Introduction to FOODS from the PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

I will be blogging about the different types of dishes from my Homeland the Philippine Islands.  How it's prepared- the traditional way and the shortcut way.  I will share what I know about how the dish came about or why it is prepared in a certain way.  I welcome any tips, hints, or other ideas from all of you if you have any.

I watch a lot of FOOD NETWORK, FOOD CHANNELS or even talk shows that have a segment that prepares foods.  There are just not enough or you can even say never a segment about FILIPINO FOODS.

Filipino Foods I can definitely say is not about trying to look pretty or preparing it in a gimmicky way.  It is about taste, not wasting as much as possible of what you have and a tradition about it.


The foods from the Philippine Islands are tasty, can be made traditionally or can now be made with all kinds of shortcut packages you can find from the Asian Market;  (among the popular ones) Seafood City, Ranch 99, Pacific Islanders or even the smaller Asian Stores poppin' up all over.

A lot of people have relied on packages of ingredients and ready to just add to make your favorite dish.  If you ever tasted the way the food is made traditionally, you might not want to buy those packages again.  I will admit- there are some I will buy for the simple fact the ingredients are hard to find.  But to make it and know the history behind it is rewarding as you have your guests eat the dish you prepared.

SINIGANG
A simple dish for example SINIGANG can be made so many different ways and taste differently depending which province you are from and what ingredients are available.  If you use FISH- you use guava to make the soup sour and if you use PORK- you use tamarind to make the soup sour.  Some will add a pepper while it's cooking, not break it up necessarily but the one who wants it a little splicy will take the pepper in their bowl as they eat it.

You can also use 

SUGPO- TIGER PRAWNS.

A lot of people like to have SINIGANG very sour and sometimes use PATIS (fish sauce) if needed to be saltier or to dip your vegetables in for flavor of saltiness.  It is rare we use "salt" to make dishes salty.


Traditional vegetables used in the Philippines for SINIGANG DISHES are KANG KONG (swamp cabbage),

SITAW (long green beans),

HABITCHUELAS (snap beans).

Eggplants

Whatever is available inexpensively. Nowadays...you can use cabbage, broccoli, green beans,
 daikon (Chinese radish)

I buy some PORK RIBS from the American Store rather than the Asian Stores because it is fresher so even if it might be cheaper at the Asian Stores..I would rather pay for freshness. I have the butcher cut it up a certain way and I will cut it up the way I want it more at home.

As far as FISH.....that....I will buy from the Asian Store NEVER at an American Store.  Besides...there are a lot of FISH that I would use/need that is not available at the American Stores.

Let me backtrack and let's talk in general about the foods.  A lot of the dishes are prepared because of how you survived back then.  It is rare to find STEAK dishes because meat from the cow is very expensive.  It is hard to raise cattle on the Islands.  The animals easy to raise are chickens, pigs, goat, and some fish are farm-raised.  Of course the Philippines has an abundant supply of assorted fish being that it's an island.


One thing for sure....there are a lot of Philippine Dishes that have lots of vegetables.
But the one thing that is truly traditional is that WHITE BOILED RICE is always eaten with meals.
Even breakfast.

How to prepare PORK SINIGANG

With the ribs the butcher cut-up and I will cut it up more so there are 2 or 3 rib bones per piece...boil/simmer in a big pot til tender.
The PORK PIECES people we usually use are:  NECK BONES, PORK BELLY, or any cheap, bony PORK pieces.

When it is close to being ready and tender, I will add a couple of envelopes of TAMARIND SINIGANG SOUP MIX

After it has boiled a while with TAMARIND MIX....add onions cut up in quarters and tomatoes.
Taste and make sure it is sour enough but not too salty.  Depending on the brand...it can get too salty if you use too much.
The vegetables I start cutting up and getting it ready.  They will be added at the last minute before it is time to eat so the vegetables do not get over cooked and mushy.
I will add the veggies in order of how tender and fast they cook.  DAIKON can go in way before the other vegetables since it's a root veggie and takes a little longer to cook.  GREEN BEANS next and test if "al dente" and I will add the BROCCOLI and turn off the heat or even take it off the stove.

Make sure the WHITE RICE is ready and eat up!  You can prepare a second dish like FRIED FISH with it but usually the PORK RIBS SINIGANG by itself if enough.

The many different ways SINIGANG is prepared can be with GUAVA,
 BILIMBING, MISO, KAMIAS, TAMARIND, or even just CALAMANSI

*One important rule when eating FILIPINO FOODS....do not do in front of your cook------
Do not  add certain things to the dishes unless it is supposed to be used with it.
Such as Soy Sauce in the SINIGANG or Ketchup, etc.  It is insulting to the cook and actually it will change the taste of the dish.  This is an important rule not only with Filipino Dishes..but in other Cultures, too.

Next post.....BEEF NILAGA BULALO