Some ingredients, when slapped on the title of any dish, make for the simplest way to lure in diners. While we all have our fair share of cravings and food preferences, seeing the name of some popular fruits or meat can set our hunger on high. And this is very much the case for pork…
Ingredients
What is Garlic?
One of the most popular and frequently used seasonings around the world, garlic is a staple in almost every kitchen. No matter what cuisine you cook regularly –– or even what restaurant you order from! –– you’ve tasted garlic at least once in your life. Its pungent aroma is only a telltale sign for its…
What is Ginger?
Zingy, unique, and unlike any other, ginger is a one of a kind spice used all across the world. Its bumpy, brown exterior gives way to a distinct aroma and flavor, popular in several cuisines. And its medicinal uses are seemingly never-ending; just a hint of this in food or tea can cure a number…
What is Lye Water?
In crafting and creating our food, we might sometimes forget the fascinating processes behind it all. There truly are a lot of forces at work getting our bread to rise, or attaining that perfect crisp to our chicken when we fry it. This is why we also can’t forget about certain ingredients that may seem…
Alugbati (Malabar Spinach)
While we all love to indulge in guilty pleasure dishes every once in a while, there truly is something refreshing about eating healthy food. And especially if you’re a Filipino, you will at one point learn to enjoy and relish in your heaps of leafy greens in one plate. The secret truly is mixing and…
What are Bay Leaves?
Bay leaves are a fragrant, flavorful herb that we often find in Filipino dishes. Another common name we have for bay leaf is laurel, as it comes from the bay laurel tree. Many may assume these leaves are only there for presentation or aesthetic purposes; you aren’t even meant to eat it when it appears…
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is a staple in almost any Asian household. Ask any Filipino if they’ve ever had toyo with a dish. Immediately, they’d be able to recall the salty taste that gives many Filipino favorites its delicious, umami flavor. Stemming from Chinese origins, soy sauce has become a liquid condiment used worldwide, most prominently in…
Tomato
With the warm sun beating down on us and the skies blue and bright, spring and summer are right around the corner. Now is the perfect time for barbecues and picnics with your loved ones. With many fresh fruits and vegetables ripe and for the taking, summer always makes for more delightfully colorful meals. And…
Onion
Rarely do you find an ingredient as popular and beloved across the world as the small and humble onion. Just one small bulb is enough to unpack a whole world of flavors. Onions are impossible to ignore in any dish you put them in. The first thing you’ll notice when slicing open a raw onion…
What is Bagoong Alamang?
Filipino pride comes in many forms, and it has manifested in the love for athletes, musicians and beauty queens who hail from the Philippines. But if there’s anything most, if not all Filipinos can show pride for, it is the flavorful, innovative food that’s very much so Filipino. Bagoong alamang is a shrimp or fish…
Green Onion
Refreshingly crisp and a gorgeous topper for various dishes, the green onion is famous for adding some texture and complexity to several recipes. And this doesn’t just apply to Filipino cuisine. Green onions are an ingredient you’ll be able to find in dishes from around the world. This is because of their mild taste that…
String Beans
We often love having our daily share of fresh greens on our plate. And when we think of our beloved greens in Filipino dishes, sitaw often comes to mind. Sitaw or string beans are actually just one of 130 different varieties of green beans. Though they are often mistaken as exactly the same, there are…
What are Mung Beans?
Perhaps there is no other ingredient in Filipino cuisine entrusted with as much faith as the delicate, and immensely nutritious mung bean. Of course, you might know it better as monggo. This serves as a component of various recipes to provide a unique texture to various viands and savory dishes. It has blessed a wide…
Moringa (Malunggay)
Have you ever wondered what those little leaves that add some texture to your classic bowl of Tinola are? Moringa, also known as malunggay in the Philippines, is intriguingly one of the healthiest parts of your favorite Filipino soup dishes. Dubbed the “miracle vegetable”, the Moringa has antiviral, antidepressant, antifungal and anti-inflamatory properties. It’s been…
What is Bok Choy?
Green and leafy, bok choy is a delightful and dynamic vegetable to utilize in the kitchen. Bok choy goes by many names, but in the Philippines we commonly refer to it as the popular pechay. The Philippines is abundant in fruit and vegetable produce, as much of our land area is used for agricultural purposes….
Serrano Pepper
With some dishes, all it takes is one ingredient to ensure that everything clicks. May it be a dash of brown sugar, or a good squeeze of calamansi, elevating a meal’s flavor can all come down to the tiniest added component. The smallest ingredients can bring the most impactful taste towards a dish, and for…
What is Okra?
There are a handful of ingredients in the culinary world we deem polarizing; bring them up in conversation and they’re met with either adoration or vehement repulsion! Some of these ingredients are “acquired tastes”––meaning you hate them at first, but grow to appreciate them later on. What was once an undesirable eating experience may grow…
What is Eggplant?
Long and purple with a trademark green stem, eggplant is one of the most common ingredients you can find in Philippine stews and soups. Although some don’t enjoy eggplant because of its texture, it’s a very versatile ingredient. Whether it’s in omelettes, salad, adobo or pinakbet, it’s hard to find something eggplant (or talong, as…
What is Kangkong?
The Philippines is home to so many different vegetables . These has been an essential part of every Filipino’s healthy lifestyle. Whether you are young or old, it’s important to have your greens frequently to maintain a balanced diet. And one of these vegetables is none other than the humble kangkong. What is it? Kangkong…
Ampalaya
There is a great deal of ingredients and food items that go down in history for their infamy. And majority of the time, you can find this applies to healthy ingredients that may not necessarily bring immediate pleasure to the taste buds of some. But the magic, perhaps, comes from the seamless integration of these…
What is Star Anise?
Have you ever heard of star anise? True to its name, it is a small, star-shaped spice we can find in several Asian cuisines. This spice is a popular ingredient in many Indian and Chinese dishes. Its flavor profile is similar to that of aniseed, licorice, or even fennel. It is one of the five…
What is Calamansi?
One of the other most popular fruits is none other than the citrus fruit, calamansi. It can be found in fruit juices, and as a garnish for other well-known meals in Filipino cuisine. Calamansi is a small fruit, round, green, and tart. But don’t make the mistake of thinking its size equals its flavor. Even…
What are Sea Grapes or Lato?
Lato, Sea Grapes, Latok, and Green Caviar are some of the names given to Caulerpa lentillifera. It is a type of edible seaweed common to the Philippines and nearby countries. This seaweed variety is the main ingredient for a popular Filipino salad called “Ensaladang Lato” which translates to Seaweed Salad. Health Benefits of Sea Grapes or…
What is Sage?
A perennial plant belonging to the mint family, sage has become popular for its culinary and medicinal prowess. Because of its many uses, the herb is one of the most cultivated in the world. You too can learn how to add sage to your diet and use it around the home to reap the benefits….