Filipino food

Layered Tikoy (Sweet Rice Cake/Nian Gao)

Tikoy 4

We love tikoy! It’s the first food that comes to mind when we think of Chinese New Year. We had this habitual trip to Binondo weeks prior to the Lunar New Year to get our hands on this well-loved delicacy. My parents would always buy tons of the white-colored ones, mostly to share with families …

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Oven-Baked Homemade Tinapa (Smoked Fish)

Smoked Fish 5

Whenever I think of Tinapa (smoked fish), I’m reminded of 2 Catholic churches in Manila – Our Lady of Loreto (Sampaloc, Manila) and Quiapo Church (Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene). These are churches that I frequented when I was still living in the Philippines and street vendors selling tinapa lined up outside its walls …

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Arroz Ala Cubana (Filipino)

Arroz Ala Cubana 3

Arroz ala Cubana sounds so complicated and elegant but this dish actually has humble beginnings. It definitely is Spanish in origin but some countries have their own variations. The identifying ingredients are rice, egg and plantain. That’s how it’s done in South America. Spain adds tomatoes and tomato sauce on theirs while in the Philippines, …

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Almondigas (Meatball Noodle Soup)

Almondigas 1

Almondigas is one of those dishes that reminds me of my parents’ cooking. It’s like a warm hug in a bowl that turns me into a child again. Growing up, I don’t think we ever ran out of misua (very thin wheat noodles) because my dad loves cooking and putting it in a lot of …

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Buco Salad

Buco Salad 1

Nothing compares to having buco salad in the Philippines. Fresh young coconuts are available everywhere and the sweet, tender, and pure taste of buco is perfect! It’s nowhere near the taste and texture of the buco that we (sadly) can get our hands on here in North America. Though that’s the case, we still make …

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Filipino Fruit Salad

Filipino Fruit Salad 3

My mom is a great cook and she always plans our Noche Buena (Christmas eve dinner) spread a few weeks early. When we have our family meeting on dishes that we want, this dessert is picked every single year! We all love it and the vibrant colors speak of Christmas.  Making fruit salad was one …

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Crunchy Lumpiang Shanghai (Pork Spring Roll)

Crunchy Lumpiang Shanghai 4

Filipino celebrations center around food. There are a few dishes that are always present at the table and Lumpiang Shanghai is one of them. Next to the noodles (either Pancit or Filipino Spaghetti), this is a very popular and well-loved party food.  Christmas is just around the corner and this being an almost constant special …

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Moist and Crispy Oven-Roasted Pork

Moist and Crispy Oven-Roasted Pork 4

Filipinos love pork! We have tons of dishes made from it but I think the Lechon (whole roasted pig) is the best of them all. It usually takes centerstage on special occasions and celebrations. But with the “new normal” wherein gatherings are limited and there’s a small cap to the number of people that can …

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Filipino-Style Chicken Curry

Filipino-Style Chicken Curry 6

My kids and I are not fond of the typical curry because of the “heat” factor and there’s also a whole lot of strong spices involved that we really can’t handle. That’s why this Filipino-style Chicken Curry is perfect for us! Not spicy, only uses curry powder and is very easy to make.  Bone-in chicken …

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Pork Dinuguan (Pork Blood Stew)

Pork Dinuguan (Pork Blood Stew) 2

Dinuguan is not for everyone. One can easily be put off by its looks. If you’re not Filipino, you might think (or some Pinoys might trick you) that it’s “Chocolate Meat”. It may seem like it in appearance but once you stick your nose next to it, you’ll know that dinuguan is definitely NOT made …

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