Kinunot with Tilapia (Bicol Coconut Fish)

Name: Kinunot with Tilapia (Bicol Coconut Fish)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 4 portions
Cuisine: Filipino · Bicolano
Ingredients: 600 g · 1¼ lb tilapia fillets, skinless and boneless; 400 ml · 1¾ cups coconut milk; 150 ml · ¾ cup coconut cream; 150 g · 1 onion onion, sliced; 20 g · 2 tbsp ginger, julienned, plus a little to garnish; 12 g · 3 cloves garlic, minced; 15 g · 3 chilies green chillies, sliced; 2 for less heat; 25 g · 1 cup malunggay leaves, or baby spinach; 15 g · 1 tbsp Mama Sita's Pang-Gisa Mix; 20 g · 2 tbsp Mama Sita's Sinigang sa Bayabas mix, guava souring mix; 7½ ml · ½ tbsp coconut vinegar; 15 ml · 1 tbsp cooking oil; 3 g · ½ tsp salt; 600 g · 4 cups steamed jasmine rice, to serve

🍽 Serves 4⏱ Prep 20 min🔥 Cook 25 min🌍 Filipino · Bicolano

Tilapia steamed, flaked by hand into big pieces and folded into a gentle coconut milk and cream sauce with ginger, chilli and malunggay, finished with a chef's touch of coconut vinegar.

📍 Bicol · Philippines

The story of the dish

Bicol, in southeastern Luzon, is coconut country and loves chilli (think laing and Bicol Express). Kinunot is a gata (coconut milk) dish: the fish is cooked first, then flaked by hand. The classic is made with pagi (stingray) or pating (shark); at home families use tuna, tulingan or tilapia.

The name: The story people tell is that kinunot means 'flaked'.

Ingredients

Ingredient	EUg · ml	UScups · spoons
tilapia fillets skinless and boneless	600 g	1¼ lb
coconut milk	400 ml	1¾ cups
coconut cream	150 ml	¾ cup
onion sliced	150 g	1 onion
ginger julienned, plus a little to garnish	20 g	2 tbsp
garlic minced	12 g	3 cloves
green chillies sliced; 2 for less heat	15 g	3 chilies
malunggay leaves or baby spinach	25 g	1 cup
Mama Sita's Pang-Gisa Mix	15 g	1 tbsp
Mama Sita's Sinigang sa Bayabas mix guava souring mix	20 g	2 tbsp
coconut vinegar	7½ ml	½ tbsp
cooking oil	15 ml	1 tbsp
salt	≈ 3 g	≈ ½ tsp
steamed jasmine rice to serve	≈ 600 g	≈ 4 cups

≈ amount suggested from similar recipes

Tools & equipment

Item	UAEamazon.ae	USamazon.com
Steamer	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Cutting Board	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Camera	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy

Also used: saucepan · chef's knife · wide spoon

Method

Cut the tilapia into large pieces and season lightly with salt. Steam or gently poach until just cooked and opaque, about 5 to 7 minutes depending on thickness.
Let it cool a minute, then flake it gently with your fingers into large pieces (no fork: small shreds turn to mush).
Heat the oil over medium-low heat and cook the onion and ginger until soft and sweet, not brown. Add the garlic and green chillies for 1 minute.
Add 1 tablespoon of Mama Sita's Pang-Gisa Mix and 2 tablespoons of Mama Sita's Sinigang sa Bayabas mix, then the coconut milk. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes: small, lazy bubbles.
Add the coconut cream and simmer 3 to 5 minutes without boiling, so the sauce does not split.
Chef's twist: add ½ tablespoon of coconut vinegar, a little at a time, and taste before adding more.
Fold in the flaked tilapia with two or three slow folds and heat 2 to 3 minutes. Add the malunggay just to wilt.
Serve in a shallow bowl with ginger julienne, a few drops of chilli oil and steamed jasmine rice.

🌡️ Medium-low heat; never boil the coconut cream

👨‍🍳 Chef’s tips

Never boil the coconut cream: the fat breaks free and the sauce splits.
Fold, don't stir: tilapia is delicate, keep the flakes big.
No malunggay? Use baby spinach. Less heat? Use 2 chillies.
Make ahead: reheat the sauce gently and add the fish at the end.

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Nutrition per portion estimate · 1 of 4

832kcal

38 gprotein

62 gcarbs

50 gfat

Allergens

FishSulphites

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▶ Watch me cook it: youtu.be/dH8akdKfWVY

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