An ancient Filipino plant diet consists of local crops such as kamote (sweet potato), kamoteng-kahoy (cassava), and gabi (taro); meat diet of chicken, pork and fish dishes; and exotic dishes made with bayawak (monitor lizard), dagang bukid (field rat), baboy ramo (wild boar), usa (venison), pawikan (sea turtle), sawa (python), and balang (lobster) meats. In the year 3200 a. C., Austronesian sailors from the island of Formosa (present-day Taiwan) arrived in the Philippines and introduced rice, which would become the undisputed staple of all Philippine tables. Rice is an energy food.

Long before Spain landed on Philippine shores in 1521, Filipinos had already established thriving trades with nearby Asian neighbors, including Chinese and Indian traders. The earliest recorded trade between the Philippines and China dates back to the Song dynasty in AD 982. Chinese merchants bartered their jade, silk, and porcelain for Philippine spices. Through this trade, the Filipinos acquired their knowledge of stir fry, among other things. Chinese condiments like toyo (soy sauce) and patis (fish sauce) became instant favorites. Dishes enjoyed by early Filipinos such as lumpia (spring rolls), pansit (noodles), lugaw (congee), and taho (soft or silken tofu with sugar syrup and tapioca pearls) are of Chinese origin.

In addition to the Chinese, the ancient Filipinos actively traded with the kingdoms of the Malay Peninsula and India, mainly through Mindanao, the country’s second largest island. Mindano dishes such as coconut milk chicken, biryani, rendang, and satti (satay) have Malay roots. The use of coriander, turmeric, and lemongrass in southern Philippine dishes is also of Malay origin.

Along with Christianity, the Kingdom of Spain brought endless spices and dishes from Europe and from the so-called “New World”. Such spices and products were: garlic, onion, chili, corn, cocoa and tomato, which arrived through the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade that extended between 1565 and 1815. It further developed Philippine cuisine by introducing Mexican flavors to the palate. Philippine. The Spanish introduced cocidos, or meat stews, which became a favorite on special occasions such as Christmas, weddings, and popular festivals. Examples of stews are fried, often, larded, stew. Longanisa, an ancient way of preserving meat, originated from the Spanish cold cut chorizo. Sautéing, a cooking method that combines onion, garlic and tomato over hot oil, was a Spanish cooking technique and is known locally as gisa. Filipinos learned to dine using a fork, spoon, and knife.

Compared to its Spanish predecessors, the US government’s foothold in the Philippines was much shorter, from 1898 to the conclusion of World War II in 1946. The US fast food; foods and concepts that are very loved by Filipinos, especially young people. Today, fast food franchises are a very successful business model in the Philippines, while American favorites such as French fries, sundaes, and fried chicken became favorites due to Filipinos’ penchant for sweet and fried foods.

However, a dash of history lesson may not be enough to describe what the signature “Filipino dish” really is. Unanimously, it is safe to say that it is Adobo: chicken or pork stewed in vinegar, garlic and peppercorns. Filipino dishes arose from the marriage between East and West. It is the union between the freshness and generosity of the country’s products with the dynamism and sophistication commonly found in Western dishes. It’s what you see when a Filipino housewife prepares her Valencian Rice using a wok during Christmas Eve; those hot dog bits, an outpouring of banana ketchup, and a sharp topping of shredded cheddar cheese on spaghetti at a kid’s birthday party; scoops of cheese and ube (purple yam) flavored ice cream in a tall glass of halo-halo while soaking up the hot summer sun; a touch of sweetness and spiciness brought by the Spanish chorizo ​​mixed with the oriental flavors of the pansit; It’s that spaghetti meal that only McDonald’s Philippines has; caldereta’s (stewed goat meat in tomato sauce); the unusual love affair with coconut milk and everyone’s favorite combination of sizzling sisig (minced pork cooked with chili and vinegar) and beer.

Personally, the Filipino dish is an upside-down gastronomic adventure that everyone with a mouth and a stomach to fill should try at least once in their life. Tired of eating dumplings, sushi, kimchi and curries? Perhaps it is time to step out of the box and look further East, where the tropical islands of the Philippines, basking in the eastern sun, await adventurous foodies to dine and indulge in an extensive buffet of extraordinary delicacies. .