Filipinos are known to be festive and merry. A great way to
celebrate special occasions here in the Philippines is to gather with friends
and families while eating delicious foods. Pinoys are food lovers. For every occasion we can think such as birthdays, graduations, anniversaries and even the burial
of a loved one we lost, we all cook delicious food to feed guests.
There are many dishes that Pinoys love to eat, but here are the top 10 foods
that are our favorites.
Lechon
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| Crispylicious Lechon |
This is the number one food in every Filipino home,
especially on special occasions. Known to be an influence from Spain, lechon
comes from the Spanish word lechon, referring to a roasted suckling pig. Basically, lechon is a whole pig roasted to a perfect crisp over charcoal. The whole pig
entrails removed is put in a large stick mostly from bamboo sticks, and grilled in a
pit of burning charcoal. All sides of the pig are roasted for several hours by
turning the pig over and over. This is best served with liver sauce or ketchup.
Adobo
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| Mouthwatering Adobo |
One dish that is loved by Pinoys and even some foreigners is
Adobo. This is a popular dish which natives of every city in the Philippines
have versions of. The Bicolanos put coconut milk in their adobo. Some people add pork livers while others include soy sauce in theirs. There are hundreds of ways to
cook adobo so this dish is truly beloved by every Filipinos. The word adobo
comes from the Spanish word “adobar” which means marinade sauce. True to its
word, adobo is marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, salt and garlic then browned in
oil. No Filipino festivities and occasions will be complete without our own
take of Adobo.
Kare Kare
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| Delicious Kare Kare |
Another food that we Pinoys love to eat is Kare Kare. This sumptuous
delicacy is a famous Philippine stew. It has a rich peanut taste with a mix of
ox tail meat and various vegetables. Pinoys here and abroad love to cook Kare
Kare, especially for special gatherings and occasions. Some Filipinos have
different ways to cook Kare Kare. Most used ox tail meat, but others also use
pig legs and beef. The vegetables that are usually cooked with kare kare are
banana heart (puso ng saging), eggplants, green beans and Chinese cabbage. It is cooked
with peanut butter and freshly ground toasted rice. Kare Kare is often paired
with shrimp paste (bagoong) to have a harmony of flavors.
Lumpia
Lumpia is influenced by the Chinese and a famous Filipino
dish here and abroad. It comes from the Hokkien word “lunpia” and an alternate
term for “popiah” or spring rolls. It is
a Chinese dish but we Filipinos put a twist into our lumpia. We have different
versions of our lumpia.
Lumpiang Sariwa (Fresh Lumpia)
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| Fresh Lumpia |
This
dish is made from the fresh ubod (coconut heart) with other meats and
vegetables depending on different regions of the Philippines. This is encased
on a yellowish egg crepe with lettuce inside. This is best dipped in a special
sauce made of the stock from the cooked vegetable, cornstarch, peanuts and
garlic.
Lumpiang Shanghai
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| Yummy Lumpiang Shanghai |
This is
a famous kind of lumpia which is beloved by kids and adults alike. This type of
lumpia is made from ground pork, onions, garlic, carrots and many more spices
wrapped in a lumpia wrapper. This is best served with sweet and sour sauce or
ketchup.
Pritong Lumpia (Fried Lumpia)
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| Fried Lumpia |
The inside
of the shell is like the lumpia sariwa that is made of ubod with meats and
vegetables, but the difference with the fried lumpia is that this is wrapped
in a lumpia wrapper and fried to perfection. This is best eaten with vinegar as
a dip.
Pancit
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| Pancit Canton |
Pancit is always at every Filipino dining table, especially for
birthday celebrations. This egg noodles come from the Hokkien word “ pian i sit”
which means convenient food. There are different ways to cook pancit, mostly
depending on the regions in the Philippines. We have a long list of pancit
dishes from bihon, Canton, Lomi, Chami, Sotanghon, Mami and many
more. We really love our Pancit!
Sinigang
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| Sinigang |
This is a famous Filipino soup, which is known for its sour
taste. This is cooked with different meat depending on your preference. Some
use pork while others used shrimps and fish. The sour taste is from the tamarind
(sampaloc) which makes this dish distinctly appetizing.
Dinuguan
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| Awfully Delicious Dinuguan |
This makes some foreigners wonder why we love this dish, but
Filipinos are in love with Dinuguan. The word “dinuguan” is from the Visayan word
which means blood. This dish is cooked with meats from mostly pork offal
composed of lungs, kidneys, intestines, hearts, etc. This then is simmered in rich
pig’s blood with vinegar and chili which we call in the Philippines as siling
mahaba. This does look weird and awful to some, but the taste is amazingly
wonderful.
Sizzling Pork Sisig
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| Pork Sisig with Egg |
This sumptuous dish is made from parts of the pig’s snout,
ears, liver and sometimes even brain, fried to cook. Then it is then sauteed with
onions and garlic and served in a sizzling plate with egg on top. This is originally
from Pampanga but sisig is now served in most bars and drinking places as well
as restaurants here in the Philippines.
Crispy Pata
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| Amazing Crispy Pata |
Filipinos love to party that is why we prepare food that
are best for gatherings. One food that is present at Filipino parties, especially
if there is no lechon is crispy pata. It is basically a deep fried pig leg or
even knuckles. Served with a great dip of soy sauce, vinegar and spices like
onions and garlic; this fried food will truly make your heart flutter literally
and figuratively.
Caldereta
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| Caldereta |
This is also one of the most beloved food of Filipinos. Another
food influenced by Spain, Caldereta comes from the Spanish word “caldera” which
means cauldron. Since Filipinos are known for our ingenuity, we make our own versions
through time. Caldereta is originally cooked with goat’s meat mixed with
tomatoes, liver and olives; but now, most Filipinos use different meats like
pork or beef. We also add potatoes, tomato sauce, liver, pepper, cheese and
many more.
We, Filipinos are so in love with food. That is why we always
cook or have them in every gathering, big or small . Our love for
food gives us the sense of warmth not only in our stomach, but truly in our
hearts as well.
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