Well-Loved Pinoy Dishes

Chef Ed Dychauco, RN

Great foods. Great taste. What else do we find in a dish? Simplicity? Ease of preparation? Visually appealing? Different spices to perk up our senses? And maybe more.

That I know is all found in Pinoy foods. Be it sweet, sour, salty, bitter, spicy and of course, the “umami” taste. And luckily, we do get to find all these in several of our local mouth-watering dishes.

I am pretty sure everyone has their own favorite dish. Philippines is blessed with so much produce and depending on where one is located, there will surely be a unique blend of culture included in their gastronomic delights.

Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao. Each has its’ own cuisine that really stand out. But whether the food come from one region or another, we can always boil it down to some very exciting & delicious few. Or should I say many?

Number one on the list would be Letchon. A celebration is never complete without this crispy roasted pig. And again, there are many different ways of doing it. But normally, it is stuffed with some lemon grass, onions, garlic, and other aromatic herbs before it is roasted in an open fire. While cooking, some baste it with oil, soda (coke!), soy sauce and the like. Letchon is like the “star” in every occasion. And goes very well with Sarsa (letchon sauce) or just plain garlic/soy sauce/vinegar dip.

And if there is letchon, then surely there will be “Blood Stew” (Dinuguan) or Paklay. I grew up with Dinuguan made with all the pig’s internal organs. But I noticed that in the northern region, they add pork cubes on it. Which I think is perfect! Paklay is prepared simply by sauteeing it with some garlic & onions in vinegar. And of course, dinuguan goes well with puto, another Pinoy delicacy. No wonder snacks can also include dinuguan & puto!

What about Humba and Adobo? These two delectable dishes need no further introduction. With soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, sugar & different spices, they are normally simmered till cooked, which means, soft & gooey because of the oil coming out from it as it is cooked. Just wonderful!

Pancit! Be it pancit canton, bihon, bam-I, sotanghon, and the like, this is always present in celebrations. For long life in birthday celebration, this will always make its’ present felt! Prepared with meat, seafood, and assorted vegetables, this is another staple in big or small parties.

Funny, but Spaghetti is always present too. I would presume because this is what the children love. And if there is spaghetti, Fried Chicken would not be far behind. Prepared in several ways, fried chicken with or without gravy is always another dish that is sure to go first!

Menudo and Caldereta. Another duo that always have a place in the table. Supposedly, Menudo is made of pork while caldereta is made of beef with carrots, onions & potatoes in tomato sauce and different spices. Lumpia Shanghai, made with ground meat & some vegetables, wrapped in lumpia wrapper & deep-fried, is another well-liked dish.

Embutido, made with ground beef and sometime ground pork or both, (somewhat like beef loaf) with raisins, cheese, Vienna sausage, and quail eggs wrapped in foil is steamed or cooked in the oven. This is one dish that can be served hot or cold, sliced. And usually with accompanying catsup for added flavor & taste. I can also remember having meat-filled Empanada in get-togethers.

For Seafood, it is always Escabeche or Sarsiado. Served always in one or two as whole big fishes (Lapu-Lapu), fillets are also being served which I also believed is a lot better and easier to serve to guests. Squid is normally served fried, hence Calamares. Although sometimes they are stuffed and served grilled. Shrimps are usually just sauteed with some oil and garlic. If not, they are stuffed or wrapped with ground meat & deep-fried.

And for the finale, the desserts! Almost always there is the creamy fruit salad, buko salad or the flavored buko pandan. Leche Flan or custard is well loved. Made with egg yolks & milk then steamed or baked, this is heaven!

Native Kakanin like Suman, Bibingka, Palitaw, Biko, Kutchinta, and Maja Blanca will complete the table. Although fresh fruits in season will also be prepared and most often, banana, pineapple, mango, or watermelon. But because of the availability of “imported” fruits, we also get to see apples, oranges and grapes nowadays.

Cakes like Chocolate, Chiffon or Custard is sure to add weight. Although once in a while, other desserts are also available like Mango Float, Brownies, Coconut Macaroons, Cake rolls and Brazo de Mercedes.

Whew! After writing this, I think I am getting really hungry myself and have to grab something to eat! So till then, happy celebrating and eating!

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