hilaw

Hilaw is a native Filipino (Tagalog) word meaning raw or undercooked. It is used to describe foods that have not been heated or fully processed, as well as fruits and other produce that are not yet ripe. The term is commonly set against luto, meaning cooked, and can apply to meat, seafood, eggs, fruits, and vegetables.

In culinary contexts, hilaw often refers to ingredients prepared without heat. Dishes such as kinilaw or kilawin involve raw or acid-cured seafood or meat and are typically described as hilaw in ordinary speech, though the texture and safety considerations vary. The term also appears in phrases like hilaw na isda (raw fish) or hilaw na karne (raw meat). When raw foods are not intended to be eaten as is, hilaw is used to distinguish them from their cooked equivalents, as in hilaw na saging (unripe plantain or banana) used for frying or boiling.

Etymology and usage: Hilaw is a native Tagalog term, with usage across the Philippines. Its precise linguistic roots are not clearly documented in English-language sources. The concept of rawness is also expressed in related languages, and similar terms exist regionally.