Must-taste Filipino Foods

My most favorite Filipino food/drinks with my 99.9% recommendation :

Lechon

Yes, only here in the Philippines that pork is barbecued in whole, as in "whole" from foot to head...the internal organs are but  removed.

Before, the pig is grilled "as is" but nowadays my fellow-Filipinos have invented different recipes to cook Lechon.  Others stuff it with lemon grass and rub some herbs on its skin...others bath it in coconut water or wine.  The traditional Pinoys cook it with just salt and vetsin or  msg (monosodium glutamate).  

Pinoy Pride's Lechon 

There is this "Lechon Festival" in La Loma Quezon City (October) and the famous Parada ng Lechon (Lechon Parade) in Balayan, Batangas every 24th of June annually, come and see :) Another famous home of Lechon in  the Philippines is Cebu.

I love the skin especially if served right away, it's crispiness entice me but as I bite it, the oil is dripping, looks like I am forgetting my bad cholesterol-levels.  

Lechon is served with the well-known "liver sauce" - liver spread sauteed in garlic, onion, bay leaf, vinegar, a pinch of soy sauce, msg and brown sugar (haha that is my own recipe) but there is this bottled "Sarsa ni Mang Tomas" with the man wearing salakot (the famous Pinoy hat) as image in the bottle.

Atsara

For me the queen of all Pinoy side dishes is "atsara", be it fried fish, chicken, pork or any meat it is a great match!  Atsara's sweet-sour taste is perfect to complement even barbecues/grilled foods.  

Atsara courtesy of  Sis. Laila Manzanero

It is made from grated unripened papaya, pickled in vinegar with carrots,bell pepper, onion and raisins with brown sugar.  It really tastes good! I can eat a jar of it whole day without the main dish :) I really really love the tangy-sweetness of it. A really must try!  Do not forget to try it when you drop by a Pinoy/Filipino Food Shop...

Bibingka

This famous rice cake is usually out on stores every December but now there is this getting-famous franchise selling this bibingkas in smaller versions in cupcake-size in smalls and , tastes the same but not enough for my craving for this super-delicious cake, one thing good is that it is available on that shop the whole-year round:)  I love it with melted cheese or sliced red (salted)-egg on top. 

Different versions of the yummy BIBINGKA

Cooking Bibingka 

You can see kiosks having pots of charcoal underneath the iron plates of  bibingka batter (the stainless plate are like enlarged bottle-crowns) with a lift-able thin sheet of iron cover where burning charcoal is also found, it is like sandwiched in charcoal when cooking.

I think there is not much different with the recipe of the usual bread but instead of the usual flour it is rice flour that is used and the method of cooking brings-out that really different smoky taste which really makes it smells and looks more appetizing. It is served with grated fresh coconut on top.  

Nueva Ecija's "Mestiza Calamay Float in Latik"

This is an unforgettable "sweet treat" from my hometown, Cabanatuan.  This is oishi that it is like a gum when chewed because it is made of  "glutinous rice flour" and submerged in a sweet "latik" sauce. Latik is of coconut origin (coconut milk is simmered to dry until it oils and golden solids "latik" is formed.

Tinapa

I like tinapa version of fishes like gallungong/black fin scad and alumahan. But the dilis/anchovy and milkfish tinapa is among my favorites.





For breakfast or dinner tinapa paired with  atsara is the best!  I like the anchovy fried and mixed with fried rice. Try  it.

         

Tinapa is "smoked fish"  in English.

Ginataang Bilo-bilo

Our version of fruit salad, but unlike the former, Ginataang Bilo-bilo is served warm and the cream used is coconut milk.  It is consist of cassava fruit, ripe plantain banana (saba), sago, yam, ripe jackfruit and rounded glutinous-rice-flour. This sweet treat is famous in the provinces and on Native Filipino serving Cuisines.  

Sisig

This Kapampangan dish is made from pork's face (mascara) and brains.  They are both grilled and chopped finely sauteed in onion, ginger and red/green chili peppers sometimes instead of using vinegar, mayonnaise is used and another innovation is adding liver in sauteing. Topped with sunny-side-up egg in a sizzling plate ordered from restaurants. 

This is sinfully(cholesterol high) tasty with steamed rice.  I tried cooking it at home with the liver spread - it is worth the try!

You know where to taste all these in one stop? Drop by some "Eat All You Can" Pinoy Food Restaurants like Kamay-kainan or Cabalen in MetroManila Malls. It may be served on different meal times. There are "Eat All You Can -Merienda (Snack Time)" and "Eat All You Can -Lunch or Dinner" Buffets for a cost that is absolutely worth it...but no take-outs :)  You can get as many plates as you can (after another) and keep your spoon and fork while not yet finish with the rounds.  Eat in small amount so you can try them all, and a little rice to make room for more viands to try. Lechon is usually served per table.

Pinoy Food "Eat Al You Can Buffet"

"Eat All You Can Buffet with my Family"

Sorry for this late update (almost three days brown-out here in my place), I hope I have given you some tips on Pinoy yummy foods to try...please like, re-share, tweet or tells others about this post.  Thanks a lot for dropping-by.  Have a great day to all :)

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