Food in the Philippines

As usual, a few words about food in the Philippines. First of all, it must be said that anyone expecting the flavors of Southeast Asia here will be disappointed because many aromatics such as spices and herbs that are known from there are hardly used here... even chili is used very sparingly and often only served separately with the food. For flavor, mainly onion, garlic, and ginger are used, here and there an occasional bay leaf or peppercorn. There is no shortage of sugar, and often it's unsure if it might be a bit too much (sausages sweeter than some desserts...). If you don't eat meat, you will have a hard time because the general rule here seems to be that a dish without animal is impossible to be delicious. However, for those who like fast food, especially the 'fried chicken' variety, this is paradise. Pizza chains and Filipino-ized 'Chinese food' chains are also abundant (of course, you can also get some fried chicken from them if you want). The Philippine chain Jollibee, with over 1000 branches nationwide and a few in other countries, is not only the largest fast food chain in the country but even in all of Asia (yes, even bigger than the Asian branch of Mc. Donalds). In addition to fried chicken, they also have burgers that make a McDonald's burger look like a burger for vegetable lovers. Of course, the ubiquitous Philippine spaghetti with sweet tomato sauce and hot dog pieces must not be missing.

As bad as it may sound so far, there are, of course, some delicious foods as well. In carinderias, you can find ready-to-eat food that you can simply choose. Such places are very cheap but usually not very veggie-friendly. That's why we often went to places where they cooked fresh food.

There are some salads as appetizers. Our favorite was a salad with smoky grilled eggplant. Raw fish is processed into kinilaw. Similar to ceviche, the fish is lightly cooked through a citrus-vinegar-sugar marinade.

Grilled dishes can be found everywhere, mostly marinated in a simple sweet and sour sauce. Pork is especially popular, especially the fatty belly. But of course, there is also chicken and seafood. At the table, there is usually a bottle of coconut vinegar flavored with chili, onion, and garlic, as well as soy sauce. Often, you also get a fresh kalamansi, which gives a great acidity and mandarin-like fruity flavor.

Pork is also the star of some other favorites like crispy pata (fried pork leg) or lechon kawali (boiled pork belly, then fried). A popular snack is sisig, which consists of fried cubes of pig's head but can also be made from other animals (or in rare cases, tofu). However, the most popular pork dish is lechon, a whole animal marinated with a spice paste inside, brushed with coconut water, and cooked over an open fire. This dish is prepared especially during fiestas, but you can also get it in specialized restaurants every day.

Frying and grilling are very popular cooking methods, but braised dishes are also very popular. They often remind of hearty stews like we would find at home. Beef or goat with large carrot chunks and potatoes. Even clear soups, for example, made from beef, have a taste that is almost like home-cooked food. The only difference is that you eat rice with it. But the most well-known braised dish is probably adobo, whether it's made from pork, chicken, or something else. The meat is braised with soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar and can be quite tasty if done well.

Last but not least, let's mention the vegetables. Unfortunately, the few vegetables that exist are mostly prepared with meat. At least a small piece of pork belly must be included for it to taste good. However, pinakbet is a delicious vegetable dish without meat... But it does include dried shrimps. Unripe jackfruit is often braised with coconut milk and, as long as there is no chicken in it, it is a tasty veggie alternative. Pumpkin can also be found occasionally, and it is usually prepared without meat. Other vegetable preparations are usually kept simple and just fried. Green beans or eggplants are popular vegetables for this. In the rare cases where a carinderia offers a larger selection, vegetarians can enjoy a satisfying meal. Otherwise, Lea had to resort to fried rice or noodles. If even that cannot be found, there is always rice with soy sauce.