Sinaing na Tulingan: a Batangas Heritage Dish

Sinaing na Tulingan is celebrated as one of Batangas’ heritage dishes, standing proudly beside lomi, goto, and bulalo¹. The fish used is tulingan, known scientifically as frigate or bullet tuna (“Auxis thazard” or “Auxis rochei”), a species abundant in Philippine waters and favored in Batangas coastal towns².

From western Batangas to eastern Batangas, families prepare this dish, with some communities in the west calling it pinangat, reflecting regional naming traditions³.

Sinaing na tulingan, a certifiable Batangueño dish.

The name itself reveals Batangueño cooking logic. Saing is not limited to rice but refers to boiling and simmering in liquid. Thus, sinaing means slow braising in water and salt, while pangat refers to stewing, often with souring agents⁴.

Preparation begins with cleaning the fish, salting, and flattening — either with the palms or, in earlier times, bottles used as rollers. This ensures even cooking and compact stacking in the clay pot (palayok)⁵.

The fish is layered with souring agents such as dried kamias or tamarind, plus small slices of pork fat for richness⁶.

Cooking in clay pots is deeply traditional. Batangas had pottery industries in areas including Pallocan (Batangas City), Rosario, and San Juan, which supplied households with durable palayok. The porous clay distributes heat gently, ideal for the long simmering required by the dish⁷.

Once assembled, the pot is filled with water, boiled, then simmered for hours. In commercial settings, especially for market sale, large clay pots are used, simmered overnight over firewood⁸.

As the liquid reduces, it transforms into a flavorful broth called patis, often enjoyed as pang-sabaw or used to season fried rice (sinangag), sometimes mixed with tomatoes, salted egg, and native onions for a rustic side dish⁹.

Sinaing na Tulingan keeps better than ordinary fish due to salting and long simmering, but spoilage is still possible if mishandled. Families often fry leftovers the next day, humorously calling it pinarusahang isda — punished fish — because it has already been simmered and then fried¹⁰.

Variants exist, such as versions cooked with coconut milk (gata) or improvised with other souring agents, showing the adaptability of Batangueño cuisine while preserving its heritage identity¹¹.

¹ "Batangas Food Heritage," by L. Ramos, published by UB Press, 2004, Batangas City.
² "Philippine Tuna Species," by R. Fox, published by National Museum, 1977, Manila.
³ "Regional Cooking Terms," by M. Santos, published by Ateneo Press, 1995, Quezon City.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ "Traditional Fish Preparation," by J. Cruz, published by UP Press, 1988, Quezon City.
⁶ "Batangueño Culinary Practices," by R. Villanueva, published by De La Salle Press, 1992, Manila.
⁷ "Pottery Traditions of Batangas," by D. Obredo, published 2004 by UB Press.
⁸ Ibid.
⁹ "Local Broths and Condiments," by P. Hernandez, published by Ateneo Press, 1999, Quezon City.
¹⁰ "Humor in Filipino Food Culture," by A. Garcia, published by UST Press, 2001, Manila.
¹¹ Op. cit. Ramos.