Popular Filipino Dishes You'll Regret Not Trying Once
BY ANDREW COLETTI AND CRAWFORD SMITH
Sinigang
Sinigang is a sour soup flavored with acidic fruit, such as tamarind, guava, green mango, or calamansi, a local citrus. It also includes fish, meat, and various vegetables.
Lumpia is derived from Chinese influence. Similar to spring rolls, lumpia have a wrapper made from flour and water and stuffing that may include meat, vegetables, or both.
Most recipes include garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper. It can be made with any protein, with or without vegetables, and different regions add different ingredients.
Kare-kare is a comforting Filipino peanut stew, often believed to be influenced by Indian cuisine, with a rich, fatty meat, traditionally oxtail, and vegetables.
Kare-kare's broth is made with garlic, onion, and powdered annatto seed, which provides a reddish color and a subtle earthiness, as well as toasted ground rice and peanuts.
Champorado, originally derived from Mexico, is a thick, sweet beverage made with chocolate and cornflour. In the Philippines, corn was swapped for glutinous rice.
Champorado is made by melting Filipino tablea (concentrated pure roasted chocolate) into sticky rice porridge, along with sugar. The dish is usually served for breakfast.