charcoal-grilled meat or fish in calamansi-soy marinade
LunchDinner280–420 kcalSpice ●●●
Sinugba
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Sinugba is the Cebuano verb for grilling, and it names a whole street culture in the Visayas: in Cebu, rows of charcoal stalls grilling fish, tuna and pork fill entire neighborhoods with smoke. The marinade is simple and acidic — calamansi, soy sauce, garlic and achuete for color — and the coconut-charcoal fire does the rest. It is the most direct way to eat in the region: you pick your piece off the grill and pair it with rice and a spicy vinegar dip.
Ingredients
600 g fresh tuna in cubes or pork spare ribs
6 calamansi limes (juice, about 60 ml)
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp achuete (annatto) powder
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup cane vinegar with chili and red onion for dipping (sinamak style)
280–420 kcal per typical serving.
per 200 g serving; tuna sits at the low end, pork ribs at the high end (estimated from the typical recipe)
Where to try it
Cebu City
How it is made
Whisk calamansi juice, soy sauce, garlic, pepper and achuete in a bowl.
Marinate the tuna or pork at least 30 minutes; fish for no more than 1 hour so the acid does not cure it.
Skewer if using tuna cubes, or leave the ribs whole.
Grill over charcoal 8-12 minutes, turning and basting with the reserved marinade.
Serve hot with white rice and the chili vinegar dip.