Filipino Foods

I used Beef Back ribs for this recipe. It’s tender and there is still plenty of meat on the bone. You may also use beef shanks (Bulalo Bones, Bone Marrow). For those the cooking time will be 1-2 hours depending on how tender you want the meat. If you do use the Beef Shanks try to be careful when you remove the meat from the pot so it won’t fall apart on you as you arrange it on the platter or to individual serving bowls.

Pork sinigang has got to be one of the most popular comfort foods in the Philippines. I remember when my mom would prepare this dish she would use fresh tamarind. She would boil it and squish out all the juice for the souring agent.Thank god for the invention of the dry mix so we don’t have to do it the hard way anymore. Not all dry mixes taste just as good as the fresh version either, but I’m sure a lot of you out there can agree with me that when it comes to Tamarind or Sinigang mix it’s one of the most authentic ones out there. There are other things you can use as a souring agent such as kamias, fresh mango, or ripe guava (bayabas) and don’t forget the calamansi, especially when fish is used for this dish. It is one of the most popular substitutes when it comes to tamarind. For my version I’m going to go the easy way and use the dry mix, not to mention this is my only option since I don’t have any fresh sampalok. So let’s get cooking!

Sopas is delicious and it’s fairly easy to make. A few parts of chicken, some hotdogs, and macaroni can put a smile on the faces of most Filipino children or adults.

Sopas which means soup in Spanish and Portuguese is another dish where I assume Filipinos have inherited the name from the Spaniards. Sopas can be found not only in the kitchen in most homes during afternoons, but it is also very popular in side walk cafeterias known as Turo-turo restaurants in the Philippines.Sopas is often served in mid-afternoon as a snack to tie people over before hitting the big supper in the early evening. Sopas is good on a hot summer day, even better on a rainy day back home, or quite a treat on cold winter days here in America.

 Well, fall season is here in America and winter is just around the corner. Having said that for most of us Filipinos here in the U.S. or abroad our bodies are starting to look for something warm to eat to compensate for the cold weather outside. So, of course, what is better to have than a hot bowl of Arroz Caldo.

But before we head to the kitchen let’s dig a little bit deeper about this classic dish. Lugaw is the Filipino version of congee.

It is very similar to Cantonese style congee, however, lugaw is typically a thicker consistency, retaining the shape of the rice while achieving the same type of texture. It is boiled with fresh ginger. A lot of times it is topped with scallions and served with crispy, fried garlic. Chicken stock is also used to flavor the soup.

In the Philippines they also serve tokwat baboy, (diced tofu and pork) as well as calamansi, and fish sauce. This is often served at the street side eateries commonly known as turo-turo restaurants. This is also very popular among Filipinos living abroad in colder weather because it is warm, soft, and easily digestible. Now we know how they came up with this soup, so let’s head to the kitchen and cook some Arroz Caldo.

 When it comes to this dish I just can’t get enough if it. There are so many variations when it comes to Nilagang Baka or Beef Soup Bones, but this one has to be one of my favorite ones. Bulalo or Beef Shank is not the most healthy food among Filipino’s line of goodies, as a matter of fact, I would not suggest this dish if you are watching your calorie intake or advised by your doctor not to eat anything high in cholesterol.

However, if you are one of the lucky ones that do not have any diet restrictions, by all means enjoy this dish. Bulalo is ranked as one of the top Nilaga (boiled) dishes in the Philippines due to its rich taste and very satisfying broth. Unlike others, like Nilagang Baka of Beef Soup Bones, which are either too bony with not enough meat or too meaty with not enough bone. As we all know, meat that is cooked with bones in it tastes way better than it’s lean counterpart.

Bulalo however differs from them. Bulalo or Beef Shank has a good sized bone as well as the meat part, and oh yeah, the one that other Nilagang Baka does not have is the Marrow which is very flavorful and very delicious. This is what really separates Bulalo from any other Nilaga. Anyway, Bulalo can be found in most upscale restaurants for the reason being that it is not the cheapest choice of meat in the Philippines.

White steamed rice, fish sauce with calamansi, and thai chili peppers for condiments makes this dish a true wonder when it comes to lunch time. A lot of us prefer this dish with just soup bones, but every once in a while we look for something meatier and that’s where this particular version of Nilagang Baka comes in.

I have seen so many versions when it comes to Nilagang Baka. Some of them are very elaborate and sometimes it makes me wonder if using all those ingredients actually over powers the entire dish.

It seems as if you would not be able to enjoy the flavor of the meat. Having said that it inspired me to come up with my personal version of Nilagang Baka. It is very simple and does highlight the true flavor of the beef by simplifying the ingredients. So let’s try another mouth-watering dish by letting the flavor of the beef do the work.

If we are talking about comfort food, Adobo is definitely the first one that pops into my head. Not to mention Adobo is one of the first dishes Filipinos learn to cook as it is simple and requires just a handful of ingredients. In good-tasting adobo, none of the spice flavors dominate but rather the taste is a delicate balance of all the ingredients.In this particular recipe I used Pork Neck Bones. And let me tell you something this one could make a very good Pulutan (finger food). You will be licking your fingers the entire time you’re eating.

This dish is inspired by the way of life here in the U.S. Most of us have busy schedules and very little time to cook a quality meal for our family. Although this does take a while to cook there is very little preparation time and you can basically throw everything in a pot and let it cook while you do things around the house.It is a perfect candidate for my wife and I to take to work for our lunch. As you see in the picture nothing is rocket science here.

This is another perfect example of how you can turn one dish into another without compromising the flavor. Most of the time we don’t think much about left-overs, but if you take a closer look at what’s inside your refrigerator I bet you can come up with another dish using what your family ate the last couple of nights.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to using left over food. The only thing you have to consider is the flavor. The rule of thumb when it comes to left-overs is to only cook dishes that are similar to one another.

In other words, don’t use Adobo and try to convert it to Sinigang. I guarantee no one would eat it. The dish I am going to cook is Beef Stew made from left over Nilagang Baka. The ingredients are very similar and the best thing about this is that the meat is already tender which means the cooking time is a lot less than cooking it from scratch. Another thing about this dish is not only are we converting it to another dish, but we are also going from Filipino food to American food. Beef stew is quite popular here in the U.S. especially this time of the year when wintertime is lurking around the corner. So let’s get cooking!

This is a perfect example of how you can turn one dish into another without compromising the flavor. This one is made from left over Nilagang Buto ng Baka (beef soup bones.) These are two different dishes, but the ingredients are very similar to one another.Typically I would use lean pot roast meat for this recipe. Well, not on this one. I used the left over ribs and broth and it turned out really good. Without a doubt this recipe will be on my favorites list. For those of you who like to use the fresh version, I also provided the recipe for it below. For best results prepare this dish a day ahead, let sit in the fridge overnight, and re-heat before serving. It gives the flavors time to blend in. This process also works well for Adobo.

Whenever we’re talking about food that Filipino’s inherited from the Spaniards, Afritada is one of the dishes that stand out. In Philippine cuisine there are several dishes that use tomato sauce based ingredients and Afritada is definitely one of them.There are two types of Afritada, pork and chicken, and chicken is the easier version to cook. That is why I often prepare this dish rather than the pork counterpart. I have to admit I like the pork version better, but when you have limited time to spend in the kitchen, Chicken Afritada makes the perfect candidate to satisfy my taste buds. Now the recipe!

Filipinos have adopted dishes from all over the world, but most of our cooking is influenced by the Spaniards and Asian cuisine. There are several versions of Chicken Curry; the most popular ones are the Indian version which mostly uses powdered curry and the Thai version which uses curry paste.

With this version of Chicken Curry, we are not going to do it the Thai way, but Filipino style. We are going to combine powdered curry and coconut creme to give this dish a rich, creamy, and very spicy flavor that you would expect from this awesome curry dish…

I strongly suggest that you do not modify the amount of the curry powder. I can assure you it is the perfect measurement for this amount of servings.

Unlike other versions of Filipino Chicken Curry, we are not going to use store bought Curry Powder. We are going to make it from scratch, which I think tastes better anyway. Don’t worry, it’s not that hard to make, just be patient. Okay, lets get on with it.

There are only a few Filipino I have met that didn’t care for this particular dish. A lot of times people judge this dish before tasting it. The truth is for most people that do actually taste it, my American mother in-law for example, they actually like it.

The only problem she had was knowing what it is. Dinuguan or pork blood stew is a Filipino, savory stew of blood and meat simmered in a rich, spicy gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili’s, and vinegar. The term Dinuguan come from the word dugo which means blood. It is similar to a Singapore dish, pig’s organ soup. The only difference is it does not have vegetables in it. For western cultures this dish is considered as unusual or maybe an alarming dish even though it is similar to European-style blood sausage or British black pudding, but in a saucy, stew form.

This dish is so popular in the Philippines that you will find it at just about any occasion, from simple family gatherings to weddings. For my kababayan who just recently moved here to the U.S., especially if you don’t live in the major cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York City, you can still find edible pork blood at just about any International grocery store in the frozen section. One of the most popular brands here is Orientex. They have beef blood also. Ok, so enough talking and let’s get down to the recipe.

My family loves this dish. Even my picky American wife likes it and definitely a favorite among Filipinos. It is somewhat pricey for most families to serve on their table all the time, but it sure is a treat when they do. I have eaten this dish many times, but I liked it even more when I tasted my ex-father in-laws version.I don’t have his recipe, but from what I can remember he didn’t put any black pepper or garlic in it. So I made mine just like that, but I had to make a few test runs to get the measurements right.

The funny thing is you can mess up this one and it still tastes good. This has a very short ingredient list, but it will make you come back for a second plate every time.

Now we are talking about a dish that everyone loves. It took me some time to get this one fine tuned to where I wanted it. Well seasoned breading and meat is the key of a good fried chicken. This one is loaded with spices to get that crunchy, mouth-watering taste that you have come to expect from a fried chicken.

This dish is simple and very quick and easy to make. I remember when I was a kid I used to ask my mom to fix this all the time. It has a short ingredients list, but it’s very satisfying.You could serve this as a companion dish for stir-fried vegetables or you can eat it by itself and also don’t forget about those who like to drink.

This could make a very good Pulutan (finger food).

I almost forgot how much I love this dish. When I was a kid and until now this dish is still my choice of fried food when I want something quick and of course delicious. This is pretty similar to fried adobo except this does not have vinegar and bay leaf.

Most of the time when I cooked this dish is to accompany another dish such as ginisang baguio beans, ginisang sitaw or just to eat it with white steam rice.

I know that sounds kind a plain but you’ll be surprise how many Filipinos eat it that way. Just like my other fried chicken wing v.1 this is also very simple and easy to make and it also has a very short ingredients list. So, let’s get to it.

Silogs are definitely a very popular Filipino breakfast. They come in many combinations and are all mouth-watering breakfast delights. You can find these dishes at street vendors all over the Philippines.They are commonly called Turo-Turo Eatery’s (it means pick and point eatery). This recipe is for Longsilog. It’s a combination of Longanisa, (Filipino sausage) eggs, and garlic-fried rice. Sometimes it also comes with fresh slices of tomato and onions.

In the Philippines we have different types of Lumpia known as Eggrolls, but this one stood out the most. It is considered to be the premium Lumpia.We call this one Lumpiang Shanghai. The one thing that separates this Lumpia among others is the filling. This Lumpia is mostly meat and it is a lot skinnier than the traditional one. This one is also very popular at most celebrations. Since we all tend to serve the best on the table during special occasions, it definitely makes the cut in that category. Even though this appetizer is easy to make, it is very time consuming wrapping it. So, be patient when it comes to that part and you will be rewarded with one of the best tasting Lumpia you’ve ever had.

Revisiting memory lane, these street delights definitely bring back good childhood memories of when I was in the Philippines. I remember they had these Lumpia stacked up high along with some Banana’s and Kamote Q’s. I used to buy these things and eat my heart out. The vinegar sauce that is pre-made by the street vendors is out of this world.

I remember they only cost one peso each. I don’t know how much it is nowadays, but back then the dollar rate was 17:1 which means you can buy 17 of these egg rolls for a buck.

It is amazing to think that Lumpia is available on just about every corner in the cities of the Philippines and yet over here in the U.S. you have to go out of your way to make ‘em or at least where I am at, you can’t buy this version of Lumpia in the store, you can only make them.

Anyhow, Filipino’s have several wrapped delights that you can find on the streets of the Philippines. This one, however, is one of the most popular ones out there. The stuffing in this one is mainly Bean sprouts, unlike the ones we have here in the U.S. commonly found in most Chinese restaurants that are stuffed with cabbage.

The other was the Banana (Plantain) version, which is commonly made to be sweet. Inside, it has two slices of Plantain along with a few strips of ripe Jack Fruit smothered in sugar, wrapped in the Lumpia wrapper, and then deep-fried.

Filipino’s eat this BBQ as an appetizer, meal, a snack, or what most of the guy’s favorite, Pulutan. This particular recipe has been a tradition for Filipino’s when it comes to street barbecuing. Aside from the requests, it also inspired me to post this recipe to give our craving kakabayan’s that have been away from the Philippines a little trip down memory lane where street food is just a couple of steps away. This is fairly simple to make, but it does take a little bit of time to marinate. Just remember, the longer you let it marinate the better the taste. So be patient when it comes to preparing these mouth-watering street delights. Now, on to what you’re waiting for, the recipe.

This is my favorite dish to go with the sauted baguio beans. One thing you’ll notice is that the pork chops here in the U.S. have very little fat and the skin of them they automatically remove at the butcher shop when they process the meat.

In the Philippines they are sold as is with the fat and skin and even though it’s not as good for you, I still like the way it’s done in the Philippines.

I sort of miss it actually. Again this is quick and easy to make. You can enjoy your meal in no time. Now the recipe!

As with most Asian countries, the most consumed food in the Philippines is rice. It is most often boiled and served during most meals. Left over rice is often fried with garlic and onion to make sinangag (fried rice), which is the typical way of Filipino style fried rice. One of the most common dishes served with classic fried rice are Silogs.

As most Filipinos know they come in several combinations, but the most common ones are Tapsilog, Longsilog, and Tocilog.

One of the keys to making fried rice is using the right type of rice. For example, don’t use a rice that is very sticky or you will have a hard time  incorporating all the ingredients. The rice will stick together rather than breaking apart. Also let the rice sit overnight in the fridge. This will help to break the rice apart a lot easier or at least let it totally cool off before cooking it. There are endless combination’s when it comes to fried rice, but we are not going to talk about all of them today. Instead I’m going to show you my version which is pretty simple, but it has enough ingredients in it that it could be eaten by itself. This version of fried rice is inspired by the way the Chinese cook theirs, which also became very popular in the Philippines. The same common ingredients are found in both versions. Let’s cook shall we?

Pork BBQ or Pork Shish-Kabobs is one of the most popular street foods in the Philippines. It originally served as a snack accompanied with liquor or beer, but has found it’s way into Philippine cuisine as an appetizer. I have tasted several versions of this dish and they are all good.Then I came across a friend of mine’s version and it was even better, but when he gave me his recipe it was measured in bulk. The soy sauce was measured in gallons as well as the pineapple juice. He used to work for an Asian restaurant and that’s where he learned this recipe. Obviously it was way too much marinade for household use. That’s why I came up with my own version, a toned down version. One major difference between our recipes is that he uses Kikkoman soy sauce and I used the Filipino Silver Swan soy sauce. He used lemon and I used calamansi. Anyway this pork BBQ recipe is the best one I have tasted so far. But there is a small price to pay. The marinating time requires at least 2 days, no more than three days, and definitely has to be kept in the fridge while marinating. Let’s take a look at the recipe!

Pork Lechon or Litson is probably one most crave food in overseas. I know I did crave for it a lot in my early days here in America. The main challenge of cooking Pork Lechon is getting the skin crunchy without burning before the whole hog gets properly cooked. Also, for the most part we only need small servings and not the entire hog.

After searching a little for the best way to cook a small sized serving and still have that authentic taste of  real Pork Lechon, I came up with this recipe. It has the taste and texture of a full size Pork Lechon and most importantly the crunchy skin that we Filipinos love.

To me, this recipe is by far the best tasting one. It’s definitely better than baking it, and using a grill to cook it does not leave that funny taste you get when it’s baked.

This dish is bitter and yet very delicious when properly prepared. You can also enjoy its many health benefits. I remember when I was a little boy I used to hate this dish due to its strong bitter taste and now whenever I see an ampalaya on a produce shelf my mouth starts to water.This particular dish does require some preparation before cooking to tame down the bitterness, but once you do it is truly mouth-watering.

When I was in the Philippines this was a dish that we often had on our dinner table. It is easy to make and delicious, but every time we had it we always had fried pork chops to go with it.

The way we usually cut the beans was French style, but that does take a lot of time to do so I’m doing it the easy way which tastes just as good. I cut mine an inch long and saute them like that.

I use ground beef for this rather than pork, but I would use pork if I were sauteing string beans (sitaw). This is very basic and has a very short ingredients list. Now let’s get on with it.

When it comes to Philippines cuisine beef liver is one of the common main ingredients and this particular dish is one of the favorites among many. This dish is easy to make and fairly cheap. This is a sauteed version.

Most western cultures probably have never heard of it being done this way before, but for most Filipinos it is a pretty common one or at least where I came from.

For those in western cultures, try it this way. You might like it.

Stir-fried Beef & Broccoli is not a typical Filipino dish, but due to the Chinese influence this dish was quickly adapted in Philippines cuisine and became a very popular dish often found at family gatherings as well as special occasions.Since this is originally a Chinese dish we’re going to prepare and cook it the Chinese way. The Chinese method of cooking is very quick and with high heat. They usually like to stir-fry at 80,000 BTU’s (British Thermal Unit), which is why you should have everything ready before you start. Another common thing you’ll notice when it comes to Chinese stir-fry is that the meat is always marinated in some way before introducing into the heat. With that in mind I’m going to follow Chinese technique in order to achieve the proper taste that you would expect for this Asian treat. So lets get busy,

Corned beef hash is one of those dishes that you could eat basically any time of the day, at breakfast, lunch or dinner. The best part is you can prepare and cook it really quick. Here is how I do mine.

This one you don’t hear much about when you’re talking Filipino dishes. My mom doesn’t make this very often, but when she does everyone in the family loves it. My mom’s version is a pretty common one, but I decided to make mine a little bit fancier and add red and green bell peppers. I even made a green bell pepper bowl to go with it just to make it more presentable.

Back home this dish is fairly popular especially at street side eateries, commonly called Turo-Turo Restaurants. I have my own simple version of Giniling Guisado which is actually my Mom’s old recipe that she cooked for us when I was a kid.I have to admit she does not cook it often, but when she did it was a hit every time. This version of giniling is kind of colorful as well as a little bit fancy for the reason being I used more ingredients in this one than the other one I posted a while back. Like I said this is the Turo-Turo version so it will probably remind you of those mouth-watering days you had in the Philippines. So let’s do it.

Ginisang Monggo or Mung Beans Soup is a dish known to the Filipino’s as a poor mans dish, but from what I can tell you there is nothing poor about it. It is rich and hearty in flavor and just to kick it up another notch (as Emeril Lagasi would say) you can add shredded smoked fish and some shrimp and you will surely have a killer dish. Serve it with freshly smoked Tinapa and steamed white rice and your family will have a wonderful meal together.

This is my version of this dish. Pinakbet is one of my favorites when it comes to vegetable dishes. It’s a mixture of stir-fried vegetables simmered in a rich flavor of pork, shrimp, and spices and if you really want to make it even better you have to use the key ingredient which is the shrimp paste.It gives it that final kick that I think it needs. For most western cultures this dish wouldn’t be a favorite but for most Filipinos it’s mouth-watering. To some that are allergic to shrimp paste you may substitute with fish sauce instead. So bring your appetite and let’s get cooking.

It is quite amazing how common this dish is in the Philippines; you will find it at just about every special occasion. I am not really sure the reason why this dish is so popular in the Philippines other than the obvious reason that it tastes good and is relatively cheap to make.For most Filipino’s, they would throw just about any ingredients they have available in the kitchen into this dish. However, I like to keep mine simple; I want the noodles to be the majority of the dish.

I cook mine with boiled shredded chicken breast for the meat and a few vegetables to complete the dish. Now, of course, it is not a crime if you wish to load your Pansit with all kinds of goodies.

The most common combination you’ll find is pork and shrimp for the meat ingredients. However, I have seen people use chicken liver, fried tofu, fish balls, or squid balls, and sausages in addition to those ingredients mentioned above.

Which ever route you choose is completely fine, however I would strongly suggest that you do not pre-soak your Pansit prior to cooking. Not only does it seem your Pansit would spoil easily, but it also makes it a lot less flavorful. I know, I used to pre-soak it myself. People pre-soak them because it makes it easier to stir and handles during the cooking process.

You can cook Pansit without pre-soaking it and still handle it easily during the cooking process. All you have to do is cut the noodles in half before adding it to the wok, this will greatly reduced your frustrations while cooking this dish.

Bicol Express is a very popular dish originated from Bicol, but oddly enough in Bicol from what I read, they don’t even call it Bicol Express. So the dish itself did originate from Bicol, but not the name. They say that this dish evolved from another dish called gulay na may lada. I also read that the reason they call this Bicol Express is that it makes you run for water like an express train as soon as you put it in your mouth. Whether this is how they got the name or not, I don’t know.

What I can tell you for sure is that this stuff is very good and thanks to the Bicolano’s for coming up with it. Bicol Express nowadays has so many variations that just about everyone that has cooked this dish had modified it to their own personal preference. They have to accommodate their level of obsession when it comes to scalding-hot peppers. I have looked at several recipes online about Bicol Express before coming up with my own recipe. Even though this is not the authentic Bicol Express, it’s still very good and it will not put you in a coma, but in order for me to use the original name it does have to have a certain degree of hotness.

My version of Bicol Express does not use scalding-hot peppers as a main ingredient, instead I used it as a secondary ingredient. I love hot peppers, but unfortunately my obsession with hot peppers does not quite measure up to the Bicolano’s, so mine is a milder version. Now let’s take a look at the recipe!

This dish brings back a lot of memories from the Philippines. Bangus or Milkfish is a very popular fish in the Philippines and definitely a fish of choice for a lot of different dishes.I have tasted both versions of this dish and they are both very delicious. This particular recipe is a mixture of my mom’s and my ex mother in-law’s. When my mom cooks it she uses soy sauce, but my mother in-law uses vinegar instead for hers. So what I did for mine was combine both recipes and use soy sauce and vinegar. So, here it is!

This is my entry for Lasang Pinoy 20. Although this cooking process is inspired by an English chef, it is still a traditional Filipino dish. For those of you who watch the Food Network or Fine Living channels here in the U.S. I’m sure you have heard of the show Naked Chef by Jaime Oliver. I was watching one of his cooking shows at one time and he made a grilled dish on the beach. It was a Salmon wrapped in several sheets of wet newspaper. The newspaper idea was so the fish would not get burnt and would keep it moist throughout the cooking process.That’s where the newspaper idea comes from. The other twist is on one of the most common ways of cooking fish in the Philippines, Paksiw, except this version is grilled with the common ingredients found in Paksiw na isda. The newspaper will keep the fish moist and from burning and I am also using aluminum foil that will seal in the rich sour flavor that you would expect from this well-known dish. Now let’s get down to the recipe and cooking process.

Paksiw na Isda is an ideal dish for my family back in the days in the Philippines. This simple dish is not only delicious it also does not required refrigeration and not having have a refrigerator back then this dish was often found in out dining table since it can set for a couple of days without any worry that it will go bad.

There are several version of this dish just like most food out there, however there is a simple rule that should not be broken in order to have a tasty and satisfying outcome of cooking Paksiw.

There is two key ingredient of Paksiw that should not be mix and that’s garlic and ginger because If you mix both of them your Paksiw will not taste right or it will taste nasty.

I know there are a lot of recipes on the Internet that calls for both, but see for yourself cook it with both garlic and ginger and try my version and chances are you’ll like mine way better.

As far as the main ingredient the choices are almost endless, but for this recipe I used Salmon Steaks and sliced it into smaller pieces.

Siopao is another dish that Filipinos adopted from the Chinese and it became very popular and a favorite among many. Siopao is also called Salapao in Thailand, Baozi in China, Pau in Hong Kong, or simply known as Steamed Buns in English. Basically, it is a steamed bun filled with a savory meat filling.Back when I was in the Philippines this was one of my favorite snacks or meals. It does not require utensils to eat and it can be consumed on the go. That’s one of the reasons Siopao can easily be found on the sidewalk at vendors or eateries (Turo-Turo). Whenever I got here in the U.S.