Popular Filipino Dishes

Adobo

The most popular dish in the Philippines, said to be Mexican in origin by Carmen Guerrero- Nakpil; is a preparation of either pork or poultry or fish, cooked in vinegar, garlic, and fat; It is allowed to become tender over a low flame and finally browned on its own fat.

Adobado

A dish has all the ingredients of adobo. The only difference is in the final process; in making adobado, the meat and the garlic are allowed to brown and then some broth and vinegar are added. It has a little sauce and not all liquid is allowed to evaporate.

Bachoy

Similar to Sinuam, except that cubed pork, spleen, heart, kidney, liver, and clotted blood cut into small cubes are used. Misua (wheat string) is added before removing from the flame.

Bulanglang

Vegetables used are squash fruit and squash tops, sitaw, upo, malunggay leaves and similar vegetables used in dineng-deng. Other ingredients are onions, tomatoes, bagoong, and rice washing. Method of cooking is boiling. Served with broth.

A variation may have broiled fish added; bangus (milk fish) is preferred.

Calamay

prepared from ground rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar, which has been allowed to cook until thick; is one of our best delicacies.

Cardillo

a fish dish; similar to sarciado except that the beaten eggs are added a few minutes before removing from fire.

Estofado

A preparation made of pork shanks or hog's head cut to desired pieces, vinegar, whole garlic, gin, sugar and spices until tender.

Fritada

a dish made of fried pork or chicken or fish cooked with plenty of guisado tomatoes, potatoes, and green and red sweet pepper. Bread crumbs are used as thickening agent.

Guinataan

Cooking food in coconut milk. Fish, chicken, vegetables and pork. Garlic and vinegar are the principal ingredients besides coconut milk in tinuto, tinagan, and guinataang adobo. In Western Visayas Region, the dishes with gata are called "Nilubihan".

Kari-Kari

A very popular dish made with cuts of meat from beef shank, tail, tripe, intestines, or gilagid. These cuts may be used at one time. The meat must be soft. It is sauteed with garlic, onions, and vegetables. Ground toasted rice and peanuts are added to thicken the sauce.

Achuete (Annatto) is used for coloring. Served with guisado alamang and pork adobo.

Kilawen

Boiled pork or internal organs mixed with vinegars, garlic, onions, with or without sugar; Radish is sometimes added; in pork Kilawen, soy sauce is used instead of salt, pepper, and green onions or shallots.

Kinilaw

A specialty dish in the Visayan region. Made with raw fish flesh marinated in vinegar, salt, pepper, and green onions, or shallots.

Laksa

a Tagalog term which means "ten thousand". This dish consists of assorted vegetables, shrimps, pork and sotanghon. Common vegetables used are banana bud, kalabasa fruit and leaves, seguidillas, bataw, sitaw pods, patani, and eggplant.

Menudo

Made with diced pork meats and liver or beef, sausage, and potatoes as well as garbanzos, sauteed in tomato sauce.

Mole or Pipian

similar to kare-kare; except that meat used is either beef or pork or chicken may be used instead of internal organs.

Nilaga

A combination dish of chicken, pork or beef or fish and vegetables like cabbage, pechay, snap beans (abitsuelas), potatoes, saba, boiled in spices like leeks and peppercorn.

Paksiw

meat or fish with vinegar, salt, garlic, and ginger. Addition of sugar is optional.

Pesa

Chicken or fish (preferably dalag or Mudfish) sauteed and boiled in rice washing with vegetables like cabbage, pechay, and potatoes, onions and peppercorn. Served with misu-tomato sauce.

Pinangat

Fish cooked with a little vinegar and salt in a native pot. The liquid is allowed to evaporate over a low heat.

Pochero

beef boiled with a piece of Chinese ham, chorizo de bilbao, and vegetables (like potatoes, saba, cabbage, pechay, and string beans). Served with highly seasoned eggplant sauce.

Sarciado

A dish similar to fritada except there are no potatoes and sweet peppers.

Sinigang

One of the most popular native dishes; pork, fish, or shrimps stew prepared with sour fruit, tomatoes topped with vegetables.

The liquid of buro vegetables such as mustasa and green mango may be used.

Sinuam

Meat, poultry, fish or clams sauteed with pounded garlic and ginger in a little fat, seasoned with patis and topped with young chili leaves.

Tinagan

Fish cooked with coconut milk, vinegar, juice of yellow ginger, garlic and vegetables. Kalabasa tops and eggplants are the most common vegetables used. Served with patis.

The common fish used for the dish is Laguna is "Kanduli".

Tinola

Also similar to sinuam except that vegetables like unripe papayas are always present. Either chicken or pork or fish may be used.

Tinuto

A dish made of gabi leaves cooked with coconut milk, vinegar, garlic and ginger. Salt or bagoong alamang is used to season the dish.