Gastronomy in the Philippines

Filipino Cuisine: A Fusion of Flavors

  • Filipino cuisine is a blend of Asian and European ingredients.

  • It is majorly influenced by Chinese, Spanish, and American traditions.

Historical Influences

Chinese Trade (11th Century)

  • Pansit: Noodles, derived from the Hokkien word for "something quickly cooked."

1521 Spanish Expedition

  • Led by Ferdinand Magellan with Italian chronicler Antonio Pigafetta.

  • First account of Filipino food: pork in sauce served in porcelain, roasted fish with ginger and rice, turtle eggs, chicken, and peacock.

1565–1898 Spanish Colonization

  • Introduction of Western cooking methods.

  • Import of Spanish ingredients: tomatoes, annatto seeds, corn, avocados.

  • Introduction of Mexican delicacies via the Vice Royalty of Mexico:

    • Tamales: Corn-based dough filled with meats, beans, or cheese.

    • Balbacoa: Traditionally slow-cooked meat dish.

  • Filipino cooks were taught to prepare Spanish dishes.

  • Renaming of local dishes into Spanish:

    • Adobo

    • Arroz Caldo: Warm rice congee, usually with pork and fried tofu in vinegar.

    • Morisqueta Tostada: Fried rice with leftover rice, eggs, Chinese sausage, ham, shrimps, and spring onions.

  • Use of sofrito as a flavoring base: garlic, onion, and tomato.

1898 – Start of American Colonization

  • Introduction of processed food items.

  • Use of American products considered superior to Filipino ingredients.

  • Hygienic and sanitary procedures taught in Home Economics and practiced in Public Markets.

  • Lumpia – meat and vegetable mixture rolled in an edible flour wrapper.

  • Siopao – steamed buns filled with meat.

  • Siomai – a type of dumpling; meat in small wrappers and then steamed.

Regional Identity and Variations

  • The Philippines' scattered islands led to distinct regional identities.

  • Regions possess distinct cultures and cuisines.

  • Ingredients are endemic to particular areas.

  • Food preparation and presentation vary between regions, towns, and households.

  • Adobo variations:

    • Chicken-pork adobo: braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppercorn, and bay leaf.

    • Batangas: chicken, pork, and beef braised together.

    • Iloilo: uses kangkong (water spinach) for apan-apan.

    • Bicol: "Adobo sa Gata" uses coconut milk and green finger chilies (Barretto et al., 2016).

Defining Filipino Food

  • Filipino food is influenced by the ingredients found in its islands.

  • History and society shaped the cuisine.

  • Filipinos harmonize ingredients to satisfy the Filipino palate, evolving the cuisine.

Famous Filipino Cuisines and Delicacies by Region (as of December 2022)

National Capital Region (NCR)

  • Diverse population brings dishes from their hometowns.

  • Distinguished food:

    • Sapin-Sapin: Layered glutinous rice cake from Malabon.

    • Pancit Malabon: Noodle dish with thick rice noodles, shrimp broth, shrimp, eggs, and crushed chicharon, colored yellow with annatto oil.

    • Hopia: Mooncake-like pastry with mung bean, red bean, or winter melon filling from Taguig and Binondo District in Manila.

    • Inutak: Sticky dessert from Pateros made from glutinous rice flour and coconut milk, with a burnt surface.

    • Everlasting: Oval-shaped meatloaf made from pork, hard-boiled eggs, bell pepper, and chorizo, from Marikina.

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)

  • Famous for rice terraces and production of cold-weather plants like strawberries (Department of Interior and Local Government, n.d.).

Benguet

  • Etag: Smoked pork cured in salt.

  • Pinikpikan: Soup with chicken and etag. Chicken is beaten before cooking to create blood clots under the skin.

  • Pinuneg: Native sausage with pork blood, minced pork, innards, and cooked rice.

Ifugao

  • Binakle: Rice cake offered to the rice god, Bulol, during harvest.

Kalinga

  • Binungor: Exotic delicacy with agurong (stir-fried water shells), rabbong (bamboo shoots), and hot chili stewed in coconut milk.

  • Inandila: Rice dough made from rice flour poached in simmering water, topped with latik and crushed nuts.

Region I – Ilocos Region

  • Strong culinary traditions (Rouger, 2017).

Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur

  • Dinengdeng: Soupy vegetable dish with eggplants, sponge gourd, lima beans, Baguio beans, and malunggay pods stewed with bagoong.

  • Poqui-poqui: Eggplant dish with tomatoes and eggs.

  • Papaitan: Bitter soup containing innards and bile.

  • Bagnet: Deep-fried pork belly.

  • Vigan Longganisa: Recado-style longganisa with strong garlic flavor.

  • Empanada: Eggs, bean sprouts, and longganisa in orange flour dough (colored by annatto seeds).

  • Igado: Pork innards mixed with green peas.

  • Pinakbet: Vegetable dish with squash, bitter melon, eggplants, okra, and long beans sauteed with bagoong.

La Union

  • Kilawing kambing: Goat skin and meat seasoned with vinegar or sukang Iloko.

  • Inkiwar: Glutinous rice cake.

  • Tupig: Glutinous rice batter wrapped in banana leaves and roasted over charcoal.

Pangasinan

  • Puto Calasiao: Small rice cakes made from fermented semi-glutinous rice, named after Calasiao.

  • Pigar-pigar: Street food in Dagupan with thinly sliced sirloin beef stir-fried with onions and cabbage.

  • Binungey: Glutinous rice with coconut extract cooked in bamboo over a fire.

  • Burong Isda: Side dish with fermented freshwater fish and half-cooked rice.

Region II – Cagayan Valley

  • Exotic and unique local dishes.

Batanes

  • Luñis: Pork confit dish.

  • Amay: Ivatan delicacy made from mashed sweet potatoes and taro.

  • Uved or Uvud: Grated corm (base of banana plant’s trunk) mixed with ground meat and minced fish.

Cagayan

  • Pancit Batil Patong: Miki and vermicelli noodles sautéed with vegetables, topped with scrambled eggs.

  • Tuguegarao Longganisa: Lean meat and garlic flavored with vinegar (also known as Ybanag Longganisa).

Isabela

  • Pansit Cabagan: Stir-fried with soy sauce, topped with lechon carajay, vegetables, and quail eggs.

  • Binalay: Rice cake like suman, with glutinous rice flour mixed with water, wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed; served with sweet latik sauce.

  • Lechon Carnero: Roasted lamb dish.

Region III – Central Luzon

  • More elaborately prepared food, especially in Pampanga, the “Culinary Capital of the Philippines.”

Aurora

  • Suman: Sweet glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk and wrapped in banana leaves before steaming.

Bataan

  • Araro: Cookies made from arrowroot.

Bulacan

  • Pansit Marilao: Thin rice noodles with palabok sauce and toppings, including okoy and diced kamias.

  • Bringhe: Rice cooked with turmeric, coconut milk, and chicken (turmeric gives it a yellow color).

  • Lumlom: Fresh fish buried in mud to ferment before cooking as paksiw.

Nueva Ecija

  • Sinampalukang Manok: Simple chicken soup with tamarind broth.

  • Batutay: Longganisa from Cabanatuan (originally made from carabeef).

Pampanga

  • Begukan Babi: Pork cooked in shrimp paste.

  • Camaru: Mole crickets cooked adobo-style and fried.

  • Buro: Fermented rice side dish paired with grilled or fried fish.

  • Sisig: Pork face sauteed with pork liver, onions, calamansi, soy sauce, and vinegar.

Region IV-A – CALABARZON

  • Variety of cuisines.

Cavite

  • Pansit Puso ng Saging: Noodle dish topped with thinly sliced banana blossoms cooked in vinegar.

  • Pansit Istasyon: Mung bean sprouts with shrimp and tinapa sauce, kalamias/kamias fruit as a souring agent and topping.

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 4–5 hours, then fried.

Batangas

  • Adobong Dilaw: Pork or chicken stewed in garlic, vinegar, and turmeric (giving it a yellow color).

  • Bulalo: Cow’s kneecap and shin bones boiled for hours.

  • 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 with annatto seeds; alagaw plant used as a souring agent.

  • Bibingka: Rice cake served with latik, known in Cainta.

  • Minaluto: Rizal version of paella with lechon kawali, fried chicken, crispy squid, fish, salted eggs, broiled and fried veggies, and choice rice.

Quezon

  • Longganisang Lucban: Small sausages reddish with paminton or pimiento powder and flavored with oregano.

  • Pansit Habhab: Noodle dish in Lucban, eaten by slurping from a banana leaf liner.

  • Budin: Cassava cake made of baked cassava, coconut, sugar, and margarine, topped with cheese.

Region IV-B – MIMAROPA

  • Top producer of rice, banana, coconut, mango, cashew, papaya, and cassava.

Marinduque

  • Uraro: Cookies made from arrowroots.

  • Kari-Kari: Pork innards stewed in pork blood.

  • Pansit Miki: Noodle dish with thick yellow noodles served with warm pan de sal.

Romblon

  • Sarsa na Ulang: Small shrimp with coconut milk and chilies, wrapped in coconut leaves and boiled.

  • Balitsaw: Fermented shrimp paste cooked in coconut milk.

Palawan

  • Guinamos: Fermented fish mixed with toasted powdered rice and langkawas, cooked in oil.

  • Kinilaw na Tamilok: Raw woodworms marinated in calamansi, vinegar, ginger, and onion.

Region V – Bicol Region

  • Heavy use of coconut milk, chilies, and taro.

Albay

  • Ukoy: Fish fritters (using sinarapan fish).

  • Pinangat: Pork, shrimp, or crab meat mixed with chilies and coconut meat, wrapped in taro leaves, then boiled in coconut milk.

Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur

  • Laing: Similar to pinangat, but taro leaves are chopped.

  • Kinunot: Shark or stingray cooked in coconut milk, chilies, and moringa leaves.

  • Pansit Bato: Noodle dish from Bato, Camarines Sur, made from eggs and flour; cooked guisado or sinabawan.

  • Gulay na Lada: Vegetables stewed in chilies and coconut milk; commonly known outside of Bicol as “Bicol express.”

Masbate

  • Pansit Buko: Noodle dish using shredded young coconut as noodles.

  • Dinuguan: Blood stew with coconut milk.

Sorsogon

  • Conserva: Pili nut covered in panutsa and wrapped on a leaf.

  • Kurakding: Mushroom cooked in coconut milk and shrimp paste.

Region VI – Western Visayas

  • Indigenous dishes influenced by Chinese and Spanish cuisine (ABS-CBN News, 2017).

Aklan

  • Inubarang Manok: Chicken dish cooked in coconut milk with ubad (banana pith).

  • Sinigang sa Batuan: Sour meat and vegetable soup using batuan fruit as a souring agent.

Capiz

  • Chicken Binakol: Chicken boiled in coconut water with lemongrass. Variations include or exclude coconut meat and/or coconut milk, some are cooked in bamboo or coconut husk (Umami Days, 2023).

  • Ibos: Sticky rice wrapped in coconut leaves.

Iloilo

  • Batchoy: Noodle soup dish with pork broth, guinamos, and miki noodles, topped with sliced pork, intestines, liver, and crushed chicharon.

  • Tinuom na Manok: Chicken, tomato, lemongrass, and onion wrapped in saba leaf and steamed.

  • Laswa: Vegetable soup with okra, saluyot, string beans, squash, winged beans, alugbati, moringa, and tomato simmered in shrimp broth.

  • Pansit Molo: Soup with dumplings; Molo dumplings contain ground pork, salted soybean curd (tajure), and spring onions. Broth from chicken and shrimp head broth.

Negros Occidental

  • Lumpiang Ubod: Coconut pith, shrimp, pork, and garlic inside a soft flour wrapper.

  • Pitaw: Adobo dish with quail hens, shredded and fried.

  • Inasal na Manok: Chicken marinated in calamansi, soy sauce, and garlic, grilled and basted with annatto oil using crushed lemongrass.

Region VII – Central Visayas

  • Melding of fresh, tropical ingredients with Spanish and Chinese influence.

Negros Oriental

  • Budbod Kabog: Suman made with millet cereal, paired with hot chocolate and mango slices.

  • Silvanas: Frozen dessert with cashew meringue cookies filled with buttercream.

  • Sans Rival: Cashew-meringue cake with buttercream in between, topped with chopped cashew nuts; similar to French dacquoise but made with cashews.

Cebu

  • Lechon: Spit-roasted pig stuffed with lemongrass, taro, saba banana, and aromatic spices (no dipping sauce needed).

  • Kilawin: Raw Spanish mackerel marinated in vinegar, onion, and coconut milk.

  • Tinowa or Tola: Slightly soured clear fish soup.

  • Pansit Bami: Noodle dish with peanuts and Chinese sausage.

Bohol

  • Halang-halang: Chicken soup cooked in coconut milk with ginger and lemongrass.

  • Balbacoa: Ox tripe boiled with star anise, ginger, and turmeric.

Region VIII – Eastern Visayas

  • Exports rice, corn, and sugar.

Samar

  • Tamalos: Samar’s version of tamales, with rice dough and pork wrapped in banana leaves, served with pipian (Mexican-influenced peanut sauce).

  • Moron: Similar to suman but with cocoa.

Leyte

  • Humba: Adobo dish in Leyte, pork is cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, and fermented black beans (tausi).

  • Chuletas: Baby back ribs marinated in soy sauce and calamansi, then fried.

  • Hinatukan nga Langka: Semi-ripe jackfruit stewed in coconut milk.

Region IX – Zamboanga Peninsula

  • Melting pot of cultures with fresh seafood and Filipino-Spanish-infused dishes (Mallorca, 2022).

Zamboanga del Norte

  • Caldo de Marisco: Soup with clams, mussels, shrimp, and crabs.

  • Endulsao de Puerco: Sweet pork ham, ham hocks braised in sugar, soy sauce, and fat sauce.

Zamboanga del Sur

  • Tamal: Tamales with mung bean noodles or sotanghon, rice dough with sotanghon wrapped in banana leaves.

  • Paklay: Stew with beef organs, bamboo shoots, ginger, and chilies, colored red-orange with annatto seeds.

  • Pinakbet Chavacano: Stir-fried pinakbet with fermented krill (bagoong alamang) instead of fermented fish.

Zamboanga Sibugay

  • Satti: Skewered chicken or beef marinated in spices, vinegar, calamansi, and lemongrass.

  • Lokot-Lokot: Sweet snack of sweetened rice batter shaped into cylinders.

  • Cocido: Slow-cooked beef shanks, chorizo, cabbage, green beans, chickpeas, and plantains.

Region X – Northern Mindanao

  • Influenced by Spanish and Malay flavors (PinnedPH, n.d.).

Camiguin

  • Kiping: Crisp crepes made from grated cassava, fried and eaten with latik sauce.

  • Sorol: Chicken cooked in coconut milk with ginger, oregano, lemongrass, chili, and tomatoes.

Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental

  • Kinutil or Kutil: Beverage mixing tuba and chocolate.

  • Sinuglaw: Pork sinugba and kinilaw with coconut milk.

Region XI – Davao Region

  • "Durian Capital of the Philippines" (Manors, 2021).

  • Tuna Pakfry: Tuna tail cooked as paksiw and then deep fried.

  • Crocodile Sisig: Sisig with chopped crocodile meat.

  • Ginisang Bihod ng Bariles: Sautéed tuna roe.

  • Durian Candies: Pasalubong from Davao, including durian yema.

Region XII – SOCCSKSARGEN

  • Numerous authentic cuisines.

  • Baye-bayeh: Ground pinipig mixed with coconut and sugar, wrapped in banana leaves.

  • Pastil: Steamed rice with shredded chicken wrapped in a banana leaf.

  • Nilagpang: Charcoal-broiled tilapia mixed in a sauce with coconut milk and fish paste.

  • Adobong Bihod and Bagaybay: Tuna roe (bihod) and tuna milt (bagaybay) cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic.

Region XIII – Caraga

  • Various delicacies.

  • Adobong Sahang: Sea snail cooked in garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and bell pepper.

  • Sayongsong: Rice cake from Surigao made from deep purple glutinous rice, brown sugar, calamansi, peanuts, and coconut milk, wrapped in banana leaves and served with latik.

  • Palagsing: Kakanin made from the starch of sago palm, coconut, and brown sugar, served with hot chocolate or coffee.

BARMM – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

  • Various food items and delicacies.

  • Kuning: Rice cooked in turmeric and coconut milk.

  • Rendang: Spicy stew made with carabeef and coconut milk.

  • Pyanggang Manok: Blackened chicken curry dish from Sulu.

  • Tiyula Itum: Tausug soup-stew dish of goat or beef, blackened by burning coconut.