Philippines: Recipes and Cuisine
Filipino cuisine is an amazing amalgam of native, Chinese, Indonesian, Malaysian and Spanish cooking. Popular dishes are adobo, pancit, lumpia, sinigang and halo-halo. Filipinos love bold flavors and rich dishes. Abundant use of patis, or fish sauce, soy sauce and sugarcane vinegar give food a bold punch. Rice is a staple. Chicken and pork are favorite meats.
Filipino Recipes
Adobong Manok
(Filipino chicken in vinegar sauce)
Adobong manok, often called "chicken adobo," is often considered the national dish of the Philippines. Its origins are with the Spanish colonizers — adobo is the Spanish word for a marinade — but Filipinos have happily adapted it as their own. The vinegar marinade makes a dish that stores very well in the Filipino heat. Endless varieties of adobo exist and each region has its own specialty. Besides chicken and pork, there is fish, squid, green bean and even eggplant adobo. Read more »
Caldereta
(Filipino beef stew)
Caldereta is a comforting beef stew popular in the Philippines. Every family has its own version. Experiment with the ingredients and try different vegetables. Read more »
Flan de Leche
(Latin caramel custard)
Flan, or crème caramel, is one of the most common dessert dishes in the Latin world. Coming originally from the border area of France and Spain, this simple yet elegant dessert has spread in popularity as far as the Philippines and Japan. Read more »
Kare-Kare
(Filipino oxtail and vegetable stew)
Kare-kare is a rich and meaty Filipino stew of oxtails, green beans and eggplant in a sauce thickened with peanut butter. Served on special occasions or as a Sunday meal, kare-kare is always accompanied by white rice and a bit of sautéed shrimp paste called bagoong alamang. Read more »
Pancit Bihon
(Filipino stir-fried rice noodles with meat and vegetables)
Pancit, or pansit, is a quick-cooked noodle dish that is one of the quintessential meals of Filipino cuisine. All kinds are available, and pancit is as popular at street stands as it is at family gatherings. The most common variety is pancit bihon, with rice vermicelli and a mix of meat and vegetables. Read more »
Puchero
(Spanish meat and chickpea stew)
Puchero is a meat and chickpea stew from the Andalusia region of Spain. Pork, sausages and often chicken are slow-simmered with hearty vegetables and garbanzo beans. Puchero was originally a wintertime peasant dish eaten over several days, first with rice, then with noodles, then with the remainder incorporated into other dishes. Puchero is also popular in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Filipinos have their own version, which is sometimes spelled pochero. Read more »
Tinolang Manok
(Filipino ginger chicken soup with papaya)
Also known as tinola, tinolang manok chicken soup is light and refreshing. A simple broth with chicken, spinach and green papaya, it is a favorite home-style dish in the Philippines. Read more »
Ukoy
(Filipino shrimp and sweet potato fritters)
Ukoy is a simple and flavorful Filipino appetizer. These fritters have a pleasant golden color from the sweet potato and annatto. Ukoy is usually made with unpeeled shrimp and the peel is eaten. You can use peeled shrimp if you prefer. Also spelled okoy. Read more »
