork is beautifully grilled, baste it with the ketchup marinade, turn it a few more times over the heat, then remove from the grill. Set aside.
Place the tuna in a bowl, pour over half the vinegar (about ¼ cup / 60 ml) and let sit for 8 minutes.
Drain the vinegar, then add the cucumber (½ cup / 75 g), red onion (½ small, thinly sliced), ginger (1 tbsp, finely chopped), green chili (1 small, finely sliced), bird’s eye chili (1, thinly sliced), and salt (½ tsp) to the bowl and mix well.
Slice the grilled and slightly cooled pork belly into small cubes (about ½ inch / 1.25 cm) and fold into the mixture. Add the lime juice (2 tbsp) and the remaining vinegar (¼ cup / 60 ml). Mix again thoroughly and let marinate for 10 more minutes.
Serve immediately or let it sit a little longer to allow the flavors to develop even further.
