Filipino cuisine: features and recipes. What to try in the Philippines

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Filipino cuisine is a vibrant blend of tropical ingredients, rich flavors and savory flavor combinations. Gourmets around the world enthusiastically describe the daring duets of fruits, meat, fish, rice… This article describes the most popular traditional dishes, as well as simple recipes.

Briefly about the important! Location, tourism

So where is the Philippines? This question worries many gastronomic travelers. The island state is located in Southeast Asia, in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. Paradise country neighbors Indonesia and Taiwan.

Travelers love to relax on the islands, because there are azure water, warm sand, bewitching reefs and natural landscapes… The Philippines is famous for its fauna, flora and, of course, a variety of national delicacies. Read more about kitchen delights below.

Interesting facts: what you need to know about the cuisine in the Philippines

Filipino food is a mix of Asian and Western influences transformed into original treats. Did you know that:

1. Main dishes are always served withrice. Grains are considered the staple food of the Filipinos. With its simple, starchy flavor, rice pairs well with lots of s alty and sour ingredients.
2. The sauce is a must! The most common dressings are soy sauce and calamansi (mixed together), fish sauce (patis) and spicy vinegar.
3. Cutlery is banned. Although people rarely eat with their hands in the West, it is a tradition in the Philippines.
4. Nothing is thrown away. Foreigners are often surprised to learn that locals use "non-traditional" animal parts, such as legs and tails, in cooking.

Traditional cuisine is very complex. It was formed under the strong influence of the former colonizers and neighboring Asian countries. Because of this, among the national dishes there are many Chinese, Indian, Spanish, Japanese traditional delicacies.

Duck or egg? Balut is the strangest beer snack

A trip to the Philippines is not complete without trying this traditional snack. The balut egg is one of the most controversial foods, because it is … a 17-day-old duck embryo. The ingredient is boiled, served with coarse s alt or hot sauce.

Tastes like scrambled eggs, but with very little fishy flavor. This may be due to the duck's habitat, or possibly its embryonic state. There are certain tricks (such as adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a boiling liquid) designed to neutralize the odor.

How to cook chicken in-Filipino: adobo with rice

Filipino housewives once discovered that cooking meat (often chicken and pork) in vinegar, soy sauce and other spices was a practical way to preserve it without refrigeration. This culinary style can be applied to a variety of meats and even seafood.

Filipino cuisine is famous for its meat delicacies. But how do you make this unusual chicken treat?

Used products:

• 670g chicken legs;
• 250ml water;
• 170 ml soy sauce;
• 80 ml white vinegar;
• bay leaf, garlic.

Chicken is marinated in soy sauce for about an hour (the longer the better). Tender fillet is fried in a pan, poured with spicy marinade, water. Boil for 30-40 minutes, then add vinegar, cook for 8-10 minutes. The meat is served with fluffy rice.

Traditions of national cuisine… Lechon, sisig, bulalo

Lechon is a classic table decoration during the winter holidays. The whole pig is roasted on coals, seasoned with liver sauce. In Cebu Island, the stomach is stuffed with star anise, pepper, green onion, laurel leaves and lemongrass, resulting in a very tasty dish.

Filipino cuisine also includes first courses. Despite the hot climate, many people like hot bulalo soup made from beef. The broth is rich in flavors oozing from the beef after boiling for several hours. Often at firstsweet potato, carrot, corn, cabbage leaves are added to the dish.

In the culinary capital of Pampanga, local chefs turn pork cheeks, heads and livers into a Filipino stir fry called sisig. The crunchy and chewy texture of this snack is perfect for a cold beer.

Not just coffee! A typical Filipino breakfast

A hearty Filipino breakfast typically consists of meat, sinangag (garlic fried rice) and itlog (egg). The name of each dish changes slightly depending on the meat served with the main ingredients.

So, for example, a plate of tapa (beef jerky), sinangag and itlog is called tapsilog. A plate of tachino (pork) is called tosilog. While a dish that uses longganisa (sausages) in the cooking process is known as longsilog. This fragrant combination is a great way to start the day.

What is prepared from fish? Exquisite seafood treats

The freshness of Cebu's rich marine life can be tasted in fish tinol. A simple sour broth flavored with onions, tomatoes and sambag (tamarind) and cooked for hours in coconut milk.

Tilapia is first stuffed with tomatoes and onions. It is then boiled in coconut milk and wrapped in pecha leaves. The fish treat is called Sinanglay. The dish stands out from the background of other fish delicacies thanks to its exquisite presentation.

What are youthink about fish cakes? Filipino cooks roll tender dough in spices and breadcrumbs. Formed cutlets are fried in a pan or baked in the oven, served with rice.

Savory beans - another traditional recipe

Filipino-style beans are a simple and tasty delicacy popular on the islands. The dish is made with red beans, pork belly, langaki (jackfruit) and malunggay leaves.

Used products:

• 200g red beans;
• 150g chopped langaki;
• 100g pork breast;
• 60ml fish sauce;
• 1 small onion;
• lemongrass, garlic.

Red beans and pork are boiled in boiling water. Chopped garlic, onion and lemongrass are fried with vegetable oil. Pork is added to the fragrant ingredients, stewed until the meat turns golden brown. Then add beans and langaka, continue cooking for the next 4-6 minutes, season with fish sauce.

National desserts: ice cream-cocktail, parfait

Many joke that there are two seasons in the Philippines: hot and very hot. Luckily, tourists and locals alike can cool off with a halo-halo cocktail.

This is a blend of crushed ice, condensed milk and various ingredients including sweetened beans, coconut julienne, sago, goulaman (seaweed gelatin), pinnipig rice, cubed boiled root vegetables, fruit chunks and of course scoops of ice cream.

Another classic dessert is parfait. Usually it is made from cream, whipped with sugar, vanilla. Cooks add chia seeds, slices of exotic fruits (mango, avocado) to the sweet treat.