The Philippines is located in the continent of Asia. It has the Pacific Ocean to the north and east, Papua New Guinea to the far southeast, Indonesia and Australia to the south. Malaysia to the southwest, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam to the west, and Laos and China to the northwest.
The capital is Manila.
The official languages are Filipino and English.
The climate is tropical and strongly monsoonal. It is windy from May to October, drier from November to February and typhoons occur from June to December.
The staple foods are fruits, fish, rice, corn, bananas, sweet potato, mango, pineapple, chicken and so many other fabulous foods (https://owt-thephilippines.weebly.com/staple-foods.html).
https://www.britannica.com/place/Philippines
FILIPINO CHICKEN ADOBO (https://www.recipetineats.com/filipino-chicken-adobo-flavour-kapow/):
Chicken and Marinade:
– 1.5 lb. chicken thigh fillets, boneless and skinless (5 – 6 pieces)
– 3 garlic cloves, minced
– 1/3 C soy sauce, ordinary all purpose or light (not dark soy sauce)
– 1/3 C + 2 TBSP white vinegar
– 4 bay leaves (fresh) or 3 dried
1. Combine Chicken and Marinade ingredients in a bowl. Marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight.
For cooking:
– 2 TBSP oil, separated (vegetable, canola or peanut)
– 3 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 small brown onion, diced
– 1-1/2 C water
– 2 TBSP brown sugar
– 1 TBSP whole black pepper (sub 2 tsp coarse cracked pepper)
1. Heat 1 TBSP oil in a skillet over high heat.
2. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade) and place in the pan.
3. Sear both sides until browned – about 1 minute on each side. Do not cook the chicken all the way through.
4. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
5. Heat the remaining oil in skillet.
6. Add garlic and onion, cook 1-1/2 minutes.
7. Add the reserved marinade, water, sugar and black pepper. Bring it to a simmer then turn heat down to medium high. Simmer 5 minutes.
8. Add chicken with the smooth side down. Simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes (no need to stir), turning chicken at around 15 minutes, until the sauce reduces down to a thick jam-like syrup.
9. If the sauce isn’t thick enough, remove chicken onto a plate and let the sauce simmer by itself – it will thicken much quicker – then return chicken to the skillet to coat in the glaze.
10. Coat chicken in glaze then serve over rice.
Serving:
– 2 green onions/scallions, sliced (garnish)
I used brown rice, but the flavor of the chicken with the marinade was amazing!!
FILIPINO PANCIT RECIPE (https://www.lifesambrosia.com/grandmas-pancit-recipe/):
– One 8.8 oz. package Thai Vermicelli rice noodles
– 2 TBSP canola oil
– 1 lb. pork chops (about 4 chops), sliced into bite sized pieces
– 1 yellow onion, diced
– 6 cloves garlic, minced
-2 TBSP soy sauce
– 1 C chicken stock
– 2 C shredded cabbage
– ½ C sliced carrots
– 3 green onions, diced
– kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste
1. Soak noodles according to package directions.
2. Prep the pork and vegetables by cutting into uniform sizes.
3. Heat oil in a wok or large sauté pan.
4. Add pork, yellow onion, garlic and soy sauce.
5. Cook 3-5 minutes or until pork is browned.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Add chicken stock, cabbage, carrots and green onions.
8. Cook 3-5 minutes or until vegetables have softened.
9. Add noodles to pork and vegetable mixture.
10. Toss to combine.
11. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Serve.
I loved the flavor of this also!! I would highly recommend!
TRADITIONAL FILIPINO LUMPIA (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/35151/traditional-filipino-lumpia/):
– 1 TBSP vegetable oil
– 1 lb. ground pork
– ½ C onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, crushed
– ½ C carrots, minced
– ½ C green onions, chopped
– ½ C green cabbage, thinly sliced
– 2 TBSP cilantro, chopped (optional)
– 1 tsp ground black pepper
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp garlic powder
– 1 tsp soy sauce
– 30 lumpia wrappers
– 2 C vegetable oil for frying, or as needed
1. Heat 1 TBSP vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat.
2. Add pork; cook and stir until crumbly and no pink is showing, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Remove pork from the pan and set aside.
4. Drain grease from the pan, leaving just a thin coating.
5. Add onion and garlic to the pan; cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
6. Stir in the cooked pork, carrots, green onions, cabbage, and cilantro.
7. Season with pepper, salt, garlic powder, and soy sauce.
8. Remove from the heat, and set aside until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.
9. Assemble lumpia by placing 3 heaping TBSP of filling diagonally near one corner of a lumpia wrapper, leaving a 1-1/2-inch space at both ends.
10. Fold the side along the length of the filling over the filling, tuck in both ends, and roll neatly and tightly to close.
11. Moisten the other side of the wrapper with water to seal the edge.
12. Transfer to a plate and cover with plastic wrap to retain moisture.
13. Repeat to assemble remaining lumpia.
14. Heat ½-inch vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes.
15. Slide 3 to 4 lumpia into the hot oil, making sure the seams are facing down.
16. Fry, turning occasionally, until all sides are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
17. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
18. Repeat to fry remaining lumpia.
19. Serve immediately.
So mine turned a little dark, but still the flavor inside was great with a crispy outside!!
HALUHALO ((https://www.internationalcuisine.com/halo-halo/):
- 1 C shaved ice
- 1 TBSP sweetened condensed milk
- 2 TBSP evaporated milk
- 1 TBSP sweetened red mung beans
- 2 TBSP Coco de Nata (white coconut in gel in syrup)
- 1 TBSP macapuno (gelatinous coconut meat with little or no liquid)
- 1 TBSP jackfruit in syrup
- 1 scoop Vanilla Ice Cream
- Put shaved ice in a bowl.
- Pour over the sweetened condensed milk and then the evaporated milk.
- Arrange the rest of the ingredients on the ice and then scoop vanilla ice cream in the middle. Enjoy!!
Note: I purchased the entire dessert in a jar from Amazon except for the shaved ice, milk and ice cream, which is easier than finding each of the ingredients.
I love this!! Even though I bought the bottle of the ingredients, it is one I enjoy to have throughout the year!!!
Travel Global Food 