Philippines’ version of shrimp fritters. It is cooked by mixing very small shrimps (with the heads and shells still on) with flour, cornstarch, egg batter and deep fried
Okoy or Ukoy
A hard-boiled quail egg that’s coated with an orange batter and deep-fried until crispy
Kwek kwek
One of the traditional Christmas foods in the Philippines. It’s sticky rice with a purple color.
Puto Bumbong
Tagalog word for young coconut
Buko
Made with chopped pig’s face and ears, with chicken liver. It’s usually seasoned with chili red peppers and calamansi (golden lime)
Sisig
It is a duck egg that has been hard-boiled, fertilized, and incubated.
Balut
A sweet Filipino dessert which consists of fresh soft tofu doused in arnibal syrup and sprinkled with plump sago pearls
Taho
Filipino cake that consists of rice flour and water. It was initially prepared in clay pots that were lined with banana leaves.
Bibingka
A popular Filipino street food dish consisting of marinated, boiled, and grilled chicken and pork intestines which are usually coiled and skewered on a stick
Isaw
A street version of roasted chicken. You can find places selling chicken almost everywhere, and they usually open in the evening. It’s best for dinner or pulutan (Filipino term for food when drinking)
Lechon Manok
Noodle dish with cooked shrimps and shrimp sauce, pork, crushed chicharon, tofu and fried garlic. It’s served anytime of the day, from breakfast to dinner.
Palabok
A famous Filipino stir-fry consisting of rice noodles combined with sliced pork or chicken and various vegetables
Pancit Bihon
Sweet banana spring roll. The banana is rolled on an eggroll wrapper and fried crispy with glazed sugar.
Turon
Filipino name for a steamed rice cake. Top it up with butter, coconut or cheese.
Puto
The most popular summer dessert in the Philippines. It consists of shaved ice and evaporated milk, with a mix of sweet fruits and other sweet ingredients such as corn, coconut, sweet beans and more
Halo-Halo
A soft, chewy Filipino rice cake prepared with a combination of toasted glutinous rice flour and grated green coconut that is slowly cooked in coconut milk
Espasol
Consists of chicken or pork marinated with vinegar, soy sauce and garlic. It’s one of the most famous dishes in the Philippines.
Adobo
One of the most common breakfast foods in the Philippines. It is rice cooked with cocoa powder, with the option of adding milk and sugar for serving (which almost everyone does!)
Champorado