Helmet and Adidas:
Chicken head respectively. Marinated and grilled or barbecued of course.
8.05.2010
Dirty Ice cream
Refers to locally made ice cream, nobody really knows – or cares – if it’s dirty or not. The local kids thrive on it, anyway. It’s usually available in three exotic flavors: Mango, Cheese and Purple Yam.
sago't gulaman and fish ball cart...
One of the beautiful things about the Philippines is the love for food everyone has. You can walk around local markets and find street food vendors offering drinks and snacks. Many times you will find vendors huddled close together with their moveable food cart serving hungry lines of mouths just waiting for a bite to eat. Having a moving restaurant helps their business stay close to crowds.
With the heat and humidity on full blast, you could always use a drink to cool off. A nearby vendor that specializes in Cantaloupe Juice and Sago’t Gulaman was just the answer to the heat.
The Melon is sweet. Strips of the cantaloupe meat float around your cup, so you get some with each sip you take. If you finish all of the juice, the cantaloupe strips are layered right in the bottom of your cup, all ready to be snacked on.
Sago’t Gulaman is a mix of sago and agar agar in a sugary caramelized liquid. This dark colored refreshment is sweet to the taste and filling with all of the sago and gelatin like cubes.
Of course this is only a small sample of what street food is available. Just about every corner you turn, you are sure to find something else to snack on.
With the heat and humidity on full blast, you could always use a drink to cool off. A nearby vendor that specializes in Cantaloupe Juice and Sago’t Gulaman was just the answer to the heat.
The Melon is sweet. Strips of the cantaloupe meat float around your cup, so you get some with each sip you take. If you finish all of the juice, the cantaloupe strips are layered right in the bottom of your cup, all ready to be snacked on.
Sago’t Gulaman is a mix of sago and agar agar in a sugary caramelized liquid. This dark colored refreshment is sweet to the taste and filling with all of the sago and gelatin like cubes.
Of course this is only a small sample of what street food is available. Just about every corner you turn, you are sure to find something else to snack on.
Pongko pongko or pungko pungko
Pongko pongko or pungko pungko literally translated means to sit around on a simple stool. The term, for Cebuanos at least, suggests hanging out, shooting the breeze, and usually having nothing better to do. Apparently, it now also applies to a particular of street dining as in sitting down on a basic wooden bench on a sidewalk to have lunch, merienda or dinner. In several parts of the city, these makeshift sidewalk restaurants spring up pong2during the day and while they do a brisk lunch time turnover, the late afternoon or early evening business is probably much stronger… A customer walks up, sits on a simple wooden bench facing an array of typically deep fried viands such as lumpia (spring rolls), ukoy (shrimp fritters), tuyo (dried fish), hotdogs (?!), fried fish, etc. He or she typically purchases one or two puso or rice cooked in young coconut leaves and a viand or two, and in a plastic bowl covered with a clear plastic bag, eats his or her meal with one’s hand in a plastic bag. Vinegar with chili is free. Cost of a typical meal? One viand at PHP6-8 pesos each, one or two puso at PHP2 each and a softdrink at say PHP6 a bottle. It amazes me that for PHP10 or about 20 U.S. cents one can get a meal without the hassle of cooking or cleaning up. Of course the vast majority of viands are deep fried and thus are able to sit around for hours with minimal risk of food poisoning. I must say that the overall hygeine of this sort of set-up is enough to make many a squeamish mother shiver… but you have to admit, it is economical!
siomai sa tisa...
Very popular food! You can see this in almost all places of Cebu.....But for me, I always go to where it all started....And yes you're right, definitely in Tisa.
I could still remember the days when the place was still called as Way Tugpahay, popular for their tasty puto and sikwti, on early hours of the morning...Now the place is dominated by siomai food vendors.
Siomai sa Tisa never gets out of customers. You barely can have a chance to have seat during evenings until early morning. A lot of avid siomai lovers come to eat, despite being from far places.
The Steaming Siomai is so tasty......with a very hot sauce.....and lemon....nom nom nom!!! 3 siomais is the basic, but most would love to add more. Truly an addicting taste...c",)
I could still remember the days when the place was still called as Way Tugpahay, popular for their tasty puto and sikwti, on early hours of the morning...Now the place is dominated by siomai food vendors.
Siomai sa Tisa never gets out of customers. You barely can have a chance to have seat during evenings until early morning. A lot of avid siomai lovers come to eat, despite being from far places.
The Steaming Siomai is so tasty......with a very hot sauce.....and lemon....nom nom nom!!! 3 siomais is the basic, but most would love to add more. Truly an addicting taste...c",)
Ice candy....
When summer is hot there is no better way to beat it but by eating cold stufs. Filipinos love cold snacks like Halo-halo or Banana con hielo for they are easy to make and are definitely delicious.You can always find one at a nearby shop. Kids on the other hand enjoy ice-candy all year round. Even when rainy season comes, Ice-candy are a sure hit to children. Here’s a recipe to try;
Ingredients:
one fourth cup of sago (tapioca)
1 tablespoon of dried raisins
half a cup of shredded coconut meat
1 sweetened banana (saba in preferance)
half a cup of melon strips
half a liter of coconut juice
one fourth cup of evaporated milk
5 tablespoons of sugar
Procedure:
Mix everything in a big bowl. Taste the sweetness to determine if you want to add more or less sugar. Pour them with the help of your funnel on your ice-candy bags. Freeze them for at least 24 hours
one fourth cup of sago (tapioca)
1 tablespoon of dried raisins
half a cup of shredded coconut meat
1 sweetened banana (saba in preferance)
half a cup of melon strips
half a liter of coconut juice
one fourth cup of evaporated milk
5 tablespoons of sugar
Procedure:
Mix everything in a big bowl. Taste the sweetness to determine if you want to add more or less sugar. Pour them with the help of your funnel on your ice-candy bags. Freeze them for at least 24 hours
Singapore Street Food
Singapore is Asia's melting pot, populated by Chinese, Indonesians, Indians, and Malays—a culinary dream team that makes Singaporean street food the most diverse and celebrated on earth. And the safest: All sidewalk chefs here work in "hawker centers," little open-air venues where the government enforces its strict health codes. At the Old Airport Road Food Centre, you'll find Indian-style fish head curry bubbling away at one stand and Hainanese chicken rice—stuffed with scallions and ginger, poached, and served with sticky rice—at the next. The Matter Road Seafood Barbecue stall specializes in Singapore's celebrated chile crabs, which come slathered in a garlicky, fiery, prepare-to-get-messy paste. Toa Payoh Rojak deals only in rojak, an inspired salad of pineapple, cucumber, and other fruits and vegetables dressed in a bracing syrup made with tamarind and shrimp paste. Naturally, the plethora of options has inspired some serious connoisseurs, most famously K.F. Seetoh, whose Makansutra site is a well-respected guide to Singapore's best vendors.
Arepas...
Colombia might be the only Latin American country where rice is more important than corn. But Colombians have a special place in their heart for the cornmeal cakes they call arepas. If you've never had the pleasure, imagine corn bread with a more delicate crumb that's been flattened into a pancake, filled with cheese or egg, and griddled or fried to form a brown, crispy crust. Each bite sends butter streaking down your chin and, for Colombians, inspires memories of abuela at the stove. For the best, fly down to Cartegena and seek out the Restaurante Club De Pesca in the Manga neighborhood. But you won't find them on the menu there—it's one of the fanciest places in town. Instead, head to the nearby soccer field, where a gaggle of ladies sell carimañolas (yuca fritters filled with ground beef), empanadas, and most importantly, those fabulous arepas.
Philippine Street Food
The choices to be had when it comes to street food in the Philippines are seemingly endless. While there may be a large selection for the more carnivorous diner, vegetarians have quite a few choices as well. So here is a list of my top 5 non-meaty street delicacies.
Coming in first place is a personal favourite of mine and an overall delicious snack or meryenda called Turon. This almost dessert-like snack is made from Cavendish bananas which are halved and then rolled in brown sugar. Then some jackfruit is added and it’s all rolled up in a spring roll wrapper. This little parcel of deliciousness is then fried in oil and some more brown sugar. There are also some different variations that I have discovered recently as well, one version has chocolate sauce injected into the centre and because you can never go wrong with bananas and ice cream, there is always turon al a mode. Prices vary, but you should be able to pick up some turon for around 10 pesos a roll.
Where you find turon you are pretty much guaranteed to find another tasty snack – Banana-cue. Banana-cue is like turon without the wrapper and jackfruit. Usually you will find it as two whole Cavendish bananas on a skewer. The bananas are friend and coated in brown sugar. These again can be picked up for around 10 pesos. Sadly, both turon and banana-cue tend to be more of a lunch time snack and disappear from the majority of street stalls once it gets dark.
Want a quick nibble on your way home? Then you can pick up some peanuts steamed in their shells or fried in oil. My favourites are the fried variety and they also come in chilli and garlic flavours, however, sometimes they can be a tad too salty. Depending on how many you get and how big the bag is they’ll cost you 5 – 10 pesos.
Also if you’re on the run you can grab some Dirty Ice Cream. It sounds bad but it’s not really dirty. The name comes from the fact that it’s sold in little carts on the streets exposed to pollution and served without gloves. You can get it in a variety of unique flavours: ube(yam), queso (cheese), buko (coconut), and the usual chocolate or vanilla. You can stick with one flavour or mix it up. They also come in different cones: sugar cone, wafer cone, and I’ve even heard in bread buns. Prices will differ depending on how big your serving is.
Lastly, we come to green mangoes which are not my absolute favourite because of their sour taste, but still quite delicious. These are simply unripe mangoes or Indian mangoes which are green in colour. They are usually cut in half and the seed is removed and then it is placed on a skewer. A generous helping of Bagoong (shrimp paste) is then applied and it’s ready to eat. You can pick up one slice for about 10 pesos.
All of these foods offer their own great tastes and with each street delicacy comes an interesting cultural experience that doesn’t usually get a mention in the in-flight magazines. So for your next meal, get outside to enjoy the sunny weather and grab some food from the street.
A street vendor grilling up a feast in Manila
Where you find turon you are pretty much guaranteed to find another tasty snack – Banana-cue. Banana-cue is like turon without the wrapper and jackfruit. Usually you will find it as two whole Cavendish bananas on a skewer. The bananas are friend and coated in brown sugar. These again can be picked up for around 10 pesos. Sadly, both turon and banana-cue tend to be more of a lunch time snack and disappear from the majority of street stalls once it gets dark.
Want a quick nibble on your way home? Then you can pick up some peanuts steamed in their shells or fried in oil. My favourites are the fried variety and they also come in chilli and garlic flavours, however, sometimes they can be a tad too salty. Depending on how many you get and how big the bag is they’ll cost you 5 – 10 pesos.
Boiled Peanuts
Photo by Scott Allford
Photo by Scott Allford
Fried Peanuts
Green Mangoes
All of these foods offer their own great tastes and with each street delicacy comes an interesting cultural experience that doesn’t usually get a mention in the in-flight magazines. So for your next meal, get outside to enjoy the sunny weather and grab some food from the street.
8.02.2010
siomai on streefoods..
all street food in the Philippines Siomai is as close to my favorite as it gets. It is basically a small ball of pork or beef covered in a light filo style pastry and steamed. Then on the street served up in little trays with a choice of chili sauce, light sauce and soy sauce.
It’s not always easy to get, as it takes a little preparation. But once you find a little man with a stack of aluminum containers you might not want to move away for a while.
Siomai is available in many other South East Asian countries, with a local telling me it’s origins are Chinese.
In the street you can pick up Siomai for as little as 3 pesos each. While in Chow king expect to pay around 50 pesos for 3! Many Filipinos don’t like street Siomai claiming it’s not good meat. But I never had a problem, and it tastes really good.
It’s not always easy to get, as it takes a little preparation. But once you find a little man with a stack of aluminum containers you might not want to move away for a while.
Siomai is available in many other South East Asian countries, with a local telling me it’s origins are Chinese.
In the street you can pick up Siomai for as little as 3 pesos each. While in Chow king expect to pay around 50 pesos for 3! Many Filipinos don’t like street Siomai claiming it’s not good meat. But I never had a problem, and it tastes really good.
avocado .melon and matamis na saging con yelo cart.
new street food along taft ave.,manila...avocado .melon and matamis na saging con yelo cart....its 12pesos per glass....
the strawberry taho
The strawberry taho is just plain
taho but, instead of caramelized arnibal, what the Baguio
folks did was put fresh strawberries cooked in sweet syrup into the taho
as its sweetener. A fruity and healthy option than the plain sugar
sweetener.
taho but, instead of caramelized arnibal, what the Baguio
folks did was put fresh strawberries cooked in sweet syrup into the taho
as its sweetener. A fruity and healthy option than the plain sugar
sweetener.
perfect streetfoods..
Chicken feet, ears, skin, chicken intestine, peanut sauce. Sossy Isaw
and Sossy Pig ears serving... in Sinamak and the yummy peanut sauce.
Perfect streetfoods!
and Sossy Pig ears serving... in Sinamak and the yummy peanut sauce.
Perfect streetfoods!
7.27.2010
jerk bbQ
Jerk has changed quite a bit since its invention in the 17th century by
the escaped slaves known as Maroons. These freedom fighters (and early
gourmets) subsisted on wild boar while they were fighting the British,
and to preserve the meat they rubbed it with a mixture of spices. Today,
the aromatic blend has developed to include allspice, nutmeg, thyme,
and Scotch bonnet chiles. But you see chicken more often than pork, and
grills made from oil drums instead of traditional wood fires. That's why
anyone visiting the North Coast resort town of Ocho Rios should take
the quick 12-mile trip to the valley of Faith's Pen
(about 12 miles south on Highway A3, just past the little town of St.
Faith). Dozens of roadside stalls here serve perfect renditions of jerk
pork loin (and chicken, if you insist). Smoke from the pimento wood
intensifies the already-energetic spices and creates a tasty crust
surrounding the juicy flesh. And you thought you'd find heaven on
Jamaica's beaches!
the escaped slaves known as Maroons. These freedom fighters (and early
gourmets) subsisted on wild boar while they were fighting the British,
and to preserve the meat they rubbed it with a mixture of spices. Today,
the aromatic blend has developed to include allspice, nutmeg, thyme,
and Scotch bonnet chiles. But you see chicken more often than pork, and
grills made from oil drums instead of traditional wood fires. That's why
anyone visiting the North Coast resort town of Ocho Rios should take
the quick 12-mile trip to the valley of Faith's Pen
(about 12 miles south on Highway A3, just past the little town of St.
Faith). Dozens of roadside stalls here serve perfect renditions of jerk
pork loin (and chicken, if you insist). Smoke from the pimento wood
intensifies the already-energetic spices and creates a tasty crust
surrounding the juicy flesh. And you thought you'd find heaven on
Jamaica's beaches!
Chicken Skin Barbecue Recipe, Filipino Street Food
People who like to read, specially those who read about health and who are conscious of it always prefer to eat chicken breast because it has minute amount of fat. People who are either suicidal or brave eat the part that has 75% fat in it – the chicken’s skin. Even though we don’t read, we are not suicidal, we are brave and can pile drive any sort of fowl. Not to mention, the taste of chicken breast compared to chicken skin is like comparing the blind with 20/20 eyesight with night vision goggles in the dark. For those who want to stay healthy but blind can start peeling the skin off the breast. For those who are brave, let’s start skinning the cowards and make chicken skin barbecue.
Marinate your chicken skin with our basic barbecue jus (and as usual, each 100 grams is to):
1 lime or 3 calamansi or if you don’t have either 1/2 a cup of vinegar for every 500 grams
1 tablespoon of banana ketchup or tomato sauce
1 long chili pepper, any color will do including carnation pink
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger and garlic (did I say for each 100 grams?)
1 small red onion for every 500 grams
2 bay leaves for every 500 grams again
The basic thing to do with your marinade is to mix it all separately first before you dunk Angelina Jolie in to make sure it won’t go brad. Chicken skin is not a sponge; so you need to marinate it for 4 hours first before you poke them with your tiny spears.
Choose bamboo skewers for spears. While you’re marinating your beauties, drown those skewers in water. I don’t know what the reason for it is but I just do it. I suggest you should too because I heard that before they sell those bamboo skewers they put curses in them and the only way to cleanse it from evil incantations is to drop it in water and let it swim. If it stays down it has been cleansed. If it floats you can put a sail on it and maybe take a picture. Too much mucking around 4 hours has passed and your chicken skin is ready for poking!
Now let’s be careful while we do the skewering:
Rule Number 1
Skewer the chicken skins, not your own.
Rule Number 2
Do not play with your food. Do not be silly and spear anyone with your bamboo skewers. Seriously. My auntie-grandma lost her eye when my uncle-grandpa darted in jest a fish bone to her eye.
Rule Number 3
Are your bamboo spears wet? It should be. Because if they are dry as your marriage you can and will plant splinters in your finger. I told you, these bamboo skewers have curses.
Rule Number 4
Don’t be lonely. Skewering your chicken skins require two pairs of hands and up. If you do this alone, I pity you. Grab anyone on the back of their neck to join the poking and spearing spree. If you’re skewering with someone under 18 you might be charged with statutory rape… you fornicator.
Rule Number 5
When skewering, make sure that your chicken skins are not too thick or too thin on the stick. If it’s too thick or too heavy it won’t cook well so you can say hello salmonella. If it’s too thin, you will make coals out of your chicken skin barbecue.
Chicken Skin Barbecue Raw
Happy happy joy joy let’s start doing our chicken skin barbecue!
If you are using coal make sure that the gap between your chicken skin barbecue and fire is not less than 2 inches. Because these suckers are made of fat, there will be flames, there will be fire so watch out with a glass of water on hand to extinguish the inferno. It’s cool if you have some burnt areas on the skin but it’s way cooler if it’s not burnt from the tip of the stick to the handle. Watch it carefully like Dracula.
If you are using an oven griller, that’s 225 degrees Celsius or 391 degrees Fahrenheit, again not less than 2 inches gap.
If you are using a barbecue monster machine, choose medium heat.
Before the cooking side gets burnt or displays a few burnt skins, flip it to the other side. To know if it’s cooked or not, get a part of the tip and give it a taste test. Do not taste test yet if you’ve only cooked one side of it, we are not idiots here. And spit it out if it’s still raw, do not force yourself to swallow raw chicken skin. It ain’t cool.
Discard your marinade. For your finishing touches:
2 tablespoons of nut oil
2 tablespoons of ketchup
1 lime
Mix them all together and dab the dressing on your chicken skin barbecues.
Chicken Skin Barbecue
DISCLAIMER
If you hate your partner in life, do no kill him/her/it with this chicken skin barbecue recipe. There are many ways to skin a chicken. I suggest you talk about it and rekindle the lost flame. If you get a sudden surge in your blood pressure, there is this thing called Neobloc for 50 milligrams but do not take it yet. See your doctor instead, he might need money these days as everyone seems to be going the healthy road. This recipe is not for the frail of heart.
Marinate your chicken skin with our basic barbecue jus (and as usual, each 100 grams is to):
1 lime or 3 calamansi or if you don’t have either 1/2 a cup of vinegar for every 500 grams
1 tablespoon of banana ketchup or tomato sauce
1 long chili pepper, any color will do including carnation pink
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger and garlic (did I say for each 100 grams?)
1 small red onion for every 500 grams
2 bay leaves for every 500 grams again
The basic thing to do with your marinade is to mix it all separately first before you dunk Angelina Jolie in to make sure it won’t go brad. Chicken skin is not a sponge; so you need to marinate it for 4 hours first before you poke them with your tiny spears.
Choose bamboo skewers for spears. While you’re marinating your beauties, drown those skewers in water. I don’t know what the reason for it is but I just do it. I suggest you should too because I heard that before they sell those bamboo skewers they put curses in them and the only way to cleanse it from evil incantations is to drop it in water and let it swim. If it stays down it has been cleansed. If it floats you can put a sail on it and maybe take a picture. Too much mucking around 4 hours has passed and your chicken skin is ready for poking!
Now let’s be careful while we do the skewering:
Rule Number 1
Skewer the chicken skins, not your own.
Rule Number 2
Do not play with your food. Do not be silly and spear anyone with your bamboo skewers. Seriously. My auntie-grandma lost her eye when my uncle-grandpa darted in jest a fish bone to her eye.
Rule Number 3
Are your bamboo spears wet? It should be. Because if they are dry as your marriage you can and will plant splinters in your finger. I told you, these bamboo skewers have curses.
Rule Number 4
Don’t be lonely. Skewering your chicken skins require two pairs of hands and up. If you do this alone, I pity you. Grab anyone on the back of their neck to join the poking and spearing spree. If you’re skewering with someone under 18 you might be charged with statutory rape… you fornicator.
Rule Number 5
When skewering, make sure that your chicken skins are not too thick or too thin on the stick. If it’s too thick or too heavy it won’t cook well so you can say hello salmonella. If it’s too thin, you will make coals out of your chicken skin barbecue.
Chicken Skin Barbecue Raw
Happy happy joy joy let’s start doing our chicken skin barbecue!
If you are using coal make sure that the gap between your chicken skin barbecue and fire is not less than 2 inches. Because these suckers are made of fat, there will be flames, there will be fire so watch out with a glass of water on hand to extinguish the inferno. It’s cool if you have some burnt areas on the skin but it’s way cooler if it’s not burnt from the tip of the stick to the handle. Watch it carefully like Dracula.
If you are using an oven griller, that’s 225 degrees Celsius or 391 degrees Fahrenheit, again not less than 2 inches gap.
If you are using a barbecue monster machine, choose medium heat.
Before the cooking side gets burnt or displays a few burnt skins, flip it to the other side. To know if it’s cooked or not, get a part of the tip and give it a taste test. Do not taste test yet if you’ve only cooked one side of it, we are not idiots here. And spit it out if it’s still raw, do not force yourself to swallow raw chicken skin. It ain’t cool.
Discard your marinade. For your finishing touches:
2 tablespoons of nut oil
2 tablespoons of ketchup
1 lime
Mix them all together and dab the dressing on your chicken skin barbecues.
Chicken Skin Barbecue
DISCLAIMER
If you hate your partner in life, do no kill him/her/it with this chicken skin barbecue recipe. There are many ways to skin a chicken. I suggest you talk about it and rekindle the lost flame. If you get a sudden surge in your blood pressure, there is this thing called Neobloc for 50 milligrams but do not take it yet. See your doctor instead, he might need money these days as everyone seems to be going the healthy road. This recipe is not for the frail of heart.
Binatog
boiled white corn kernels is a popular Filipino snack and street food. This is made by soaking mature white corn in water and salt until puffed. The soaked corns are then boiled until the skin almost peel off. Excess water is drained and the corn is placed in a bowl or plate then topped with either sugar or salt (sometimes both) and generous amounts of grated coconut.
Whenever I think of this simple yet satisfying Filipino street food, I remember the Binatog vendor that roamed around the streets of our subdivision every afternoon. He was riding a big bicycle with two covered pails secured at the back: the first pail holds all the boiled corn kernels while the other one contains the grated coconut, salt, sugar, and serving spoons. Back in those days, we need to provide our own bowl or container for the Binatog since the vendors do not carry disposable cups or bowls yet. Just like the Taho vendor, the “Magbibinatog” or Binatog vendor also advertises his product by shouting to the top of his lungs …“Binatooog!!!” I wonder if these guys still roam the streets as they do a couple of decades back.
Whenever I think of this simple yet satisfying Filipino street food, I remember the Binatog vendor that roamed around the streets of our subdivision every afternoon. He was riding a big bicycle with two covered pails secured at the back: the first pail holds all the boiled corn kernels while the other one contains the grated coconut, salt, sugar, and serving spoons. Back in those days, we need to provide our own bowl or container for the Binatog since the vendors do not carry disposable cups or bowls yet. Just like the Taho vendor, the “Magbibinatog” or Binatog vendor also advertises his product by shouting to the top of his lungs …“Binatooog!!!” I wonder if these guys still roam the streets as they do a couple of decades back.
Taco....
Mexico.....The taco is made for snackers on the move, the invention, supposedly, of
itinerant Mexican cowboys who relished the convenience of an edible
plate. Given its modest origins, it's no surprise that when connoisseurs
nominate their favorite taco spots, they're more likely to name street
corners than proper restaurants.
itinerant Mexican cowboys who relished the convenience of an edible
plate. Given its modest origins, it's no surprise that when connoisseurs
nominate their favorite taco spots, they're more likely to name street
corners than proper restaurants.
Pinoy popped rice
Most of the time its those ball shape one we get, this popped rice was often a pasalubong treat from the market when we were young. Now it has evolved to those that have been "painted with colors" to entice buyers. But it's still the plain one that makes the most out of this buti memories
Empanadas of ilocos...
The empanada recipe traces itself back to our Spanish heritage, but the recipe varies from country to country (at least, those who have histories of Spanish colonization). Commonly, an empanada is stuffing wrapped in bread. In the Philippines, particularly, they usually contain ground beef or chicken meat, potato, chopped onion, and raisins (somewhat similar to the Cuban “picadillo”) in a sweetish wheat flour dough. There are “bready” baked versions, as well as flaky oil fried versions.
In Manila, empanadas are sold in bakeries and restaurants and are typically small in size. However, empanadas in the northern Ilocos region are very different. These ones can fill a small plate, and is already a small meal in itself. The unusually savory filling is made up of green papaya, monggo beans and, upon request, chopped Ilocano longganisa (Chorizo) and whole egg, to top it off. Rather than the soft, sweet dough favored in the Tagalog versions, the dough used to enclose the filling is thin and crisp, mostly because Ilocano empanada uses rice flour, coloured orange with achuete (annatto), and is deep-fried rather than baked.
In Manila, empanadas are sold in bakeries and restaurants and are typically small in size. However, empanadas in the northern Ilocos region are very different. These ones can fill a small plate, and is already a small meal in itself. The unusually savory filling is made up of green papaya, monggo beans and, upon request, chopped Ilocano longganisa (Chorizo) and whole egg, to top it off. Rather than the soft, sweet dough favored in the Tagalog versions, the dough used to enclose the filling is thin and crisp, mostly because Ilocano empanada uses rice flour, coloured orange with achuete (annatto), and is deep-fried rather than baked.
ukoy or okoy
Ukoy pronounced as Okoy
is a batter-based, deep-fried street food in the Philippines. It
normally includes bean sprouts and very small shrimps shells and all in
the batter. It is commonly dipped in a combination of vinegar and chili.
is a batter-based, deep-fried street food in the Philippines. It
normally includes bean sprouts and very small shrimps shells and all in
the batter. It is commonly dipped in a combination of vinegar and chili.
Buro...
Buro is freshwater fish fermented in salt and ba-aw (ba-ao, bahaw, steamed rice). It is the foulest smelling edible thing in all the whole wide world, but ironically, it is eaten as an appetizer.
Buro is actually a means of preserving seasonal freshwater fish from the times when electricity has not been invented. The prized fish dalag (mudfish), which comes out of hibernation during the rainy season, is salted and fermented with salted cooked rice to preserve the surplus. So are the native tilapia - small, thin and black - and the rare gourami, which burrow in mud during the dry spell.
These are still the preferred fish to be fermented in a buro today, still as a means of preserving, but more as a way of keeping on with tradition. Nowadays it has actually attained the status of a native delicacy. The buro'n tilapia and gourami are the more common, with the buro'n dalag - since the fish is more rare, the flesh more tasty - commanding about Php250/kg.
I know buro is eaten in other places in the country, like burong talangka (salted fermented mud crabs) in Bulacan, burong hipon (small shrimps fermented in rice) in Pampanga, burong mustasa (salted mustard leaves in water) in Cavite, plus we also have burong mangga (salted unripe mangoes in water) in Pangasinan.
In Pangasinan, though, when you speak of buro - without any qualifier - you refer to the fish fermented with rice. The tang and fermented taste of buro is much, much more pronounced than any other buro outside the province. It is as sour as any spoiled food if you have ventured to eat some (I haven't, but I eat buro).
It is actually indescribable, and those who did not grow up with buro being served on the table will be really turned off by the smell alone. When I was a kid I could not tolerate it on the table if it were placed in front of me. But you get used to it, and once your tastebuds have desensitized a little, you will find that because you're eating it, it will propel you to eat a lot more than what you usually do.
I find this to be the greatest irony of all.
The process of fermentation is pretty straight forward - de-scale, de-gut and clean the fish, rub with sea salt, then mix with cooled steamed rice also mixed with salt. Store, preferably in a covered banga (clay pot) although nowadays it is kept in a plastic container. In three days the buro has fermented well enough to be eaten.
When in season, unripe, julienned labong is topped on the buro before it is fermented.
To tame the taste a little, fresh buro is sauteed with lots of peeled, thinly sliced ginger root and tomatoes. This somewhat defeats the idea of buro, because the tomatoes will shorten the buro's shelf life. But the sauteeing adds to the appeal of buro, enriching the flavors.
Buro is not eaten as an appetizer per se, but small amounts - pea-sized - is eaten along with every spoonful of the meal. It pairs excellently with any native viand and vegetable dish - usually fried or grilled fish, pakbet and dishes cooked in bagoong.
They say that not everybody can make buro - and I agree. Despite the small number of ingredients and the simplicity of the process, not all buro made come out the same.
I have smelled, and not eaten, the buro made by a grand-aunt, who had been the subject of so many grand green jokes and snickers from many of her housemates because of the smell of her buro. It had been called not just ma-anglit, but also ma-ampap. I am not going to translate what these two words mean for purposes of, uhm, sensitivity? delicacy? (let's just say I don't want to offend anybody's sensibilities). But if you're not from the province go ask your Pangasinense friends. You will get my drift.
Buro is actually a means of preserving seasonal freshwater fish from the times when electricity has not been invented. The prized fish dalag (mudfish), which comes out of hibernation during the rainy season, is salted and fermented with salted cooked rice to preserve the surplus. So are the native tilapia - small, thin and black - and the rare gourami, which burrow in mud during the dry spell.
These are still the preferred fish to be fermented in a buro today, still as a means of preserving, but more as a way of keeping on with tradition. Nowadays it has actually attained the status of a native delicacy. The buro'n tilapia and gourami are the more common, with the buro'n dalag - since the fish is more rare, the flesh more tasty - commanding about Php250/kg.
I know buro is eaten in other places in the country, like burong talangka (salted fermented mud crabs) in Bulacan, burong hipon (small shrimps fermented in rice) in Pampanga, burong mustasa (salted mustard leaves in water) in Cavite, plus we also have burong mangga (salted unripe mangoes in water) in Pangasinan.
In Pangasinan, though, when you speak of buro - without any qualifier - you refer to the fish fermented with rice. The tang and fermented taste of buro is much, much more pronounced than any other buro outside the province. It is as sour as any spoiled food if you have ventured to eat some (I haven't, but I eat buro).
It is actually indescribable, and those who did not grow up with buro being served on the table will be really turned off by the smell alone. When I was a kid I could not tolerate it on the table if it were placed in front of me. But you get used to it, and once your tastebuds have desensitized a little, you will find that because you're eating it, it will propel you to eat a lot more than what you usually do.
I find this to be the greatest irony of all.
The process of fermentation is pretty straight forward - de-scale, de-gut and clean the fish, rub with sea salt, then mix with cooled steamed rice also mixed with salt. Store, preferably in a covered banga (clay pot) although nowadays it is kept in a plastic container. In three days the buro has fermented well enough to be eaten.
When in season, unripe, julienned labong is topped on the buro before it is fermented.
To tame the taste a little, fresh buro is sauteed with lots of peeled, thinly sliced ginger root and tomatoes. This somewhat defeats the idea of buro, because the tomatoes will shorten the buro's shelf life. But the sauteeing adds to the appeal of buro, enriching the flavors.
Buro is not eaten as an appetizer per se, but small amounts - pea-sized - is eaten along with every spoonful of the meal. It pairs excellently with any native viand and vegetable dish - usually fried or grilled fish, pakbet and dishes cooked in bagoong.
They say that not everybody can make buro - and I agree. Despite the small number of ingredients and the simplicity of the process, not all buro made come out the same.
I have smelled, and not eaten, the buro made by a grand-aunt, who had been the subject of so many grand green jokes and snickers from many of her housemates because of the smell of her buro. It had been called not just ma-anglit, but also ma-ampap. I am not going to translate what these two words mean for purposes of, uhm, sensitivity? delicacy? (let's just say I don't want to offend anybody's sensibilities). But if you're not from the province go ask your Pangasinense friends. You will get my drift.
Shawarma
Shawarma from bahrain..... is a popular local snack consisting of rolled pita bread filled
with lamb or chicken carved from a rotating spit, and a bit of salad to
boot. You’ll see countless roadside restaurants and stands offering
shawarma for as little as 250 fils each, and they make a great
alternative to the usual fast food of burgers and fries. In residential
areas, the small cluster of shops at a mosque is often a good place to
start looking for your local shawarma outlet. These restaurants and
stands usually sell other dishes, such as ‘foul’ (a paste made from fava
beans) and ‘falafel’ (or ta’amiya), which are small savoury balls of
deep-fried beans. Many also offer freshly squeezed fruit juices for
around 300 fils. The Saar/Budaiya area is home to a well-known Lebanese
restaurant, Fakhruddin, whose shawarma are extremely popular with expats
and locals. On the Budaiya Highway, it is hard to beat Golden Dough
take-away for authentic taste. Don’t forget to mention your personal
preferences to the vendor at the shawarma stand, or you may find
yourself dealing with a chip-filled blow-your-brains-out spicy
concoction.
with lamb or chicken carved from a rotating spit, and a bit of salad to
boot. You’ll see countless roadside restaurants and stands offering
shawarma for as little as 250 fils each, and they make a great
alternative to the usual fast food of burgers and fries. In residential
areas, the small cluster of shops at a mosque is often a good place to
start looking for your local shawarma outlet. These restaurants and
stands usually sell other dishes, such as ‘foul’ (a paste made from fava
beans) and ‘falafel’ (or ta’amiya), which are small savoury balls of
deep-fried beans. Many also offer freshly squeezed fruit juices for
around 300 fils. The Saar/Budaiya area is home to a well-known Lebanese
restaurant, Fakhruddin, whose shawarma are extremely popular with expats
and locals. On the Budaiya Highway, it is hard to beat Golden Dough
take-away for authentic taste. Don’t forget to mention your personal
preferences to the vendor at the shawarma stand, or you may find
yourself dealing with a chip-filled blow-your-brains-out spicy
concoction.
isaw....fishballs....toknene or kwek kwek
Pantawid-gutom, delicacy, pasalubong, forbidden fruit, lunch–Pinoy street food is all these and more. It's what your mother tried to hide from you when you passed it on the street, and it's what probably ended up providing sustenance through hungry periods of empty wallets. Here are a few of your old-time favorites and some fresh-off-the street newbies from the entrails and innards of Quiapo, Taft Avenue and Diliman. 
1. Isaw (P3 per stick) Despite horror stories of feces still stuck in these intestines, isaw remains close to the Pinoy's heart. Vendors with a conscience boil the pork and chicken intestines first before grilling them, better when slightly overcooked for that crunch and best with that perfect sawsawan made from seasoned vinegar. Can taste like chicken or pork if you close your eyes. An update to this classic is the breaded isaw, which is what it sounds like: isaw covered with breading. Not a good combination; the original is much better. 
2. Fishballs (P10 for 16 to 20 pieces) Though they don't really taste like fish and they're not really balls, fishballs are still one of the best-selling kinds of street food. Made from pulverized fish meat, one could theorize that maybe all that pulverizing took out the fish taste? By itself, fishballs taste a bit bland like flour–but they come alive with the sauce. There are usually three kinds of sauce: sweet and sour, spicy sweet and sour, and seasoned vinegar–hopefully not a.k.a. Hepa A, Hepa B and Gastroenteritis. 
3. Kwek kwek (P3 per piece) Kwek kwek or tokneneng are the devious little quail eggs that pack more cholesterol than the average chicken egg. They're hard to miss with that orange wrapping made from flour and orange food coloring. Douse with seasoned vinegar or the same sauces as the fishball and you've got a winner.
1. Isaw (P3 per stick) Despite horror stories of feces still stuck in these intestines, isaw remains close to the Pinoy's heart. Vendors with a conscience boil the pork and chicken intestines first before grilling them, better when slightly overcooked for that crunch and best with that perfect sawsawan made from seasoned vinegar. Can taste like chicken or pork if you close your eyes. An update to this classic is the breaded isaw, which is what it sounds like: isaw covered with breading. Not a good combination; the original is much better. 2. Fishballs (P10 for 16 to 20 pieces) Though they don't really taste like fish and they're not really balls, fishballs are still one of the best-selling kinds of street food. Made from pulverized fish meat, one could theorize that maybe all that pulverizing took out the fish taste? By itself, fishballs taste a bit bland like flour–but they come alive with the sauce. There are usually three kinds of sauce: sweet and sour, spicy sweet and sour, and seasoned vinegar–hopefully not a.k.a. Hepa A, Hepa B and Gastroenteritis. 3. Kwek kwek (P3 per piece) Kwek kwek or tokneneng are the devious little quail eggs that pack more cholesterol than the average chicken egg. They're hard to miss with that orange wrapping made from flour and orange food coloring. Douse with seasoned vinegar or the same sauces as the fishball and you've got a winner.
calamari..sorbetes...hotcakes
8. Squid Rings (P3 per piece) It's your favorite pulutan, only much cheaper! These deep-fried batter-covered squid rings taste like the usual calamares, but not as soft. What do you expect from three pesos a piece? 
9. Dirty Ice Cream Sandwich (P5 per sandwich) No banana split or sundae can ever compare to a piece of monay filled with scoops of mango, chocolate and ube ice cream. The rock-bottom price makes it sweeter. Just get your teeth ready because every cold bite is painful. It's no good when thawed so you either have to literally suck it up or be a pansy and eat it with a spoon. 
10. Street hotcakes (P5 per hotcake) Beckoning with their bright orange color, they looks harmless enough; just a little piece of waffle, you think. You're dead wrong. Like the regular hotcake, its batter is made of flour, margarine, sugar–and orange food coloring. It's cooked in front of you with an iron waffle maker, pressed on a plate of sugar and then smothered with even more margarine. The texture is different from the usual hotcake; it's a little sticky, sort of like kakanin. It's such a guilty pleasure that you'll want more than one. Can you say heart attack?
Betamax..
7. Betamax (P3 per stick) The real Betamax might be extinct but this Betamax lives on. They're actually cubes of chicken blood that resemble a Betamax tape, hence the name. The blood is cooked to make it solid, then cut into cubes, grilled and dunked into seasoned vinegar. It looks like chocolate, but without the vinegar it has no flavor. The texture is a bit gummy, which contributes to the initial turn-off factor. Bet that buhlud-YouTube-famous kid won't find this funny either.
helmet....
6. Helmet (P7 per stick) Failure to wear this won't earn you a traffic violation ticket. A "helmet" is actually the head of a chicken that is marinated, skewered and then grilled. One blog says that the name helmet came from the apparel brand Head, which some people called helmet. Once you get past the thought that it's a head with beady eyes staring right at you, it actually tastes quite good. Eating it is like eating chicken neck: lots of bones and little strips of meat.
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