I like having this as a main dish with a plate of garlic fried rice. Ensaladang Dilis is a Filipino tomato and onion salad topped with crispy fried dried anchovies and dressed with calamansi juice and fish sauce. Most of the seasoning comes from the fish, not the dressing. Fifteen minutes is usually enough to make this ensaladang dilis.

It also makes a good side dish for inihaw na liempo. Do not expect a light salad, though. The dilis are fried and salty, and you eat this with rice like any other ulam.

Frying the dilis is the only part that needs your full attention. Everything else is just mixing. Give them a few minutes on a plate after frying and they crisp up as they cool.

What is Ensaladang Dilis?

Ensaladang Dilis is a simple Filipino side dish, an ensalada like ensaladang talong and ensaladang mangga. Ensalada came from the Spanish word for salad, and dilis is the Tagalog word for anchovies. The fish are salted and sun-dried, so a well-dried batch keeps for months without refrigeration. The same dried fish are used in other everyday dishes, like ginisang monggo with dilis, or simply fried as a breakfast side.

Ensaladang mangga usually has bagoong, ensaladang talong is often topped with shrimp paste, and in ensaladang dilis both the salt and the crunch come from the fried fish. Vinegar can replace the calamansi in the dressing, or you can use both, and some households add cucumber or labanos. This is everyday food, not fiesta food.

Ingredients

• Dried anchovies (dilis) – About 3 ounces. Look for whole, pale silvery fish.
• Ripe tomatoes – Seeded and diced. Seeding matters here, because the jelly and seeds water down the dressing.
• Purple onion – Milder and a little sweeter raw than yellow onion, which is why I prefer it for salads.
• Calamansi – Roll each one on the counter before slicing to get more juice out. No calamansi? See substitutions below.
• Fish sauce – Start with a small amount and adjust after tasting.
• Ground black pepper – Just a small amount for the dressing.
• Sugar – Optional. Half a teaspoon is enough if the calamansi is too sour for you. The dressing should not taste sweet.
• Cooking oil – A couple of teaspoons for frying the dilis.

When buying dried dilis, pick a bag where the fish look pale silver with clean white bellies. A deep yellow color or an oily, rancid smell means the batch is old, and old dilis taste harsh no matter how carefully you fry them. Small to medium fish, around one to two inches long, work best for this salad because you can eat them whole, heads and all. Filipino groceries and most Asian markets carry dried dilis, and the dried anchovies in the Korean and Japanese aisles can be used the same way. Store the open bag in the freezer if you will not finish it soon. The dried dilis stay fresher there than in the pantry.

Fry the fish first when you make this ensaladang dilis. They need a few minutes to cool, and that is enough time to mix the dressing and cut the vegetables.

1. Heat the cooking oil in a pan. Add the dried anchovies and stir-fry until they start to brown.
2. Transfer the anchovies to a plate immediately. They will become crispier as they cool.

Take them out at the first sign of browning. Dilis that go past golden turn bitter, and there is no saving an overfried batch, so stay by the pan for this part.

1. Squeeze the calamansi into a bowl, catching the seeds with your hand or a small strainer.
2. Add the fish sauce, ground black pepper, and sugar, if using. Stir until well combined.

1. Add the tomatoes and onion to the dressing. Toss gently to coat them.
2. Add the fried anchovies.
3. Toss gently until all the ingredients are evenly combined.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

The dilis are brittle after frying. Toss too hard and they break apart.

What to Serve with Ensaladang Dilis

• Rice – The salad works as the main dish, and rice is all it needs to become a full meal. Have it with sinangag for a more Filipino meal. Steamed rice also works.
• Fried fish – Fried pompano or fried tilapia. The tomatoes and dressing double as a sawsawan for the fish.
• Grilled pork – The sour dressing is a good match for liempo or pork chops.
• Cold drinks – This doubles as pulutan with a cold one.

Storage

You can keep leftover ensaladang dilis, but let me set your expectations: it will not be the same salad tomorrow.

• Refrigerator: A dressed salad holds for up to a day in an airtight container. The dilis will be soft and the tomatoes will have released some liquid, so give it a toss and a fresh squeeze of calamansi before eating. If you already know there will be leftovers, keep the parts separate from the start: fried dilis in an airtight container somewhere cool and dry for 2 to 3 days, and the cut vegetables in the fridge for a day.
• Freezer: Do not bother freezing this salad. Tomatoes and onion turn to mush when thawed, and even the fried dilis come out chewy. The raw dried fish are the only part of this dish that belongs in the freezer.
• Reheating: Soft dilis are fixable. Spread them in a dry pan over low heat for a minute or two and the crunch comes back. No need for extra oil, since they keep enough from the first fry.

More Filipino Salad and Dilis Recipes

• Ensaladang Talong – Grilled eggplant with the same tomato and onion base.
• Ensaladang Mangga – Sour green mango with tomatoes, onion, and bagoong.
• Kinilaw na Tanigue – Fresh fish cured in calamansi juice with ginger, onion, and chili.
• Papaya Atchara – Pickled green papaya, the usual side for grilled and fried dishes.
• Ginataang Langka with Dilis – Unripe jackfruit cooked in coconut milk with dried dilis.

• Calamansi – Cane or coconut vinegar is the usual replacement. You can also use half calamansi and half vinegar when you only have a few pieces; my Filipino vinegar guide covers which type to use. If you have neither, mix lemon and lime juice.
• Dried anchovies – Other small dried fish can be used, like tuyo with the meat flaked off the bones after frying. Korean or Japanese dried anchovies are fine too; sizes and saltiness vary between brands, so taste one after frying.
• Purple onion – White or yellow onion is fine. Soak it in cold water first since it is sharper raw. Shallots also work.
• Fish sauce – A pinch of salt works, though fish sauce tastes better here.

Fry the dilis carefully, toss right before eating, and you are done. I hope you give this Ensaladang Dilis recipe a try.