4 delicious and world famous delicacies from the Philippines
Filipino cuisine has taken root all over the world, traveling to foreign lands the people of the Philippines now call home. Their food has become so popular that it’s even been featured on Vogue, amongst other publications.
Filipino food is even available in cities as far away as Houston. Filipino food has a rich flavour palette, ranging from the savoury to the sour and everything in between.
If you want to bring an international flair to your dining table, the following four recipes are world-famous examples of Filipino cooking. With the right ingredients and diligence, you can wow your guests and introduce them to this wonderful menu during any dinner or party.
Sinigang
A savoury viand that appears regularly on Filipino dining tables, sinigang is a delicious blend of sour flavors. The dish has been described as both a soup and stew. The main ingredient of sinigang, which is Filipino for stew, is meat, usually pork, but you can substitute chicken or even fish. The souring agent of sinigang, which infuses it with its signature flavour, is tamarind. Aside from your meat of choice, the stew is enriched with a variety of vegetables. The most common vegetables include water spinach, eggplants, white radishes, and yardlong beans.
Kare-Kare
Another favorite of Filipinos is kare-kare, a word that’s derived from the word ‘curry.’ The dish has a unique flavor due to its unusual but delicious blend of ingredients. These include rich peanut sauce, although usually substituted with smooth peanut butter, okra, eggplants, and yardlong beans. The main meat of the dish is usually oxtail, tripe, or pork feet. When you serve kare-kare, it must come with a side of Barrio Fiesta’s delicious bagoong. Savoury shrimp paste adds the final touch that completes kare-kare’s spellbinding flavor.
Sisig
This dish pairs wonderfully with beer and is often the viand of choice during Filipino parties. This food is made of finely diced meat, preferably pig’s face, but sometimes tuna is used for seafood variations. The dish is served sizzling on a hot plate, along with diced onions and chilis. When served, its customary to break a raw egg on top of the very hot dish and stir. The heat of the meat will cook the egg and give it a creamy texture. Finally, a few calamansi halves, a citrus native to the Philippines, are crushed for a sour kick.
Chicken Adobo
Perhaps the most famous Filipino dish, chicken adobo is probably the ultimate culmination of the country’s diverse history. Adobo is a Spanish word, incorporating ingredients from Chinese cuisine and gathered from the local landscape. The meat of choice is usually chicken breast, because its soft and abundant, but you can also use drumsticks and wing parts. The chicken meat is stewed in both soy sauce and vinegar to give it a delicious sour and savory bite. Peppercorns, as well as bay leaves, infuse the sauce with a delicate flavor. Some cooks add chopped potatoes to make it richer, although the usual method is to let the meat be the star of the show.
All these dishes should be paired with rice, the traditional carbohydrate of Filipino menus. So the next time you want to host a party and want to try something rich and exotic, visit the nearest market and start stocking up to take your guests on a trip to the Philippines!
*This is a collaborative post.
