A rare delicacy from San Pablo City, Laguna, Pinayti is made from pounded micro shrimps simmered in seasoned coconut milk and shallow-fried to perfection. A rare gem from San Pablo City—Pinayti! Made from pounded micro shrimps, simmered in rich coconut milk, then fried to crispy perfection. The flavours? Creamy, briny, umami-packed! If you’ve had ginataang hipon or laing, you’ll love this. Who else has tried this dish? #FilipinoFood #SanPabloCity #RareDelicacy
I’ve been wanting to cook Pinayti for the longest time, but finding micro shrimps in New Zealand has been nearly impossible. Here, the focus is on large prawns—no one has time to shell tiny shrimps for such a small yield of meat. Plus, unless you’re from San Pablo City, you probably wouldn’t even know how to prepare them properly.
But on one of my recent visits to an Asian grocery store, I spotted a frozen pack of micro shrimps—and let me tell you, I was beyond excited! Finally, I could make this rare and deeply flavourful dish at home.
What is Pinayti?
Pinayti is a traditional dish from San Pablo City, Laguna, made from pounded micro shrimps sourced from Lake Palakpakin, one of the Seven Lakes of San Pablo. These tiny shrimps are carefully pounded, then simmered in seasoned coconut milk before being shallow-fried until crispy on the rendered oil. It’s a dish that perfectly balances richness, creaminess, and umami, making it an absolute delight when paired with rice.
It’s also known as Ginataang Dinikdik na Hipon, a variation of the Palakpakin Shrimp dish. Unlike typical ginataang hipon, where shrimp is either prepared with shell on or off then cooked in coconut milk, Pinayti undergoes a pounding process with shell on, which helps intensify the shrimp’s flavour while creating a unique texture.
The Flavour Profile of Pinayti
The beauty of Pinayti lies in its contrast of textures and bold flavours:
Creamy and Savoury – The richness of coconut milk enhances the natural sweetness and saltiness of the shrimp.
Briny and Umami-packed – Because the shrimp is finely pounded, its flavour is much more concentrated.
Spicy and Citrusy (Optional) – It’s often served with calamansi and fresh chilies, letting diners customize the dish to their liking.
If you love dishes like Ginataang Hipon or Laing, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy Pinayti. It’s a perfect example of Filipino ingenuity, using locally available ingredients to create something deeply satisfying and unique.
A Rare and Precious Dish
In San Pablo City, Pinayti is considered a specialty dish, with locals treasuring the unique micro shrimps from Lake Palakpakin. These shrimps aren’t easy to come by, which makes the dish even more special. While many people are familiar with bigger seafood dishes, there’s something truly nostalgic and comforting about this humble, hyper-local delicacy.
I can’t wait to finally recreate it at home and relive the flavours I’ve been missing for so long. Now all I need is a big bowl of steaming rice to go with it!
A rare delicacy from San Pablo City, Laguna, Pinayti is made from pounded micro shrimps simmered in seasoned coconut milk and shallow-fried to perfection.
Stir occasionally and cook until the mixture thickens and the oil from the coconut cream and shrimps starts to render around 20 minutes. The dish is done when the mixture is almost dry and the oil separates.
Transfer the Pinayti to a serving dish then serve.
Definitely something I would enjoy too! My mom used to make those small shrimp with salt and pepper..
How interesting! The texture kind of reminds me of pork floss, which makes me think that maybe I can replicate this with finely shredded TVP or tofu, plus some shiitake powder for umami... Definitely worth experimenting!
Really! Pounded micro-shrimp. How interesting
We used to get micro shrimp in Maine. They are the sweetest shrimp I think I’ve ever had. Maybe I’ll be lucky and find some frozen ones here in Tucson? This is a fantastic sounding dish, Raymund.
Of course, I've never heard of this recipe - but I think it's one of the most unique and intriguing I've seen on your blog, Raymund! Great flavours and interesting technique, and the dish looks inviting and delicious.
This Pinayti looks absolutely incredible Raymund. I love the combination of pounded micro shrimps, rich coconut milk, and crispy frying. Sounds like a flavour explosion! Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe!
I'm not familiar with micro shrimp, but I wonder if the Asian markets in our area might carry them. I'll have to check! This sounds fantastic, Raymund!
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Definitely something I would enjoy too! My mom used to make those small shrimp with salt and pepper..
How interesting! The texture kind of reminds me of pork floss, which makes me think that maybe I can replicate this with finely shredded TVP or tofu, plus some shiitake powder for umami... Definitely worth experimenting!
Really! Pounded micro-shrimp. How interesting
We used to get micro shrimp in Maine. They are the sweetest shrimp I think I’ve ever had. Maybe I’ll be lucky and find some frozen ones here in Tucson? This is a fantastic sounding dish, Raymund.
Of course, I've never heard of this recipe - but I think it's one of the most unique and intriguing I've seen on your blog, Raymund! Great flavours and interesting technique, and the dish looks inviting and delicious.
This Pinayti looks absolutely incredible Raymund. I love the combination of pounded micro shrimps, rich coconut milk, and crispy frying. Sounds like a flavour explosion! Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe!
I'm not familiar with micro shrimp, but I wonder if the Asian markets in our area might carry them. I'll have to check! This sounds fantastic, Raymund!