| Filipino cooking has been a traditional form
of expression, as well as a way to bring the
family together. The art of Filipino
cooking is a vital part of the culture, as
a careful reflection of its values and
historical influences. An island nation, the
Philippines is known for their love for
seafood--oysters, crabs, fish, squid, clams, and
more--as a result, many of their recipes and
those here at the Filipino stovetop, feature
a flavorful touch from the sea.
A combination of
indigenous and Spanish and Chinese influence and
accentuated with a tasty Malaysian blend
provided by early pioneers, many of the popular
Filipino dishes borrow culinary techniques from
other cultures. Because Spain ruled the
islands for almost four centuries, the Spaniards
undoubtedly left the largest culinary
legacy--many dishes, such as paella,
panciterias, and relleno
have names
that are obviously Spanish or are derived from
roots of Spanish words and phrases. In
addition, like the Chinese, the Filipino
community consumes rice with almost every meal.
Explicit Chinese influence can be seen in that many of the noodles
(miswa, miki, sotanghon, lomi, mami, etc.).
Filipinos also
enjoy sawsawan, flavorful dipping sauces
such as soy sauce, ketchup, chili sauce,
vinegar, patis, Bagoong, etc.
Experiment with these various sauces, as they are fairly common place and
known to enhance any dish. |
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MAIN DISHES |
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A wide range of dishes--from
chicken and seafood to the more
exotic stuffed frogs--these
Filipino specialties have been
enjoyed for centuries. |
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SALADS, VEGETABLES, SOUPS |
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Home-grown vegetables are
favorites of the Filipino
community. Served steamed,
boiled, or smothered in a
sawsawan (dipping sauce),
they serve as an appetizing
sidedish. |
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RICE AND
NOODLES |
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Influenced by the
Chinese, these noodles add their
own Filipino cultural zest with
various garnish and flavors. |
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DESSERTS |
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The section
you've been waiting
for--Filipino desserts include
exotic fruits, shaved ice, ice
cream, hard candy. |
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Vocabulary