UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII • COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE • HOME ECONOMICS CIRCULAR 347

ABOUT FILIPINO FOODS

HELEN C. GASCONExtension Home Economist

KATHRYN J. ORRFoods and Nutrition Specialist

IIHE PHILIPPINES, an island countryI Iin the southwest Pacific, is one ofi \"\ - $","-1 the leading democracies of South-(L__...~ east Asia. The country's full name isRepublic of the Philippines. Quezon City is thecapital; Manila is the largest city and chiefgovernmental center.

Rugged mountains rise above the thickjungles and green plains of the more than 7,100tropical islands. The total area of the PhilippineIslands is a little larger than Wisconsin andIllinois combined, but the country has one anda half times as many people as these two statestogether. The brown-skinned, dark-hairedpeople of the Philippines are called Filipinos,93 out of every 100 of whom are Christians,making the Philippines the only Christian coun­try in Asia. About 90 of every 100 Filipinoslive along country roads or in farm villages. Therest of the people live in cities.

Most of the people belong to a race calledthe Filipino-Malaysian. Their ancestors cameto the islands from Southeast Asia by way ofthe East Indies, beginning about 200 B.C. Butmany ethnic groups, such as Caucasian, Mon··goloid, and Eurasian, are represented.

The people of the Philippines speak ninedifferent languages of the Malayo-Polynesiangroup. These languages consist of about 90 dif­ferent local or tribal dialects. About one-thirdof the people speak the Tagalog dialect of cen­tral Luzon Island. The government made Taga­log the "national language" in 1946. English,however, is still the chief language used bygovernment officials and businessmen. Chil­dren learn both English and Tagalog in school.

The islands rank among the world's leadingproducers of coconut, rice, and sugar. Forestsfurnish mahogany and other fine lumber. Minessupply gold, silver, and other minerals. Thewaters around the islands provide large catchesof fish. Bananas make up about half the fruitsproduced for commercial purpose and homeconsumption. The other half includes papayas,mangoes, cantaloupe, watermelon, avocado,and pineapples.

Rice predominates in the Filipino diet. Infact, this cereal supplies nearly half the totalcaloric intake. Corn is second in Importanceas a food crop and is favored over rice in someprovinces.

The most commonly available meat is pork,followed closely by poultry. These are fre­quently served together in a popular dish calledadobo. Fish is the main source of animal pro­tein in the Filipino diet. Bagoong, a favoritefish sauce, is a mixture of salt and small fish,like anchovies, shrimps, clams or oysters, fer­mented to a sauce or paste. It is used to flavormany dishes by Ilocanos and Tagalogs, butrarely by the Visayans.

Vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, rad­ish, beans, peas, and garlic are available inrelatively small quantities. Filipinos are veryfond of tomatoes, which are combined withalmost any other vegetable in hot dishes andsalads, especially with bagoong. The most pop­ular leafy vegetables are of the cabbage family-petsay, head cabbage and swamp cabbage,mustard greens, and sweet potato tops. Of allthe root crops, sweet potatoes rank first inpopularity.

A distinctive Filipino food habit is to useleaves, tendrils of vines, flowers, seed pods, andyoung shoots of plants in salads and cookeddishes. As a result, their diet is fairly high invitamin A.

The usual Ilocano method of cooking is tostart with bOiling water, then to add salt,bagoong, shrimps or fish, and lastly, the vege­tables. Fat is not commonly used. The Tagalogmethod of cooking is to start with some fat,to fry the meat or fish, then to fry the vegetablesslightly before adding water. Coconut milk isused more by the Tagalogs in their daily cook­ing than by the Ilocanos or Visayans.

Many dishes prepared by the Filipinos arethick soups or stews with varying amounts ofliquid. One of the most favorite dishes is thedinengdeng (an Ilocano word), a term used fora stew of one or more vegetables seasoned withbagoong, dried shrimps, or fish. This dish canalso be cooked with a dried legume likf~ mungobeans.

Like the Oriental groups in Hawaii, theFilipinos use white rice in large quantities.They use the mochi-type of rice especially forcakes, pastries, and other dessert dishes. In can­canens, the general term for desserts, coconutmilk is most often used, together with brownsugar and mochi rice.

Fruit is more likely to be used green orpickled than ripe. Occasionally, fruits are usedas desserts or with afternoon tea (merienda).Sweet desserts are seldom served with every­day meals, but more often on feast occasions.

Many have commented on the hospitalityof the Filipinos and their love of festivals.Important functions such as christenings, wed­dings, funerals, and fiestas are always high­lighted with special Filipino cookery anddelicacies. Many of these elaborate dishes showSpanish influence and are served largely atformal occasions. Their daily menu is muchmore Simple.

FILIPINO FOODSMENU

PORK ADOBO(Seasoned Pork)

PINACBIT(Bitter Melon and Eggplant)

CAMOTE LEAVES(Sweet Potato Leaves)

BANDIAY BANDIAY(Banana Fritters)

BITSO BITSO(Sweet Potato Patties)

ACRARA(Pickled Green Papaya)

BIBINGCA(Coconut Rice Pudding)

CRA(Tea)

CAPE(Coffee)

PORK ADOBO°(Seasoned Pork)

°For Chicken Adobo omit garlic and add ginger root andwhole pepper corns.

oOIf soy sauce is added to mixture, omit bay leaves and salt.

Clean and slice pork into bite-size pieces. Put porkin fry pan and add garlic, vinegar, salt, monosodiumglutamate, black pepper, and bay leaves. Mixthoroughly and add enough water to cover meat. Sim­mer until all water has evaporated. Fry meat untilbrown on both sides, adding a little fat, if necessary.Serve hot.

6 servings

1 teaspoon bagoongsauce

1 teaspoon chopped gin­ger root

2 medium-size tomatoes

CAMOTE LEAVES(Sweet Potato Leaves)

Wash potato leaves or spinach; add to boilingwater and barely wilt. Do not overcook or leaves maybecome slippery. (If overcooked, may refrigerateuntil thoroughly chilled to crisp up and remove slip­pery condition.) Drain and place leaves in large bowl.Add bagoong sauce, ginger, and tomatoes. Mixthoroughly. Ginger root and tomatoes may be omittedand lemon juice substituted for a flavor change.

1 to 2 pounds sweetpotato leaves (spinachmay be used)

Vz cup water

4 to 6 servings

Dash of monosodiumglutamate

Dash of black pepper2 bay leaves or 2 table­

spoons soy sauce 0 0

Water to cover pork

2 pounds lean-type porkedged with liz-inch fat( pork steak or chops)

2 tablespoons choppedgarlic

6 tablespoons vinegar1Vz teaspoons salt

PINACBIT(Bitter Melon and Eggplant)

Wash and slice vegetables. Remove seeds frombitter melon. Cut all vegetables in 2-inch pieces. Mixgarlic, bagoong sauce, water, sliced tomatoes, andshrimp in deep pot. And melon first, then eggplant;cover and simmer until eggplant is cooked, 5 to 8minutes. Okra may be added, if available. Aftervegetables are cooked, they may be marinated in thinmayonnaise for 15 minutes before serving.

6 servings

liz teaspoon choppedginger root

Dash black pepper

1 medium-size greenpapaya

2 tablespoons vinegar1 teaspoon salt

ACHARA(Pickled' Green Papaya)

Wash and peel papaya, remove seed~, and shredflesh. Add vinegar, salt, ginger, and pepper. Blendthoroughly. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes orplace in covered container and keep in refrigeratoruntil ready to serve.

6 servings

2 medium-size tomatoes14 cup aramang

( shrimp) or ipon(small dried fish)

Dash of monosodium glu­tamate

3 long eggplant2 bittermelon or % pound

frozen okra2 cloves garlic1 teaspoon bagoong

sauceliz cup water

BANDIAY BANDIAY(Banana Fritters)

Sift dry ingredients together; add milk and mix.Peel and slice bananas in half. Dip halves in batter.Heat oil in frying pan at medium heat and fry bananasuntil brown on both sides. Serve hot or cold-a partof main course.

1 cup all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking

powder3 to 4 tablespoons sugar% cup milk

8 to 10 servings

4 or 5 whole apple(Brazilian) bananas

Oil to cover bottom of frypan

mochi rice in strainer and stir into milk mixture. Cookin double boiler 30 minutes or until thick. Stir con­stantly.

Line 8x8x2 baking pan with wilted bananaleaves and pour in pudding. Sprinkle top with mixtureof J~ cup brown sugar and J~ cup coconut milk. Bakein oven set at 350°F. for 15 minutes; then lower tem­perature to 300°F. and continue baking for 30 min­utes. Cool in pan and cut in :3-inch squares to serve.

BITSO BITSO(Sweet Potato Patties)

e servings

"To PREPARE COCONUT MILK:

Four cups of coconut milk require 2 coconuts.Punch eyes from nuts, drain the liquid and save. Crackthe nut and remove the nut meat. Peel the brown skinfrom the meat. Cut in small pieces and grate on handgrater or chop fine in an ele(tric blender. To each 3cups of grated coconut meat, add the coconut waterand enough boiling water to make 1~ cups liquid. Letstand 15 minutes. Knead with hands and squeezethrough two thicknesses of cheesecloth or a poi cloth;squeeze as dryas possible.

Wash, peel, thell grate sweet potatoes. Add enoughflour and sugar to make mixture that can be shapedinto 2-inch patties, J~-inch thick. Pan fry until a goldenbrown. Serve with adobo or meat course.

BIBINGCA(Coconut Rice Pudding)

16 two-inch

Reserve J~ cup coconut milk and J~ cup brown sugarfor topping. Wash mochi rice and let stand in coldwater (while cooking coconut milk.) Cook 3J~ cupscoconut milk in top of double boiler for 30 minutes,stirring constantly. (NOTE: Keep water in lower por­tion at constant boil.) Add 1 cup brown sugar. Drain

2 cups grated rawsweet potato

4 cups fresh coconutmilk"

1;4 cup sugar1/4 cup all-purpose flour

squares

1V3 cups mochi riceWilted banana leaves""11/2 cups brown sugar

""To WILT BANANA LEAVES:

Wash leaves on both sides, then hold over highburner flame until leaves turn a dull green color.Do not burn' leaves. If too smoked, wipe both sides ofleaves with damp cloth. May also be wilted in boilingwater by passing through water a few minutes.

REFERENCES

1. Filipino Foods. Irene Shibuya. West Oahu County,Cooperative Extension Service, University ofHawaii, 1963.

2. "Forty-Year Review of Nutrition Progress in thePhilippines." Carmen Le Intengan. Philippinefowned of Nutrition, fuly-September, 1962.

3. Kauai Cookbook. Garden Island Publishing Com­pany, 1959. 2nd Edition, pp. 22-23.

4. The WQ1·ld Book Encyclopedia, pp. 14; 332-344.

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