“Hi, I’m Arfajad or you can call me Arfa for short! Welcome to my blog. I’ve been on a journey to showcase foods in my home country Philippines. Read more about my mouth watering food journey here.”
Right now i'm living here in Calgary Alberta Canada. I am working as a warehouse associate in Walmart Logistics Canada. Trying some other kinds of cuisine is a challenge to me, but for this moment i want you the world to know about the Filipino Cuisine.
I hope you a have a great time while reading my blog😊😊
Filipino cuisine is composed of the cuisines of more than a hundred distinct ethnolinguistic groups found throughout the Philippine archipelago. A majority of mainstream Filipino dishes that compose Filipino cuisine are from the food traditions of various ethnolinguistic groups and tribes of the archipelago, including the Ilocano, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, Tagalog, Bicolano, Visayan, Chavacano and Maranao ethnolinguistic groups. The dishes associated with these groups evolved over the centuries from a largely indigenous base shared with maritime Southeast Asia with varied influences from Chinese, Spanish and Amaerican cuisines, in line with the major waves of influence that had enriched the cultures of the archipelago and adapted using indigenous ingredients to meet local preferences.
Dishes range from the very simple meal of fried salted fish and rice to curries, paellas and cozidos of Iberian origin made for fiestas. Popular dishes include lechon (whole roasted pig), longganisa (Philippine sausage), tapa (cured beef), torta (omelette), adobo (vinegar and soy sauce-based stew ), kaldereta (meat stewed in tomato sauce and liver paste), mechado (larded beef in soy and tomato sauce), pochero (beef and bananas in tomato sauce), afritada (chicken or beef and vegetables simmered in tomato sauce), kare-kare (oxtail and vegetables cooked in peanut sauce), pinakbet (kabocha squash, eggplant, beans, okra, bitter melon, and tomato stew flavored with shrimp paste), sinigang (meat or seafood with vegetables in sour broth), pancit (noodles), and lumpia (fresh or fried spring rolls).
STREET FOODS
You can learn a lot about a destination by the street food you’ll find. From the prevailing local culture, to the story behind each dish or snack, it’s practically a feast for your taste buds with a side of fun facts and even quick history lessons. And just like with most Asian countries, this definitely rings true in the Philippines.
To experience street food in the Philippines is to also immerse yourself in the story of its people. Apart from observing the general Filipino palate and preferences, you can also learn a thing or two about their sheer ingenuity that led to the invention (and eventual popularity) of these gastronomic delights. If anything, it’s as much a testament to a country’s perseverance as it is an exciting food trip.
ISAW
Let’s start with what’s arguably the most popular (and best-loved) street food in the Philippines: ISAW. It‘s basically chicken or pork intestines that are cleaned thoroughly before being deep-fried or grilled. For the latter method, vendors would often apply basting sauce first.
Sorbetes
Otherwise called ‘dirty ice cream’ (which it really isn’t), sorbetes is a childhood favourite for many Filipinos. So, what exactly sets it apart from regular branded ice cream, you ask? Well, it all comes down to the taste and texture! It’s usually made from carabao milk and served on sugar or wafer cones. But if you want a truly local twist, you can put the sorbetes scoops in between a bun, like how some vendors do it!
Fishballs
Street food in the Philippines is cheap enough as it is but fishballs are especially low-priced. It’s usually a flat, round patty made of flour and pulverised fish that are then deep-fried. This is served in a thick pile in front of customers, where they can pick some out on their own. In fact, there’s even a local gag that goes, “Let’s make tusok-tusok the fishballs,” which refers to the way you poke the fishballs out of the fryer with a skewer, then dip in vinegar with chilli and onions.
Squid balls
Squid balls are a lot like fishballs, except these ones are fluffy and not at all flattened. Aside from this difference in appearances, they’re pretty much prepared and served the same way, and even come as a skewer combo at times!
Kikiam
Completing the trifecta of tusok-tusok [to poke] street food in the Philippines is kikiam. And in case you’re wondering why it looks familiar, that’s because it’s the Filipino version of the Chinese ngo hiang. It primarily consists of seasoned ground pork and minced shrimp wrapped in starchy beancurd roll, then deep-fried until crispy. Kikiam is also sometimes added as a topping for certain noodle dishes!
Balut
Even if you’re from a different country, you might have already heard of balut. After all, it’s probably the most talked-about street food in the Philippines. But for the benefit of those who haven’t, here’s what to expect: a hardboiled duck egg that contains yolk and… semi-developed embryo! You see, the eggs used for this delicacy have been fertilised for two to three weeks. TBH — it takes a while to get used to, and we can’t promise that you’ll actually love it. Nonetheless, it’s still worth a try (even just once). So, what’s the right way to eat balut? First, you crack the top of the shell to make a tiny hole. From here, drink out the ‘soup’ inside the egg and then peel the rest to eat the embryo and yolk. For optimal experience, season with salt and/or vinegar, just like how the locals do!
Kwek-kwek
Think of kwek-kwek as the toned-down (or at least relatively conventional) version of balut. Though, instead of duck eggs, this one comprises of boiled quail eggs with a deep-fried orange batter! Given the bright colour, you can easily spot these in street carts or stalls; just look for the ones that slightly resemble ping-pong balls. And while it’s already scrumptious on its own, we recommend dipping it in vinegar with chilli and onions.
Proben
For context, proben (sometimes spelt proven) tastes a bit like isaw and good ol’ chicken skin combined. But instead of the intestine, this one is the proventriculus: the ‘true stomach’ of the chicken that’s close to the gizzard. As for the preparation, the proventriculus is cleaned thoroughly, dipped in flour, and then deep-fried until it’s golden brown.
Proben is served like those chicken bites you’d find in most malls: in a bag or small cup with a skewer. And just like with other street food in the Philippines, this is best drenched in vinegar with chilli and onions.
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