Tanigue

Photo of tanigue with calamansi by Angie Pastor.

Tanigue (tangigue) refers to various fish in the Philippines. The more common species are known in English as follows:

• Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson)
• Indo-Pacific king mackerel (Scomberomorus guttatus)
• Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri)

Other fish that have been called tanigue include the ones with the scientific names of Sarda orientalis (striped bonito), Scomber australiscus, Scomber japonicus, Scomberomorus queensladicus, and Scomberomorus semifasciatus.

Wahoo is often sometimes known as Black Tangigue to distinguish it from the Spanish Mackerel or White Tangigue. Wahoo is also distinguished by its beak-like mouth. They can grow to more than 80 kilograms.

In the Philippines, the most common way of cooking tanigue (Spanish mackerel) is to slice the fish crosswise into thick “steaks” for frying or grilling — really delicious with a spritz of calamansi (citrus) and optionally soy sauce, and served accompanying freshly steamed white rice.

This fish is also sometimes served raw as kinilaw (ceviche), which is to say it’s “cooked” in vinegar.