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Monday, December 17, 2012

In love to eat Filipino Food


The people living in the Philippines are known to be food lover. The Filipino, sometimes called “pinoy” or “noypi”, knows no time when it comes to eating. The foods in the Philippine archipelago are mostly influenced by various cultures. The most dominant are the Chinese and Spanish cultures. The Chinese introduced noodles and taught the Filipinos some Chinese dishes like noodles and lumpia, vegetables wrapped in an edible wrappers. During the Spanish colonization, the Spanish people introduced some ingredients and flavors that made the Filipino cuisine into new level. Ingredients such as spices, pork, chicken and a lot more had made the Philippine dishes more enticing to eat and mouth watering.

The Philippines is said to be the melting pot of Asia. So, Filipinos prepared their dishes with a touch of either Western culture or Asian Culture. Since the country is divided into three beautiful islands, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, Filipinos cooked their dishes dependent on the setting. Even though each region in the country has its own way in preparing and cooking a food, the ingredients and taste are quite the same. Thus, if you are on a travel in the Philippines, it is very luxurious if you can have a taste of Filipino food.

The foods from the Philippines are commonly a mixture of sweet, sour, and salty flavors. In the Philippines, rice is the staple food and the perfect buddy in every meal. Ingredients are, somewhat, have limited life span. This is because the Pinoys eat three times a day and two snacks in between. For breakfast, almost all Pinoys will surely have pandesal on the table, a cup of either coffe or milk, and a piece of newspaper. Eating becomes, somehow, the most relaxing, fulfilling event in the lives of the Pinoys. Eating by hands is the traditional way by Filipinos in savoring a well prepared food. It is fun actually and you can have more control over your food. This tradition may look primitive to other country, but in the Philippines, this is one way of showing that you are, indeed, a Pinoy. There are even restaurants in the Philippines that serve this way, no spoon or fork, just your bare hands.

Filipinos are known to be very hospitable, aside from being a food lover, a trait that observed by many tourist in the country. In the Philippines, a home is not complete if there is no area for accepting visitors. Inviting someone and serving others are what makes the Filipinos stand out in hospitality. If you ever came to a house at mealtime, the host will sure invite you to come and eat with them. It may be sound awkward, but for the Filipinos, it is a sign of the start of friendship.

Philippines is a great country where people make eating as one of their social activity. The food from the Philippines and the hospitality of the Filipinos are as colorful as its history. Philippine cuisines are great and worth cooking for. There are dishes that captured my taste buds along my travel in the Philippines. I have listed some delicious Filipino foods that will sure makes you crave for it. 

Friday, November 23, 2012

Top 10 Mouth-watering Filipino Foods



      Filipino cuisine can be described as colourful as its history. With more than 7,000 islands, Filipino foods had captured many taste buds, may it be the locals or the foreigners.  Basically, Filipino foods are a combination of different cultures and the most prevalent are the Spanish and Chinese culture. Filipino cuisine is eminent by its combination of sour, sweet, and spicy flavours.  Today, I will be listing the 10 Filipino dishes that really made my taste buds go wild and for sure yours too.


1. Adobo

Adobo is the all time favorite Filipino dish

           It is a popular dish in the Philippines. It is usually made of pork, marinated with soy sauce, salt, pepper, and vinegar.  Aside from pork, adobo can also be made from chicken, fish, or even vegetables like kangkong, and string beans. Adobo is a dish that is easy to cook and nonetheless, can be easily consumed by those who love adobo dishes. 



2. Lechon Baboy

Lechon baboy is one of the most popular foods in the Philippines


          When you say Lechon Baboy (Roasted Pig) - it’s a fiesta. Lechon baboy is one of the most popular feast dishes in the Philippines. No fiesta in the Philippines that you can’t see a whole pig roasted in a coal until its skin became red and crisp. When eating starts, lechon baboy will surely be the first one people will eat. Stuffed with lemon grass, salt, and many seasoning, for sure, you can’t get away of it’s delicious smell.



3. Sisig

Delicious Philippine dish sisig

          Filipinos are known to be very innovative when it comes to cooking. An example of Filipino cooking innovation is Sisig. Pork’s cheeks, head, and liver are the main ingredients of Sisig. This delicious dish is said to have originated from Pampanga. This delicious Filipino dish is very popular when it comes to drink party as “pulutan”. Sometimes Sisig is served with egg on top making it more enticing. 



4. Bulalo

Mouth watering soup of Bulalo

           Bulalo is all about big bones and bone marrow. Boiled for hours until beef becomes tender. The soup of Bulalo will surely make you crave for it. Bulalo is best eaten with rice and a spicy soy sauce on the side. Filipinos knows no time when to sip or eat Bulalo even if the weather is hot.




5. Sinigang

Delicious Filipino Sinigang Dish

          Aside from bulalo, another mouth-watering soup is the sinigang. Sinigang can be made of fish, pork, prawns, or beef soured by tamarind, kamias or tomatoes. Sinigang is usually savored or mixed with vegatables like kangkong, string beans, and taro. Just like the Bulalo, Sinigang is eaten with rice. 



6. Bicol Express
Delicious Filipino Bicol Express

           Do you like spicy foods? If yes, then Bicol express is the best choice. Usually made from pork and savored with coconut milk and long chili for its spicy taste, unions, garlic, and shrimp paste to make it more mouth watering.
  


7. Fish Kinilaw

Delicious Filipino Kinilaw Dish

          A Raw fish seasoned with vinegar, lemon, salt, tabon-tabon, ginger, chili, and many more becomes the Kinilaw. The preferred fish for Kinilaw is Tangege and one of the most popular side dishes on the country. Kinilaw is sometimes partnered with beer as "pulutan" but Kinilaw is also one of the most mouth watering appetizer in Filipino cuisine.



8. Batchoy

Delicious Filipino Soup Batchoy

        Cold weather? Batchoy is your partner. Batchoy is a soup noodle made with pork organs, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin and round noodles. Batchoy was said to have originated in the district of La Paz, Iloilo City in the Philippines, hence it is oftentimes referred to as La Paz Batchoy.




9. Longaniza

Delicious Filipino Chorizo Longaniza
         
           Need a delicious Filipino breakfast partner? Then no need to worry. Longaniza are Filipino chorizos. Longaniza are commonly made from pork but there are already Longanizas that are made from chicken, beef, and even tuna. Longanizas are one of the most favourite breakfast food of Filipinos.
             


10. Balut


Philippines all time popular street foods -  Balut
      
        If you will visit Philippines, your trip will not be complete if you can’t taste the famous Philippine street food Balut. Balut is a 17 days old duck embryo, boiled and served with salt, spicy vinegar and often partner with beer. The eggs are savoured for their balance of textures and flavours  the broth surrounding the embryo is sipped from the egg before the shell is peeled, and the yolk and young chick inside can be eaten.