Kinilaw is an indigenous Filipino dish of incredible freshness, usually (but not always) featuring slices of raw seafood quickly bathed in a sour liquid. Filipino Kinilaw is a little bit like Latin American Ceviche in that the seafood can be dressed in citrus juice, however, the similarities end there. Where the raw fish in a Ceviche is drastically transformed and "cooked" after marinating for hours in citrus, the raw fish of Kinilaw retains its freshness after only a few moments in a sour bath.
On the scale of doneness for international uncooked seafood dishes, Kinilaw would perhaps sit smack-dab in the middle: Japanese Sashimi (raw), Filipino Kinilaw (rare to medium rare), Ceviche (well done). At least that's how I look at it.
In his book, On Food and Cooking, Harold McGee writes:
"Kinilaw is the indigenous Philippine version of acid marination. Morsels of fish or shellfish are dipped for only a few seconds into an acidic liquid, often vinegar made from the coconut, nipa palm, or sugarcane, to which condiments have been added."
Although different Filipino vinegars are the primary souring agent in Kinilaw, Kalamansi juice and other citrus juices like dayap lime, can be used as well.
To balance out the sourness, condiments and additions to Kinilaw usually include copious amounts of chopped onions, ginger, and chilies--although things like green mangoes, kamias, tomatoes, and garlic can also be added.
As far as seafood goes, everything from fish, to sea cucumbers, to sea urchin roe, to crabs and lobsters, can be made into Kinilaw. Even raw oysters dressed in vinegar or kalamansi can be considered Kinilaw. Now while fresh raw seafood may be the most popular and well-known form of Kinilaw, there are other raw items that can be quickly bathed in vinegar and/or citrus and still be considered Kinilaw.
For example, vegetable Kinilaws can be made from bittermelon (ampalaya), or banana hearts, and there even exist Kinilaws of raw or partially cooked meats such as beef kinilaw and even goat kinilaw. The type of Kinilaw depends, of course, on where you are in the Philippines and how hungry you are, I suppose. In fact, during my visit to the Philippines last summer, I actually enjoyed quite a few spoonfuls of goat kilawin (raw goat meat, skin, and innards, shallots, ginger, salt, and vinegar) in Ilocos Norte.
Mmmmm. Raw goat meat.
Oh baby I like it RAAAAWWW!
Kilawing Kambing (Goat Kinilaw), ca. June 2008
In the book Kinilaw: A Philippine Cuisine of Freshness, Edilberto N. Alegre and Doreen G. Fernandez write:
"The Ilocanos know when to have their kilawin--in the morning when meat is freshest, since animals are butchered at dawn."
Word.
But since my dawns are dedicated to deep sleep and mouth breathing, and because I have zero access to freshly butchered goat meat, I figured I'd stick to the more manageable seafood variety of Kinilaw for this particular post. And how.

