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Philippine cuisine, like its home, evolved for centuries. Its influences are Malay, Chinese, Spanish, Indian and to a certain extent American culture and they combine into a unique, multicultural hotpot. Dishes range from a simple meal of fish and rice to rich ''paellas'' and ''cocidos''. Filipino food is indeed a unique culinary experience.

Popular dishes include Lechon (whole roasted pig), Longganisa (native sausage); Tortas (egg wraps), Pan de sal (bread rolls), Adobo (chicken and/or pork marinated in garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar), Kalderetang Kambing (rich goat stew), Kare-kare (ox tail, beef chunks and/or "tuwalya" cooked in peanut sauce), Sinigang (bouillabaisse-like dish), Pancit (stir-fried noodles), Lumpia (fresh or fried spring rolls) and Halo-halo (a cold exotic fruit mix dessert).


STAPLES

The staple of the Filipino food is Rice . Like most Asian countries (excluding North China), Rice (''bigas'') is grown and served. Rice is simply boiled. However, there are a myriad of ways of using rice and rice flour. They are used in cakes, sweets, and other savory snacks. Cooked rice is fried with garlic, spring onions, and scrambled eggs to create ''Sinangag'', often served with fried eggs and ''Tocino'' (sweetened cured meat) or ''longganisas'' as a breakfast treat. The other native staples include Maize (''mais''), Bananas, and bread.

Seafood is also popular. , Sea Urchin , Abalone , Eel , and Seaweeds .

Fish is simply salted, deep-fried, and eaten as a simple meal with rice and vegetables. Larger fish can be cut up and cooked in a sour broth (known as ''sinigang na isda''), simmered in vinegar and peppers ("paksiw") or roasted over hot charcoal (''inihaw'') . Those opting first class cuisine may prefer to cook their fish ''escabeche'' (sweet and sour) or ''relleno'' (de-boned and stuffed). Fish is also smoked ("tinapa") and sun-dried ("daing"), which could be served all day.

Abundant harvest of root crops occurs all year round. Potatoes, carrots, taro ("gabi"), cassava ("kamoteng kahoy"), purple yam ("ube"), and sweet yam ("kamote") are examples. Kamote chopped, dusted with brown sugar, fried and skewered, yielding "kamote-cue"-- a popular caramelized snack.


BREAKFAST


A traditional breakfast is served in a variety of ways:

  • ''Tapsilog'' - /tap-sĭ-log/ is an acronym for '' Tapa '' (marinated thinly sliced steaks, similar to beef jerky) ''sinangag'' (Filipino fried rice) and ''itlog'' (egg usually fried). Tapsilog is usually served with sliced tomatoes or vinegar sauce.


  • ''Tosilog'' - /tô-sĭ-lôg/ is an acronym for ''Tocino'' (sweetened cured pork or chicken breast), sinangag (fried rice), itlog (fried eggs). Tosilog is also served with either sliced tomatoes, vinegar or ''atchara'' (sweet pickled papaya).


  • ''Longsilog'' - /long-sĭ-lôg/ is an acronym for ''Longganisa'' (sweet and spicy sausages from either Lucban, Pampanga, or Vigan province) Sinangag (fried rice) and itlog (fried eggs). Longsilog is also served with either sliced tomatoes, vinegar sauce or ''achara'' (sweet pickled papaya).


  • ''Champorado'' - /Champ-ô-rə-dô/ is chocolate rice pudding similar to a chocolate oatmeal, not to be confused with Mexican Champurrado which is a hot chocolate drink


  • ''Pan de Sal'' - literally, 'bread of salt', it is a sweet bread roll which can be spread with butter, jam, peanut butter, condensed filled milk or marmalade


  • ''Kesong puti'' - is a firm white cheese made from Carabao 's milk.


  • ''Daing na Bangus'' - / də-ĭN-nə-bə-Nus / meaning salt dried milkfish. It's marinated milkfish served with sinangag and fried eggs. It is also served with either sliced tomatoes, vinegar sauce or ''achara'' (sweet pickled papaya).



MERIENDA

''Merienda'', is an afternoon snack. Like the English who may have tea and biscuits, and Americans who could have coffee and doughnuts; Filipinos do have a number of options to nibble with ''chaa/tsaa'' ( Tea ), ''cafe/kape'' ( Coffee ) or ''mainit na tsokolate'' ( Hot Chocolate ) with.

Merienda can be viewed as a cross between Tapas and Afternoon Tea . Breads like ''pan de sal'' (bread rolls) and ''ensaymada'' (buttery sweet rolls with cheese), and sweets (''kakanin'') such as ''Kutsinta'', ''Pichi-pichi'', ''Palitaw'', ''Biko'', and ''Suman'' are served. Others include savories: small portions of ''pancit canton'', stir-fried noodles; ''empanaditas'', pastries bursting with minced pork, peas and sweet raisins; or a bowl of ''puto'' (sweet steamed rice flour muffins) and ''dinuguan'' (a spicy and tangy stew of pork and blood). Other sweets such as, ''Hopia'' (pastries filled with sweet bean paste, sometimes flavored) and ''Bibingka'' (sweet hot rice cakes with salted eggs and cheese on top) are also favorites.


PULUTAN

''Pulutan'' is a word which means "finger food". Though at times eaten with a fork, Pulutan is served as an appetizer or as a snack accompanied with liquor or non-alcoholic beverages.

  • ''Adidas'' - grilled chicken feet


  • ''Chicharon'' - salted, dried and fried pork rind


  • ''Chicharong Bituka'' - crispy pig's intestines (also called ''bulaklak'', which translates to ''flower'' because of it's appearance when fried)


  • ''Mani'' - salted and/or spicy fried peanuts, sometimes flavored with garlic


  • ''Pork Barbecue'' - Filipino Satays marinated in a special blend


  • '' Sisig '' - minced pig's cheeks cooked with herbs and spices and is served sizzling on a hot plate.


  • ''Siomai'' - chinese dumplings (steamed meatballs sealed in wonton wrappers) dipped in soy sauce with squeezed ''kalamansi'' (Philippine lemon)


  • ''Lumpiang Shanghai'' - tiny fried spring rolls filled with minced meat.



A TYPICAL MEAL


Filipino food is a bold combination of sweet, sour, and spicy. Whereas some Asian cuisines may be known for subtlety and balance, Filipino palates prefer to savoring the flavor at once.

Dinner, while still the main meal, is usually eaten in smaller quantities compared to other countries. Snacking is normal, and it is possible that a person could have eaten four meals in a day.

Dinner may consist of soup soured with Tamarind s and cooked with pork and mixed vegetables, called ''sinigang na baboy'', which may be drizzled atop the servings of steamed rice on a diner's plate. Vegetables boiled with Ginger resound with fresh flavors and can be highlighted with a dash of ''patis'' (fish sauce) or ''bagoong'' (fermented shrimp paste) for salt. Condiments that vary from sweet ''atchara'' (sweet pickled papaya shreds which look similar to sauerkraut and kimchi) to the sour ''suka at bawang'' (vinegar and garlic) is at hand. Fish in most kind, often ''inihaw'' (roasted) should be on the table. Desserts made with coconut milk and glutinous rice can also be sighted.

Some dishes will rely on vinegar for flavoring. '' Adobo '' is popular not solely for its splendid flavor, but also for its ability to remain fresh for days, and even improves its flavor with a day or two of storage.

In addition, though no longer a popular norm but is nevertheless practiced by some, food is eaten with the hands-- sans cutlery. The diner could use his soup (''sabaw'') or sauce to moisten his rice, scoop it from the plate together with a piece of vegetable or meat and slide it into his mouth.


Fiestas


A few Filipino women band together and tirelessly prepare more sophisticated dishes at festive occasions. Tables are often laden with expensive and labor-intensive treats requiring hours of preparation. '' Lechon '', a whole roasted suckling pig, takes centerstage. Ham, basted with pineapple juice and garnished with bright-red cherries titillate the hungry after a long Christmas service. Rellenong Manok, a whole deboned chicken filled with a savory blend of ham, minced pork, raisins, and chorizos-- delights both one's sense of taste and sight. The mingling of egg noodles and chorizos, fruit cocktail with a splash of cream, condensed milk and sugar, and ''pastel de pollo'' (chicken pot pie with chorizos) beckon with a heady aroma. A variety of dishes at the party are usually served buffet-style in ''palayoks'' (clay pots the shape of small cauldrons).


REGIONAL SPECIALTIES

The Philippine islands are home to various ethnic groups. This results in regional cuisine.

Ilocanos from the rugged Ilocos Region boast of a diet heavy in boiled or steamed vegetables and freshwater fish, but are particularly fond of dishes flavored with ''bagoong'', fermented shrimp paste that is often used instead of salt. Ilocanos often season boiled vegetables with ''bagoong monamon'' (fermented anchovy paste) to produce ''pinakbet''. Local specialities include the soft white larvae of ants, and "jumping salad" of tiny, live shrimp.

The Igorot s, prefer roasted meats, particularly Carabao 's meat, goat's meat and venison.

Laguna is known for ''Buko pie'' (coconut pie) and ''Panutsa'' (molasses clustered peanuts)

Pampanga is considered the culinary center. Among the treats produced in Pampanga are ''longganisa'' (original sweet and spicy sausages), ''Kalderetang Kambing'' (savory goat stew) and ''tocino'' (sweetened-cured pork). Kapampangan cuisine makes use of every regional produce available to the native cook, combining pork cheeks and offal to make ''Sisig''.

Batangas is home to Taal Lake , a body of water that surrounds Taal Volcano . The lake is home to 75 species of freshwater fish. And of these, the Maliputo and Tawilis are two of the world's rarest. Maliputos and Tawilises are delicious native delicacies. Batangas is also known for its special coffee, ''Kapeng Barako''.

Cebu is popular for Lechon; and sweets like dried mangoes; mango and caramel tarts

Bulacan is popular for Chicharon (pork rinds) and pastries like puto, kutsinta and many more...

Further south, dishes are filled with the scents of Southeast Asia: coconut milk, turmeric, coriander, lemon grass, ginger, and chilies-- an ingredient not present in other regional cuisine (except in Bicol Region whose use of chilies is more liberal compared to others). Since southern regions are predominantly Islamic, pork dishes are hardly present. Popular crops Cassava Root , sweet potatoes (''kamote'') and yams are grown.


POPULAR FILIPINO DELICACIES



  • '' Adobo '' - a favourite dish consisting of pork and/or chicken stewed in a broth of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and peppercorns.

  • ''Arroz caldo'' - A Spanish-inspired rice porridge cooked with chicken and ginger, garnished with spring onions. (also called "lugaw")

  • '' Balut '' - essentially ducklings boiled before they hatch. Duck eggs that have been fertilized are allowed to develop until the embryo reaches a pre-determined size, then boiled.

  • ''La Paz Batchoy'' - A noodle soup garnished with pork innards, crushed pork cracklings, chopped vegetables, and topped with a raw egg.

  • ''Bibingka'' - A hot rice cake topped with a spread of butter, slices of kesong puti (white cheese) and itlog na maalat (salted duck eggs), and sometimes grated coconut.

  • ''Biko'' - glutinous rice sweets creamed with sugar, butter, and coconut milk.

  • ''Binakol'' - warm chicken soup with coconut meat.

  • ''Binatog'' - corn kernels with shredded coconut.

  • ''Bistik'' - thinly sliced beef marinated in soya sauce and kalamansi.

  • ''Crispy Pata'' - Pork knuckles (pata), marinated then deep fried until crispy golden brown. However, the knuckles are a small portion, thus it is the whole leg of pork that is usually served.

  • ''Dinuguan'' - also called "blood porridge", a dish made from pig blood, entrails, and meat.

  • '' Fishballs / Squidballs '' - commonly sold frozen in stores, and typically peddled by hawkers, they are skewered in bamboo sticks and sauces are dripped over.

  • ''Goto'' - Rice porridge with ox tripe.

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  • ''Itlog na maalat/Itlog na Pula'' - Duck eggs that are hard boiled, then cured in warm brine. Their shells are often dyed with red food coloring to distinguish them from chicken eggs.

  • ''Isaw'' - Seasoned hog and/or chicken intestines. A popular street food.

  • ''Kare-kare'' - Also known as "Peanut Stew", boiled oxtail and/or ox tripe in a peanut-based stew of mixed vegetables, served with bagoong (fermented shrimp paste).

  • ''Kesong puti'' - is a soft white cheese made from carabao's milk.

  • ''Kinilaw'' - raw fish cooked only by steeping in local vinegar, sometimes with coconut milk, onions, spices and other local ingriedients. It is comparable to Ceviche .

  • ''Kutsinta'' - brown rice cake.

  • ''Leche flan'' - caramel custard made with eggs and milk

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  • ''Longanisa'' - sweet or spicy homemade sausages.

  • ''Lumpiang sariwa'' - fresh spring rolls, served with a sweet sauce.

  • ''Lumpia'' - fried spring rolls filled with cooked ground beef and vegetables.

  • ''Lumpiang shanghai'' - tiny fried spring rolls filled with minced pork and shrimp and served with sweet and sour sauce.

  • ''Mamon'' - a buttery sweet sponge cake that is softer than butter cake.

  • ''Palitaw'' - Rice patties with sesame seeds, sugar, and coconut.

  • ''Penoy'' - Hard boiled duck eggs.

  • ''Pichi-pichi'' - cassava patties with coconut.

  • ''Puto'' - sweet steamed rice muffins

  • ''Puto Bumbong'' - purpled-colored sweets cooked in tubes that are placed on a special steamer. When cooked, they are removed from the tubes, topped with butter, and sprinkled with sugar and niyog (grated coconut). They are then wrapped in banana leaves until they are ready to be eaten.

  • ''Kwek-kwek'' - boiled quail eggs dipped in batter then deep fried. Another popular street delicacy.

  • '' Sinigang '' - a tamarind-soured soup typically made with pork, beef, or seafood.

  • ''Sapin-sapin'' - are three-layered tricoloured sweets made with rice flour, purple yam and coconut milk.

  • ''Sorbetes'' - is basically the same as regular ice cream, but is made primarily with coconut milk. Considered by many as "dirty ice cream."

  • ''Suman'' - sticky rice sticks wrapped in banana or palm leaves. They are dipped in sugar and sometimes eaten with ripe mangoes.

  • ''Taho'' - a warm snack made of soft beancurd (the taho itself), a dark syrup, and tapioca balls. Cold(cold dark syrup) flavoured (chocolate, strawberry etc.) taho is now available.

  • '' Tinola '' - Traditional chicken ginger soup cooked with whole chicken pieces, green papaya, and spinach or malunggay leaves.

  • ''Tocino'' - sweetened cured meat. The meat either chicken or pork is marinated and aged for a number of days and is then grilled.

  • ''Ukoy'' - shrimp and squash fritters

  • ''Betamax'' - common street food, roasted dried chicken blood, served in little cubes, the origin of the name is quite funny because of its squared shape and black color, identical to a minitiurized Electronic Betamax tape.

  • ''Tokneneng'' - quail eggs fried in batter usually has food coloring, also a common street food.



FILIPINO DRINKS AND COCKTAILS

The climate of the Philippines is characterized by having relatively high temperature, high humidity and abundant rainfall. This is a reason why chilled drinks are popular.

  • ''Salabat'' - ginger tea

  • ''Gulaman at Sago'' - a flavoured iced-drink with agar gelatin and tapioca balls/pearls

  • ''Fresh Mango Shake'' - ripe mangoes blended with milk, ice and sugar

  • ''Pandan Iced Tea'' - tea made with Pandan leaves and lemon grass.

  • ''Green Mango Shake'' - green mangoes blended with syrup.

  • ''Kalamansi Juice'' - Philippine limes squeezed and blended with honey, syrup or sugar.

  • ''Lambanog'' - is hard liquor made from coconut extract.

  • ''Fresh Buko Juice'' - The Philippines is a producer of coconut products. The fruit is topped and a straw is pierced into the membrane allowing a person to drink its juice.

  • ''Other Tropical Fruit Drinks'' - Dalanghita (green mandarin), Suha (Pomelo), Piña (Pineapple), Banana, and Guyabano (Soursop).

  • Brandy-Iced Tea Powder - a popular cocktail and a part of several cocktails of liqueurs and juice powders.

  • Fruit Shakes - similar to milkshake but it only contains fruit or flavoring (like chocolate malt drink powder or chocolate cookies), milk (except in some fruits), crushed ice, water and sugar. There are weird flavors like durian.

  • Gin-Pomelo (a certain type of citrus, popular to its pink color) Juice Powder

  • Gin-Pineapple Juice Powder

  • Brandy-Grape Juice Powder



OTHER FOOD

The Philippines doesn't only possess its traditional cuisine. Popular worldwide cuisine and restaurant chains are also available around the archipelago.


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