Gastronomy in the Philippines: Famous Filipino Cuisines and Delicacies
Historical Foundations and Global Influences on Filipino Gastronomy
General Characterization: Filipino food is characterized by its fusion of Asian and European ingredients, blending "Eastern and Western ideas" and receiving strong influence from Chinese, Spanish, and American traditions (Sim, ).
Chinese Influence ( Century Trade): * Pansit: Noodles; derived from a Hokkien word meaning "something quickly cooked." * Lumpia: A mixture of meat and vegetables rolled in an edible flour wrapper. * Siopao: Steamed buns filled with meat. * Siomai: A type of dumpling consisting of meat in small wrappers, which are then steamed.
Spanish Influence ( Expedition): * First Account: Led by Ferdinand Magellan with Italian chronicler Antonio Pigafetta. The first recorded account of Filipino food included pork in sauce served in porcelain platters, roasted fish with freshly gathered ginger and rice, turtle eggs, chicken, and peacock.
Spanish Colonization (–): * Western Methods: Introduced Western cooking methods and imported ingredients including tomatoes, annatto seeds, corn, and avocados. * Mexican Influence: Introduced via the Vice Royalty of Mexico, bringing delicacies such as: * Tamales: A dish made with a corn-based dough mixture filled with various meats or beans and cheese. * Balbacoa: A meat dish traditionally slow-cooked (often in pits) with seasonings or broth until very tender. * Renaming of Local Dishes: Many dishes were given Spanish names: * Adobo: Marinated/braised dish. * Arroz Caldo: Literally means "warm rice"; a congee (rice porridge) usually enjoyed with boiled pork slices and fried tofu soaked in a vinegar mixture. * Morisqueta Tostada: A type of fried rice prepared with leftover cooked rice stir-fried with eggs, Chinese sausage, ham, shrimps, and spring onions. * Sofrito: The use of a flavoring base consisting of garlic, onion, and tomato.
American Colonization ( onwards): * Processed Foods: Introduction of processed food items and the perception of American products as superior to Filipino ingredients. * Sanitation: Hygienic and sanitary procedures in food preparation were introduced through Home Economics classes and practiced in public markets.
Regional Diversity: The archipelago's scattered islands created regional identities. Food preparation and presentation vary by region, town, and household based on endemic ingredients. * Example: Adobo Variations: * Standard: Chicken and pork braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppercorn, and bay leaf. * Batangas: Braised chicken, pork, and beef together. * Iloilo: Use of kangkong (water spinach) for "apan-apan." * Bicol: Known as "Adobo sa Gata," featuring gata (coconut milk) and green finger chilies.
National Capital Region (NCR)
Culinary Context: A diverse population of provincial and foreign residents brings hometown dishes to the Metro Manila scene.
Sapin-Sapin: A layered glutinous rice cake originating from Malabon.
Pancit Malabon: A noodle dish featuring thick rice noodles and shrimp broth. It is topped with shrimp, eggs, and crushed chicharon. Annatto oil provides a distinct yellow color.
Hopia: A mooncake-like pastry with a flaky crust, filled with mung beans, red beans, or winter melon. Taguig and Binondo are famous for this.
Inutak: A sticky dessert from Pateros made from glutinous rice flour and coconut milk batter. The surface is burnt; the name comes from its resemblance to a brain ("utak").
Everlasting: An oval-shaped meatloaf made from pork, hard-boiled eggs, bell pepper, and chorizo, originating in Marikina.
Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
Agricultural Context: Famous for rice terraces and a cool mountain climate that produces strawberries and cold-weather plants.
Benguet: * Etag: A native delicacy of smoked pork cured in salt through sun-drying or hanging over steady smoke. * Pinikpikan: A soup containing chicken and etag. The chicken is gently beaten with a stick before killing to create blood clots under the skin, a ritual performed by local tribes. * Pinuneg: A native sausage containing pork blood, minced pork, innards, and cooked rice.
Ifugao: * Binakle: A rice cake offered to the rice god, Bulol, during harvest season.
Kalinga: * Binungor: An exotic stew of agurong (stir-fried water shells) and rabbong (bamboo shoots) with hot chili in coconut milk. * Inandila: A thick, tongue-shaped rice dough made from rice flour and water, poached and topped with latik (curdled coconut cream) and crushed nuts.
Region I – Ilocos Region
Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur: * Dinengdeng: A soupy vegetable dish (eggplant, sponge gourd, beans, malunggay) stewed with bagoong. * Poqui-poqui: Eggplant dish with tomatoes and eggs. * Papaitan: A bitter soup containing innards and bile. * Bagnet: Deep-fried pork belly. * Vigan Longganisa: A recado-style sausage with a strong garlic flavor. * Empanada: Wrap made of orange flour dough (pigmented by annatto) containing eggs, bean sprouts, and longganisa. * Igado: Pork innards mixed with green peas. * Pinakbet: Vegetables (squash, bitter melon, eggplant, okra, long beans) sauteed with bagoong (fermented fish/shrimp paste).
La Union: * Kilawing Kambing: Goat skin and meat seasoned with vinegar/sukang Iloko. * Inkiwar: A native glutinous rice cake. * Tupig: Glutinous rice batter wrapped in banana leaves and roasted over charcoal.
Pangasinan: * Puto Calasiao: Small, bite-sized rice cakes made from fermented semi-glutinous rice. * Pigar-pigar: A popular Dagupan street food: thinly sliced sirloin beef stir-fried with onions and cabbage. * Binungey: Glutinous rice with coconut extract cooked inside bamboo over fire. * Burong Isda: A side dish of fermented freshwater fish and half-cooked rice.
Region II – Cagayan Valley
Batanes: * Luñis: A pork confit dish cooked and preserved in its own fat. * Amay: Ivatan delicacy of mashed sweet potatoes and taro. * Uved (or Uvud): Ivatan "meatballs" made from finely-grated corm (banana plant trunk base) mixed with ground meat and minced fish.
Cagayan: * Pancit Batil Patong: Miki and vermicelli noodles sauteed with vegetables and topped with scrambled eggs. "Batil" means to beat the egg, and "patong" means to put on top. * Tuguegarao Longganisa: Also called Ybanag Longganisa; made of lean meat, garlic, and vinegar.
Isabela: * Pansit Cabagan: Stir-fried noodles with soy sauce, topped with lechon carajay (deep-fried pork), vegetables, and quail eggs. * Binalay: A suman-like rice cake made from glutinous rice flour and water, steamed in banana leaves and served with sweet latik sauce. * Lechon Carnero: A roasted lamb dish served during fiestas, roasted on a bamboo pole like a pig.
Region III – Central Luzon
General Context: Features more elaborate food preparation than northern regions. Pampanga is known as the "Culinary Capital of the Philippines."
Aurora: * Suman: Sweet glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk, wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed.
Bataan: * Araro: Cookies made from arrowroot.
Bulacan: * Pansit Marilao: Thin rice noodles (bihon) with palabok sauce, topped with okoy (shrimp fritters) and diced kamias. * Bringhe: Rice cooked with turmeric (for yellow color), coconut milk, and chicken. * Lumlom: Tilapia or bangus buried in mud to ferment for a day, then cooked as paksiw (simmered in vinegar).
Nueva Ecija: * Sinampalukang Manok: Chicken soup in a tamarind-based broth. * Batutay: Beef longganisa from Cabanatuan (originally made from carabeef). Named after the "batuta" (police baton) due to its length.
Pampanga: * Begukan Babi: Pork cooked in shrimp paste (a variation of binagoongan). * Camaru: Mole crickets cooked adobo-style and then fried. * Buro: Fermented rice used as a side dish, typically paired with grilled or fried fish. * Sisig: Pork face sauteed with pork liver, onions, calamansi, soy sauce, and vinegar.
Region IV-A – CALABARZON
Cavite: * Pansit Puso ng Saging: Uses miki and bihon noodles with thinly sliced banana blossoms cooked in vinegar as a topping instead of calamansi. * Pansit Istasyon: Named after the Tanza train station. Features shrimp and tinapa (smoked fish) sauce with kamias as a souring agent. Mung bean sprouts are used instead of noodles.
Laguna: * Kesong Puti: Soft cheese made from carabao milk. * Buko Pie: Sweet pie filled with young coconut meat. * Kinulob na Itik: Duck boiled with garlic and spices for - hours, then fried.
Batangas: * Adobong Dilaw: Pork or chicken stewed in garlic, vinegar, and turmeric. * Bulalo: Cow's kneecap and shin bones boiled until tender. * Sinaing na Tulingan: Small tuna mashed with salt and simmered in pork lard and dried kamias. * Gotong Batangas: Beef innards and head stewed with annatto oil.
Rizal: * Dinilawang Kanduli sa Alagaw: Tangy catfish soup colored yellow by annatto seeds, using the Alagaw plant as a souring agent. * Bibingka: A rice cake served with latik; a popular merienda from Cainta (notably Aling Kika’s). * Minaluto: Angono's version of paella featuring lechon kawali, fried chicken, squid, fish, salted eggs, and veggies with choice rice types (sticky, binagoongan, garlic, seafood, black, or plain).
Quezon: * Longganisang Lucban: Reddish sausages flavored with oregano and pimiento powder. * Pansit Habhab: Noodle dish from Lucban drizzled with sugarcane vinegar; eaten by slurping ("habhab") directly from a banana leaf. * Budin: Local term for baked cassava cake made with coconut, sugar, margarine, and cheese.
Region IV-B – MIMAROPA
Economic Context: Major producer of rice, bananas, coconut, mangoes, and cashews.
Marinduque: * Uraro: Arrowroot cookies. * Kari-Kari: Pork innards stewed in pork blood. * Pansit Miki: Thick yellow noodles served with warm pan de sal.
Romblon: * Sarsa na Ulang: Small shrimp and coconut milk mixed with chilies, wrapped in coconut leaves, and boiled. * Balitsaw: Fermented shrimp paste cooked in coconut milk.
Palawan: * Guinamos: Fermented fish with toasted powdered rice and langkawas (blue ginger), cooked in oil. * Kinilaw na Tamilok: Woodworms prepared raw in calamansi, vinegar, ginger, and onion.
Region V – Bicol Region
Albay: * Ukoy: Fish fritters made with sinarapan (local fish). * Pinangat: Pork, shrimp, or crab meat with chilies and coconut meat, wrapped in taro leaves and boiled in coconut milk.
Camarines Norte and Sur: * Laing: Chopped taro leaves cooked in coconut milk and chilies. * Kinunot: Shark or stingray (or other fish) cooked in coconut milk with chilies and moringa leaves. * Pansit Bato: Noodle dish from Bato, Camarines Sur. Noodles are made from egg and flour. Can be served guisado (sauteed) or sinabawan (as a soup). * Gulay na Lada: Vegetables stewed in chilies and coconut milk with pork; popularly known as "Bicol Express."
Masbate: * Pansit Buko: Uses shredded young coconut as noodles. * Dinuguan: Blood stew made creamy with coconut milk.
Sorsogon: * Conserva: Pili nut covered in panutsa (brown sugar caramel) and wrapped in a leaf. * Kurakding: A type of mushroom cooked in coconut milk and shrimp paste.
Western Visayas and Negros Island Region (NIR)
Region VI (Western Visayas): * Aklan: Inubarang Manok (chicken with banana pith in coconut milk) and Sinigang sa Batuan (sour soup using the batuan fruit). * Capiz: Chicken Binakol (chicken boiled in coconut water with lemongrass) and Ibos (sticky rice in coconut leaves). * Iloilo: Batchoy (noodle soup with pork broth, guinamos, and miki), Tinuom na Manok (chicken wrapped and steamed in saba leaf), Laswa (vegetable soup in shrimp broth), and Pansit Molo (soup with dumplings containing ground pork, tajure, and spring onions).
Negros Island Region (NIR): * Negros Occidental: Lumpiang Ubod (coconut pith spring roll), Pitaw (shredded and fried quail adobo), and Inasal na Manok (grilled chicken basted with annatto oil and lemongrass). * Negros Oriental: Budbod Kabog (millet cereal suman), Silvanas (frozen cashew meringue cookies), and Sans Rival (cashew-meringue cake with buttercream, similar to a French dacquoise).
Region VII – Central Visayas
Cebu: * Lechon: Spit-roasted pig stuffed with lemongrass, taro, saba banana, and spices; requires no dipping sauce. * Kilawin: Raw Spanish mackerel marinated in vinegar, onion, and coconut milk. * Tinowa (Tola): Slightly soured clear fish soup. * Pansit Bami: Noodle dish containing peanuts and Chinese sausage.
Bohol: * Halang-halang: Chicken soup in coconut milk with ginger and lemongrass. * Balbacoa: Ox tripe boiled with star anise, ginger, and turmeric until tender.
Region VIII – Eastern Visayas
Samar: * Tamalos: Samar’s tamales version; steamed rice dough and pork wrapped in banana leaves, served with pipian (peanut sauce). * Moron: A suman-like rice dish containing cocoa.
Leyte: * Humba: Pork cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, and fermented black beans (tausi). * Chuletas: Baby back ribs fried after marinating in soy sauce and calamansi. * Hinatukan nga Langka: Semi-ripe jackfruit stewed in coconut milk.
Region IX – Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga del Norte: Caldo de Marisco (clam or mixed seafood soup) and Endulsao de Puerco (sweet pork ham hocks braised in sugar and soy sauce).
Zamboanga del Sur: Tamal (rice dough filled with sotanghon), Paklay (stew of beef organs and bamboo shoots colored with annatto), and Pinakbet Chavacano (stir-fried version using bagoong alamang).
Zamboanga Sibugay: Satti (spicy skewered meat), Lokot-Lokot (sweetened rice batter cylinders), and Cocido (slow-cooked beef shanks with chorizo and plantains).
Regions X, XI, XII, and XIII (Mindanao)
Region X (Northern Mindanao): * Camiguin: Kiping (cassava crepes with latik) and Sorol (chicken in coconut milk with oregano). * Misamis: Kinutil (tuba and chocolate beverage) and Sinuglaw (pork sinugba and kinilaw with coconut milk).
Region XI (Davao Region): * Tuna Pakfry: Tuna tail cooked in vinegar then deep fried. * Crocodile Sisig: Kapampangan-style sisig using crocodile meat. * Ginisang Bihod ng Bariles: Sautéed tuna roe. * Durian Candies: Hard candies and soft durian yema.
Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN): * Pastil: Steamed rice with shredded chicken in banana leaf. * Nilagpang: Charcoal-broiled fish (tilapia/dalag/bangus) in coconut milk and fish paste sauce. * Adobong Bihod and Bagaybay: Tuna roe and tuna milt (sperm sack) cooked in soy sauce and vinegar.
Region XIII (Caraga): * Adobong Sahang: Sea snails in soy sauce and vinegar. * Sayongsong: Purple glutinous rice kakanin served with latik. * Palagsing: Sago palm starch kakanin.
BARMM – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
Kuning: Yellow rice cooked in turmeric and coconut milk.
Rendang: Spicy stew made with carabeef and coconut milk.
Pyanggang Manok: Blackened chicken curry; the black sauce comes from burnt coconut.
Tiyula Itum: Tausug soup-stew of goat or beef, blackened with burnt coconut.