🍽️ Cuisine
Filipino cuisine is bold and sour—adobo as national dish, lechon for fiestas, and the unique sour-savory balance.
Adobo
Braised Meat
Meat braised in vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic—the Filipino national dish.
Ingredients: 500g pork belly or chicken, 120ml soy sauce, 120ml vinegar, 1 head garlic, crushed, Bay leaves, Whole peppercorns.
Preparation: Combine all in pot—don't brown first. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer until tender. Then remove meat, reduce sauce. Fry meat in oil for crispy bits (optional). Finally, return to sauce.
💡 Don't stir when vinegar is boiling or it will turn bitter.
Lechon Kawali
Crispy Pork Belly
Twice-cooked pork belly—crispy skin, tender meat.
Ingredients: 1 kg pork belly, whole piece, Bay leaves, Whole peppercorns, Salt, Oil for deep frying, Liver sauce (lechon sauce).
Preparation: Boil pork belly with aromatics until tender. Dry completely in fridge overnight. Deep-fry until skin is super crispy. Then rest before chopping. To finish, serve with lechon sauce.
💡 Completely dry skin is the secret to crispiness.
Sinigang
Sour Soup
Tamarind-soured soup with pork and vegetables—comfort in a bowl.
Ingredients: 500g pork ribs, Tamarind paste or fresh tamarind, Tomatoes, onion, Radish, string beans, spinach, Fish sauce.
Preparation: Boil pork until tender. Add tomatoes, onion. Add tamarind for sourness. Then add vegetables by cooking time. Season with fish sauce. Last, should be distinctly sour.
💡 Balance is key—sinigang should be sour first, then savory.
