Filipino cuisine is a vibrant tapestry woven from a rich history and diverse cultural influences. Known locally as "native" food and sometimes abroad as "Pinoy cooking," it offers an exotic and tasteful fusion of Oriental, European, and American culinary traditions, adapted to local ingredients and the Filipino palate. The result is a unique and surprising cuisine characterized by bold flavors, distinctive sour notes, and a wide variety of fresh seafood and delectable fruits.
A Culinary Crossroads: Influences Shaping Filipino Food
The Philippines' strategic location in Southeast Asia has made it a melting pot of cultures, each leaving its mark on the local cuisine. The Malays introduced the use of hot chilies and coconut milk in sauces. The Chinese brought noodles, beancurd, egg rolls, and soy sauce. The Spanish, who colonized the Philippines for over three centuries, had a significant impact, introducing Mediterranean cooking styles like braising and sautéing, as well as savory marinades. They also brought ingredients like corn, flour, squash, avocado, sausage, beef, guava, papaya, cabbage, cocoa, potatoes, ham, coffee, beer, and bread. Even forks, spoons, plates, and cups were introduced by the Spanish. The American occupation in the early 1900s further diversified the Filipino diet with fast food staples like hamburgers and hotdogs, as well as convenient foods like Spam and instant coffee.
This blending of cultures has resulted in some fascinating culinary adaptations. "Kare-kare," for example, is a Filipino take on curry, substituting curry paste with ground peanuts for a thick and savory stew. Similarly, dishes like "Arroz a la Cubana" demonstrate the unique fusion of flavors found in Filipino cooking.
Core Elements of the Filipino Diet
Despite the diverse influences, the typical Philippine diet revolves around local foods, particularly vegetables, pork, seafood, rice, and noodles.
Rice: The Unwavering Staple
Like much of Asia, rice is a staple food in the Philippines and is eaten almost daily, in every meal. Three crops a year are harvested to provide enough rice for the population, and the government keeps surpluses stored for times of drought. It is meant to be plain and bland, as this would be eaten with flavorful viands anyway. They say, rice somewhat neutralizes the tasty food, whereas, for Filipinos, rice compliments great food. It is usually cooked by boiling in water, while others steam or add pandan leaves to make it fragrant. Leftover rice is often fried with garlic to make "sinangag," a popular breakfast dish.
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Seafood: A Bounty from the Archipelago
Surrounded by water, the Philippines boasts over 2,000 fish species, making seafood a readily available and common component of the Filipino diet. Salt water and freshwater of fish and shellfish are eaten daily, served either fresh or salted. Fish is often fried, grilled, or cooked in sour broths like "sinigang" or vinegar-based stews like "paksiw."
Meat: Pork, Chicken, and More
While seafood is abundant, meat, particularly pork, chicken, and beef, is predominant in urban areas and among those with higher incomes. Pork is especially popular, with dishes like "lechon" (spit-roasted pig) taking center stage during celebrations.
Vegetables: A Supporting Role
The typical Philippine diet revolves mainly around the local foods, especially vegetables. A variety of fruits and vegetables are often used in cooking. Plantains (also called saba in Filipino), kalamansi, guavas (bayabas), mangoes, papayas, and pineapples lend a distinctly tropical flair in many dishes, but mainstay green leafy vegetables like water spinach (kangkong), Chinese cabbage (petsay), Napa cabbage (petsay wombok), cabbage (repolyo) and other vegetables like eggplants (talong) and yard-long beans (sitaw) are just as commonly used.
A Typical Day of Eating: From Breakfast to Dinner
Filipinos typically rise early, and breakfast is usually eaten between 6:30 am and 8:00 am. A typical Filipino breakfast is comprised of “daggit” (dried fish), rice, fruit and “ensair mada” (sugar buns), or eggs, sausage and “pan de sal” (sourdough bread). In some places Spam is a popular breakfast treat. In other places breakfast is simply tea or coffee with rice or food left over from the night before that is not reheated. Rice is served either as a porridge-type cereal that can be flavored with any number of ingredients (nasi gorang), with eggs in a variety of styles, or with pickled vegetables. Tea may be drunk plain or with lemon, cream, milk, or sugar. Eggs and sausage are served on special occasions. Small buns called pan de sol may be purchased from vendors early in the morning.
Lunch is traditionally the main meal of the day, and even today, in busy cities, it can still be an elaborate affair with several courses-or it can be a simple noodle dish or fast food bolted down in a matter of minutes. Lunch can also be a light meal with rice and one other dish, often a fish or meat stew. Lunch is served from about 12:00noon to 1:00pm and consists sour soup, cooked pork, meat stew, fish, and/or vegetables, served with rice and fruit or cakes.
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Dinner is served from 6:00pm on,… Typical meals in a Filipino dinner are usually leftover meals from lunch.
The "Merienda" Culture: Snack Time in the Philippines
"Merienda" is the name of a midmorning and afternoon snack that was introduced by the Spanish and was traditionally served around 3:00pm after a siesta. It is usually features cakes, tarts, fritters or sweets made with coconut milk and palm sugar. Some people take a morning miernda around 10:00am. Since Filipinos are fond of sweet foods, a mixture of instant coffee, evaporated milk, and sugar may be served. Coca-Cola is very popular.
Dining Etiquette: A Social Experience
Meals are regarded as a social experience. There is often a lot of food and a lot of talking. Filipinos typically arrive 30 minutes late when invited for dinner. Guests are expected to eat a lot. If one eats heartily it is regarded as a compliment. If one doesn’t eat so much it is considered an insult. Filipinos often eat a late dinner Spanish style at around 9:00pm or 10:00pm. They also often eat an afternoon snack “merienda”. On the street food is often served on a banana leaf and drinks in a plastic bag with a straw. Dinner is often followed by a visit to a nightclub or a bar. Dutch pay is considered tacky.
While table knives are not used, forks and spoons are used for dining. The food is eaten from a spoon. Many Filipinos eat with fork in the left hand and a spoon in their right hand and push food onto the back of the spoon with the fork. People often eat with their hands, even rice and stews. The traditional method of placing food on a banana leaf and eating with one's hands is also used throughout the country. It is acceptable to eat food with one's hands at restaurants as well as in the home. As is true in Muslim countries people eat with their right hand.
Nutritional Considerations and Modern Trends
While Filipino cuisine offers a delightful array of flavors and dishes, it's important to consider its nutritional aspects. Studies have shown that while most Filipinos consume breakfast regularly, the nutritional quality of their breakfast is often inadequate, lacking in essential vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables.
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Modern Filipinos are also increasingly familiar with Western foods, especially fast food, leading to a mixture of dietary influences. This has resulted in a diet that is higher in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol compared to other Asian diets.
However, there is a growing awareness of the importance of healthy eating, with more Filipinos embracing balanced diets and incorporating plant-based options. Flexitarian diets, which emphasize plant-based foods while allowing for occasional meat consumption, are gaining popularity, offering a way to enjoy traditional Filipino flavors while promoting health and sustainability.
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