While the cooking of Thailand, Japan and Korea has swept America like salad bars did in the 1980s, the dynamic and delicious foods of the Philippines have too often been overlooked. Quick, name your favorite Filipino dish! You’re probably drawing a blank. (For the record, mine is sisig—otherwise known as pork head hash and one of the finer foodstuffs in the world.)
The fact that Filipino food is so slept-on is really hard to understand, given how many people of Filipino heritage live and cook in the United States. According to themost-recent Census, the number is 3.4 million, making Filipinos the 4th largest immigrant group in the U.S. (behind Mexico, China and India).
“There’s a sleeping giant waking up from a long slumber,” says Nicole Ponseca, owner of New York City restaurantsMaharlikaandJeepney. So how is it possible for the foods of the first Asian settlers in America to be put quite literally on the backburner? Ponseca points to immigrants pursuing less risk-averse careers like the medical field (while restaurants, on the flip side, statistically almost always fail). She credits the relatively modest rise of Filipino food during the past couple years to the media seeking out new cuisines to explore and promote. (Hand in the air on that one.)
But we both can agree that there’s hope for home cooks to gravitate towards the dishes of the Philippines. They just need to know where to start.
You Can Taste the Diverse History of the Philippines
The Philippines were once a Spanish colony and declared independence in 1898. They now consist of over 7,000 islands with nearly 20 languages spoken. Widely inspired by colonization and war-time occupation, the food culture is a mashup of Chinese, Malaysian, Spanish and American foodways which have been refined with a true nationalistic identity over time.
Adobo is where it all begins
This is a sauce you probably have heard a bit about, and perhaps you have enjoyed adobo chicken. While adobo’s roots are in Spain and can be found in Latin American, it’s most commonly found in the Philippines—where the pungent, fragrant combination of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaf and black peppercorn is used to marinate and stew chicken, pork and beef. Adobo in a way is like pickling, and always served with plenty of rice to sop up the sauce. Adobo is pure comfort, and a great way for the home cook to bring some excitement to that pound of chicken hanging out in the back of your freezer.
Pork is king, Seafood is Queen
Pork’s ubiquity in the Philippines can be attributed to the relative ease of raising pigs, pound-for-pound, in an island setting. Some of the most-popular pork dishes include lumpia (thin and crispy spring rolls), spit-roasted lechon, and the aforementioned sisig.
So, when learning about Filipino food, pork becomes the starting point. But Ponseca points out that other proteins emerge as you travel through the island nation. “Visayans are seafood driven. Mindanao is beef, goat or seafood driven, as it is predominantly Muslim. And the more ubiquitous and classic Filipino dishes are found in central Luzon, so you'll see that pork is the highlighted protein there.”
Bagoong and banana ketchup could be the next big thing
现在你已经介绍给乌玛的美丽mi-rich fish sauce, and the mildly hot and salty sriracha. But there are two Filipino condiments that you should get to know, too. Bagoong (pronounced bah-go-ong) is a paste of salt-cured anchovies, or similar small fish. It’s thick and is often used to start a sauté (sizzled with a little oil), or as the base of stews. It’s like an extra-intense fish sauce, and you can use it in your home kitchen as the most incredible stir-fry starter. Just drop it in a pan and cook it down with vinegar, garlic and onions. Add meat and you have yourself a fine dinner.
Banana ketchup was invented during World War II when a tomato shortage forced people to improvise. It’s made with mashed banana, sugar, vinegar and a spice—made fire engine red with food coloring. It’s sweeter than its distant cousin Heinz, and closer to Thai chili sauce. Both are indispensible when cooking Filipino at home. “Bagoong could be the next gochujang, but my money is on banana ketchup,” says Ponseca. Like its Western counterpart, banana ketchup is used as a condiment for fried foods (like the fritters below). But, also, it’s a secret ingredient in pasta sauce—for those who like a tangier, sweeter gravy. Try it!
