BAGNET, BURP!

Dear foreign readers, you got to try a popular Filipino delicacy called Bagnet when you visit the Philippines. Allow Tita S to tell you 8 facts about it.

1.Bagnet is a deep fried, crispy pork belly dish of the Philippines.

Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/TourIlocosNorte/photos/3562985370444689

2. A slab of pork belly (liempo) is boiled with garlic, black peppercorns, bay leaves and salt. It is then allowed to thoroughly air-dry overnight, then deep-fried the next day, until it becomes crispy. Some rub salt before frying for more flavor. It is deep fried twice to be extra crispy.

Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/superbagnet/photos/1158292037999358 

Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/famousviganbagnet/photos/1372128949650271 

3. It originated from the Ilocos¹ region² of the Philippines, where it is locally called chicharon³.

Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/famousviganbagnet/photos/a.294969537366223/1374722286057604 

4. The municipality⁴ of Narvacan in the province⁵ of Ilocos Sur is said to be the original bagnet-makers, and on December 13, 2010. instituted the Bagnet Festival. The succeeding annual celebrations of this month-long festival are held from the middle of November till the 2^nd week of December,

It has been said that the Spanish-Mexican conquistador⁶ Captain Juan de Salcedo⁷ discovered Narvacan in 1576 and the natives served him Bagnet. The recipe and technique to make this crispy dish is considered an heirloom and is passed down through several generations in Narvacan.

5. Bagnet can be eaten as is, or with white rice.

Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/superbagnet/photos/a.259433441218560/1090479124780650 

6. It is traditionally dipped in sukang iloko⁸ (Ilocano vinegar) or bagoong monamon⁹ (Ilocano fermented salted anchovies).

7. It can also be added to other Filipino dishes like Pinakbet¹⁰ and Dinardaraan¹¹.

8. It is similar to a Tagalog¹² dish called Lechon Kawali¹³.

The information was obtained from https://www.manilatimes.net/2011/01/21/lifestyle-entertainment/life-times/its-the-firstbagnet-festival/647772, https://www.facebook.com/prubandlevarl/posts/ilocano-bagnet-or-simply-known-as-bagnet-is-a-boiled-air-dried-then-deep-fried-s/321455435239128/ and the Wikipedia page “Bagnet”¹⁴.

Now, Tita S will briefly comment about Bagnet.

Personally, it is difficult to resist Bagnet because of its super crispy appeal. What makes it special is the delightfully crunchy chicharon³ skin which I dip in spicy vinegar.

I have not had Bagnet for the longest time but I recall that I also enjoyed it along with boiled eggplant and okra with bagoong¹⁵ on the side.

This is not a sponsored post. I just want my readers to know more about Philippine delicacies.

The photos used in the cover picture-collage were obtained from https://www.facebook.com/superbagnet/photos/ 

Did you find this post informative? I would like to hear your comment/s regarding Bagnet.  

See other interesting posts in this category (Pinoy Delights) and other categories – SCapades and Smart Travelers – Foreign Travelers Ask, Now You Know, and Say, Say, Say. Happy reading, and I hope that you will appreciate what I shared and some of the featured destinations will be part of your future travel plans!

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The following terms are defined for interested readers, especially those with “Senior-Moments”, those not familiar with Filipino terms, and those too busy or lazy to Google such terms:

¹The Ilocos Region, or Region 1, is an administrative region in the northwestern section of Luzon, the northernmost part of the Philippines. It is bordered by the Cagayan Valley to the northeast and southeast, the South China Sea to the west, Cordillera Administrative Region to the east, and Central Luzon to the south. This region is composed of 4 provinces⁵: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan. Its regional center is the city of San Fernando, in La Union. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Ilocos Region”.¹⁶

²A region is the first-order administrative division in the Philippines. There are 17 regions in the Philippines, based on geographical, cultural and ethnological characteristics. It is further subdivided in provinces⁵, composed of cities and minicipalities⁴, which in turn, are divided into barangays¹⁷ (district or village). The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Regions of the Philippines.”¹⁸ 

See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT ARE THE REGIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES?

³Chicharon, or pork crackling, is a popular snack or pulutan¹⁹ of Filipinos. It is basically deep fried, dried and salted pork rind. It is often dipped in spicy vinegar, or a dip composed of soy sauce, coconut vinegar, chopped garlic and labuyo²⁰ (chili peppers). It can also be enjoyed with bagoong¹⁵ (fermented, salted anchovies), lechon sauce²¹, or atchara²². It is also used as a topping of native vegetable and noodle dishes.

A variation is made from chicken skin and is called chicharong manok. There is also chicharong bulaklak, made from a pig’s mesentery²³. In the province⁵ of Cagayan, carabao²⁴ hide is made into carabao chicharon. A healthier variant is tuna- or tilapia²⁵-skin chicharon.

The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Chicharron.”²⁶

⁴A municipality is a small, single urban administrative division, or local government unit (LGU)²⁷, in the Philippines which has corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by law. It is a unit under a province⁵, subdivided into barangays¹⁷, and is called town, or bayan. In the Philippines, a municipality is headed by a mayor, a vice mayor and members of the Sangguniang Bayan (legislative branch). The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Municipalities of the Philippines.”²⁸

⁵A province is the primary administrative and political division in the Philippines. It is the second-level administrative sub-division of a region². There are 81 provinces (called lalawigan) in the Philippines. Each province is governed by an elected legislature called the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and by an elected governor. All these were obtained from Wikipedia page “Provinces of the Philippines.”²⁹

See a related post: Foreign Seniors Ask: WHAT ARE PROVINCES IN THE PHILIPPINES?

⁶A conquistador was a knight, soldier, and explorer of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires during the Age of Discovery or Exploration, from the 15^th – 18^th centuries.

Conquistador is the Spanish and Portuguese term for “conqueror”. A conquistador  would sail from Europe to the Americas, Oceania, Africa and Asia, conquering territory and opening trade routes. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Conquistador”.³⁰

⁷Juan de Salcedo (1549 – 1576) was a Spanish-Mexican conquistador⁶, born in Mexico. He was the grandson of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi (the first Governor-General of the Spanish East Indies) and a brother of Felipe de Salcedo (a Spanish explorer who was a member of his grandfather’s expedition to the East Indies and the Pacific).

At the age of 15, he joined the Spanish military in 1564 to explore the East Indies and the Pacific. He was one of the soldiers who accompanied the Spanish colonization of the Philippines in 1565. He, along with Martin de Goiti, also led an army of about 300 Spanish and Mexican soldiers and 600 Visayan allies, in their conquest of Islamic Manila (which was then under the Sultanate of Brunei).

In 1574, with 300 Mexican and Spanish soldiers and 300 Filipino Militia, he fought Limahong’s 6,500 Chinese pirates and Japanese Ronins. He died at the age of 27, in 1576, and his body was interred at the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, in the city of Manila.

The information was obtained from the Wikipedia pages “Juan de Salcedo”³¹, “Miguel Lopez de Legazpi”³² and “Felipe de Salcedo”³³.

⁸Sukang Iloko is an opaque vinegar made from naturally fermented sugar cane in the Ilocos¹ region² of the Philippines. It has a strong, acidic aroma, and is used as a condiment, dip, or food preservative.³⁴ 

⁹Bagoong monamon, bagoong monamon-dilis, or bugguong munamon, in Ilocano, is a condiment and common ingredient in Ilocano cuisine which made by fermenting salted anchovies (called monamon or munamon in Ilocano). For foreigners, its strong fishy smell could be repulsive. It is marketed either with bits of fermented fish (to make the Ilocano vegetable dish called Dinengdeng), or “boneless” (without fermented fish), sold in bottles. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Bagoong monamon”.³⁵

¹⁰Pinakbet, pakbet, or pinak bet, is an indigenous Filipino dish originating from the northern regions of the Philippines. It is made of mixed vegetables (usually bitter melon, eggplant, okra, string beans, winged beans, tomato, chili peppers), spiced with garlic, ginger and onions, steamed or sauteed in fish or shrimp sauce.. Meat may be added. The Tagalog version includes squash. The word is the contracted form of the Ilokano (a northern Philippine dialect) word pinakebbet, meaning “shrunk” or “shriveled”. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Pinakbet”.³⁶

¹¹Dinardaraan is a savory, almost dry, Ilocano stew made of pork offal, blood, and/or meat. It is cooked with garlic, onion, broth, vinegar, and siling haba³⁷, seasoned to taste with salt and pepper. It could be topped with deep-fried pork intestine cracklings. It is called the Ilocano dinuguan. See my post about dinuguan: ___

¹²Tagalog refers to the second largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines (after the Visayan people), numbering around 30 million, with most of them inhabiting Metro Manila, the Calabarzon region in southern Luzon, the islands of Marinduque and Mindoro in Mimaropa, as well as a plurality in the provinces⁵ of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales in Central Luzon. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Tagalog (people).”³⁸

¹³Lechon kawali, or lechon de carajay, is a brown, deep-fried, crispy, Tagalog dish made of seasoned pork belly slabs. It is usually accompanied with a dipping sauce like lechon sauce²¹ or toyomansi (soy sauce with Philippine lime). The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Lechon kawali”.³⁹

¹⁴“Bagnet,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagnet 

¹⁵Bagoong is a Philippine condiment, partially or completely, made of fermented fish or krill⁴⁰, and oysters, clams and even fish/shrimp roe, and salt. The by-product of fermentation is the resulting yellowish liquid which is skimmed and called patis (fish sauce).

There are several kinds: bagoong isda (fermented fish – sardines, anchovies, the fry of larger fish), bagoong alamang⁴¹ (fermented krill), as well as the rarer bagoong macabebe (fermented oysters) and bagoong sisi (fermented clams).

The preparation of bagoong varies regionally in the Philippines. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagoong for more information.

The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Bagoong”.⁴²

¹⁶“Ilocos Region,” accessed April 17, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilocos_Region

¹⁷A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines, headed by a barangay captain, aided by a Sangguniang Barangay (Barangay Council). It is the native Filipino term for a district or village. It was formerly called a barrio. In a metropolitan area, a barangay is an inner city neighborhood, a suburb, or a suburban neighborhood. The word barangay originated from the term balangay, a kind of boat used by a group of Austronesian people who migrated to the Philippines. A number of barangays grouped together is called a district. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Barangay.”⁴³

¹⁸“Regions of the Philippines,” accessed April 17, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_the_Philippines

¹⁹Pulutan is the Filipino term for an appetizer taken with alcoholic beverages.

²⁰Siling labuyo, or simply labuyo, is a small chili pepper that developed in the Philippines after the Columbian Exchange⁴⁴. It belongs to the species Capsicum frutescens and is characterized by triangular, very pungent fruits which grow pointing upwards. Siling labuyo is a Tagalog term meaning “wild chili”. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Siling labuyo.”⁴⁵

²¹Lechon sauce (sarsa ng lechon) is a condiment traditionally made from mashed pork liver, vinegar, brown sugar, bread crumbs, garlic, and onion, and seasoned with salt and pepper. It is the favorite sauce for lechon (roasted pig) prepared in Luzon (the northern group of islands of the Philippines). Liver spread can substitute for mashed pork liver. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Lechon.”⁴⁶

²²Achara, atchara, or atsara, is a pickled side dish, or accompaniment of fried or grilled foods, in the Philippines. It is made of grated unripe papaya, carrot and onion slices, julienned garlic, bell pepper strips, along with vinegar, syrup and salt. Raisins may be added.

²³The mesentery is a thin tissue or membrane of a pig filled with blood vessels, which holds the small intestine in place.⁴⁷

In the Philippines, it is called ruffle fat, and enjoyed as a pulutan¹⁹, called Chicharon Bulaklak made by boiling with salt, peppercorns and bay leaves, salted, then deep fried.

²⁴The carabao is a domestic swamp-type water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) native to the Philippines, according to the Wikipedia page “Carabao”.⁴⁸

²⁵Tilapia is a freshwater fish which inhabits shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes in temperate countries. In the Philippines, it is commonly called pla-pla, and several species of tilapia are commercially grown in major lakes and rivers like Laguna de Bay, Taal Lake and Lake Buhi. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Tilapia”.⁴⁹ 

²⁶“Chicharron,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicharron 

²⁷A local government unit (LGU) in the Philippines is divided into 3 levels: provinces⁵, cities, municipalities⁴, and, barangays¹⁷, according to Wikipedia page “Local government in the Philippines”.⁵⁰

²⁸“Municipalities the Philippines,” accessed April 2, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_government_in_the_Philippines

²⁹“Provinces of the Philippines,” accessed April 2, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_the_Philippines

³⁰“Conquistador,” accessed July 9, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquistador

³¹“Juan de Salcedo,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_de_Salcedo 

³²“Miguel Lopez de Legazpi,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_Lopez de Legazpi 

³³“Felipe de Salcedo,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felipe_de_Salcedo 

³⁴https://recipes.fandom.com/wiki/Sukang_iloko

³⁵“Bagoong monamon,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagoong_monamon 

³⁶“Pinakbet,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinakbet  

³⁷Siling haba is a kind of long chili which is light green in color and belongs to the species Capsicum annuum. It is mildly spicy and is commonly used in Filipino dishes, especially in Sinigang (a sour soup), Paksiw (meat or fish in a vinegar broth), Dinuguan (Pork Blood Stew), and Kinilaw (Philippine ceviche). It is also called espada, finger chili, green chili, long pepper, and siling mahaba, siling pangsigang, siling Tagalog. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Siling haba”.⁵¹

³⁸“Tagalog people,” accessed January 15, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagalog_people

³⁹“Lechon kawali,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lechon_kawali 

⁴⁰Krill are small crustaceans of the order of Euphausiacea, and are found in all the world’s oceans. The term comes from the Norwegian word krill, meaning “small fry of fish”, which is often attributed to species of fish. Near the bottom of the ocean’s food chain, they feed on phytoplankton and even zooplankton, and are the main source of food for many larger animals (e.g., whales, seals, penguins, squids and fishes), especially near the surface of the water at night, and in deeper waters during the day. Most are caught for aquaculture and aquarium feeds, as bait in sport fishing, or in pharmaceutical industry. In the Philippines, krill is known as alamang and used to make a salty paste called bagoong¹⁵. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Krill”.⁵²

⁴¹Bagoong alamang is a kind of bagoong¹⁵ prepared by initially cleaning the krill⁴⁰ (alamang) thoroughly then washing it in a weak (10%) brine solution. The krill is then mixed with salt in a 25% salt to 75% krill ratio by weight.

The mixture is kept covered, inside large earthen fermentation jars (tapayan in Tagalog and Visayan, or burnay in Ilocano) and left to ferment for 1 – 3 months, with occasional stirring to make sure that the salt is evenly spread.

Patis, the liquid on top, is skimmed, leaving the fermented krill, which is bagoong alamang. At this point, it is usually pale grey to white in color. This bagoong is traditionally colored pink or red through the addition of angkak⁵³.

It is called uyap or alamang in southern Philippines, aramang in Ilocos and parts of Northern Luzon, and ginamos or dayok in Western Visayas.

The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Bagoong”.⁴²

⁴²“Bagoong,” accessed April 2, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagoong

⁴³“Barangay,” accessed April 2, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_government_in_the_Philippines

⁴⁴The Columbian Exchange, or the Columbian Interchange, was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, (free and enslaved) human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World in the 15^th and 16^th centuries. It is named after Christopher Columbus, and is related to European colonization and trade following his 1492 voyage. This term was first used in 1972 by the American historian Alfred W. Crosby in his environmental history book “The Columbian Exchange”. It was rapidly adopted by other historians and journalists. The information was obtained from Wikipedia page “Columbian Exchange”.⁵⁴

⁴⁵“Siling labuyo,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siling_labuyo 

⁴⁶“Lechon,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lechon 

⁴⁷https://learning-center.homesciencetools.com/article/pig-dissection-project/ 

⁴⁸“Carabao,” accessed April 2, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carabao

⁴⁹“Tilapia,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilapia

⁵⁰“Local government in the Philippines,” accessed April 2, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_government_in_the_Philippines

⁵¹“Siling haba,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siling_haba 

⁵²“Krill,” accessed April 2, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krill

⁵³Angkak, red yeast rice, red rice koji, red fermented rice, red kojic rice, red koji rice, or anka, is a bright reddish purple fermented rice which acquired its color from the inoculation of the species of red mold (Monascus purpureus). Note that koji is the Japanese term for “grain or bean overgrown with a mold culture”.

Angkak is the Filipino term for red yeast rice and is widely used in the Philippines to traditionally color and preserve certain dishes like bagoong alamang⁴¹ (fermented shrimp), burong isda (fermented rice and fish), and balao-balao (fermented rice and shrimp).

The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Red yeast rice”.⁵⁵

⁵⁴“Columbian Exchange,” accessed November 3, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbian_exchange 

⁵⁵“Red yeast rice,” accessed April 2, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_yeast_rice

Short and Simple: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOCHE BUENA AND MEDIA NOCHE?

Some foreign friends asked me the difference between Noche Buena and Media Noche in the Philippines. Well, here it is:

NOCHE BUENA

First, let us describe what Noche Buena is all about. It is a Spanish phrase that literally means “the Good Night”, and often refers to the biggest feast for the Christmas season. It is celebrated annually on the night of Christmas Eve (December 24). In Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines, it consists of a traditional family dinner, often with a roasted pig (called lechon in Filipino) as the center of the feast. This practice is believed to date back to the 15^th century when Caribbean colonists hunted down pigs and roasted them with a powerful flame.

In the Philippines, the traditional dinner may start as early 10:00 pm, but is usually held at midnight of December 24, after the whole family hears the late evening mass, locally known as Misa de Gallo.

Some of the common dishes served, depending on one’s social status, are: jamon¹, queso de bola², lechon, pancit³, spaghetti, fried chicken, arroz caldo⁴, lumpia⁵, adobo⁶, relyenong bangus⁷ (stuffed milk dish), noodles/pasta, rice or breads (like pan de sal⁸), desserts (e.g., fruit salad, ube halaya⁹, bibingka¹⁰, kakanins¹¹, ice cream, pastries, fruits, and beverages (tsokolate¹², coffee, soft drinks, beer, wine, and juices).

The above information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Noche Buena”.¹³

MEDIA NOCHE

Media Noche is the Spanish term for “midnight” but the Filipino practice during this time of year was influenced by the Chinese. The Filipino Media Noche is accompanied by fireworks (also from the Chinese) at the stroke of midnight to drive away bad spirits. Different kinds of food are served (again, influenced by the Chinese).¹⁴

In the Philippines, Media Noche refers to the lavish midnight feast on December 31 (called Bisperas ng Bagong Taon in Filipino) that may last until the following morning (January 1). It symbolizes each Filipino’s hopes for prosperity in the coming year, according to the Wikipedia page “Christmas in the Philippines”.¹⁵

Actually, anything can be served for Media Noche as long as the table is full of food and drinks. The assortment may include, among others: lechon, barbecue, Beef Caldereta¹⁶, Beef Mechado¹⁷, Buko Pandan¹⁸, cakes, Chicken Sopas¹⁹, Chicken Sotanghon²⁰ Soup, Crema de Fruta²¹, Embotido²², Fruit Salad, Hamonado²³, Ilokano bagnet²⁴, Inihaw²⁵na Bangus²⁶, Inihawna Manok²⁷, Inihawna Tilapia²⁸, kakanins¹¹ (Bibingka¹⁰, Biko²⁹, Maja Blanca³⁰, Palitaw³¹, and Puto Bumbong³²), Kalderetang Manok³³, Leche Flan³⁴, Lengua Estofado³⁵, Lumpiang Shanghai³⁶, Macaroni Salad, Morcon³⁷, Lumpiang Sariwa³⁸, Paella, Pancit Malabon³⁹, Patatim⁴⁰, Pininyahang Manok sa Gata⁴¹, Relyenong Bangus⁷, Siomai⁴², Spaghetti, Ube Halaya⁹ and round fruits (like apples, grapes and oranges).

However, for those Filipinos who have a strong Chinese influence, this feast consists of the following:¹⁴

• Twelve (12) “round” fruits to symbolize prosperity for all the 12 months of the coming year. A round shape is the closest thing to a circle, a shape that does not have an end, which implies never-ending wealth. Thus, round fruits are as close as you can come to a circle. Examples are: grapes (eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight will give good luck for 12 months to come), or, pomegranates (since the seeds have always been associated with fertility and abundance in life).⁴³
• Pineapple is the centerpiece since this fruit’s scales resemble gold coins, which imply wealth for the next year.
• Noodles for long life without illness, so do not cut or break them in the middle. Rice can also be served since it stands for fertility and wealth.⁴³
• Sticky desserts are served so family members will “stick together” for years to come.

Chicken and fish are not served since these symbolize scarcity of food.

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The following terms are defined for interested readers, especially non-Filipinos, those with “Senior-Moments”, and those too busy to Google such terms:

¹Jamon is the Spanish term for “ham”. The Filipinos serve honey-glazed cured ham during Noche Buena and Media Noche.

²Quezo de bola is a popular cheese served during the Christmas season in the Philippines (perhaps due to its red rind) and is a traditional treat for Noche Buena (the traditional midnight feast with one’s family at home during Christmas Eve). Queso de bola is usually served with cured ham and hot pan de sal⁸. NOTE: It is called Edam, originating from the Netherlands, named after the town of Edam in the province of North Holland. This cheese has a pale yellow interior and a red rind/coating made of red paraffin wax. Edam only hardens with age.

³Pancit is the Filipino term for noodles, introduced by the Chinese, and adopted into the local cuisine, with many regional variations. Some versions of this noodle dish are stir-fried, often with sliced meat, shrimps and assorted/chopped vegetables.

⁴Arroz caldo is a Filipino rice and chicken porridge or gruel, heavily infused with ginger, and garnished with toasted garlic, scallions, and black pepper, usually served with calamansi⁴⁴, soy sauce, or patis (fish sauce) as condiments, as well as hard-boiled egg. Most versions also add kasubha (safflower) which turns this dish to turn almost yellowish. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Arroz caldo”.⁴⁵

5 Lumpia is the Filipino term for “spring roll”. It is a savory dish made with a thin crepe pastry skin called “lumpia wrapper” enveloping a mixture of savory fillings, consisting of chopped vegetables (e.g., bamboo shoots, cabbage, carrot, green beans, leeks), or sometimes also minced meat (beef, chicken, pork and shrimp). It is often served as an appetizer or snack, and could be served deep fried or fresh (unfried). The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Lumpia”.⁴⁶

6 Adobo is a Filipino version of the Spanish adobo/adobar, according to Wikipedia page “Adobo”.⁴⁷ It was originally made by stewing meat (chicken and/or pork) in vinegar and soy sauce, with garlic, salt and bay leaves, sometimes with sliced potatoes. It is sometimes fried after stewing.

7 Relyenong Bangus is a Filipino dish literally “Stuffed Milkfish” where the fish is stuffed with a sautéed mixture of its own meat, along with precooked/chopped/cubed ingredients (like garlic, onions, tomatoes, ground pork, carrots, potatoes, sweet pickle relish, raisins, red bell pepper and beaten eggs), seasoned with salt and pepper, wrapped in banana leaves, then usually fried in a skillet.  It can also be baked, brushed with oil, but without the banana leaf wrapping. What is great about this dish is that diners need not worry about fish bones!

⁸Pandesal is a common yeast-raised bread roll in the Philippines, traditionally made of flour, eggs, yeast, sugar, and salt, rolled in fine bread crumbs. It is commonly served hot during breakfast, and originally consumed by dipping in coffee or tsokolate¹². It can also be enjoyed with butter/margarine, cheese, jam or peanut butter. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Pandesal”.⁴⁸

9 Ube halaya is a Filipino dessert made from boiled and mashed purple yam (locally called ube). It is combined and thickened with condensed milk or coconut milk, along with melted butter/margarine, cooled, then typically placed on containers in various shapes, refrigerated, and served cold. It is can be eaten as is or as an ingredient in pastries and other desserts like ice cream and halo-halo. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Ube halaya”.⁴⁹

 ¹⁰Bibingka is a traditional rice cake in the Philippines made of rice flour, coconut milk, eggs, milk and water, traditionally cooked in clay pots lined with banana leaves with preheated coals top and bottom, usually enjoyed during the Christmas season, served hot or warm for breakfast or as a dessert. Toppings include butter/margarine, sugar, cheese, grated coconut and salted duck eggs⁵⁰.

¹¹Kakanin is the Filipino term for a common native snack in the Philippines, consisting of various kinds of rice cakes. NOTE: Kakanin comes from the word “kanin”, meaning “prepared rice”.

¹²Tsokolate is a native Filipino thick hot chocolate drink made from tabliya, tablets of pure ground roasted cacao beans, dissolved in water and milk. It is traditionally made using a tsokolatera⁵¹and briskly mixed with a wooden baton called the molinillo⁵² (also called batidoror batirol), causing the drink to be frothy. It is typically sweetened with a bit of muscovado⁵³, and has a distinctive grainy texture. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Tsokolate”.⁵⁴

¹³“Noche Buena,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noche_Buena.

¹⁴www.primer.com.ph

¹⁵ “Christmas in the Philippines,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_the_Philippines.

¹⁶Beef Caldereta is a Filipino dish similar to a spicy Spanish Beef Stew, made of beef, tomato sauce, vegetables (i.e., bell and hot peppers, carrots, green peas, olives, potatoes), and liver paste/spread, served during special occasions. Some areas in the country use goat meat, chicken or pork.

¹⁷Beef Mechado is the Filipino version of Beef Stew where beef is stewed in tomato sauce, along with spices, bell peppers, potatoes, carrots and green peas.

¹⁸Buko Pandan is a popular Filipino cold dessert made by using cubed green gelatin, flavored with the extract of pandan⁵⁵ leaves or buko pandan flavoring and sugar, along with a mixture of condensed milk, cream, young coconut meat and tapioca.

¹⁹Sopas is the Filipino term for “milky macaroni soup” using elbow macaroni, meat (usually flaked chicken meat) and vegetables (carrots and celery), made creamy with evaporated milk. So, Chicken Sopas means “Creamy Chicken-Macaroni Soup”, served during breakfast, cold weather, or to sick people. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Sopas”.⁵⁶

²⁰Sotanghon is the Filipino term for “cellophane/glass noodles”, transparent noodles made from starch and water, according to the Wikipedia page “Cellophane noodles”.⁵⁷ So, Chicken Sotanghon Soup is “Chicken-Glass Noodle Soup”, made of a thin but hearty soup made from chicken stock, flaked chicken meat, cellophane noodles, sautéed onions, garlic and kinchay (Chinese celery), vegetables (chopped carrots and napa cabbage), seasoned with salt, pepper and patis (fish sauce), colored with achuete (annatto), and topped with fried garlic bits, chopped green onions and sliced/halved hard-boiled egg.

²¹Crema de Fruta is a special Filipino cake made with layers of sponge cake, sweet custard or whipped cream, gelatin/agar, and different (canned or fresh) fruits (e.g., cherries, mangoes, peaches, pineapples, strawberries), usually served during the Christmas season, according to the Wikipedia page “Crema de fruta”.⁵⁸

²²Embotido is a Filipino steamed meatloaf, shaped like a thin log, made of a mixture of ground pork, chopped onions, carrots and red bell peppers, raisins, grated cheddar cheese, sweet pickle relish, bread crumbs or flaked bread, salt and pepper, and bonded by raw eggs. Hard-boiled eggs, Vienna sausage or hotdogs could be placed at the center of the roll so when it is sliced crosswise and arranged artistically in a serving platter, it would look attractive. It can be enjoy cold, but Filipinos sometimes fry this dish before slicing, and could be served warm, with (often banana) catsup as a dip.

²³Hamonado is a popular and savory Filipino dish consisting of meat marinated and cooked in a sweet pineapple sauce, often served during the Christmas season. Typically, meat (usually fatty cuts of pork, beef or chicken) is marinated overnight in a sweet sauce made with pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, and various spices. It is then pan-fried until the meat is browned. The meat is then simmered in stock and the marinade with added pineapple chunks until the meat is very tender. It is best enjoyed on white rice. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Hamonado”.⁵⁹

²⁴Bagnet is a Filipino dish which is simply crispy fried pork rind, originating from the Ilocos Region, in northwestern Luzon, Philippines.

²⁵Inihaw is the Filipino term for “grill” or “roast”.

²⁶Bangus is the Filipino term for “milkfish”, with the binomial name Chanoschanos, according to the Wikipedia page “Milkfish”.⁶⁰ So, Inihaw na Bangus is “Grilled/Roasted Milkfish”. NOTE: Bangus is not the official fish of the Philippines. In fact, there is no official national fish of the country.

²⁷Manok is the Filipino term for “chicken” so Inihaw na Manok is “Grilled/Roasted Chicken”.

²⁸Tilapia is a freshwater fish which inhabits shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes in temperate countries. In the Philippines, it is commonly called pla-pla and several species of tilapia are commercially grown in major lakes and rivers like Laguna de Bay, Taal Lake and Lake Buhi. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Tilapia”.⁶¹ So, Inihaw na Tilapia is “Grilled/Roasted Tilapia”.

²⁹Biko is a kakanin¹¹ or sweet rice cake from the Philippines which is made of coconut milk, glutinous rice, brown sugar, and usually topped with latik (either or both the coconut curds or the syrupy caramel-like variant). It is called sinukmani or sinukmaneng in southern Luzon. In Mindanao, it is called wagit in Maguindanao, wadit in Maranao, and wadjit in Tausug. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Biko (food)”.⁶²

 ³⁰Maja Blanca (coconut pudding) is a Filipino creamy white, delicately flavored rice cake made primarily from coconut milk/cream and cornstarch/agar mixture, along with corn kernels, milk, and sugar. It is then poured in greased (with coconut oil) serving dishes, topped with latik (browned coconut cream curds), and allowed to cool, refrigerated and served cold. It is usually served during fiestas or holidays, like Christmas. It has the consistency of a thick gelatin. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Maja blanca”.⁶³

³¹Palitaw is a traditional, small, flat, usually circular or rectangular, sweet, sticky Filipino rice cake made from “malagkit” (sticky rice, which has been washed, soaked and ground), rolled and flattened, shaped like a thin tongue, then cooked by dropping into boiling water. When it floats/rises to the surface, it is finally done and prepared for service by dipping it in freshly grated coconut, white sugar and toasted linga⁶⁴. NOTE: Palitaw comes from the Tagalog⁶⁵ word “litaw”, meaning “float” or “rise”.

³²Puto bumbong is a traditional cylindrical, purple/violet, Filipino, steamed, sticky rice cake made from pirurutong (glutinous rice flour, soaked in salted water and dried overnight) with violet coloring, placed into bumbong (bamboo tubes) attached to a lansungan (steamer) then steamed until done (i.e., when steam rises out of the bamboo tubes). The cooked sticky mixture is tapped out of the bamboo tubes, traditionally onto a banana leaf, with a dollop of margarine/butter, then topped with a mixture of freshly grated coconut and (muscovado⁵³ or white) sugar. It is then wrapped and kept warm in a (thermal) container.

³³Kalderetang Manok is a rich and flavorful Filipino chicken tomato-based stew, made of chicken, tomato sauce, vegetables (potatoes, carrots, green bell pepper, chili peppers), olives, cheese, and liver spread.

³⁴Leche Flan, or“milk flan”, is a popular dessert for special occasions in the Philippines. It is usually a steamed (but can also be a baked) flan made of egg yolks and condensed milk, poured in oval-shaped (or desired shaped) metal pans with caramelized sugar at the bottom. Prior to serving, a knife is used to loosen the sides and then inverted on a serving platter so that the caramelized sugar will serve as topping and will flow on to its sides.

³⁵Lengua Estofado is the Filipino version of Braised Beef Tongue in tomato sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, along with white wine, olives and bay leaves. Ox tongue is usually used and this dish is served during special occasions.

³⁶Lumpiang Shanghai is the Filipino term for “Fried Bite-Sized Spring Rolls”, usually filled with ground pork/chicken, minced shrimp, water chestnuts, carrots, singkamas (jicama), and chopped green onions. It is then served with sweet and sour sauce or catsup.

³⁷Morcon is a Filipino dish like a stuffed meat roulade, commonly served during special occasions like Christmas. It is made of thin sheets of beef (or pork), wrapped around hard-boiled eggs, ham, bacon, sausages (hotdog or chorizos), carrots, sweet pickles, cheese, pan-seared on high heat to brown its surface, then simmered in low heat in a braising liquid made of stock and tomato sauce, then finished off with other flavorings to serve as gravy/sauce. It is then sliced when cool.⁶⁶

³⁸Lumpiang Sariwa, literally “Fresh Spring Rolls”, is a Filipino vegetable dish, typically made from a sautéed mixture of julienned ubod (heart of palm), pork/tofu strips and/or chopped shrimps, garlic, onions, and cilantro, wrapped in a soft (unfried) crepe-like wrapper with fresh lettuce leaves, garnished with a sweet sauce (made of brown sugar, water, pork cube, crushed peanuts, thickened with cornstarch), and topped with freshly minced garlic.⁶⁷

³⁹Pancit Malabon is a type of pancit³ which originated in Malabon City, located in Metro Manila⁶⁸, in the Philippines. It has a yellow-orange sauce due to the use of achuete (annatto seeds), combined with shrimp broth, patis (fish sauce) and crab fat. Local fresh seafood toppings may include cooked shrimps, squids, tinapa⁶⁹, mussels and/or oysters. Other toppings are boiled strips of pork, hard-boiled duck/chicken eggs, crushed chicharon (pork rinds), sliced napa cabbage, chopped green onions, and lightly browned/sautéed minced garlic. It is similar to palabok (another kind of pancit³) but has thicker noodles. It is best enjoyed with patis (fish sauce) and calamansi⁴⁴ (calamondin or Philippine lime) juice. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Pancit Malabon”.⁷⁰

⁴⁰Patatim is a Filipino Chinese-style dish where a whole pork leg is first seared to seal in the flavor, then slowly braised in a sweet-savory soy sauce mixture made of Shaoxing wine (a traditional Chinese wine made from fermented rice), star anise, bok choy (a type of Chinese cabbage) and mushrooms until the skin is very tender and the meat has an almost melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. NOTE: “Pata” is Spanish for “leg” and “tim” is the Chinese term for a cooking style of this dish.

⁴¹Pininyahang Manok sa Gata is a tasty Filipino dish which literally means “Pineapple Chicken in Coconut Milk”. The cut-up chicken is marinated in pineapple juice then cooked together with coconut milk, pineapple tidbits/chunks, sliced carrots, green and red bell peppers, chopped onions, minced garlic, and flavored with patis (fish sauce) and ground black pepper.

⁴²Siomai is a traditional Chinese dumpling, usually served hot as a popular snack item in the Philippines. It is usually made of seasoned ground pork with bits of shrimp, mushrooms, and other preferred ingredients/seasonings. It is accompanied by a dip made of soy sauce and calamansi⁴⁴.

⁴³www.dish.allrecipes.com

⁴⁴Calamansi is a small (about 30-mm in diameter), tangy-sour citrus fruit with a thin, green skin (which turns yellow-orange when ripe), with a yellow/orange pulp. The juice is used in various food and beverages as a major/minor ingredient, seasoning or dipping ingredient.

⁴⁵“Arroz caldo,”accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arroz_caldo.

⁴⁶“Lumpia,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumpia.

⁴⁷“Adobo,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobo.

⁴⁸“Pandesal,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandesal.

⁴⁹“Ube halaya,”accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ube_halaya.

⁵⁰A salted duck egg is a preserved food product made by soaking duck eggs in brine or packing the eggs in damp, salted charcoal. In the Philippines, the eggs are traditionally dyed red to differentiate it with fresh duck eggs. It is used as a topping for bibingka¹⁰, or mixed with chopped, fresh tomatoes and scallions, onions and fish sauce, as a side salad for fried fish.

⁵¹A tsokolatera is the Filipino term for chocolatera, a Spanish/Latin-American type of high-necked metal pot shaped like a pitcher used for the traditional preparation of tsokolate¹², used in combination with a molinillo⁵² baton to froth the chocolate. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Chocolatera”.⁷¹

⁵²A molinillo is a traditional turned wood whisk used in Latin America, as well as the Philippines, where it is called batidol or batirol. It is used primarily for the preparation of hot beverages like tsokolate¹², held between the palms and rotated by rubbing the palms together, creating a frothy drink. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Molinillo (whisk)”.⁷²

⁵³Muscovado is a partially refined sugar with a strong molasses content and flavor. It is considered a healthy alternative to refined sugar due to higher levels of minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium). It is used in various food and confectionery, like puto bumbong³² in the Philippines.

⁵⁴“Tsokolate,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsokolate.

⁵⁵Pandan is a leaf used to flavor desserts and drinks like Buko Pandan, Maja Blanca and Gulaman. It comes from the genus Pandanus, according to the Wikipedia page “Pandanus”.⁷³

⁵⁶“Sopas,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopas.

⁵⁷“Cellophane noodles,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellophane_noodles .

⁵⁸“Cream de fruta,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crema_de_fruta.

⁵⁹“Hamonado,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamanado.

⁶⁰“Milkfish,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkfish.

⁶¹“Tilapia,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilapia.

⁶²“Biko (food),” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biko_(food).

⁶³“Maja blanca,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maja_blanca.

 ⁶⁴Linga is the Tagalog⁶⁵ term for sesame seeds. In the Philippines, it is toasted and used as a topping of palitaw³¹.

⁶⁵Tagalog is a language spoken in Metro Manila⁶⁸ and the provinces of Central Luzon(Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales) and Southern Luzon (the CALABARZON Region, Marinduque and Mindoro) of the Philippines. Its standardized form is officially called Filipino, the national language of the country. It may also refer to the people who live in the aforementioned places.

⁶⁶https://www.kawalingpinoy.com/morcon/

⁶⁷https://panlasangpinoy.com

⁶⁸Metro Manila is the official and administrative urban area in the southwestern portion of Luzon surrounding Manila, established in 1975 through Presidential Decree No. 824. It is the capital region of the Philippines, the seat of government, and is officially called the National Capital Region (NCR), composed of 16 cities (Caloocan, Las Piñas, Malabon, Makati, Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Novotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig, Valenzuela) and the municipality of Pateros. It is the center of culture, economy, education and government of the Philippines. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Metro Manila”.⁷⁴

⁶⁹Tinapa is the Filipino term for “smoked fish”, often made from black fin scad (Alepesmelanoptera, locally called galunggong), or from bangus²⁶ (milkfish), according to the Wikipedia page “Tinapa”.⁷⁵

⁷⁰“Pancit Malabon,” accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancit_Malabon.

⁷¹“Chocolatera,”accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolatera.

⁷²“Molinillo (whisk),”accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molinillo.

⁷³“Pandanus,”accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandanus.

⁷⁴“Metro Manila,”accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Manila.

⁷⁵“Tinapa,”accessed December 12, 2018, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinapa.