With more than 7,000 islands, the Philippines has a landscape that makes it possible for locals to source, grow, and harvest an abundance of fresh seafood, tropical fruits, root crops, and vegetables. Filipino food is as varied as the natural resources our islands are blessed with.
For one, the cuisine draws inspiration from other different international foods. Coupled with the inherently unique Pinoy flavors and cooking techniques that have evolved through the decades, it’s no longer a surprise that traditional Filipino food is gaining recognition worldwide. The adobo, for one, has been featured in an international cookbook project in 2015. Lechon, on the other hand, is so good that celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain proclaimed it as the “best pig ever” when he visited the Philippines years ago. Even sisig has been popping up in several food trucks in America! These are just some of the many dishes that have caught the world’s fancy. There’s even a list of 50 Filipino foods that define the country, so it’s no wonder many foreigners travel far and wide to try our food.
If that isn’t enough, here are a couple more reasons why Filipino cuisine is a game-changer.
Filipino Food is Deeply Flavorful
Fried, steamed, boiled, or roasted on coal–no matter how seemingly simple it is to prepare Filipino dishes, our recipes are mixed with various spices and ingredients to add sweet, sour, and salty flavors. Essential ingredients to have in the kitchen include vinegar, soy sauce, patis, bagoong, calamansi, garlic, ginger, leafy greens, rice, and of course, ube.
In 2016, CNN Travel released their list of unique dishes that define the Philippines. Aside from adobo, lechon, and sisig, they have included noteworthy dishes such as:
- Crispy pata
- Chicken inasal
- Taba ng talangka
- Bulalo
- Arroz caldo
- Fish tinola
- Kare-kare
- Betute
- Longanisa
- Champorado
From this list alone, it’s evident that the Filipino palate is a flavorful one.
Regional Specialties Aplenty
Philippine cuisine reflects the diverse cultures throughout the archipelago. Popular pork dishes like sisig and lechon originate from the North. In the southern part of the Philippines, must-try local dishes have seafood, beef, or goat as the main ingredients. Traveling to the different provinces to eat will allow your taste buds to fly, as the produce is fresh with recipes unchanged. These parts are where you’ll find traditional Filipino food.
Varied Heritage
Strong foreign influences from China, Spain, and America brought about the mixed cuisine of the Philippines. It is for this reason that some Filipino dishes have striking similarities with international cuisine–techniques and flavors become intertwined to create distinct creations that are uniquely Filipino.
Adaptable to Different Tastes and Seasons
A recipe like sinigang has many variations because fruits and vegetables, as well as meat products like shrimp, fish, or pork, are easily available. While the soup tastes the same, the versatile dish has also been elevated in recent years by modern takes.
Imaginative and Creative Cooks
Filipino cooks and chefs constantly innovate recipes, offering vegetarian twists on classic dishes or changing up ingredients and serving styles in order to come up with new delectable creations.
As Filipino food receives more attention, the world is not only getting to know about our fusion cuisine but also our varied cultural history. The spirited blend of sweet and sour, salt and acid, is what makes our food rich, flavorful, and delectable. And if there’s still a hint of uncertainty, try a recipe or two of our classic Pinoy dishes to see if the hype is real.
