Philippines Guide
For Travelers, Expats and Pinoys
Philippine Cuisine: Pickled Pork and Tofu
Looking for a super appetizer that also serves as a super meal viand? Then try this simple but heavy and healthy local dish. It has meaty goodness with a variety of other nutritious and delicious ingredients.
For this recipe we need three fourth kilo of boneless pork head, a fourth cup of red cane vinegar, a can (439 grams) of pineapple tidbits (drained), pineapple syrup from the tidbits, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, a fourth spoon of powder pepper, 3 regular squares of fried tofu or “tokwa” (sliced into cubes), a piece of chopped onions, 4 cloves of minced garlic, and one medium size diced red bell pepper. With these ingredients all ready, we can start cooking this dish.
We begin this recipe by cleaning and boiling the pork head in three cups of water and a half tablespoon of salt. Boil for 30 minutes or until the pork and meat are very tender. After boiling, drain the water and place in a container. Slice the meat and pork into cubes measuring about 2X2 centimeters. Then soak the sliced meat and pork in vinegar for 10 minutes for a slightly sour pork and meat dish.
Mix recipe of pineapple tidbit syrup, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Put in tidbit pieces and other ingredients, including stew from the boiled meat and pork. This dish serves 7 persons.
The meat and pork of a pig’s head is tasty and delicately tender when boiled and soaked in vinegar. This includes the ear parts, the fleshy nape, the plump cheek flesh, and a part of the neck. When boiled the stew produces a pungent concoction perfect for this recipe. Partnered with the tofu and other ingredients, the resultant whole dish produces a sweet-sour meaty taste with everything tender to the bite.
This special dish is often a favorite finger food or “pulutan” that goes with special or local liquors. It is also a special appetizer before a major dinner meal is served, or a perfect dinner meal in itself in family or party dinner tables. This recipe of combined meat, pork, tofu, and vegetable spices is also perfect for athletes in training and who need large doses of protein, carbohydrates, and fibers.
This local recipe is easy to prepare and cook. It can be enjoyed as a party dish in outdoor picnics, elegant dinners, and as packed lunch in the office. It is one of the local flexible dishes in Philippine culinary art.
Luscious Cuisine: Pork Liempo with Langka
A special recipe of tender and mouth-watering pork “liempo” mixed with sliced jackfruit pulps, all floating in a thick, delectable tomato sauce. What could be more tempting at dinner time than this native cuisine?
Pork “liempo” is that portion of the pig’s belly near the ribs. It is mixed with tender pork’s meat and fat. In the Philippine wet market, it is often times referred to as “sigangin” or that part of the pork suitable for the native cuisine, sour stewed pork, or “sinigang na baboy.” Just say “sigangin” and “sliced” and wet market butchers will do everything as specified: the right pork part sliced to the specification of this recipe. Unripe jackfruit, on the other hand, is found in the fruit section of the market or grocery. It can be ordered peeled and sliced, ready for washing and cooking.
To cook this special recipe, we need the following ingredients: 350 grams pork “liempo” chopped into serving portions, another 350 grams of sliced unripe jackfruit (langka), sliced medium-sized onion, one cup white “kadyos” (pigeon peas) soaked in water for about twenty minutes then drained, one can (227 grams) tomato sauce, one piece native finger chili or “siling haba”, and two bunches swamp cabbage or “kangkong,” leaves and tender stalks only. With these ingredients prepared, we are ready to cook this native cuisine.
This native recipe is cooked this way: combine all ingredients except swamp cabbage or “kangkong” in a casserole. Add five cups of water, one and one fourth teaspoons iodized fine salt, and a fourth teaspoon of peppercorn. Simmer everything on low fire until pork is tender. Then add the swamp cabbage. Simmer for another five minutes or until swamp cabbage or “kangkong’ is cooked. This native cuisine serves 5 persons.
This cuisine is best when dipped in preserved fish or “patis” with crushed native finger chili from the recipe. Having been cooked just right with the pork and jackfruit, this finger chili minced in the fish sauce gives off the right hot chili flavor. The delectable blend of pork, jackfruit, tomato sauce, and chili flavor is what makes the palate crave for more servings of the cuisine. Thus, this recipe is best simmered patiently. Quick boiling might ruin the blending potential of pork flavors and tomato sauce.
This recipe is a subtle combination of tasty pork “liempo,” jackfruit, tomato sauce, and native finger chili. This delicate blend results in a delectable native cuisine.
Chicken Cuisine Binakol Wonder
Chicken Binakol Wonder is a unique native cuisine that brings out the charged-up taste of an all-spiced up chicken, and then everything presented on the dinner table in a very indigenous way. This native recipe has the potential to drive the appetite and imagination crazy. Here’s how this native cuisine is cooked and presented.
For this native recipe, we need the following ingredients: one kilo chicken chopped into small pieces, two chicken broths or cubes, two cups water used in washing rice, or”pinaghugasan ng bigas”, three cloves of minced garlic, two teaspoons of sliced ginger, three cups of water, a half cup of green peas, one medium sliced onion, one potato cut in six, and two tomatoes sliced thinly. Now, for a little variation and unique savor, we add into this native recipe about a half cup diced sift meat of coconut. This addition perks up the flavor of the dish sauce and the cuisine presentation. With these ingredients prepared, we’re ready to cook this native cuisine.
Here’s the procedure in cooking this native recipe: First, we combine all the ingredients in a small pot, stir a little to even up the cooking, and bring everything to a boil on high fire. Then once boiling add the chicken broths or cubes for that extra zing, boosting further the flavor of chicken. Then set the fire low as soon as the cubes dissolve. Then, to further achieve a subtle blend and thickness in the sauce, this native recipe needs to continue simmering until the chicken is completely tender and cooked. The sauce is perfected by the continuous but slow action of low-heat simmering. Check the tenderness of the chicken meat occasionally with a fork. When the chicken meat is done, serve this native cuisine while hot. This chicken “binakol” cuisine serves 5 people. An optional food presentation is to give it an exotic twist by serving it in clean coconut shells.
This native cuisine, chicken “binakol” wonder, goes perfectly with a dip of native preserved fish sauce or “patis” and a piece or two of crushed native chili pepper. It also combines well with a sauce of preserved (“buro”) mangoes or onions on the side. Also as an option, and to avoid wastage, mix the coconut juice with some water and sugar. Then chill and serve in glasses.
Chicken “binakol” wonder is a unique native recipe that reflects Filipino ingenuity in cooking native cuisines and in food presentation, having as little food wastage as possible.
Mixed Beef and Sea Foods Kare-kare
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.
Native Cuisine Pineapple Steak
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.”
Sweet and Sour Adobo Pork and Chicken
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.
Philippine Cuisine Tagalog “Bachoy”
“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.
Milkfish in Black Beans and Spiced Tofu
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.
Philippine “Pochero”
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.
Tinola: A Favorite Philippine Cuisine
Worried about having guests for dinner? Thinking of what delicious food to serve that would also be economical to serve? Thinking of having food delivered or eating out? Hold one’s horses! Here’s a favorite Philippine cuisine that is super tangy and super cost-effective—yet is a common native dish in classy restaurants. And here’s the best part, the bonus. This Philippine cuisine can be served with some hot supplements to really work out sweat in its devourer.
Introducing the Philippine cuisine “Tinola.” It is not only delicious and inexpensive; it is also a healthy balanced food for your guests and family. This Philippine cuisine can be cooked with various main ingredients: chicken, milkfish, shellfish, or even edible, cultured frogs. But in most cases chicken is used in this native dish, especially the native chicken. So for a kilo of chicken, one needs an average size ginger, onions, native “sili” (chili) leaves, a small green papaya, eight garlic pieces, about four cups of water, and some 4 spoons of fish sauce (“patis”) to taste.
Cooking this Philippine cuisine is quick and easy. Just sauté chicken in right amount of cooking oil with sliced ginger, garlic and onions. Make sure the spices (especially the ginger) turn light brown first before joining in the chicken pieces—and the fish sauce. After a minute of sautéing, pour in water and sliced papaya and boil until everything is tender. Finally, put in the “sili” leaves, simmer for another minute, and there we have it. Now here’s to give it some delectable kick: serve hot with a separate fish sauce with ground raw “sili” in a small saucer.
A really old style of cooking this native dish is using a live chicken. After slaughtering, the chicken’s blood is mixed with raw rice and put in the pot when everything is tender.
Now, if native chicken is used, the cooking gets yummier flavors. But more time will be devoted to tenderize the chicken flesh. Native chicken are often tough (so get younger ones). But they’re also known for bringing out pungent chicken flavor.
So we use the same procedure with sautéing and all, but when water is poured with the papaya, more time is needed to simmer everything. Hold the “sili” leaves awhile. When the flesh gets tender enough (How do you know it’s tender? Sample it) the leaves go in next. Simmer a minute and serve.
Tinola has been a Filipino solution to affordable but classy and tasty native dish. This Philippine cuisine easily impresses guests of any nationality with regards to taste, aroma, appeal, and balance.
