Naturally wonderful Philippines of late have gained a prominent place in the travel plans of the globetrotters. The natural wonders, heritage, culture, food and the arts here are matchless. Philippines' natural wonders are the mix of beauty and mystery.
Apparent the cuisine of the Philippines might not seem to be the best to try out too many foodies; however, once they taste the food, it will change their conception. The cluster of Islands that makes up the complete Philippines has various surprises from its kitchen. The cuisine of the Philippines has a mixture of various cultures and is itself a great experience.
The best Filipino cuisines are listed below
1. Adobo
This is very famous and the best Filipino cuisine and is a must-try when one is on the soil of the Philippines. The chicken Adobo is loved by all who taste it. As per the meaning of Adobo, ‘marinade,’ this recipe is the same, where chicken is marinated in vinegar and soya sauce. At times chicken is altered by pork, but the recipe remains constant. Other ingredients can be added depending on the taste of the consumer.
2. Balut
Balut is the street food of the Philippines comprising of duck embryo. It is cooked by boiling the embryo of a developing duck. The Filipinos and the tourists can have it for snacks. It is served inside the duck eggshell, and a splash of vinegar is added to it. This snacks food item is a must-try as it is a strange kind of food. This food actually originated in the Philippines but is now found in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The age of the embryo must be around 17 days as that the feathers, beak, bones, and claws are all undeveloped.
3. Kare Kare
Kare Kare is the name of a stew formed of oxtail, lots of vegetables, onion, garlic and ground peanut roasted to add flavor to it. The dish is served accompanied by shrimp sauce. For people who want it to be spicy add chili and also few like it with sprinkled Filipino lime juice. This dish is popular throughout the country.
4. Kinilaw
Kinilaw is a raw fish salad that has much resemblance to ceviche, a Peruvian dish that is very famous all over the world. The fish is served in juice with an acidic base made of vinegar and kalamansi, lime of the Philippines. This juice cooks the raw fish and is considered to be one of the best Filipino cuisines. The other ingredients like onion, garlic, pepper, ginger, and in some cases chili are also used in this dish.
5. Sinigang
Sinigang is a sour stew that has a meat base and quite a large number of fresh vegetables. Tamarind is used as a souring agent in most cases. Other souring agents used are tomatoes, guava, or Filipino lime. The meat used in this dish is generally pork, but in many places pork is replaced by beef, chicken, and fish and this depends on the demand from a customer.
6. Paksiw na Lechon
The word Lechon in Spanish means ‘suckling pig’. The dish comprises of an entire pig that has been roasted using charcoal. This dish is usually prepared for special occasions and it takes many hours to get cooked. The Cebu is the most famous place that serves the best preparation of this dish. This is the national dish of the country.
7. Tapsilog
This is a popular breakfast dish in the Philippines. The dish comprises of fried rice, cured beef, and a pan poached egg. The dish has several variants like the ‘adosilog’, ‘Stefansilog’ and ‘litsilog’. The dish is delicious and famous all across the Philippines.
8. Halo-halo
This is one of the most famous desserts in the Philippines. The desert is served in a large glass, and the ingredients inside it are evaporated milk, ice shavings, and goodies turned into small chunks. Sweet potato, sugar palm fruit, tapioca, chickpeas, jackfruit, boiled kidney beans, ice cream, coconut gel, guava paste, and several other things are used as the goodies chunk.
9. Buko
Buko is the coconut in the Philippines. It is the word they use for coconuts. A vacation to the Philippines cannot be complete without one or two buko every day, especially by the beachside. The country is the second-largest coconut producer in the world, Indonesia being the first. There a coconut tree is referred to as the ‘Tree of Life.’ People first drink the water inside the coconut fruit and then eat the layer of coconut.
10. Rum
Rum is produced in the Philippines in a large volume. It has a big name in Asia for producing Rum. Rum is produced from sugarcane. The price of Rum is less than that of a bottle of water. It is a trendy drink in the Philippines.