Filipino Cooking Methods II

Cooking methods

Filipino Cooking Methods are cooking processes consisting basically of boiling (nilaga), grilling (ihaw), roasting (lechon) and steaming (halabos). These four Filipino cooking methods are the foundation of Filipino cookery.

Although the present cooking methods seem complex with varied influences from the Chinese, the Malay, the Spanish and from other foreign settlers of the Philippines, Filipino cooking methods are still distinct and simple.

 

• Typical of a Nilaga or boiled dish that is best-loved by many Filipinos is bulalo. It consists of boiled leg bone marrow with cartilage attached, meat and cabbage.

 

• Ihaw or grilling is the best means of preparation for cooking fish, chicken, and meat. It is cooking directly on the heat of fire from the charcoal.

 

• Lechon or roasted pig is one perfect example of roasting which is found in most Filipino fiestas, and other important celebrations. Chicken meat is also roasted and is known as lechon manok(roasted chicken).

 

• Steaming is done in a bowl-shaped pan and the dish is wrapped in banana leaves or foil to preserve its flavor and moisture. It was also one of the ancient ways of preserving food done by theFilipinos.

 

• Adobo was already practiced before refrigeration became a common practice. It is a special Filipino dish consisting of pork, chicken, fish, seafood or vegetables in vinegar with garlic and pepper.

 

• Kinilaw or preserving raw fish, meat and also vegetables through marinating or cooking it in vinegar, salt and pepper. The Visayans are known for kinilaw na isda or fresh fish. Kilawing kambing (goat steeped in vinegar and spices ) is popular among Ilocanos and Pampangos.

 

• Ginataan is another distinctive Filipino cooking method and term. This is a Filipino term for any dish cooked in coconut milk. Many ginataan dishes are prepared and preferred by the Bicolanos. Best-known are the Ginataang Puso ng Saging and Hipon sa Gata.

 

Cooking methods in the Philippines may appear strange to foreigners at first glance. This is because of the complexity of Filipino foods due to its varied origins such as Malay, Chinese and Spanish. Yet, these cooking methods are rather simple. Here is a list of Filipino terms relating to cooking methods.

Adobo/Inadobo

In soysauce, vinegar and garlic. It could also refer to just roasting on a wok or frying pan, with light oil, garlic and salt, as in “adobong mani” (peanut adobo).

Babad/Binabad/Ibinabad

To marinate or soak in vinegar or wine and oil with various spices and herbs before cooking

Banli/Binanlian/Pabanli

Blanched or plunging in boiling water or steam to remove skin and soften food

Bagoong/Binagoongan

Cooked with bagoong (fermented fish paste)

Binuro

Fermented

Busal/Pabusal

Toasted with garlic and a small quantity of oil

Daing

Marinated with garlic, vinegar and black pepper. Sometimes dried and usually fried before eating

Guinataan

Cooked with coconut milk

Ginisa/Guisado

Sautéed with garlic, onions and tomatoes

Halabos/Hinalabos

Mostly for shellfish. Steamed in their own juices, but also at times with lemon

Ihaw/Inihaw

Grilled

 

Kilawin/Kinilaw

Marinated in vinegar or calamansi juice along with garlic, onions, ginger, tomato and pepper

Nilaga

Boiled over a period of time, sometimes with onions and black peppercorns

Lasing/Nilasing

Cooked with an alcoholic beverage

Lechon

Roasted over a spit or thin rod

Minatamis

Cooked with sugar, or with other sweeteners

Pakbet/Pinakbet

To cook vegetables (usually string beans, squash and many others) with bagoong

Paksiw

Cooked in vinegar

Pangat

Boiled in salted water with tomatoes

Pinikpikan

Peculiar preparation where the chicken is beaten alive before being slaughtered

Prito

Fried or deep fried. From the Spanish “frito”

Pasingaw

Steamed, usually with a banana leaf

Tapa

Refers to marinated meat and then dried and fried afterwards

 

Tinapa

Smoked fish

Sarciado

Cooked with a thick sauce

Sinangag

Fried rice

Sinigang

Boiled, usually with a tamarind base. Other variants are guava, raw mangoes, calamansi and almost any other sour fruit abundant in the locality

Tosta/Tinosta

Toasted

Torta

To cook with eggs in the manner of an omelette

Totso

Cooked with fermented black beans