Inun-unan is easy to prepare, cook, inexpensive yet a filling  dish favored by  health-conscious Pinoys.

Fresh fish is washed thoroughly and cleaned.  The entrails are removed then placed in a deep pan.

In a pot, vinegar is then generously poured, along with crushed garlic, sliced ginger and a half bulb of onions , a dash of salt and pepper. Three to four siling sigang or green finger peppers are also added.  Add a little water and oil and let simmer for a few minutes and the inun-unan is done!

Depending on your mood, ampalaya (bitter gourd) and eggplant could be added to make things interesting.  Others prefer to add more green finger peppers to make the inun-unan spicier.  Still, others would add more crushed or minced garlic. To each his own I suppose!

My mom used to simmer pork fat with the skin on first.  After the fat turns translucent or glassy, she cooks the inun-unan on top of the simmering fat.

Others would wrap the ingredients of the inun-unan in a banana leaf, then steam.

There are lots of variations on cooking the inun-unan (paksiw).  Different regions in the Philippines have different ways of preparing it and even have different names for the dish.

One thing is sure.  The Inun-unan or Paksiw is one of the Filipino’s signature dishes.    

My appreciation to Ms. Lucy Dayadas for cooking the Inun-unan nga Ikog sa Tuna (Paksiw na Buntot ng Tuna).