Popular Philippine Dishes

There are numerous exotic and delicious dishes to be found in the Philippines. The different islands and regions of the Philippines tend to provide their own variations and twists to their food menus. However, there are some great dishes that can be found throughout the Philippines on any given menu.

                Adobo

                Adobo is sometimes considered a Spanish cooking process, but Adobo can also refer to a common dish in the Philippines that is cooked in the Adobo style. This is a dish that is usually made with pork or chicken that is slowly cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaf and black peppercorns.

                Lumpia

                Lumpia are pastries that are very similar to what we know as spring rolls. The pastries are filled with vegetables or meats and served with various sauces.

                Bistek

                Bistek is a popular dish made with beef strips and onions braised in soy sauce. Sometimes chunks of browned potatoes are added.

                Lechon

                Lechon is a dish that is eaten at celebration or fiesta occasions. It is actually an entire suckling pig that has been slowly roasted over a bed of charcoal. The coals make the pig crispy and it is then served with a liver sauce with vinegar, sugar and herbs.

                Other Common Facets of Philippine Food

As with most Asian countries, rice is a staple food and is served with most dishes. The rice is most often steamed and served during meals. The leftover rice is then commonly used to make sinangag, which is what we would know as fried rice.

Fruits are also commonly incorporated in Philippine cuisine. Coconuts are a popular item to incorporate into meals. Both coconut meat and milk are used extensively. Tomatoes and tomato sauce are also popular, as well as bananas.

The meats that are used in the Philippines are very similar to the meats that we see in the United States. Chicken, beef, pork and fish are the staple meats, just like in the US.

The dishes described in this article are just a few of the more common dishes that can be found in the Philippines. There are so many other great exotic dishes that can be found there or studied for new ideas to be brought back to your own kitchen. To get more information on dishes from the Philippines or general cooking ideas and recipes, you can view this cooking and recipe website.