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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)
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.