A few years ago, hundreds of readers responded to a question about their favorite Filipino dishes, and I eventually posted a list of the “Top 30” here. Several weeks ago, I asked the current (and much larger readership) what dishes seem to have been left out, and after a whole lot of vote tallying (that made an assistant lose a few points of eyesight), here are the next 20 favorite dishes according to reader responses. Together, the “Top 50” make an interesting list of popular pinoy fare, and I am happy to note that I have featured the majority of these dishes on this blog before. So here is the list, with links to previous related posts/recipes/etc. Enjoy! Now if only I could get serious about doing a proper dinuguan and pancit palabok/luglug, then compiling this all into a book… :)
Top 30, based on original poll:
1. Sinigang – My absolute favorite, so glad it seems to be yours as well. I have tons of posts on sinigang, start here and note links to fourteen (14!) other recipes or variations of sinigang in the blog archives.
2. Adobo – One of the first Pinoy dishes I learned how to cook while living abroad, and still a favorite. See my westernized take on it, here. But a truly old-fashioned, no soy sauce, three hour slow cooked palayok version here is simply the best I have ever made.
3. Kare-Kare – I wasn’t a huge fan of this dish, but I made it here, and liked it. You may want to check out this post on the various key ingredients for the dish.
4. Lechon – Need I say more? Here is a summary post you can refer to and which includes dozens of links to Marketman’s lechon experiments or journey to lechon nirvana. :)
5. Pinakbet – One of my favorite pinoy vegetable dishes, here done as authentically as possible, in a palayok. Another post making the dish in a wok instead.
6. Daing or Pritong Bangus – A national favorite, bangus in several forms is absolutely delicious. And don’t forget, it sparked the whole “fishpan” thingee on marketmanila.com.
7. Inihaw na Isda – With 7,000+ islands, how could grilled fish not be up there? In the archives, there are a LOT of posts on grilled fish like here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
8. Lumpiang Sariwa – Yup, this is delicious. Here is a recipe like my mom made it. Here is a another recipe made by an expert in Bacolod. But the ultra thin lumpia wrapper of the Negros variety still eludes me (even though I have seen them made right in front of my eyes…).
9. Monggo – My version here. My over-the-top version here. And if you ever get the chance to make this with freshly harvested mung beans, do it. :)
10. Tinola – I presume readers mean tinolang manok, here. But a closely related and possibly even better soup is chicken binakol, here. And don’t forget those similar sounding “tinowas” of the Visayas, more likely to contain fish or seafood.
11. Dinuguan – I have had a phobia about this dish, so I still need to overcome it and cook a good version someday soon.
12. Sisig – An attempt at a more typical or classic sisig, here. But the real revelation was the “lechon sisig” featured here. And from there, variations on that in empanadas and buns…
13. Pancit Luglug – I have never made this myself, and should hunker down and just do it. But I am still confused between this and Pancit Palabok…
14. Laing – Nice and spicy, try these recipes.
15. Bistek Tagalog – My version was first “made in America” and hence some of its ingredients. Here is another version, marinating the beef. But you like what you are used to. And if you want a luxurious version, try this one with leftover roast beef.
16. Tortang Talong – Satisfying comfort food, recipe here.
17. Rellenong Bangus – I am not particularly fond of this, and have never done a recipe for it on the blog.
18. Beef Bulalo/Nilagang Baka – Here’s my version.
19. Chicken Inasal – Possibly the singe most visited recipe on this blog, recipe here.
20. Beef Kaldereta – Recipe here.
21. Bihon Guisado – Here’s one version. Though I have to say I am partial to sotanghon guisado… here a wonderful recipe graciously shared by La Cocina de Tita Moning.
22. Longganisa – I have never made it using the casings, but I did do a “naked” version that was quite tasty.
23. Pritong Galunggong (and other fish) – But of course. Galunggong here. Other fish here, here, here, here, here and here.
24. Kinilaw – When this dish is done well, it is utterly superb. Our best version, here. You might also be intrigued by these dilis (anchovy fry) or malasugi (swordfish) versions.
25. Pancit Palabok – See Number 13, above.
26. Lechon Kawali – Lechon kawali/bagnet in two part posts, part I here, and part II here.
27. Manggang Hilaw at Bagoong – Not much you can do to screw this up.
28. Paksiw na Lechon – Here’s a great version, with a hint of cinnamon and thyme. Or try it outdoors in a wood-fired palayok.
29. Beef Tapa – This recipe attracts a lot of attention from pinoys surfing the net abroad for filipino recipes. If you want to take it up a notch, try this recipe for casajos.
30. Ginataang Kalabasa – This is a rich, satisfying dish, I do it with sitaw or long beans as well, here.
The next 20, though some of the actual rankings may move up or down a few notches, given the sampling was taken at different times with different audiences, but whose quibbling…
31. Crispy Pata – Yes, absolutely. I was surprised this wasn’t in the Top 30 to begin with. Here is a recipe.
32. Arroz Caldo/Lugaw – Pospas for Visayans. A flavorful version, here.
33. Paksiw na Isda – Inun-unan for Visayans, here with vinegar and kamias. Another version with dayap.
34. Pork Barbecue – A classic, but believe it or not, despite a few attempts, and lots of reader suggestions in this post, I don’t have a recipe I am totally happy with. But this variation with bagoong was quite a surprise hit.
35. Binagoongang Baboy – A version here. But also have a look at the binagoongang bagnet recipe, here.
36. Bicol Express – We make this at home fairly often, it is a nice foil for grilled fish or pork. And some history, here. Others refer to this as gulay na lada.
37. Embutido – I personally don’t fancy this dish. So I never made it. :)
38. Menudo – A cafeteria staple, try it at home with this recipe.
39. Inihaw na Liempo – Few dishes are as simple and delicious as this. And try one of these five versions.
40. Fried Lumpia – Here is a great post with lots of reader input for all kinds of fillings…
41. Lengua – I made it once, to pretty good results, but never made it again. I am not a fan of lengua. :)
42. Pork Tocino – One of the top 5 “searched” recipes on this site, make sure you don’t use iodized table salt. Or try this version made with baboy ramo or wild boar.
43. Ukoy – I like this dish, but have never made a good one by myself. I particularly want to learn how to make the ephemeral, airy version from Bacolod without whole shrimps in it. Several attempts to find someone to show us how to do this has ended in failure. :(
44. Batchoy – Definitely on my short list of things to try. I have no recipe yet. Just check out this wonderful bowl of soup at 21 in Bacolod.
45. Adobong Pusit – A mediocre take on it, here.
46. Ginataang Langka – Recipe, here.
47. Afritada – Another favorite in our home, we use a recipe like this one.
48. Tokwat Baboy – I like this dish, but have never made it at home.
49. Humba – The Visayans are sneaking in a regional favorite. Recipe, here.
50. Itlog na Maalat at Kamatis – Hard to screw this one up. Bad eggs would be a bummer.
And just five more dishes, very close contenders, so I thought I would add them in too:
51. Pinapaitang Baka/Kambing – I actually have never tasted either of these dishes.
52. Pochero/Cocido – Surprised this wasn’t higher up on the list. A good recipe, here.
53. Pancit Molo – Another comfort food. Can never get it quite like the original, but here’s a pretty good recipe.
54. Chicharon Bulaklak – I’ve eaten this several times, but have never made it myself, despite all the lechons we have cooked…
55. Tinapang Isda or Bangus – I love tinapang bangus and other fishes, but have never made it myself. The closest I can take you is a factory, see this favorite post here. I just buy it and fry it to enjoy it. :)
58 Responses
Your list is really making me sooo hungry for the real Filipino dish because now I often taste the version of his or her or from here or there. I want the real thing.
whoa! thanks for compiling this mm! i will bookmark this page hehe. now its easier to access the recipes when im craving for pinoy food. interesting results ; P im surprised that dinuguan is at number 11 considering a lot of people i know do not like it. i expected beef tapa and longganiza to be ranked higher.
What I want to say is come to the Phils. for a visit and just enjoy almost all of the food on your list. I can cook but I don’t want to do it and also worry about my neighbors complaining about the smell of whatever I am cooking.
I mean what I was used to eating and tasting. I know….. different people have their own version.
It’s a slow Sunday here.
Our decision to develop dislike for certain dishes is usually made over a bad version of the dish. For example, rellenong bangus only makes sense if you start with really fresh bangus. That means making it outside bangus raising region is treading on dubious territory. Even worse and a total waste of time and effort is if you do it here in North America. Embutido done properly can be an excellent fiesta fare. A lot of dishes we (or more precisely, mother) did not cook at home could be ordered from specialists in my town. They included okoy. We usually brought our own shrimps to top their regular run.
Tagalog bachoy is different from Visayan bachoy. In Bataan and Bulacan, it is a soup made out of pork meat, kidney and blood cubes. Ginger is a must to mask the strong flavour of the kidney pieces. In Valenzuela, Bulacan, they add misua to it.
Apretada
Nothing at all to do with frying or frittata (which is simply omelet in Italian) since to fry in Spanish is freir (past particple is frito) but owes everything to Filipinos’ proneness to confusing our e and i, or oftentimes even more disastrously, our p with f. I suspect that apretada (firm as in handshake) is the Spanish equivalent of fricassée. Julia Child in Mastering the Art of French Cooking explained the strict distinction between a sautée, a fricassée and a stew, i.e. no liquid is included in the cooking of a sautée while for a stew, the meat is simmered in liquid from the start of its cooking and fricassée being a combination of the two, the meat being always cooked first in oil or butter until its flesh has swelled and stiffened (firmed up – apretada) before the marinade is added. Also interestingly, my Larousse gives the meaning of fricassée as “accommoder dans un sauce de la viande…â€Â Look up “accommoder†and it will take you back to “apprêter un aliment – to ready food for eating†which yields you your cognate for apretada once more.Â
Thank you for this neat compilation. Love the links. You’ve just made a pregnant woman happy.
On a cold July here, monngo seems to fit the bill. But to make a proper one, I have to wait till next year if I want to use freshly harvested ones. I would have to allot ONE entire plot to plant mung beans so I can get enough.
It is a slow Sunday here as well, Footloose. I am going to make Palabok or Pancit Malabon. Hey, Footloose, after my surgery (awaiting for a date now), I am going to visit my nephew …maybe I could drop by , say hello?
Back to Pancit Palbok/Malabon, MM…please do give the recipe I posted a while back a shot! You will see that it is quite close to the ones you ordered before.
Fo okoy/ukoy…I use tempura batter. I wish I knew how the Bacolod version looks and tastes like. What do you mean by “airy”? I have this picure in my have that what you mean is like….the vegetables such as togue or squash is bound only by this light batter…then please try tempura batter (but not too runny….a bit on the thick side like pancake batter). But what I do is just enough batter just to bind the vegetables and not swim in it and drop them into the oil using a sandok.
This post just made me crave Filipino food badly. A friend and I are planning to have a Filipino feast sometime this week and will be spending a whole day browsing through an Asian market here in Melbourne just to find key ingredients. Your list just gave me a whole lot of ideas on what we can cook.
I find it extremely difficult to cook Filipino food abroad seeing as I have to replace or miss out on some ingredients either because they’re not available or too expensive for an international student, like myself (mostly because of the number of ingredients I have to buy just to cook a dinner for one person). However, I find that a steaming bowl of sinigang (even without the gabi) always cures winter homesickness and fatty adobo always perks me up.
Thanks for the awesome blog. I’ve been using it as a guide on recreating Filipino dishes here and was pleasantly surprised that you also started working on recipes when you were an overseas student.
PS.
I am shocked that you haven’t tried Pinapaitan. Its my favorite dish in the world and would happily have it as my last meal. My dad cooks a wonderful version that is not so much pait and has the right amount of sour flavor. He often cooks it with lamb insides as well, which is just as good as using goat. Although I can’t stomach watching him cook it for the mere look on the bile makes me not want to eat it. And I can’t have that. :)
I would have included law-uy in the list.
Hi Marketman: Pancit luglug is Kapampangan, while Pancit Palabok is Tagalog. Luglug in Kapampangan means to rinse. This refers to the act of putting the bihon in the special bamboo sieve and ‘rinsing’ it in boiling water. As a child, I would go with my mother to the public market where she will deposit me in her cousin’s Pancit luglug puesto while she goes to market. Pancit luglug is not as complicated as Pancit Palabok (which authentically calls for several layers of sauces and condiments). But I certainly remember the orange sauce, dried shrimps, barely sprouted mongo and kamias (not calamansi). Pancit Malabon, on the other hand, is an entirely different noodle dish.
My vote comes too late but pinapaitan has it! In Ilocos where my Dad grew up it’s a must for celebrations big or small. I still hanker for it though my diet mostly revolves around fish and chicken nowadays.
when i was in angeles city last month i tried the pansit palabok and halo halo
at razon’s halo halo. the pansit was delicious and i am sure that it’s easy to
make. i just have to try making it. the crushed chicharon and calamansi juice
added to the pansit give the pansit a lot of flavor…
Mechado and morcon, too?
Dear MM :
I visit your website on a daily basis and absolutely love it. I have read and enjoy reading most of your archive and am wondering if and when you would put it in print. It is very educational for us food lovers and would appreciate if you will consider it.
Thank you very much for sharing.
Ernie Bautista
yehey, it’s all there!
dinuguan is easy to make, you just need fresh pork’s blood. I’ll email to you the details of the recipe.
I’m sad that my votes for mechado and morcon didnt make it to the list. :( I thought pinoys like saucy dishes to mix with their rice? Or is it because they are fiesta fares and not considered for everyday meals?
Betty Q: will be praying for your successful surgery!
Mechado and Morcon came close, say in the “60’s” or so ranking. I have posts on both dishes, btw. Mechado, here and here and morcon of Chef Chris Bautista, here.
Hey, MM! Have you tried DINARDARAAN? The ilocano version of Dinuguan? Crispy Dinuguan is lip-sm@king GOOOD!
Betty Q. what is the surgery for? I hope you get well fast and my thought and prayer will be with you always.
This is a good post…thank you MM! I have been a silent follower…have tried several of your recipes…and forwarded links of your posts to family members and friends.
Betty Q, I’ve also tried the chocolate crinkles recipe that you shared and it was an instant hit.
Thanks heaps!!!
I’m a bit disappointed that law-uy (or laswa or dinengdeng) didn’t make it to the list :o( I hope it’s not a reflection of the Filipinos’ lack of appreciation for very simple cooked native vegetables.
Agree with Nadia. What rank did dinengdeng & company come out to, MM?
wow! i’m at work now and opened this website for my daily dose of marketman. i can’t finished the whole article without drooling. i’m craving for pinoy dishes lately. i’ll have to re-read this tonight and make a list of what dishes i have to eat (and cook).
thanks for this wonderful list marketman!
no pictures but this post still made me hungry! lunch time!
yipeeee for pinoy food! =)
i just love all the food that are in the list from number one to whatever number it ends,
and they definitely makes me very hungry right now! now if i can only compile all those recipes…….hey, what about desserts?
I can not see the fuzz over Kare-kare. Though edible, it was never a favorite. I know most people will disagree since it ranked so high on the list. It is a tasteless, of unappetizing color, parts and textures. This is definitely one dish that will never give our cuisine an international recognition.
Long live sinigang!!! I am also glad that my favourite comfort food bihon guisado up on no. 21.
Get well, betty_q :-)
A book/compilation would be awesome! Just hope it will be available here in the U.S.
MM, i would agree with most of those which made it to the list. but looking at the dishes, i wonder what is the regional distribution of the respondents to the survey as it has an influence on the results. as we already see in some of the comments, those from the Ilocano speaking regions are quite surprised not to find some of their favorite dishes there, or if they did show up, in a much lower ranking than expected. sinigang, for example, would rate very high among Tagalogs, but i’m almost sure will rank lower with Cebuanos (i’m half Tagalog, and half Cebuano, and grew up in regions where they are spoken so I’m familiar with their food tastes). it would be difficult though to take out this bias from a simple poll, unless of course you controlled for it so that you get truly representative results. but then who cares really….the dishes are all VERY good and until now it beats me why Filipino cuisine has never been launched as a truly international cuisine such as Thai or Vietnamese.
MM..try bettyq:s pancit palabok…easy to make and delicioso….get well bettyq!!! take care.
Can’t wait for “Top Pinoy Dishes a’la Marketman” book. This post alone is a great reference, don’t know where to start! :D strained my wrist just switching between the links and back, heehee.
Thought you might like this html code: target=”_blank”
Edit your post in html and insert code between the last ” and > at the end of the link, like this one I did to link Market Manila, so a new window / tab opens when we click on links and we won’t lose your current post:
…a recent post from Market Manila has opened my eyes to homemade tocino.
Takes a little more effort but I’m sure your readers would greatly appreciate this :-)
Oops, sorry the html link sample was converted to the actual link :-)
check this tip here:
https://www.myfolieadeux.com/2010/05/nice-things-i-learned-with-blogging.html
Looks like a menu! Can I have 1 order of Sinigang and Adobo please? hehehe :D
HI MarketMan:
Your food post about the food from my hometown (BACOLOD) made me want to jump in a plane and go home..hahaha
loved the batchoy and the kinilaw and the ukoy part you posted.
there’s also the inasal I dream about while I’m not home.
My mom used to ship lechon from Bacolod to her best friend in Alabang becuase she (the best friend) thinks it tastes different. She likes it. Maybe its the stuffing of sampaloc and tanglad leaves inside with lots of salt.
Thank you for this post. I really enjoyed reading it.
I go home to Pinas yearly, and part of my itinerary are the dishes that I will eat (either cook it myself or eat out). With the list you have here, I don’t have to think anymore for my “wanted food”, I will just follow your list and send them to my relatives to help me fulfill my cravings. Thanks.
Thanks very much for the links to your posts on mechado and morcon. Now I feel like making morcon this weekend… I wonder why they ranked only in the 60’s…
thanks. this is a veritable treasure trove of ideas and recipes for handa :)
oh Marketman…..drooling here…argggg….
Bettyq, get well soon….
Hi Marketman! I wanted to post this on your bangus entry but the comments were closed. A team from World Wildlife Fund visited the Alsons Aquaculture facility (producers of Sarangani Bangus) and they were very happy with what they saw.
here’s the link to the article. lots of great photos and a shoutout to you at the end.
https://blogs.panda.org/coral_triangle/2010/05/09/fish-for-the-millions-milkfish-aquaculture-sarangani-philippines/
Inihaw is an all time favorite. Either, beef, pork, chicken fish or veggies panalo forever. Parang ate v. menu for all seasons =)
Awesome round-up of truly Pinoy heaven-food! Great recipe/info links, Rock on!
MM: tokwa’t baboy is simple, since you have lechon at your fingertips, just chop up a good amount from the belly portion, then deep fry tokwa squares until outer skin is golden and crispy, cut into smaller squares. The sauce actually makes or breaks this dish. Experiment on suka, asin, bawang plus more or less toyo, sugar and finely minced shallots. I like mine on the sweeter side with just a dash of toyo.
Oh-ko….so sad to see Jose Rizal’s favourite Tinolang Manok make only # 10.
The uniqueness of using Chilli Berry Leaves not common in Indian Cuisine makes it my Top 5 Pinoy dishes. I must eat it atleast once a fortnight.
Well done MM !!! I see the glint in your eye for “Pinoy Food” by JB aka MarketMan…it will be the revelation of the real person behind the alter-ego.
No need to run and hide its a wonderful, wonderful life …Stand up and be counted.
Mover and Shaker Indeed !!!
Thank you very much, MM for doing this. My fav, among thousands of your blogs.
love your post MM, 4 references to Negros/Bacolod cuisine in your 50-dish line up… hope more trips to bacolod with you and Ms. Fores!
58% of the list consist of pork/beef/poultry meat dishes. Just the way i like it. yum.
thanks for this post MM, this is very useful to me!
Since I voted so many fish items, I’m kinda disappointed to find just a handful of fish dishes! But at least those I eat regularly entered the ranks :)
thank you for this list and for making it easier for us to look the recipes up.. all in one post.:)
Naligaw yata yung # 8,9, 16, 30, 46. Ewww, vegetables. I’m joking.
Dinuguan. I’m not fond of that dish too. But somehow I love tinumis of Nueva Ecija. It’s finely chopped pork (no innards except for liver) and uses young sampaloc leaves as a souring agent instead of vinegar. I’ve tasted several variations using suka and tanglad and no sampaloc but the best is the one they serve in Ponciana’s. Also, Pampanga’s “tidtad babi”, a “pale” type of dinuguan using pork mask, jowls, ears, liver and coagulated blood simmered in sukang sasa, siling sigang and oregano. No, they don’t pour the blood straight to the stew, just a few bits of the “buo-buo” blood to make it dark. When done right, taste like lechon paksiw.
thanks for this post MM! yesterday we had sinigang na sugpo and tonight it’s ginataang kalabasa with sitaw. :)
Betty Q, e-mail me, same old address. Your info with me got stolen with my computer.
Will definitely bookmark this page.
Thank you market man.
adobo rocks! and it even tastes better when it’s a day or two old. that garlicky, vinegar flavor seem to seep in more. btw, do you know where i can get good siopao in manila or any mall? …thanks MM
A bit off-topic but still related to the, er, fishpan thing.
xxxxxxxx
(Chick, sorry I edited this. There is no confirmation they are the same person. And I wouldn’t want to tread on a wedding… )
-Marketman
Thank you so much for this post! Marketman, sana magrelease ka na ng cookbook mo. Yung tipong pwede ko na ipamana sa anak ko at sa mga magiging apo ko :) (lol my son is just 11yo) When I’m cooking, I go back and forth sa computer to check. may separate mouse na nga ako to use when I start cooking hehehe!
Having tasted both the chicken inasal and cebu lechon manok. Both taste good but Cebu lechon manok taste even better. i can’t see a huge difference between a barbecued chicken and the chicken inasal while Cebu lechon manok is less sweet but very delicious as well.