Philippines Guide

Now here’s a variant of a native cuisine that put the Philippines on the culinary world map: the all-time favorite native recipe Mixed Beef and Sea Foods Kare-Kare. This recipe has been a hit in Filipino dinner tables since early times.

Watch these recipe ingredients. Be sure everything is accounted for before cooking this native cuisine: First, we need a fourth of a kilo of Tapa fillet (all lean beef), a fourth of a kilo of squid (cleaned and cut into rings), a fourth of a kilo of mussels, two-third cup of cooking oil, one piece of diced onions, two cloves of minced garlic, two-third cup “asuete” essence mixed with water, a half cup of non-greasy peanut butter, a half cup of string beans or “sitaw”, a half cup of diagonally sliced eggplant or “talong”, two cups sliced and boiled banana heart or “puso ng saging”, salt and pepper to taste, and one cup seafood stock, and one cup coconut milk. This cuisine also needs preserved shrimps or “bagoong alamang” as siding. With these ingredients all in, we’re ready to cook this native recipe.

This classy cuisine is cooked this way: first, we prepare the “asuete” essence or oil: Sauté on medium fire the two tablespoons of “asuete” seeds in two-third cup of cooking oil until everything becomes orange in color. Then, strain to remove the “asuete” seeds. After this, sauté onions and garlic in one-third cup of “asuete” oil. Then add the seafoods, with a twenty-second interval: the squids, mussels and the tapa fillet. Then mix everything in this recipe and cook on high fire for one minute until everything is half-cooked. Then, remove everything from the pan and set aside.

Next, to cook this native recipe, we add the remaining “asuete” oil in the pan. Then put the peanut butter in. Mix well. Then add the coconut milk. Stir well on high fire until it boils. Bring to a simmer until sauce thickens. Add the vegetables, with one-minute interval: the banana heart or “puso ng saging”, string beans or “sitaw”, and the eggplant or ”talong.” Cook for three minutes. Then add the seafoods and cook well for half a minute. After this, sauté in a separate pan the “bagoong” and minced ginger and garlic. This serves as the sauce of this native cuisine.

Mixed Beef and Sea Foods Kare-Kare is a unique rendition of the native cuisine Kare-Kare, and has been a favorite recipe in Filipino homes.

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A subtle savory of beef steak cooked with canned pineapple goodness. Native cuisine Pineapple steak, or “pinya con bistek,” is a native dish wonder that suits every discriminating taste bud well. And also, beef is a good source of iron for healthy red blood cells. Here’s how this native cuisine is cooked.

The ingredients of this native cuisine are as follows: a fourth kilogram of tender beef sirloin (sliced tapa-style); a piece of large onion (sliced into rings); a can (234 grams) of pineapple tidbits (drain and reserve syrup). After this comes the marinade of this native dish.

For the marinade of this native cuisine we need: eight cloves garlic which are crushed, three tablespoon soy sauce; one and one-half tablespoons calamansi or lemon juice; one-fourth teaspoon ground black pepper, and the reserved pineapple tidbit syrup. With this marinade prepared, we’re ready to cook this native dish.

To cook this native cuisine: First, we marinate the tender sirloin beef for about one hour in the refrigerator. After this, drain and reserve the marinade. Then fry the tender sirloin beef in one-fourth cup of oil until light brown. After frying, set it aside. Next, retain two tablespoons of oil in the pan. Use this to sauté onion until tender enough (about 10 seconds). Then add the marinade. Simmer everything for about two minutes. Then add the fried beef and Pineapple tidbits into the pan. Then let the whole thing simmer once. This native dish serves 5 persons.

Pineapple steaks are said to have originated from a Spanish recipe localized by early kitchen chefs working in Spanish haciendas and mansions in the country. This localized version was later called “pinya con bistek” or “pinya con carne” and handed down to grandmoms and moms for home cooking.

Some versions of this native cuisine apply pounding strokes on the beef using a big mortar and pestle to tenderize tough beef. Some people felt back then that tenderizing beef by simmering in water took away some of this native dish’s health benefits and flavors. So they pounded the meat instead. The effect was something like a crumpled or overused cardboard, unappealing to the sight. The taste was still intact, but its presentation was compromised.

Other beef tenderizing techniques for this native cuisine in the past were marinating beef in salt for a few minutes before cooking or drying the beef under the sun for days, as in the tenderizing technique used for the native dish beef “tapa.”

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Lechon is a Spanish word meaning “suckling pig”. In the Philippines, Lechon always means a whole roasted pig commonly known as Lechon Baboy. Beef and chicken are also popular as lechon commonly known as Lechon Baka and Lechon Manok, respectively.

The method of cooking the lechon is that the whole pig is roasted slowly over live charcoal. This method is also similar to the way the Chinese Peking duck or the Balines Guling celeng is cooked. The tedious method of long-hours roasting the whole pig leaves the meat very tender inside and a crispy skin outside.

The lechon is a popular dish in any of the festivities in the Philippines such as fiestas, holiday seasons, and special occasions like birthdays, weddings, and other family gatherings. It is said that celebrations are not complete without the lechon as the table’s centerpiece. It is always served with a liver-based sauce making it more tasteful and delicious.

The lechon kawali is another version of lechon in the Philippines. The method of cooking includes boiling the pieces of pork first then fry till it turns into golden brown.

The leftover lechon is recycled in the Philippines. It is easily turned into another delicious dish called Lechon Paksiw.

In Manila, Philippines, La Loma is the popular place where one can buy the delicious lechon. Many food establishments are selling it throughout the year in this area.

Cebu City, Philippines is famous for cooking the mouthwatering lechon. Other regions in the Philippines have their own way to cook lechon but the ones from Cebu City are the favorite. The lechons are air-shipped from Cebu City to different food establishments throughout the Philippines.

The lechon in Cebu City has its own distinctive taste that is why it is the Filipinos’ favorite. Cooking lechon is very simple but arduous.

A whole pig is cleaned very well, taking the pig’s internal organs out at the belly’s opening. After cleaning, seasonings are stuffed into the pig’s stomach such as garlic, onions, soy sauce, lemongrass, salt, and monosodium glutamate. The measurements of the seasonings are according to the desired taste.

When the seasonings are all stuffed in, the pig’s stomach is stitched to keep the seasonings from spilling out. The whole pig is impaled on a clean bamboo pole like a barbecue. The pig is then bathed in soy sauce and roasted over live charcoal.

The average time for roasting the pig is about two hours. When it is cooked, the pig is now turned into a lechon. A crispy and juicy lechon can really satisfy your appetite.

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A sweetened and all spiced up pork and chicken adobo is another variation of the general native cuisine adobo. This native recipe caters well to those who prefer a subtle blend of sweet, sour, and spicy pork and chicken.

To cook this native cuisine, here are the ingredients we need: half a kilo of Pork Kasim chopped for adobo, half a kilo of fresh chicken chopped into serving pieces, four pieces of sliced hotdog, three tablespoons minced garlic, one tablespoon ground pepper corns, two tablespoons sugar, one piece laurel leaf, half cup of soy sauce, three-fourth cup of cane vinegar, 2 cups of boiled water, and a dozen hard quail eggs. With these ingredients ready, we’re all set to cook this native recipe.

To cook this native cuisine we first combine all ingredients in a saucepan (except the quail eggs and hotdogs). Then boil the mixture on high fire. On boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover with the lid for some forty five minutes. Then, remove the lid cover and simmer again for some five minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce. Check the tenderness of the pork. If the meat and skin of the pork is tender enough, the rest of the ingredients should follow. Check also the sweetness and sourness of the sauce. Aim for a balanced sweet and sour flavor. Lessen the taste by adding a little water. Add to the taste by adding either more sugar or more vinegar. Finally, when everything is balanced, add the quail eggs and hotdogs for another two to three minutes. This native recipe serves 5 people.

This recipe is a favorite native cuisine in picnics and outdoor potlucks, as well as in elegant dinner meals for the family and guests. Because of the introduction of vinegar into this native recipe, sweet and sour pork and chicken adobo lasts longer than other native cuisine. Hence, it is suitable as a picnic viand for a packed dinner when traveling far to eat out. It goes well with sliced and salted tomatoes on the side, coupled with some sliced preserved eggs with chopped onions and tomatoes. This native recipe is also partnered with chopped green mangoes and onions with a dash of native preserved fish or “bagoong.”

Sweet and sour pork and chicken adobo is a popular native cuisine almost always present in every Filipino dinner table, at home or in native restaurants. It is one of the Filipinos’ culinary legacies.

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Modern Filipino recipes are delectable dishes that are at par with the world’s best. But modern recipes depend on both modern and native spices. Common spices in cooking modern recipes and dishes are the following:

Annatto or “atsuete” in the vernacular are dark red seeds used for natural food coloring of vegetables, meat, and fish recipes. These are tear-shaped seeds found in clusters inside one-inch diameter balls covered with curly fibers. Annatto is bland, but Philippine cooking considers it a “spice” that often goes with other spices. Recipes are enhanced by coloring. Some food colorings are synthetic and may prove harmful to health, but not annatto seeds. They’re natural. Modern Philippine red dishes are “spiced” up with them.

Butter is also a favorite, not only as a cooking oil substitute, but also to improve flavors of dishes. In this sense, butter is commonly thought of as a spice. It is wholly of milk and cream and is applied in recipes for a thick, creamy touch. Butter is used for frying, sautéing, mixing in the middle of cooking, or a melting topping on dishes.

Cheese is another modern Philippine spice. A lot of recipes use it for creamy dish textures and taste. Cheese is also used as a melting topping on various dishes like lasagna, baked spaghetti or macaroni, beef mechado and local hamburgers. Cheese is also grated and mixed as a spice in many dishes like vegetable salads, beef caldereta. Cheese is wholly of dairy products, and popular varieties are cheddar, edam, white cheese (from goats’ milk), and parmesan. Cheese melts are also used as dips to supplement other recipes.

Native chili. This is an all-time favorite in Philippine culinary arts. They are a very dependable hot spice to liven up the taste buds and appetite. They can be applied as a recipe ingredient while cooking hot and spicy dishes, and they can also serve in hot sauces and dips. Chicken “tinola” and pork “sinigang” are among the recipes that may include native chili as an ingredient.

Cornstarch is also commonly used in a lot of recipes as a spice. It achieves a thick, creamy, and subtle sauce or stew for a lot of dishes. It is also a cheaper substitute for milk and cream for the same purpose. Cornstarch is dilute in water first before mixed in recipes.

Modern Philippine recipes are rich in ingredients and spices that perk up the savory qualities of dishes. Common spices responsible for delectable dishes are often cheap recipe mixes.

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“Bachoy” is originally an Ilonggo native cuisine. But several versions were made of it, among which was the native Tagalog dish “bachoy. Most Philippine cuisines are characterized by flexibility. A native dish originally from a certain province or region will be redone in another. But the availability or lack of original ingredients in a locality will force improvisation of the native dish and later result into a different version of it.

Original Ilonggo La Paz “bachoy” is a soup noodle native cuisine with ample pieces of beef and spices. Native Tagalog dish “bachoy” on the other hand is a stew of swine organs and pork lean meat without noodles. What’s the difference? Cook and eat it to find out.

We need half kilo each of swine heart, liver, and lean meat. Some add a portion of lungs. These swine parts are often cheaper than pork meat itself, so this native cuisine is often economical to cook. Clean swine inner parts with water and soak in a basin of water for 5 minutes. Later, slice into cubes of about half an inch by half an inch. Then, prepare 5 pieces crushed and sliced garlic, three balls sliced onions, three small bundles of “kinchay” leaves, half of a whole ginger (peeled and sliced small), and 5 cups water. Then we’re ready to cook this native Tagalog dish.

Sauté garlic in oil in a medium-size pot until light brown. Put in onions and ginger until light brown. The natural ginger flavoring brings out the pungent spicy taste and aroma of this native cuisine coupled with the strong culinary features of “kinchay” leaves. “Kinchay” is known to normalize high blood pressure by its fibrous action and flashing out cholesterol. So this native Tagalog dish is also healthy,

Then put swine flesh and lean meat in. Cook while turning over continually for a minute. Pour 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. When swine flesh and lean meat are tender, put in “kinchay” leaves. Boil for another minute, put out the fire, and serve this native cuisine hot. Serves 5 persons. This native Tagalog dish is best eaten when supplemented with a dash of fish sauce or “patis.”

This native cuisine is considered a royal treat in Philippine dining and few popular restaurant know this almost secret recipe. This is mostly served in homes for special guests.

Philippine native Tagalog dish “bachoy” is a unique and tasty treat. This native cuisine is also healthy with a anti-cholesterol action.

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Philippine native cuisines are natural taste bud ticklers that induce appetite like fatty oil is to grill fire. But there are certain culinary secrets that enhance the subtle taste of native dishes, especially where marinating and sauces are concerned. Here are some secret tips for a more enjoyable Philippine native cuisine.

Most fried native dishes, like fried fish and pork chops, are rubbed with a dash of salt and flour a minute before frying. This results in a super crispy and juicy fred native cuisine, with all the food flavors intact and succulently oozing at a bite. For a much tastier native dish flavor, fish, pork or beef is marinated with soy sauce and vinegar, or better, soy sauce and natural “kalaminsi” or lemon juice. This marinating procedure is done 30 to 45 minutes before cooking, either by frying or grilling. Grilled pork liver is also thus marinated for a mouth-watering aroma and taste.

Native cuisine fried or steamed fish are often stuffed with sliced native tomatoes, garlic, ginger, “kinchay” leaves, a little powdered pepper, and onions. At times this native dish is mixed with cooked ground beef or pork. The fish’s abdomen is sliced open, gull and gills removed while leaving the liver and intestines intact, and the spices are stuffed inside. Then the abdomen is stitched closed with a clean white thread. The fish is then wetted enough with a soy sauce and “kalamansi” or lemon juice concoction for some 15 minutes, and then fried or grilled.

With grilling native cuisines, the usual method is to wrap the fish or pork with aluminum foil. This cooking method evens up cooking all sides of a native dish fish, pork, or beef but it’s unhealthy because of the lead content of the foil. The best alternative—and one of the native cuisine culinary secrets of cooking grandmas in the country—is to wrap food in banana leaves while being grilled. This saves the native dish from too much burning and boosts natural food and spice flavor enhancement.

Finally, native cuisines usually go with a specific dip sauce. Dip sauces of mixed vinegar, soy, or preserved fish for a specific native dish may heighten taste bud stimulation. Native cuisine Kare-Kare’s true gourmet potential lies on how good the preserved shrimp or “bagoong” sauce is cooked.

Philippine native cuisines are enjoyed more when the secret ingredients are in and the right sauce concoction for a native dish is in place.

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Here’s a super healthy and super yummy Philippine native recipe. This native dish’s loaded with protein, omega 3 and calcium. It’s a mighty combination of the tasty features of fresh water fish and the subtle zesty goodness of Chinese black beans and spiced tofu.

For a kilo of milkfish here’s the list of ingredients for this native recipe: a small plastic pack of Chinese black beans or “tawsi,” a small pack of spiced tofu or “tawre,” 4 pieces sliced tomatoes, 2 pieces sliced onions, 5 pieces minced garlic, non cholesterol cooking oil, a cup of water, and salt to taste. With this list ready, we’re ready to cook this very tasty native dish.

After washing and cleaning the fish, slice them in 3 pieces. Fry them in cooking oil in a pan till brown. To avoid fish from sticking on the pan, make sure the pan and the oil are heated enough before putting in the fish. Another technique of this native recipe is to rub flour on the fish pieces before putting them in the hot cooking oil. When brown, put away in a plate. Don’t over fry the fish of this native dish. Fry just enough to keep the fish’s juiciness intact.

Sauté the garlic pieces, onions, and tomatoes in a new batch of cooking oil in a different pan. Keep steering till the tomatoes are melted. Put in the fish pieces and sauté for some 2 minutes. Put in the black beans and spiced tofu and sauté for a minute. Pour in water and cover pan. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until boiling. Put out fire and serve. This native serves 5 to 6 people.

A word of caution: make sure the milkfish of this native dish is thoroughly cleaned. Avoid getting the fish gull ruptured. This embitters the fish and spoils the whole native recipe. Also, make sure the gills of the milkfish are taken out. Some versions of this native recipe still have the gills in the fish. This results to a rancid taste in the native dish.

This native recipe is simple and easy enough to cook. The key here is in the food preparation, especially on the handling and cleaning of the milkfish.

Philippine native recipe for milkfish with black beans and spiced tofu is a healthy native dish that will surely stimulate the taste buds and rouse the appetite for more servings.

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The heavy-weight nutrients of beef, vegetables, and fruit; or, the delicate taste of tender beef, crunchiness of vegetables, and the sweet flavor of fruit—these are mouth-watering features of the native cuisine Philippine “pochero.” It is considered a luxury native dish served mostly only to the elite or in very special occasions.

Pochero dates back to Spanish times, a time when native dishes cooked were sure to be nothing less than top quality. Spanish landlords were mostly very discriminating in taste and preferences. They were often very strict masters. So this native cuisine was birthed at such a time when everything was made “primera clase” or first class.

This native cuisine, pochero, is cooked in this manner. For a kilo of pork or beef (or a mix) these are the ingredients: a small ball of cabbage sliced in big pieces, 5 pieces sweet potatoes sliced into 4 each, 7 pieces pared native “saba” bananas sliced into halves, a bundle of Baguio beans cut into halves, a bundle of pechay leaves sliced into halves, a can of pork and beans, a teaspoon of salt, and 5 cups of water. Make sure all the veggies have been kept in the fridge the night before for a crunchy quality. Now we’re ready to cook this native dish.

Simmer the meat and sweet potatoes in 5 cups of water for one to two hours for a super tender native cuisine of pochero. If the water has dwindled too much, add enough to soak meat in it. When the meat of this native cuisine gets tender enough the sweet potato should have become very soft and thickened the beef stew. Pour in all the others (cabbage, pechay, bananas, salt, and Baguio beans) except the pork and beans. Put to medium fire for half a minute, pour in pork and beans, and cook for another half a minute, then the native dish is ready to serve. Make sure not to over do the vegetables to keep their crunchiness.

Native cuisine, Pochero, has an aroma and taste that blends the pungent qualities of meaty richness and fruity sweetness. Its thick stew captures in all the abundant goodness of beef, vegetables, root crop, and fruit for a tangy native dish flavor unmistakably Filipino-Spanish in orientation.

A super balanced native cuisine complete with meat, veggies, root crop, and fruit is the Philipine pochero. Balanced meals seldom come as delicious and nutritious as this native dish does—not to mention its rich and thick stew.

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