Filipino cuisine is composed of the cuisines of more than a hundred distinct ethnolinguistic groups found throughout the Philippine archipelago. A majority of mainstream Filipino dishes that comprise Filipino cuisine are from the food traditions of various ethnolinguistic groups and tribes of the archipelago, including the Ilocano, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, Tagalog, Bicolano, Visayan, Chavacano, and Maranao ethnolinguistic groups. The dishes associated with these groups evolved over the centuries from a largely indigenous base shared with maritime Southeast Asia with varied influences from Chinese, Spanish, and American cuisines, in line with the major waves of influence that had enriched the cultures of the archipelago, and adapted using indigenous ingredients to meet local preferences.
Pancit, also spelled pansít, is a general term referring to various traditional noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. There are numerous types of pancit, often named based on the noodles used, method of cooking, place of origin or the ingredients. Most pancit dishes are characteristically served with calamansi, which adds a citrusy flavor profile.
Sayur asem or sayur asam is an Indonesian vegetable soup. It is a popular Southeast Asian dish originating from Sundanese cuisine, consisting of vegetables in tamarind soup.
Kinilaw is a raw seafood dish and preparation method native to the Philippines. It is more accurately a cooking process that relies on vinegar and acidic fruit juices to denature the ingredients, rather than a dish, as it can also be used to prepare meat and vegetables. Kinilaw dishes are usually eaten as appetizers before a meal, or as finger food with alcoholic drinks. Kinilaw is also sometimes called kilawin, especially in the northern Philippines, but the term kilawin more commonly applies to a similar lightly grilled meat dish.
Pinangat na isda, also called pangat na isda, is a Filipino dish from Southern Luzon consisting of fish and tomatoes stewed in a broth soured with fruits like calamansi, bilimbi, tamarind, or santol. It can also be used to cook shrimp. It is similar to sinigang, but it is not as tart.
Philippine adobo is a popular Filipino dish and cooking process in Philippine cuisine. In its base form, meat, seafood, or vegetables are first browned in oil, and then marinated and simmered in vinegar, salt and/or soy sauce, and garlic. It has occasionally been considered the unofficial national dish in the Philippines.
Bulalô is a beef dish from the Philippines. It is a light colored soup that is made by cooking beef shanks and bone marrow until the collagen and fat has been melted into the clear broth. It typically includes leafy vegetables, corn on the cob, scallions, onions, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce. Potatoes, carrots, or taro can also be added. It is commonly eaten on rice with soy sauce and calamansi on the side. Bulalo is native to the Southern Luzon region of the Philippines, particularly in the provinces of Batangas and Cavite.
Paksiw is a Filipino style of cooking, whose name means "to cook and simmer in vinegar". Common dishes bearing the term, however, can vary substantially depending on what is being cooked.
Hot and sour soup is a popular example of Chinese cuisine. Although it is said to be originated in Sichuan, this is actually a variant of hulatang or "pepper hot soup" (胡辣汤) with added vinegar to enhance the sourness. This variation is found in Henan province, and in Henan cuisine itself. Also popular in Southeast Asia, India, Pakistan and the United States, it is a flexible soup which allows ingredients to be substituted or added depending on availability. For example, the American-Chinese version can be thicker as it commonly includes corn starch, while in Japan, sake is often added.
Nilaga is a traditional meat stew or soup from the Philippines, made with boiled beef or pork mixed with various vegetables. It is typically eaten with white rice and is served with soy sauce, patis, labuyo chilis, and calamansi on the side.
Afritada is a Philippine dish consisting of chicken, beef, or pork braised in tomato sauce with carrots, potatoes, and red and green bell peppers. It is served on white rice and is a common Filipino meal. It can also be cooked with seafood.
Philippine asado refers to two different Filipino braised meat dishes. The name originates from Spanish asado ("grilled"), a reference to the original dish it was applied to, the Chinese-Filipino version of char siu barbecues usually known as pork asado. However, the Filipino versions have evolved to be braised, not grilled. The other Filipino dishes also known as asado are asado de carajay and asado matua. Unlike the Chinese-derived version, they are savory rather than sweet.
Linarang, also known as larang or nilarang, is a Filipino fish stew originating from the Central Visayas islands. It is made with fish in a spicy and sour coconut milk-based broth with garlic, red onions, tomatoes, fermented black beans (tausi), chilis, and sour fruits.
Ginataang isda is a Filipino fish stew made from fish and leafy vegetables in coconut milk with garlic, ginger, onion, patis or bagoong alamang, and salt and pepper. It is a type of ginataan. A common version of the dish, known as ginataang paksiw na isda or paksiw na isda sa gata, is additionally soured with vinegar. Ginataang isda is a type of ginataan.
Sinanglay is a Filipino dish made from stuffed fish wrapped in leafy vegetables and lemongrass or pandan leaves cooked in a spicy coconut milk sauce. It is a type of ginataan and originates from the Bicol Region.
Cansí is a Filipino beef soup originating from Iloilo which is spread across the rest of the Western Visayas region. It is made with beef shank and bone marrow boiled until gelatinous. It is uniquely slightly soured with fruits like batuan or bilimbi. Cansi is usually cooked with unripe breadfruit or jackfruit, lemongrass, tomatoes, garlic, onions, fish sauce, and siling haba or labuyo peppers. The soup is usually orange in color due to the use of annatto seeds (atsuete). It is also sometimes called "sinigang na bulalo" in Tagalog regions, due to its similarity to sinigang and bulalo.
Kadyos, baboy, kag lanka, commonly shortened to KBL, is a Filipino pork soup or stew originating from the Hiligaynon people of the Western Visayas islands. The name of the dish means "pigeon peas, pork, and jackfruit"; the three main ingredients. The soup is also traditionally soured with batuan fruits. Other souring agents like tamarind can also be used. Other ingredients include leafy greens, lemongrass, fish sauce, onions, and siling haba peppers. The pork cut used is typically the hock (pata). The dish is characteristically purple in color due to the use of pigeon peas. It is similar to another Hiligaynon dish known as kadyos, manok, kag ubad which uses chicken and banana pith instead.
Kadyos, manok, kag ubad, commonly shortened to KMU, is a Filipino chicken soup or stew originating from the Hiligaynon people of the Western Visayas islands. The name of the dish means "pigeon peas, chicken, and banana pith"; the three main ingredients. It is similar to another Hiligayon dish, Kadyos, baboy, kag langka ("KBL"), except that it does not use a souring agent, and it uses chicken and banana pith instead. Like KBL, KMU is also characteristically purple in color due to the use of pigeon peas. Other ingredients include onions, lemongrass, thinly-sliced ginger, siling haba pepper, and salt and pepper.
Linat-an, also known as nilat-an, is a traditional pork stew from the Visayas and Mindanao islands of the Philippines. Linat-an characteristically uses pork ribs boiled and simmered until very tender, lemongrass, string beans, and starchy ingredients for a thicker soup. Like the very similar nilagang baboy, the rest of its ingredients can vary, but they typically include chayote, water spinach, onion, garlic, pechay, calabaza, and bell peppers. It is seasoned with salt, ground black pepper, and fish sauce to taste.
Lauya is a Filipino stew. Its name is derived from the Spanish-Filipino term "la olla", likely referring to the native clay pots in which stews were made in. It is now often associated with the Ilocano stew typically made with pork or beef. The term is sometimes used in Ilonggo cuisine.
