Situated between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, the islands of the Republic of the Philippines have been a natural stopping point for travelers from different ethnic groups. Some of those travelers stayed, and today the Republic is composed of a diverse group of cultures. The people influencing the food include the original islanders from Malaysia and colonists from China and Spain. All three cultures rely heavily on seasonings to bring out the flavors in recipes. When the United States gained control of the Philippines in 1898, traditional all-American food and food preparation was also introduced.

You can categorize the cultural influences on recipes from the Philippines in the following way.

• Original Malaysian settlers – hot chilies and coconut milk (ginataan)
• Chinese – noodles, egg rolls, bean curds and dipping sauces
• Spanish – olive oil, sweet peppers, garlic, tomatoes, onions, vinegar
• American – evaporated milk, condensed milk, cheese, tomato sauce

Other than the hotdogs and hamburgers Americans introduced and some authentically cooked Philippines meat dishes, much of the Filipino diet is healthy. They consume a lot of vegetables and seafood that includes fish and shellfish. Filipinos have also made rice a daily diet staple and island farmers grow 20 varieties in their fields. Rice is not just eaten as a plain accompaniment. It’s also used to make rice noodles, rice cakes and turned

into flour to make rice pancakes. Rice may also be served at any meal of the day. Congee, called Lugaw in the Philippines, is rice porridge and reflects the Chinese influence. Other ingredients can be added to create interesting dishes like Goto, which is Tripe Congee. A healthier Lugaw is Arroz Caldo, which is a Spanish influenced congee rice and chicken soup with ginger flavoring. Arroz Caldo reflects how Chinese and Spanish cultures were mixed together to produce unique national foods.

Also included in many meals are noodles, called Pansit, which are due to the influence of Chinese cuisine. Favorite noodles include Mami (flat egg noodle), Mifun noodle (rice noodle), Bihon (thin rice noodle or rice sticks) and Sotanghon (bean thread noodles). This is not a complete list but gives you an idea of the variety of noodles used in recipes. On a restaurant menu, there will be names like Pancit Bihon, which tells you the type of noodles used in the dish. Similar to Chinese chow mein is Pansit Canton. Highly recommended is Pansit Palobok, which uses thick Luglug noodles and an orangey shrimp sauce.

Taking Time to Enjoy Food, Family and Friends

One of the wonderful characteristics of the traditional Filipino mealtime is that it’s served family style. Instead of serving an appetizer, salad and main dish, Filipinos traditionally serve all of the food at the same time, including the dessert. The reason for this approach is so the diners can experience the enjoyable mixture of flavors and food consistencies at once. Mealtime is a socializing event for Filipinos and not just a time to eat.

Based on this cultural approach to meals, most restaurants serving Filipino food will display the food items on steam tables. There will be many choices, too, making it easy to taste recipes and foods you are not familiar with. In the Philippines, the small restaurants are affectionately called “toro-toro” which means “point-point”. The point-point reference highlights the practice of simply pointing to the food you want placed on your plate by the server.

It’s helpful to know another set of terms before visiting a restaurant serving traditional food from the Philippines. There are common condiments used, including the traditional fish sauce Patis, Toyo (soy sauce), Kalamansi (lime), and Bagoong (fermented shrimp paste).

The Philippines has regions, and each region has its own distinctive culinary style. The food can be warm and comforting like the rice porridge or exotic like Kinilaw na Isda, which is raw fish or meat marinated in citrus juice and vinegar mixed with red onion, ginger, cucumber and red chilies. If raw fish or meat is not to your liking, don’t be concerned. There are dozens of wonderful Filipino foods that will please the most discriminating taste buds.

National Delights

Despite the many dishes found throughout the country, there are also what could be called ‘national’ dishes, as most Filipinos enjoy them regularly. You can try these dishes in the restaurants and decide for yourself which ones are most flavorful. Some foods have already been mentioned like Pancit Bihon, Congee and Arroz Caldo. There are many others that are just as tasty and interesting.

Adobo is one of the most commonly cooked beef, pork or chicken dishes to which fish can be added if desired. Main ingredients are sautéed and simmered in vinegar, spices and soy sauce producing a salty-sour flavor. Spring rolls with minced pork stuffing, called Lumpia Shanghai, are also popular. Caldereta is meat sautéed with vegetables, potatoes and spices and then thickened with liver paste. Tocino is cured orange pork with a smoky and sweet glaze.

Many U.S. restaurants serving foods from the Philippines are cooking lighter versions of older, traditional foods. That’s true for most recipes generally. Low fat chicken and meat and fresh vegetables are simmered or sautéed with a variety of seasonings to still create dishes that recall a rich blended culture. If you want to splurge every now and then, there are some dishes you may want to try like Okoy (fritters), Sausage and Balots, or Tuyo (dried salted fish).

If you are looking for a new culinary experience, then it’s time to try recipes originating in the Philippines. You’ll wonder what took you so long.