Christmas or Pasko as it is known in the Philippines marks the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Although Christmas Day lands on December 25th, the celebrations by Filipinos begin several weeks earlier. Filipinos will give each other a hearty “Maligayang Pasko” or Merry Christmas. Pasko itself officially starts on the morning of December 16th and is…
Siopao – Steamed Buns with Pork Filling
Filipino food culture is an amalgam of several different nationalities with siopao being happily adopted from China. Siopao is something that I always associated to my Lola (Grandma) who was able to whisk together this special treat of steamed buns with a savory pork filling. The following recipe consists of two parts, the filling and the…
Inihaw na Baboy – Filipino Pork Barbecue
Inihaw is simply a method of cooking over coals or other heat source for grilling. Inihaw na Baboy (Grilled Pork) is considered one of the dishes that you can easily find in many of the food stalls that you may see as you wander the streets of the Philippines. The flavor profile of this dish is sweet,…
Picadillo – Ground Beef and Potato Soup
Picadillo is a dish with its roots in Spain and localized to Filipino tastes and availability of ingredients. Filipino picadillo is also known as giniling and consists of ground beef, tomatoes, potatoes, and aromatics. The variation made in the Philippines is more soupy and can be served over rice. Notice a theme here with Filipino food?…
Tinolang Manok – Chicken Tinola
Chicken Tinolang is known as Tinola in the Philippines and is traditionally made with green papaya and pepper leaves. The variation that I grew up with had to make do with local ingredients, so the version made by both my nanay and lola took advantage of this change. In lieu of the pepper leaves, fresh baby…
Bistek Tagalog – Filipino Beef Steak
Bistek is a colloquialism for the word “beefsteak” and “Tagalog” is a reference to the Tagalog region in Southern Luzon, Philippines where bistek is believed to have originated. The meat is marinated in the mixture of soy sauce and an acidic ingredient, like calamansi, lime, or lemon juice. The depth of flavor is dependent upon the length…
Arroz Caldo with Manok
Arroz Caldo is considered a comfort food in my family’s home and was considered a staple whenever a sniffle would appear. Its origins are from the familiar Chinese congee (rice porridge) but modified by Filipinos to suit the tastes of the Spanish conquistadors that ruled over the Philippines for well beyond three centuries. It may resemble…
It’s All About the Prep
Knife Skills The handy dandy chef’s knife is one item that anyone worth their salt in the kitchen knows to be on the list of items that they would need if they ever were stranded on an island. The sheer versatility of a good blade will help keep you fed, able to defend yourself, and can…
Dried Beef Tapa – Cured Beef
Tapa in it’s literal meaning in Spanish is “lid” which have evolved into the tapas genre of Spanish food. In the Philippines tapas are a form of pulutan which in the West we refer to as an “appetizer”. In my opinion it has a closer relationship to the Spanish tapas which are small plates served with your…
Banaue Rice Terrace – The Filipino Eighth Wonder of the World
Located 1,500 meters above seal level in the Ifugao Province on the Philippine Island of Luzon, the Banaue Rice Terraces are considered by many Filipinos as the Eight Wonder of the World. The rice terraces have been in existence for well over 2,000 years and have been managed by the locals using a unique irrigation system…