Filipino Cuisine

Mabuhay!


Throughout the centuries, Filipino cuisine has been a constantly evolving amalgamate of Oriental and Occidental influences. Chinese, Malay, Arab, Spanish, and American explorers and settlers have each contributed to the regions colorful culinary delights. Hence, the variety and difference in tastes - which makes it unique. One of Filipino cuisine's most dominant attributes comes from the Spaniards, whose cuisine is at the source of nearly 80% of all Filipino dishes. 


Below are some recipes that truly show the richness and simplicity of good "Filipino" food. Feel free to enjoy!!

ADOBO

Typically pork or chicken, or a combination of both, is slowly cooked in vinegar, cooking oil, crushed garlic, bay leaf, black peppercorns, and soy sauce, and often browned in the oven or pan-fried afterward to get the desirable crisped edges.

AFRITADA

Chicken and/or pork and potatoes cooked in tomato sauce.













BISTEK TAGALOG

Strips of sirloin beef slowly cooked in soy sauce, calamansi juice, and onions.













CRISPY PATA

Deep fried portions of pork legs including knuckles often served with a chili and calamansi flavored dipping soy sauce or chili flavored vinegar for dipping.











EMBUTIDO

A meatloaf shaped in the form of a sausage.









HAMONADO

Stuffed pork roll coated in a sweet sauce.
Humba Eastern Leyte Meat dish





KALDERETA

A dish made with cuts of pork, beef or goat with tomato paste or tomato sauce with liver spread added to it.









LECHON

A dish made by roasting a whole pig over charcoal. It is often cooked during special occasions. A simpler version has chopped pieces of pork fried in a pan or wok (lechon kawali). Also refers to a spitted and charcoal roasted marinated chicken (lechon manok).




MECHADO

Name derived from mitsa meaning "wick" which is what the pork fat inserted into a slab of beef looks like before the larded beef is cooked, sliced, and served in the seasoned tomato sauce it is cooked in.








ESCABECHE

Referring to both a dish of poached or fried fish that is marinated in an acidic mixture before serving, and to the marinade itself. Can refer broadly to sweet and sour dishes.

PAKSIW

Generally means to cook and simmer in vinegar. Common dishes bearing the term, however, can vary substantially depending on what is being cooked. Paksiw na isda is fish poached in a vinegar broth usually seasoned with fish sauce and spiced with siling mahaba and possibly containing vegetables. Paksiw na baboy is pork, usually hock or shank, cooked in ingredients similar to those in adobo but with the addition of sugar and banana blossoms to make it sweeter and water to keep the meat moist and to yield a rich sauce. Paksiw na lechon is roasted pork lechon meat cooked in lechon sauce or its component ingredients of vinegar, garlic, onions, black pepper and ground liver or liver spread and some water. The cooking reduces the sauce so that by the end the meat is almost being fried.