Adobo is made from chicken, pork, squid (pusit) or vegetables stewed in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppercorns and bay leaf. It is believed that this dish was derived, and then, Filipinized from the Spanish adobado, a more complicated preparation soaked in garlic and oil.
PORK DINUGUAN
This dish is so named bacause the sauce is made with the blood of a freshly-slaughtered pig. Traditionally cooked using a mixture of pork belly meat and pork entrails, my version should make the not-too-adventurous less squeamish. This is a very delicious dish, really. I can only ask that for those reading about dinuguan for the first time, try it first before passing judgment.The blood of freshly-slaughtered pig is available in local wet markets. In Antipolo where we live, the butcher gives it for free with the purchase of meat.
SINIGANG NA BABOY
The lightly boiled, slightly sour soup known as sinigang makes a delightful dish when served with rice. This soup is cooked using souring agents like unripe guavas, tamarind leaves and flowers, kamias and tomatoes. There are different varieties of sinigang such as sinigang na isda (sour vegetable soup with fish) and sinigang na baboy (sour vegetable soup with pork).
SAGO'T GULAMAN
Sago't Gulaman is a very popular refreshment. In restaurants it is served in a tall, footed glass, in neighborhood stores it is ladled into plastic cups and in street stands it is simply poured into plastic bags and provided with straw. It can be taken as an after-meal beverage-dessert, a snack or a drink to accompany another merienda item. Sago itself is also seen in Tahu, Ginataan and Ginumis while gulaman which is made from seaweed called agar-agar can be eaten as a gelatin dessert with or without fruits.
BUKO JUICE
Buko juice is basically the clear liquid (coconut water) inside the young coconut. It’s a very popular drink in the Philippines, especially in the provinces where, if you are a visitor, your host would sometime ask someone to clamber up a coconut tree to harvest young coconuts. They will then, in front of you fashion the young coconut in such a way that you could drink the refreshing and sweet water inside.
TAHO
Taho is a Philippines delicacy made of fresh soft/silken Tofu, Arnibal (brown sugar syrup), and Sago "pearls" (which are similar to Tapioca pearls). This staple comfort food is a signature sweet; and can be found all over the Philippines ..
TUHOG-TUHOG
Kikiam - the special ones are made of ground pork and vegetables wrapped in bean curd sheets, deep-fried and served with sweet, sour or spicy sauce; those in the street are seafood-based, usually made of fish meat and cuttlefish. Fishballs - balls made with fish meat, most often from pollock, deep fried and served in skewers with a sweet, sour or spicy sauce Tokneneng is the baby version ofKwek-Kwek, boiled chicken eggs coated with orange-tinted batter commonly sold on the street.Tokneneng is made of boiled quail eggs. Both Kwek-kwek andTokneneng are my boys' favorites, and today I decided to treat them to the hygienic version. (As most people know, Tokneneng and Kwek-kwek get additional flavorfrom the spraying of smoke, dust and other airborne elements from people and vehicles passing by as they sit on display on the karitons.)
IHAW-IHAW
Betamax - curdled chicken or pork blood, cubed and grilled. Adidas - chicken feet, marinated and grilled or cooked adobo style. Balun-balunan - grilled chicken gizzard. Barbeque - marinated pork or chicken pieces grilled on skewers. Betamax - curdled chicken or pork blood, cubed and grilled. Helmet - grilled chicken head. Isaw manok (aslo IUD) - grilled or deep-fried chicken intestines on a skewer, served with sweet, sour or spicy sauce; also referred to as IUD because it resembles an intra-uterine device.
LUGAW
Lugaw is traditionally thought of as food for the sick. But it is actually a dish that can be enjoyed as breakfast, as snack or even as a main dish especially when enriched with chicken, boiled tripe, green onions, fried garlic and even egg. rice porridge or congee; varieties include arroz caldo (with chicken and kasubha) and goto (with beef tripe)
HALO-HALO
Halo-halo - translated as "a mix of many things" or "an assortment," it is a dessert topped with shaved ice that may contain sweetened saba (banana),camote, macapuno (young coconut), kaong, nata de coco, pinipig (rice crispies),gulaman (agar), sago (tapioca balls), brown and white beans, garbanzos, ube(purple yam), and leche flan (creme brulee), with milk and sugar; Pampanga has three popular versions in Guagua, Arayat and Angeles which may includepastillas, crushed white beans and corn
LECHE FLAN
Leche Flan (also known as crème caramel and caramel custard) is a dessert made-up of eggs and milk with a soft caramel on top. This dessert is known throughout the world (especially in Europe) and has been in the dessert menu of most restaurants because of its convenience in preparation and long shelf life. In the Philippines, Leche Flan is the top dessert of all time. During celebrations such as parties and town fiestas, the dining table won’t be complete without it.
KAKANIN
Kakanin - collective term for snacks made with kanin (rice), particularlymalagkit (glutinous) rice; varieties include puto, kutsinta, calamay, sapin-sapin, suman, palitaw, biko or sinukmani, and espasol among many others.
