If you’re travelling to the Philippines, you probably hope to find a mix of sweet, spicy, and savoury dishes. The good news is that the country will not disappoint you. Tagged as the next big thing to watch out for in the culinary world, Filipino cuisine displays various influences throughout its rich history.
The food in the Philippines is influenced by other Asian countries, such as China, Japan, Vietnam, and Thailand, yet it maintains its distinct and unique elements. Our Philippines tour packages allow you to experience all their lip-smacking dishes as you explore the country. Let us explore the various combinations of flavours and traditional cooking techniques you can taste while you’re in the Philippines.
Lumpia is the Filipino version of spring rolls. It is often served as an appetiser for celebrations, gatherings, and sit-down family meals. Its outer coating resembles a thin paper like crepe, and it is usually deep-fried until it transforms into a crispy and hot snack.
The inner contents of lumpia include carrots, onions, cabbage, pork, dried fruits, and other vegetables. To add a touch of sweetness, you can dip the rolls in banana ketchup or a vinegar based dipping sauce.
Adobo is often regarded as the national dish of the Philippines, and it’s among those integral parts of Filipino cuisine that you must try during your trip when you book our Philippines tour packages. It is a dish and a cooking method wherein the vegetables or meats (usually chicken or pork) are marinated in a brine of vinegar, salt, pepper, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorn. The name of the dish has a Spanish origin. It comes from ‘adobar’, the meaning of which is to marinate.
For those genuinely looking to go wild with their culinary experience in the Philippines, balut is a dish you might want to check out. It’s undoubtedly not for the faint-hearted. The dish consists of a boiled egg containing a semi developed duck embryo that is incubated for 14 to 21 days. After that, it is boiled and then eaten directly from the shell. Although it may not sound too appetising to everyone, it tastes better than its description.
To eat balut, you first need to crack open and peel the top of the eggshell. Once you sip out the liquids, you can add the seasonings of your choice and eat the contents directly from the shell.
Sinigang is yet another integral part of Filipino cuisine. It’s a stew or soup that distinguishes itself through its mix of savoury and sweet flavours. Like many other dishes in the Philippines, singing refers to both the dish and the cooking method.
The tamarind based dish is filled with acidic fruits that enhance its taste, such as santol, kamias, batuan, and guava. This sour stew consists of either beef, fish, shrimp, or pork and numerous vegetables, including onions, tomatoes, green beans, okra, eggplant, water spinach, and white radish.
Halo-halo, literally translating into ‘mix mix’ in Tagalog, is one of the most internationally recognised Filipino desserts. The dish’s presentation and taste vary across the island country. It contains milk, legumes, gels, crushed ice, and sweetened fruits. Certain versions can also contain sweetened beans, coconut strips, kaong, leche flan, and macapuno or coconut sport.
An interesting bit about this dish is that it is often served in a tall parfait glass, so you can see the multiple colourful layers of deliciousness you’re about to consume.
Sisig is an appetiser usually served when people gather to drink alcohol, but it can also be served along with rice or other Filipino food. It’s a minced meat dish usually made using pork and chicken liver, but numerous other versions exist today that contain ingredients such as ostrich, eggs, squid, tuna, and mussels.
The dish originated in the Pampanga province, where a restaurant owner invented it. The first sisig was made from grilled pig’s face and ears, combined with liver paste, chopped onions, chilli peppers, and cooked liver.
Lechon translates to ‘roasted piglet’ and is a dish that appears at most celebrations and significant events in the Philippines. However, the dish isn’t made with a piglet but is instead created using a fully grown pig, first seasoned lightly before being roasted whole.
Once the pig is stuffed with spices and herbs like garlic, onions, and lemongrass, it is roasted slowly over charcoal for hours until its outer appearance turns reddish brown. A fun fact to note is that when Anthony Bourdain, the internationally renowned American chef, tasted lechon, he exclaimed, “It’s the best pig ever!”
Chicharon, which originated in Spain, is a savoury snack or appetiser in the Philippines. Although it is commonly made using crispy fried pork belly, there are variations of the dish made using beef or chicken. It’s among those snacking dishes alongside beer and other beverages. The country’s restaurants often serve chicharon along with vinegar to add a bit of sourness to the concoction.
Pancit refers to traditional Filipino noodle dishes in various types, shapes, and sizes. Majorly influenced by Chinese culture, pancit dishes have become an important part of Filipino celebrations, including birthdays and holidays. Although the dish is quite filling, it is usually served alongside rice or other dishes, with both the soupy and dry versions being quite popular.
