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Philippine cuisine (or Filipino cuisine) refers to the food, preparation methods and eating customs of the Philippines, an island archipelago nation in south east Asia. Filipino cuisine has evolved from its origins at the time of the Austronesian migration in 5000 to 2500 BCE. Over the centuries, it has been influenced by many cultures. Dishes range from the very simple, like a meal of fried salted fish and rice, to the elaborate paellas and "cocidos" (stews) created for fiestas.

Filipino cuisine

Influences[link]

The many influences on Filipino cuisine include Malay, Indian, Arab, Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, American and South American cuisines. These influences have been adapted to ingredients that are locally available and suit the local palate.^[1][2][3][4]

History[link]

Filipino arroz caldo

The history of Filipino cuisine begins many centuries before the arrival of the Spanish.

Austronesian food[link]

Around 3200 BCE, Austronesian people from Taiwan the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau in southern China migrated to the Philippine archipelago. They brought with them knowledge of rice cultivation and other farming practices.^[5] In the era of the Austronesian people, food was prepared by boiling, steaming and roasting. Meat and other products from livestock and farming were combined with those from local flora and fauna. Livestock included "kalabaw" (water buffaloes), "baka" (cows), "manok" (chickens) and "baboy" (pigs). The island locale provided a ready source of fish and crustaceans. The archipelago's position in the tropics, on the volcanic Pacific ring of fire gave a biodiverse environment with many varieties of edible indigenous plants and animals.

Cuisine and trade[link]

Philippine cuisine evolved as new techniques and styles of cooking and ingredients found their way to the island nation as the result of sea exploration and trade.

China[link]

During the Song dynasty (1279 to 960 BCE) the people of Hokkien China brought porcelain, ceramics and silk to Luzon, the Philippines' largest island, in exchange for spices and "trepang" (sea cucumber). ^[6] This early cultural contact with China introduced a number of staple foods to Philippine cuisine:

Toyo (soy sauce; Chinese: 豆油; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tāu-yu),

Tokwa (tofu; Chinese: 豆干; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tāu-koaⁿ),

Tawge (bean sprout; Chinese: 豆芽; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tāu-koaⁿ)

Patis (fish sauce).

The Chinese also brought the stir fry method and recipes for savoury soup bases. Many dishes retain their Hokkien names:

pancit (Chinese: 便ê食; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: piān-ê-si̍t)(Chinese: 扁食; pinyin: biǎn shí) (noodles)

lumpia (Chinese: 潤餅; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: jūn-piáⁿ, lūn-piáⁿ).^[6] (fried spring rolls)

Also introduced to the Philippines in this period were staples of the chinese traders and workers, for example,

Panciterias (noodle shops)

arroz caldo (congee)

sinangag (fried rice) and

chopsuey.

Neighbouring kingdoms[link]

Trade with the neighbouring kingdoms of Malacca, Srivijaya, Malaya and Java brought lasting influences:

Bagoong (Malay: Belacan) (fermented fish)

Patis (fish sauce),

Puso (Malay: Ketupat) (rice dumpling)

Rendang (spicy meat dish) and

Kare-kare (peanut sauce stew).

The use of coconut milk in dishes such as Laing (coconut milk stew) has a Malay-Indonesian origin. For example, "Ginataang Manok" is chicken stewed in coconut milk. Cuisine from distant lands (including India and Arabia), came to the Philippines through trade with the Malay-Indonesian kingdoms.^[7] This is especially so where trade was strongest: southern Luzon, Mindanao, Sulu, Palawan, the Visayas and Bicol. Dishes such as kurmah, satti and biryani remain popular in the southern archipelago.

Spanish settlers[link]

In the 16th century, Spanish settlers brought produce from the Americas such as chili peppers, tomatoes, corn and potatoes. They brought the method of sautéing with garlic and onions. Although chili peppers are not as widely used in Filipino cooking as they are in much of southeast Asia, chili leaves are frequently used as a green vegetable. Spanish (and Mexican) dishes were eventually incorporated into Philippine cuisine. The more complex dishes were prepared for special occasions. Some dishes such as "arroz a la valenciana" (a savoury rice dish) remain largely unchanged. Others have been adapted or have come to take on a different meaning. For example, "Arroz a la cubana" when prepared in the Philippines usually includes ground beef picadillo (hash). Filipino "longganisa" has greater similarity to "chorizo" than to Spanish "longaniza". Indeed, in the Visayan region, Filipino style "longganisa" is still known as "chorizo". A further example is "Morcon" which means a beef roulade rather than a Spanish sausage.

Characteristics[link]

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A large bibingka topped with grated coconut

There are two features which distinguish Filipino cuisine. The first is a bold combination of sweet ("tamis"), sour ("asim") and salty ("alat") flavours that produces "counterpoint". The second is the tradition of presenting dishes together as a single course (rather than with a multiple subtle courses).

Counterpoint[link]

"Counterpoint" is a feature of Philippine cuisine produced by the pairing of sweet, salty and sour elements. For example, "champorado" (a sweet cocoa rice porridge) might be paired with "tuyo" (salted, sun-dried fish); or a "dinuguan" (a savoury stew made of pig's blood and offal) might be paired with "puto" (sweet, steamed rice cakes); or unripe fruits such as mangoes (which are only slightly sweet and very sour), might be dipped in salt or bagoong. Again cheese (providing a salty ingredient) might be used in sweetcakes (such as "bibingka" and "puto") or as an ice cream flavouring.

Preserving[link]

In the hot tropical climate of the Philippine archipelago, preservation of food is essential. "Adobo", means ingredients marinated in vinegar and garlic. It is used for its simplicity and ease of preparation; its ability to improve flavour; and its ability to be stored. Other preserving methods are smoking, for example "Tinapa", a smoke-cured fish; curing with salt, for example corned "tuyo", "daing", and "dangit"; and sun-drying of fish.

Local ingrediants[link]

Rice is a staple food in Philippine cuisine

Rice[link]

Rice is a staple food. It is served steamed with meals and enjoyed with the sauce or broth from the main dishes. In some regions, rice is mixed with salt, condensed milk, cocoa, or coffee. Rice flour is used in making sweets, cakes and other pastries. Leftover rice may be fried with garlic to make "sinangag" (garlic fried rice). Sinangag is served at breakfast with fried eggs and with cured meat or sausages.

Fruit[link]

A variety of fruits and are in plentiful supply.

Calamondin

Bananas (the "saba" variety in particular), kalamansi, "bayabas" (guavas), mangoes, papayas, and pineapples lend a distinctly tropical flair in many dishes. Coconuts are ubiquitous. Coconut meat is often used in desserts; "kakang gata" (coconut milk) in sauces; and coconut oil for frying.

Vegetables[link]

Green leafy vegetables like "kangkong" (water spinach), "petsay" (chinese cabbage), "petsay wombok" (napa cabbage), "repolyo" (cabbage) and other vegetables like "talong" (eggplant) and "sitaw" (yard-long beans) are the mainstay. There are abundant harvests of root crops like potatoes, carrots, "gabi" (taro), "kamoteng kahoy" (cassava), "ube" (purple yam) and "kamote" (sweet potato). The combination of "kamatis" (tomato), "bawang" (garlic) and "sibuyas" (onion) is found in many dishes.

Protein[link]

Meat staples include chicken, pork, beef, and fish.

Seafood[link]

Popular catches include fish such as tilapia, "hito" (catfish), "bangus" (milkfish), "lapu-lapu" (grouper), "galunggong hasa-hasa" (mackerel), swordfish, sablefish, tuna, cod and blue marlin. Local crustaceans include "hipon" (shrimp), "sugpo" (prawns), "talaba" (oysters), "tahong" (mussels), "halaan and tulya" (clams), "alimango" (large crabs) and "alimasag" (small crabs) and "pusit"(squid/cuttlefish). Other seafoods are seaweeds, abalone and eel. Fish is commonly salted, pan-fried or deep-fried and then served as a simple meal with rice and vegetables.

Food culture[link]

Cooking and eating in the Philippines is traditionally an informal, communal affair which is centered around the family kitchen. Food is served all at once rather than in courses. The traditional way of eating is to take a bite of the main meal (especially if it is a dry food such as "inihaw" or "prito") and then a mouthful of rice pressed together with the fingers. This practice, known as "kamayan", is rarely seen in urban areas. However, Filipinos tend to feel the spirit of "kamayan" when eating in a natural setting during out of town trips, beach vacations, town fiestas and so on. ^[8] In urban areas, food is eaten with flatware. Knives, forks and spoons may be set with a fork and spoon most commonly selected.

Meals of the day[link]

Filipinos will eat three main meals: "agahan" or "almusal" (breakfast), "tanghalían" (lunch), and "hapunan" (dinner) plus an afternoon snack called "meriénda" (also called "minandál" or "minindál"). Snacking is normal. Dinner, while still the main meal, is smaller. Breakfast or lunch is the larger meal.

Breakfast[link]

"Tapsilog"

A traditional Filipino breakfast might include pandesal (small bread rolls), "kesong puti" (white cheese), "champorado" (chocolate rice porridge), sinangag (garlic fried rice) and a meat such as "tapa", longganisa, tocino, "karne norte" (corned beef) or fish such as daing na bangus (salted and dried milkfish)—or "itlog na pula" (salted duck eggs). Coffee is also served, particularly "kapeng barako". Kapeng barako is a strong flavoured coffee produced in the mountains of Batangas.

Merienda[link]

"Puto" in banana leaf liners

The word, "Merienda", is taken from the Spanish. It is a light meal or snack served in the afternoon, similar to the concept of afternoon tea. If the meal is taken close to dinner, it is called "merienda cena" and may be served instead of dinner. Kape' (coffee) is served with breads, pastries and cakes. There might also be savoury dishes.

Pulutan[link]

Chicharrón

"Pulutan" comes from the Filipino word "pulutin" which means "something that is picked up". It is a term roughly analogous to the English term "finger food". Originally, it was a snack accompanied with liquor or beer but it has found its way into general Philippine cuisine as appetizers or main dishes.

Condiments[link]

Food is often served with various dipping sauces. Fried food may be dipped in vinegar, soy sauce, juice squeezed from "Kalamansi" (Philippine lime), or a combination of two or all. "Patis" (fish sauce) may be mixed with kalamansi as dipping sauce for most seafood. Fish sauce, "bagoong" (fish paste), "bagoong alamang" (shrimp paste) and "luya" (crushed ginger root) are added in cooking or as condiments when served.

Fiesta food[link]

Lechón being roasted in Cadiz City, Philippines.

At festive occasions, people band together and prepare more sophisticated dishes. Tables are laden with expensive and labor-intensive treats requiring hours of preparation.

Christmas Eve[link]

Christmas Eve, known as Noche Buena, is an important feast. The 'star' of the table is the Christmas ham and Edam cheese ("queso de bola"). Supermarkets sell these treats during the Christmas season and are popular giveaways by Filipino companies in addition to red wine, brandy, groceries and pastries. The treates may be sold from stalls in front of churches along with bibingka and "puto bumbong".

Main dishes[link]

Rice[link]

Rice may be cooked into porridges of various kinds:

Arroz caldo - a rice porridge cooked with chicken, ginger and sometimes saffron, garnished with spring onions (chives), toasted garlic, and coconut milk to make a type of gruel.

Goto - Arroz caldo made with ox tripe.

Champorado - sweet rice porridge flavoured with chocolate, served at breakfast with "tuyo" (salted dried herring) or "daing" (milk fish).

Arroz a la valenciana - a paella named after Valencia, a region in Spain.

Bringhe - a glutinous rice dish with coconut milk and turmeric.

Kiampong - fried rice topped with pork pieces, chives and peanuts. A specialty of Chinese restaurants in Binondo and Manila.

Other rice dishes include,

Paella - fried rice, chicken and seafood

Meat dishes[link]

The Lechón[link]

A "lechón" (also spelled litson)^[9] is an adult pig which serves as the centerpiece of the dinner table. Suckling pigs ("lechonillo" or "lechon de leche") or cattle calves ("lechong baka") are alternatives. The "lechón" is served with a "lechón" sauce.

Savoury dishes[link]

Mechado - beef and pork stewed in a tomato sauce. Mechado is named for the pork fat that is inserted into a slab of beef making it look like a wick ("mitsa") coming out of a beef "candle". The larded meat is then cooked in a seasoned tomato sauce and later sliced and served with the sauce in which it was cooked.

Afritada - pork and chicken stewed in a tomato sauce.

Caldereta - beef or goat and vegetable stew. Chunks of meat are cooked in tomato sauce, minced garlic, chopped onions, peas, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes to make a stew with some recipes calling for the addition of soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, chilies or ground liver.

Puchero - a meat and chickpea stew derived from the Spanish "cocido" sweetened with banana or plantain slices simmered in tomato sauce.

Menudo - pork and liver stew

Morcon - meat roll stuffed with sausage, carrots, pickles, cheese and egg

Embutido - a meatloaf (not sausage)

Hamonado - honey-cured beef, pork or chicken.

Relleno - stuffed chicken or milkfish.

Chicken adobo with rice

Adobo - considered by some to be the Philippines' unofficial national dish (although others would name "sinigang" as the national dish). It consists of pork or chicken, sometimes both, stewed or braised in a sauce made from vinegar, cooking oil, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, and soy sauce. It can also be prepared "dry" by cooking out the liquid and concentrating the flavour.

Pork "adobo"

Bistek - ("Filipino beef steak") consists of thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce and calamansi and then fried in a skillet that is served with onions.

Kare-kare

Kare-kare - a peanut stew with oxtail or ox tripe with vegetables. It is served with "bagoong" (fermented shrimp paste).

Dinuguan - pig's blood, entrails and meat cooked with vinegar and seasoned with siling mahaba (the long chilli pepper).

Paksiw na baboy - a vinegar stew with pork hocks, sugar, banana blossoms, and water (so that the meat is stewed in a sweet sauce). Related to chinese "pata tim"

Humba - a Visayan dish that is a vinegar pork stew with fermented black beans. Also related to chinese "pata tim".

Paksiw na lechon - a vinegar stew with "lechon" meat and ground liver or liver spread. The liver adds flavor and thickens the sauce so that it starts to caramelize around the meat by the time dish is finished cooking.

Crispy pata - pork knuckles ("pata") marinated in garlic-flavored vinegar then deep fried until crisp and golden brown, with other parts of the pork leg prepared in the same way.

Lechon manok - Rotisserie chicken. Available in many "hole-in-the-wall" stands and restaurant chains. The chicken is seasoned then cooked over a charcoal flame and served with "sarsa" or "lechon" sauce made from mashed pork liver, starch, sugar, and spices.

Sisig - made from the pig's cheek skin, ears and liver. Initially boiled, grilled over charcoal and then minced and cooked with chopped onions, chillies, and spices.

Seafood dishes[link]

Pangat - fish cooked in a sour broth of tomatoes or "pangat" (tamarind).

Paksiw - fish simmered in vinegar and peppers.

Sinigang - fish prepared with vegetables and a souring agent or roasted over hot charcoal or wood.

Inihaw - fish roasted over wood or charcoal.

Escabeche - sweet and sour.

Relleno - deboned and stuffed.

Kinilaw - similar to Peruvian ceviche. It is made of raw seafood such as fish or shrimp steeped in local vinegar, sometimes with coconut milk, onions, spices and other local ingredients.

Kalamansi - marinated in vinegar.

Ukoy is shredded papaya combined with small shrimp (and occasionally bean sprouts) and fried to make shrimp patties. It is often eaten with vinegar seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper.

Paksiw na isda - a vinegar stew ("Paksiw") with fish and ginger, fish sauce, siling mahaba and vegetables.

Pinakbet - stewed vegetables heavily flavoured with "bagoong"

Dinengdeng - a dish consisting of "malunggay" (moringa leaves) and slices of bittermelon.

Coconut dishes[link]

Macapuno - coconut meat is cut into strings, sweetened, preserved, and served in desserts.

Buko pie - coconut pie

Suman - a savory rice and coconut milk dish steamed in banana leaves

Portmanteaus[link]

Filipino uses some portmanteaus to describe popular combinations of breakfast foods. For example,

Kankamtuy - an order of kan-in (rice), kam-atis (tomatoes) and tuy-o (dried fish).

Tapsi - an order of ta-pa and si-nangág.

Other examples include variations using a "silog" suffix, that is, meat served with si-nangág and it-log (egg). The three most commonly seen silogs are,

Tapsilog - having tapa as the meat portion,

Tocilog - having tocino as the meat portion

Longsilog - having longganisa as the meat portion.

Other silogs include "hotsilog" (with a hot dog), "bangsilog" (with bangus (milkfish)), "dangsilog" (with "danggit" (rabbitfish)), "spamsilog" (with spam), "adosilog" (with adobo), "chosilog" (with chorizo), "chiksilog" (with chicken), "cornsilog" (with corned beef), and "litsilog" (with lechon/litson).

Pankaplog is a slang term referring to a breakfast consisting of "pandesal", "kape" (coffee), and itlog (egg).^[10] An establishment that specializes in such meals is called a "tapsihan" or "tapsilugan".

Side dishes[link]

Itlog na pula - (red eggs) - duck eggs that have been cured in brine or a mixture of clay-and-salt for a few weeks, making them salty. They are later hard boiled and dyed with red food coloring, hence its name, to distinguish them from chicken eggs before they are sold. They are often served with diced tomatoes.

Atchara - pickled papaya strips similar to sauerkraut, a frequent accompaniment to fried dishes like "tapa" or "daing".

Nata de coco - a chewy, translucent, jelly-like food product produced by the fermentation of coconut water, served with "pandesal".

Kesong puti - a soft white cheese made from carabao milk (although cow milk is used in most commercial variants).

Niyog - grated mature coconut, served with sweet rice-based desserts.

Noodles[link]

"Pancit luglug" topped with hardboiled eggs, shrimp, and chorizo.

Pancit recipes consist of noodles, vegetables and slices of meat or shrimp with variations often distinguished by the type of noodles used. Some pancit, such as "mami" and "La Paz-styled batchoy" are noodle soups while the dry varieties are comparable to "chow mein" in preparation.

ispageti (spaghetti) - similar to spaghetti bolognese. It is sometimes made with banana ketchup instead of tomato sauce, sweetened with sugar and topped with hot dog slices.

Pancit canton - chinese noodles

"Pancit bihon" ("bijon")

Bread[link]

A typical Filipino bakery sells "pandesal", "monay", "ensaymada" and "pan de coco".

Pandesal[link]

Bag of pandesal

Pandesal comes from the Spanish "pan de sal" (literally, 'bread of salt'). It is ubiquitous breakfast fare, eaten with (and sometimes dipped in) coffee. It takes the form of a bread roll and is usually baked covered in bread crumbs. Contrary to its name, pandesal is not particularly salty.

Monay[link]

Monay is a firmer, slightly denser or heavier bread.

[edit] Ensaymada

From the Spanish word "ensaimada", this is a pastry made using butter and often topped with sugar and shredded cheese. It is popular during Christmas. It is sometimes made with fillings such as ube and macapuno.

Pan de Coco[link]

Pan de coco is a sweet bread roll filled with shredded coconut mixed with molasses.

Soups[link]

Sinigang na baboy (Pork tamarind soup)

Filipino soups tend to be very hearty and stew-like, containing large chunks of meat and vegetables or noodles. They are meant to be filling and not a light preparatory introduction for the main course. They are served with the rest of the meal and eaten with rice when they are not meals in themselves. They are listed on menus under the heading "sabaw" (broth).

Sinigang - a sour tamarind soup with pork, beef, chicken or seafood. Other souring agents may be used, for example, guava fruit or miso.

Tinola - large chicken pieces and green papaya slices cooked with chili, spinach, and moringa leaves in a ginger-flavored broth.

Nilagang baka - a beef stew made with cabbages and other vegetables.

Binacol - a warm chicken soup cooked with coconut water and served with strips of coconut meat.

La Paz batchoy - a noodle soup garnished with pork innards, crushed pork cracklings, chopped vegetables, and topped with a raw egg. Another dish with the same name uses misua, beef heart, kidneys and intestines, but does not contain eggs or vegetables.

Mami - a noodle soup made from chicken, beef, pork, wonton dumplings, or intestines (called "laman-loob"). Ma Mon Luk was known for it.

Sotanghon - a chicken noodle soup with "sotanghon" (cellophane noodles), chicken and mushrooms.

Snacks and street food[link]

Deep fried pulutan[link]

Chicharon - also spelled "tsitsaron" are pork rinds that have been salted, dried, then fried.

Chicharong bituka- pig intestines that have been deep fried to a crisp

Chicharong bulaklak - similar to chicharong bituka it is made from mesenteries of pig intestines and has a "bulaklak" or flower appearance.

Chicharong manok - chicken skin that has been deep fried until crisp.

Grilled pulutan[link]

Barbecue isaw - chicken or pig intestines marinated and skewered;

Barbecue tenga - pig ears that have been marinated and skewered;

Barbecue pork - skewered pork marinated in a sweet blend;

Betamax - salted solidified roasted pork or chicken blood which is served cut into small cubes for which it received its name in resemblance to a Betamax tape

Adidas- grilled or sautéed chicken feet, named after the popular shoe brand

Other snacks[link]

Banana-cue - a whole banana or plantain skewered on a short thin bamboo stick, rolled in brown sugar, and fried.

Kamote-cue - a peeled sweet potato skewered on a stick, covered in brown sugar and then fried. Fish balls or squid balls are skewered on bamboo sticks then dipped in a sweet or savory sauce to be commonly sold frozen in markets or peddled by street vendors.

Fish balls

A merchant selling fish balls in the Philippines

Binatog - created with corn kernels with shredded coconut. Packaged snacks wrapped in banana or :Suman - sticky rice packaged in banana or palm leaves.

Siomai - the local version of Chinese shaomai (dumpling).

Lumpia - spring rolls that can be served either fresh or fried. Somewhat laborious to prepare, it is made for festive occasions. "Lumpia sariwa", sometimes referred to as "fresh lumpia" is a spring roll that consists of a soft crepe wrapped around a filling that can include strips of kamote (sweet potato), "singkamas" (jicama), bean sprouts, green beans, cabbage, carrots and meat (often pork). It can be served warm or cold and typically with a sweet peanut and garlic sauce. Lumpiang sariwa has Chinese origins, derived from popiah.^{[citation needed]} "Lumpiang prito" is the fried version. "Lumpiang shanghai" is filled with ground pork and a combination of vegetables, fried and served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce.^[11] Other variations are filled with minced pork and shrimp and accompanied by a vinegar-based dipping sauce. "Lumpia" has been commercialized in a frozen food form.

Turon - a fried lumpia consisting of an eggroll or phyllo wrapper filled with plantain and jackfruit and sprinkled with sugar.

Taho - a warm treat made of soft beancurd (taho), dark caramel syrup (arnibal) and tapioca pearls. It is sold in neighborhoods by street vendors who yell out "taho". Served chilled or with added flavours such as chocolate or strawberry. Taho is derived from the original Chinese snack food known as "douhua".

Iskrambol - (from the English, "to scramble"), an iced-based treat like a sorbet combined with various flavorings and topped with chocolate syrup. It is eaten by "scrambling" the contents then drinking through a large straw. Also served as "ice scramble", or simply "scramble" with added skim milk, chocolate and/or strawberry syrup and a choice of toppings such as marshmallows, chocolate or candy sprinkles, rice crispies or tapioca pearls.

kwek-kwek - hard-boiled quail eggs dipped in orange-dyed batter and then deep fried like a tempura.

Tokneneng - a larger version of "kwek-kwek" using chicken or duck eggs.

Balut - a boiled pre-hatched poultry egg, duck or chicken. These fertilized eggs are allowed to develop until the embryo reaches a pre-determined size and are then boiled. Like "taho", "balut" is advertised by street hawkers calling out their product.

Penoy - hard-boiled unfertilized duck eggs.

Okoy (ukoy) - a batter-covered, deep-fried street food with bean sprouts, shredded pumpkin and very small shrimps, shells and all. It is dipped in a combination of vinegar and chilli.

Mani (peanuts) - boiled in the shell, salted, spiced or flavored with garlic by street vendors.

Kropeck - fish crackers.

Tokwa't baboy - tofu fried with boiled pork then dipped in a garlic-flavored soy sauce or vinegar dip that is also served as a side dish to pancit luglog or pancit palabok.

proven - the proventriculus of a chicken coated in cornstarch and deep-fried.  :pinoy fries - fries made from sweet potatoes.

Pastries and cakes[link]

A mille-feuille pastry

Putok - literally means "explode", refers to a small, hard bread roll whose cratered surface is glazed with sugar.

Kababayan is a small, sweet gong-shaped muffin that has a moist consistency.

Spanish bread refers to a rolled pastry which looks like a croissant prior to being given its crescent shape. It has a filling of sugar and butter.

Pianono is a chiffon roll flavoured with different fillings.

Brazo de mercedes is a rolled cake or jelly roll made from a sheet of meringue rolled around a custard filling. Similar to Pianono, it takes on a layered presentation instead of being rolled and typically features caramelized sugar and nuts for sans rival.

Silvañas are large, oval-shaped, cookie-sized desserts, with a thin meringue on either side of a buttercream filling and dusted with crumbed cookies. Not overly sweet, they are rich, crisp, chewy, and buttery all at the same time.

Barquillos use sweet thin crunchy wafers rolled into tubes that can be sold hollow or filled with polvoron (sweetened and toasted flour mixed with ground nuts).

Meringues are made in the Philippines, due to the Spanish influence but are called merengue – with all the vowels pronounced.

Leche flan is a type of caramel custard made with eggs and milk similar to the French creme caramel. Leche flan is the local term for the Spanish "flan de leche" and means "milk flan". It is a heavier version of the Spanish flan made with condensed milk and more egg yolks. Leche flan is usually steamed over an open flame or stove top, although rarely it can also be seen baked. Leche flan is a staple in celebratory feasts. A heavier version of the leche flan, "tocino del cielo", is similar, but has significantly more egg yolks and sugar.

Egg pie is made with a very rich egg custard filling. It is baked so that the exposed custard on top is browned.

Buko pie is made with a filling of young coconut meat.

Turrones de casuy are made of cashew marzipan wrapped with a wafer made to resemble a candy wrapper but is a tiny pie about the size of about a quarter. :Napoleones, again with all the vowels pronounced, is mille-feuille pastry stuffed with a sweet milk-based filling.

Biskotso is a crunchy, sweet, twice-baked bread.

Sinipit is a sweet pastry covered in a crunchy sugar glaze, made to resemble a length of rope.

Shingaling is similar to "sinipit" but is eaten casually on the roadside. It is hollow and crunchy with a salty flavour.

Mamon is a chiffon-type cake sprinkled with sugar. Its name is derived from a slang Spanish term for breast.

Crema de fruta is an elaborate sponge cake topped in layers of cream, custard, candied fruit, and gelatine.

Mamoncillo is similar to a sponge cake. It refers to slices taken from a large mamon cake, but it is unrelated to the fruit of the same name. Another mamon variant is mamon tostada, basically mamoncillo toasted to a crunchy texture.

Inipit is a sandwich pastry made with two thin layers of chiffon, sandwiching a filling of custard that is topped with butter and sugar.

Empanadas are a turnover-type pastry filled with a savory-sweet meat filling. They are made with ground meat and raisins. They can be deep fried or baked.

Siopao is the local version of the Chinese baozi, a steamed bun.

Buchi is a bite sized snack. Again, it is probably of Chinese origin. Buchi is made of deep-fried dough balls (often made with rice flour) filled with a sweet mung bean paste and coated on the outside with sesame seeds. Some variants have ube as the filling.

Hopia is similar to a moon-cake. It comes in different shapes (flat, circular and stuffed, cubic), and has different textures and fillings.

Desserts[link]

A tropical climate and its location in South East Asia provides the Philippines with perfect conditions to grow rice and coconuts, the ingredients of many Filipino desserts.

"Sapin-sapin"

leche flan

ube

Sapin-sapin - a rice-based delicacy, sprinkled with latik. "Latik" is a reduction of coconut milk until all or most of the liquid has evaporated (depending on regional variation).

Sorbetes - ice creams. May use coconut milk.

Totong - a rice, coconut milk and mongo bean pudding

Ginataan - a coconut milk pudding with various root vegetables and tapioca pearls

Gulaman - an agar jello-like ingredient or dessert.

Halo-halo

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

Biko - a glutinous rice sweet made with sugar, butter, and coconut milk.

Kutsinta - a brown rice cake.

Puto - sweet steamed rice cakes prepared in many different sizes and colours.

Sapin-sapin - three-layered, tri-colored sweets made with rice flour, purple yam, and coconut milk with its gelatinous appearance.

Palitaw - rice patties covered with sesame seeds, sugar, and coconut

Pitsi-pitsi - cassava patties coated with cheese or coconut

Tibok-tibok - based on carabao milk as a "de leche" (similar to "maja blanca").

Halo-halo - made with shaved ice, milk, and sugar with additional ingredients like coconut, "halaya" (mashed purple yam), caramel custard, plantains, jackfruit, red beans, tapioca and "pinipig".

Saba con yelo - shaved ice served with milk and "minatamis na saging" (ripe plantains chopped and caramelized with brown sugar)

mais con yelo - shaved ice served with steamed corn kernels, sugar, and milk

buko pandan - sweetened grated strips of coconut with gulaman, milk, and the juice or extract from pandan leaves.

Ice candy - made from frozen juice or chocolate. It can be any kind of flavour depending on the maker; chocolate and "buko" (coconut) flavored ice candy are two of the most popular.

Dessert gallery[link]

Regional specialties[link]

The Philippine islands are home to various ethnic groups resulting in varied regional cuisines.

Northern Philippine cuisine[link]

Pinakbet with shrimp

• Ilocos region - a rugged region on the north west coast of Luzon. The diet comprises boiled or steamed vegetables and freshwater fish. Dishes are flavored with "bagoong", fermented fish that is used instead of salt.

Pinakabet - boiled vegetables are seasoned with "bagoong monamon" (fermented anchovy paste)

Ant larvae - soft and white

Jumping salad - salad of tiny live shrimp.

• Igorot region - at the northern tip of Luzon. Local cuisine includes roasted meats, particularly carabao meat, goat meat, and venison.
• Baguio - Baguio city is a highly urbanised area in northern Luzon. It lies in a mountainous area with a mild subtropical climate. The produce in the region includes temperate zone fruits and vegetables, for example strawberries.

Sundot-kulangot - literal meaning "poke the booger". A sticky sweet snack made from milled glutinous rice flour mixed with molasses, served inside "pitogo" shells with a stick with which to "poke" its sticky substance.

• Calasiao, Pangasinan - in the west of Luzon is known for puto (steamed rice cake).
• Pampangan - the traditional home of the Kapampangan people.

longganisa - sweet and spicy sausage made from pork (though other meats can also be used), traditionally coloured red through the use of the anatto seed but also artificial food colouring.

Calderetang kambing - savoury goat stew.

Tocino - sweetened cured chicken or pork. It is marinated and cured for a number of days before being fried.

Sisg - pork cheeks and offal.

• Bulacan - in central Luzon.

Cuisine prepared in Baliuag, Bulacan.

Chicharon - with steamed rice

Tuber cakes

Panghimagas - desserts such as "kutsinta" (brown rice cake), "sapin-sapin", "suman", cassava cake, "halaya ube", carabao milk candy and "pastillas de leche", with a "pabalat" wrapper.^[12]

• Cainta - in Rizal province, to the east of Manila,

Filipino rice cakes. These are usually topped with "latik". A modern time saving alternative to latik are toasted coconut flakes.

• Antipolo - mid-level in the mountainous regions of the Philippine Sierra Madre. A town known for its "suman" and cashew products.
• Laguna, Calabarzon - known for "buko pie" (coconut pie) and "panutsa" (peanut brittle).
• Rizal province, Calabarzon - just east of Manila.

Waknatoy - pork or beef sirloin combined with potatoes and cut sausages and cooked in a tomato-based sauce sweetened with pickles.

• Batangas - is home to Taal Lake, a body of water that surrounds the Taal Volcano. The lake is home to 75 species of freshwater fish. Among these, the "maliputo" and "tawilis", two delicacies, are species not commonly found elsewhere. Also known for its coffee, "kapeng barako".

Central Philippine cuisine[link]

• Bicol - south east Luzon and islands,

Bicol express - a very spicy dish.

natong - ("laing"), ("pinangat") - a pork or fish stew in taro leaves.

• Bacolod - Chicken "inasal" (roast chicken served on skewers).
• Iloilo - in the western Visayas. The cuisine includes La Paz batchoy, pancit molo, dinuguan, puto, biscocho and piyaya.^{[citation needed]}
• Cebu - Lechon prepared "Cebu style" has a crisp outer skin and a moist meat with a unique taste given by a blend of spices. Cebu is also known for sweets like dried mangoes and caramel tarts.

Southern Philippine cuisine[link]

Mindanao occupies the southern part of Palawan island, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Dishes from the southern region are richly flavoured with the spices common to Southeast Asia such as turmeric, coriander, lemon grass, cumin, and chillies. These ingredients are not commonly used in other parts of the Philippines. Crops such as cassava root, sweet potatoes, and yams are grown. The indigenous people of Mindanao are Moro and Lumad. The Spanish did not colonise Mindanao in large numbers. Thus, influences of the rich and spicy Malay cuisine of Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Indonesian and Thai cuisines are prominent. Some parts of Mindanao are predominantly Muslim and so pork is rarely consumed. The cuisine from the south includes dishes of Middle East origin.

Satti - satay.

The Southern Philippine dish "Satti", served with "Ta'mu" (ketupat) rice cakes.

Ginataang manok - chicken cooked in spiced coconut milk,

Rendang - a spicy beef curry with its origins among the Minangkabau people of Sumatra,

Biryani - savoury rice

Kiyoning - rice cooked in a seasoned broth

Pyanggang - a Tausug dish made from barbecued chicken marinaded in spices, served with coconut milk infused with toasted coconut meat.

Sambal - a spicy sauce made with belacan, tamarind, aromatic spices and chillies. A base for many dishes in the region.

Tiyula itum - a dark broth of beef or chicken lightly flavored with ginger, chili, turmeric, and toasted coconut flesh (which gives it its dark colour).

Delicacies[link]

Camaro - field crickets cooked in soy sauce, salt, and vinegar (popular in Pampanga)

Papaitan - goat or beef innards stew flavored with bile to give a bitter ("pait") taste;

Soup No. 5 - ("Soup #5") made from bull's testes ^[13][14] and can be found in restaurants in Ongpin St., Binondo, Manila;

Asocena - dog meat from the Cordillera Administrative Region

Pinikpikan na manok - involves having a chicken beaten to death to tenderize the meat and to infuse it with blood. It is then burned in a fire to remove its feathers then boiled with salt and itag (salt/smoke cured pork).^[15][16] The act of beating the chicken in preparation of the dish may conflict with the Philippine Animal Welfare Act 1998.^[17]

Cooking methods[link]

Tinapa, smoked fish

The Filipino/Tagalog words for cooking methods and terms:

Drinks and cocktails[link]

Chilled drinks and shakes[link]

A glass of ginger tea

Due to the tropical climate, chilled drinks are popular. Stands selling cold fruit drinks and fruit shakes are common. The shakes contain crushed ice, evaporated or condensed milk and fruits like mango. Other fruit flavors are melon, papaya, avocado, watermelon, strawberry and durian.

Dalandan - (green mandarin),

Suha - (pomelo)

pinya - (pineapple), banana, and "guyabano".

Other chilled drinks include

sago't gulaman - a flavored iced-drink with sago pearls and agar gelatin with banana extract sometimes added to the accompanying syrup;

fresh buko juice - the water or juice from a young coconut via a straw inserted through the shell. A less fresh variation is made from bottled coconut juice, scraped coconut flesh, sugar, and water

calamansi juice - the juice of Philippine limes sweetened with honey, syrup or sugar.

Tea and warm beverages[link]

Pandan iced tea - pandan leaves and lemongrass.

"Salabat", - (ginger tea), is brewed from ginger root.

Kapeng barako - coffee from Batangas region.

Tsokolate - hot chocolate, made from dry powdery chocolate tablets called "tablea".

Alcoholic beverages[link]

There are a wide variety of alcoholic drinks in the Philippines manufactured by local breweries and distilleries.

Rum - associated with Tanduay.

Serbesa - (beer), the most popular choices in restaurants and bars are San Miguel Beer, Red Horse Beer and San Miguel Light.

Gins - local varieties like Ginebra San Miguel (as well as GSM Blue and GSM Premium Gin) and imported brands like Gilbey's.

Some refer to gin by the shape of the bottle,

Bilog - a circular bottle

Kwatro kantos - (meaning four corners) for a square or rectangular bottle.

Tuba - a toddy, a type of hard liquor made from the fresh sap of a young palm. The cutting of the palm stem is done by a "mananguete" (a person whose profession involves climbing palm trees and extracting the "tuba"). There are two harvests of "tuba" per day. The first is completed by noon and the second in the late afternoon. The "tuba" is brought immediately for preparation for drinking as it becomes sour over time. Any remaining "tuba" is stored in jars for several days to become palm vinegar. "Tuba" can be distilled to "lambanog" (arrack), a neutral liquor with a high alcohol content.

Tapuy - a traditional Philippine alcoholic drink made from fermented "[[glutinous rice]". It is a clear wine of luxurious alcoholic taste, moderate sweetness and lingering finish. Its average alcohol content is 14% or 28 proof and does not contain any preservatives or sugar. To increase the awareness of tapuy, the Philippine Rice Research Institute created a cookbook containing recipes and cocktails from famous Philippine chefs and bartenders, featuring tapuy as one of the ingredients.^{[citation needed]}

See also[link]

Food portal

• List of Philippine dishes
• Philippine condiments
• List of Philippine restaurant chains

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

External links[link]

• Philippine cuisine at the Open Directory Project