Three Chefs Share Filipino Recipes to Make at Home

If I were to ask 10 random people whether or not they’ve ever eaten Filipino food, chances are that over half of them would say no. For those who have, it’s very likely that adobo, pansit, or lumpia would be the dishes they’ve tried. These three dishes do figure prominently in the canon of Philippine cuisine, but they’re far from being an accurate snapshot that represents the whole.

The Philippines as a polyglot nation spans thousands of islands, and its people speak over 150 distinct languages—don’t even get me started on the dialects. Through the country’s broad history of trade and colonialism, flavors and cooking techniques from Spain, China, Malaysia, India, Japan, Mexico, and America have also been incorporated into Filipino culinary tradition.

Filipino food is bold and in your face. It’s big on umami, whether from bagoong (fermented shrimp paste) or patis (fish sauce) or oyster sauce; soy sauce and Maggi seasoning bridge the gap between umami and salty. Sour also figures prominently in Philippine cooking; you’ll definitely find multiple types of vinegar in any Filipino’s cupboard. Sugarcane and coconut vinegar are most common, used as sawsawan (dipping sauce) and in marinades, braises, and glazes. Tamarind, calamansi, and green mango are key ingredients for introducing sourness. Sweet is another important element, and not just in desserts. Filipinos find the combination of sweet and savory irresistible; tocino (sweet cured pork) and Filipino spaghetti with its sweet tomato sauce are two perfect examples. Banana ketchup is a ubiquitous condiment, while palm sugar adds deep, rich sweetness to grilling marinades and braising liquid.

I spoke with three chefs who each view Philippine cuisine through a different lens, asking for Filipino recipes that resonate deeply with them. Bay-area chef-author Yana Gilbuena of Salo Series grew up in Iloilo City of the Visayas region. Chef Alden Ong of Farmer’s Apprentice restaurant in Vancouver is Chinese-Filipino and was born in Quezon City, part of Metro Manila on the northern island of Luzon. And Malaysian-Chinese chef-restaurateur Justin Cheung of Vancouver’s Potluck Hawker Eatery married into wife Rachel Rodriguez’s Filipino family that has roots in Laguna province.

… read more