tinaktak

this is one of the only uniquely Chamoru dishes that i didn’t experience with a Filipino
equivalent.  we have a dish called giniling, which is ground beef with vegetables. it did not have the richness of coconut milk or the acidity of lemon. and these two touches make tintaktak truly enticing and fun to say.  the first time i fell in love with tinaktak or at least this version was over a casual dinner invite at a friend’s apartment in maite. i had just moved home after living in California for 10 years. how have i gone all my life not having magical tinaktak?  but there is something i’ve adapted over the years which i’ve stayed loyal to: using ground turkey instead of ground beef.  the ground turkey is much leaner and doesn’t interfere with the build of flavors like ground beef does.  it was once shared with me that the name of the dish is from the “tak tak tak tak” sound of pounding beef into minced pieces for making the dish.  on that note, my mind was blown away when a friend’s auntie served shrimp and octopus tinaktak. i have not since then recreated it for myself but think of it all the time.

1 lb ground turkey
purple onion (i prefer to use this for color!)
1/2 teas fish sauce (because I’m Filipino)
Cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves
Long beans, cut into 1” pieces (best when cut small to enjoy the bite-sized spoonfulls)
1 can coconut milk
Juice of 1 lemon
sliced green onions for garnish

sauté onions until softened. add ground turkey and salt /pepper and keep covered until browned. add green beans and cover until softened. add coconut milk, cherry tomatoes, and lemon. cook uncovered for 5-8 minutes. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately with hot rice and a side of finadene.