Top 10 Best Filipino Dishes

Filipinos are well known in different aspects; sports, our tourist spots, and even our rich culture, and most of all, we are known for our unique and appetizing cuisines. Who doesn't want to eat? We, Filipinos can't deny the fact that we really have a passion for food and eating. We cannot celebrate different events such as birthdays, Christmas, fiesta and other memorable moments without preparing a something special for such occasions.

Many of us admit that they consider eating as one of their hobbies, and one way to have a good bonding with our family and friends is to eat together in our favorite Filipino restaurant. So, it is not surprising that our forefathers created a lot of delicious and original cuisines that can't be found in any other side of this world.

I have listed the top 10 most favorite and tastiest Filipino cuisines. Of course, the reigning champion on the number one spot is no other than, 'Adobo'. It is the most popular Filipino dish that is being loved by people from all walks of life. It is considered a national dish. Many foreigners, said that it was really the most unforgettable and enjoyable meal they had within their whole stay in the Philippines. It is a stew of pork, chicken or both cooked in soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, whole peppercorns, and bay leaf. The meat is simmered in the liquid until it is reduced and the meat is tender. Shellfish and some vegetables can also be cooked this way. 

It is being followed by our second placer, 'Sinigang'. People really love its fantastic sour taste. It is a local dish using a variety of meats, fish and shellfish cooked in a sour broth with kamote tops, kangkong, sitaw (string beans), okra, wing beans, banana heart, taro roots, sliced eggplants and radish. The acidity can come from tamarind, green mangoes, guavas, santol, kamias, young tamarind leaves. Miso and mustard leaves are used for fish sinigang. 

Next on the list is the, 'Lechon'. It is a sought-after food during special occasions. A suckling pig is skewered in a bamboo pole and roasted manually over hot coals until the skin turns reddish brown and crispy, and the meat tender. It is served in a thick dipping sauce made from chicken and pork livers, vinegar, sugar and spices. La Loma in Quezon City is known as the Lechon capital of the Philippines. 

Followed by 'Kare-kare' on fourth place. It is a Filipino stew made from beef chunks, tripe, oxtail and a variety of vegetables. The meat is boiled until tender then mixed with roasted peanuts and rice/sticky rice, ground to a fine powder this is the ingredient that thickens the sauce and gives it the unique flavor. Nowadays, peanut butter is used in place of the ground peanuts and rice.

The fifth placer is the 'Menudo', is one of those dishes that is commonly seen in different Filipino gatherings. The famous version is a mix of diced pork liver, pork meat, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, red and green bell peppers and raisins. The rich sauce is thickened with tomato sauce or paste. Cubed chorizo de bilbao and chickpeas can be added for a richer flavor. 

'Ginataan' dominates the lower half of the list. It is a method of cooking with coconut milk. Pure or watered down coconut milk is added to either pork, chicken, fish, shellfish or vegetables for different viand recipes. Coconut milk's flavor is the best when chillies are added, it simply enhances the flavor and spice of any Filipino food.

Next is the 'Caldereta'. It is traditionally cooked with goat meat. However, it has several varieties as of now. Different various of meat can now be used in this dish as the main ingredient. The meat is boiled until tender and slowly cooked with a very thick sauce made from minced onions, garlic and tomatoes and ground pepper. 

While, on the number eight spot is the 'Nilaga' or stew. It literally means boiled. Pork, chicken or beef/beef shanks are boiled in plenty of water until very tender. It is being added by Cabbage, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, leeks, corn, saba, petchay, whole peppercorns and chick peas. 

'Tinapang Bangus' is the number nine in the list. The whole milkfish is sliced in half, the gills and innards are removed. Some makers remove the bones. The fish is marinated in salt and water, drained and cooked in a pressure cooker then dried under the sun before smoking to complete the cooking process.

Last on the list is 'Pancit'. It's a Chinese-influenced dish and served as a main course or snack. It is a mixture of thinly-sliced pork, pork liver or chicken and cabbage, Baguio beans, carrots and rice noodles, vermicelli, canton noodles and other dried noodles are stir-fried together, for a richer flavor the noodles are cooked in the broth used to cook the chicken meat.

 

There are a lot more delightful Filipino cuisines, but the listed dishes above are the most favorite among the others. This fact really proves that Filipinos are very creative in cooking such appetizing dishes that are craved not only in our country but also in the different places around the globe.