Duhhh, I am out of town and forgot to bring the plug of my laptop. So I had to have it couriered to me and I will get it soon (hours hopefully). Obviously, memory detriorates at age 40 and above. So I have a few minutes of battery left on my laptop and then have to wait till tomorrow morning to write a post and publish it. But in the meantime, I have a question for you guys… what Filipino food or dish or produce item have I not yet featured and you would like to see on Marketmanila? I CANNOT, repeat CANNOT in any way promise that I will feature everything you write but your comments may give me some good ideas about dishes that I need to explore in the months ahead… and please don’t ask really obscure provincial specialties, as I am not likely to know it at all. Your comments would be really helpful to me. Will be back to regular posting tomorrow morning…thanks!
83 Responses
I was eating banana con hielo at the CCP canteen last Saturday and remembered that you have not yet written about it.
This is neither a Filipino dish or produce but do you watch the Food Network or any of those reality shows on cooking i.e Top Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, Iron Chef etc. If yes, what do you think of these?
Tapang Taal from Batangas. Its the only pork tapa variation I like. Its sweet and savory and goes really well with hot steaming rice! I’m getting hungry just by thinking of it now.
Puto Pao! I tasted this somewhere in Laguna (?) about 10 yrs ago and still dream of it. It was so different! I recall it as soft puto with pork asado filling. Since I live far, far from Laguna now, I’d love to get a recipe and be able to re-create it at home.
How about the regional delicacies, like carabao meat (or, as Joey loves to say, carabeef) and camaru?
Bluegirl, Chicken Bacolod on Jupiter St. has many Bacolod goodies, and they have puto pao. Their version is very big — like siopao!
Hi Marketman! Could you do a post on brining? I read in one of your older posts that you brine turkey, chicken, pork and shrimp.Thanks! :)
hi! i love your site. helps me find good places to dine with my husband. thanks for sharing this to the, err, world!!! hahaha:)
do you mind if i put a link to this site from mine?:D
I only suggest this because my father loves it, and he is still in search for a good homemade one-Bacalao ala Vizcaina (sp?)
But MM dearie, we are happy for you to lead this pack (of eaters). Hehe. Anything from you is good.
Bae-bae from Iloilo.
how about paksiw na bangus or anything that is with suka?
How about corned chicken? I tasted this a while back in one of those provincial food shows. They never came back, didn’t get the number and have been longing for it eversince. I often thought about trying it but have never really gotten to it.
hmmm.. bacolod specialties have not been featured much yet… how about the ff?
napoleones?
batchoy?
angelwing clams (diwal)?
puto manapla?
I love puchero! My lola makes a really good puchero that I miss. I’ve tried once or twice but I don’t think I found the right taste. Do you have any tips?
I’m no vegetarian but I’m open to the whole vegetarian philosophy… Have you tried any Pinoy vegetarian food? The kind where fake meat has been used. I once saw a can of “veggie tapa” in the canned goods section of my grocery and was curious about this, curious enough to actually buy the can despite the most revolting picture of the product on the wrapper. The quality was pretty bad, like brown colored spam with a weird taste, I had to douse it with tomato sauce. Maybe you can try a couple of pinoy vegetarian dishes (how is protein incorporated, with or without tofu? we’re not bean eaters and buying imported fake meat would be super expensive) and give a review / comments / criticism?
Hi MM,
I was wondering if you can write about the Cebuano hot chocolate or sikwate (tama ba?). I remember this hot chocolate during my childhood days in Cebu and I would like to know if you have any idea how to make one. I heard that there’s a stall in Market Market that sells something similar complete with the “batirol”. I recently visited Villa Escudero and their hot chocolate is divine! It tasted just like the Cebuano hot choco . . kaso lang can’t get the recipe :( . . .
buro and tapang usa from Nueva Ecija…something i miss terribly.
Hello Marketman!
I’d like to know more about palayok cooking. Is there a significant difference in flavor/texture, and are there advantages/disadvantages to using clay pots to cook food?
Claypot cooking is not uniquely Filipino but it’s still sold in markets, so presumably its still in current use.
This should be a fun and long post should you decide to check it out.
I seached for Pochero and Nilagang baka came up and I know why. The same thing happened to me in Cebu once when I ordered their pochero and I was served our (ex. Manila) nilaga. Since you were not too taken even by your own no-holds barred Kari-kari, perhaps we might entreat you to try the other anchor of Sunday Filipino family feasts, Pochero (Cocido in other parts) flanked with grilled eggplant and/or steamed diced squash with garlic vinaigrette.
Btw, I find myself averting my gaze from the frog photograph.
Hi MM! I honestly would like to find out more ways to cook/prepare rice or ideas to give it some kick. The only way i would manage to cook rice is with a rice cooker, yet sometimes its still tough getting the right proportion… Thanks!Ãœ
– Brazo de Mercedes (with a good recipe)
– Siomai (with recipe)
– Puto Manapla (with recipe)
– Feature Panaderia de Molo (and not the imitators)
– Tamales from Iloilo
– Black Sambo
– Feature El Ideal Bakery from Silay
– And all good things Ilongo
How about ginataang pagi with malunggay leaves? My late grandfather use to cook it.
Dinailan cooked in gata with kamias as pampaasim from Bicol. I don’t know it’s other name in tagalog. Also, the toasted siopao and luglog from naga city.
I’ve never been to the southern part of the Philippines so my curiosity is rather piqued by their regional cooking.
I wonder what are the culinary traditions of Mindanao and the surrounding islands would be.
How far is the food influenced by Islam, the Spanish, Chinese, and the neighbouring countries not only the SouthEast Asian ones but also the Pacific like Papaua New Guinea?
What are the popular and persisting indigenous recipes there? How different is it from Philippine northern and central cooking?
My dad who has been to Davao a few times always brings lobsters (how he was about to take on the plane remains a mystery) and says the the south has the best lobsters in the country, but couldn’t tell much about the local fare except that they used chilies sparingly like in Bicol but not gata.
MM, I really hope you could shed some light on this underrepresented but equally important region.
caldereta
Could you feature a recipe of putong puti, please.
Mabuhay ka MM!
My suggested topics:
PINIPIG – white, green, etc
PUTO – pulo
KABAYO – recipe
ALUPIHANG DAGAT – recipe, where to buy frozen?
INIPIT – recipe, who makes the best? where to buy?
– Thank you Sir –
Lutong Palaka – Cavite specialty dish
Ginataang Curacha – Zamboanga dish
How about featuring regional dishes?
PUTONG PUTI!!
No matter what recipe I use, I cannot get this right! Oh and it beats me why the heck the boxed mixes are made with wheat flour.
how about a series on edible flowers of the phils?
how about featuring the kanduli?
thanks for your cassava cake recipe. did not last 24 hours in our house.
patis! turrones de casuy of pampanga. the many versions of pancit malabon and pancit luglug.
How about diff. ways to cook cans of sardinas?
I used your search feature and found out that you haven’t written about BULANGLANG yet. So there, why not write about that :)
Marketman, how about your version of lasagna? I’m in search of an easy to make recipe of this. :)
You’ve mentioned in the past that you don’t rough it while travelling much, but have you done a post on foods to bring on camping trips or your favorite road trip snacks? It could be filipino or western.
Suman and its many versions, and the various wrappers used: dahon ng saging, dahon ng niyog, etc….. and while you’re at it please include the tupig of the ilocos
please tell us your usual recipes for baked macaroni and Fried chicken, specially when done in a hurry
how do you cook your bagoong?
also, cannot find any puto recipe in your archives =)
I’m so confused when a recipe calls for buttermilk, creme fresh, thick cream, whipping cream, fresh milk, sour cream, etc. I’m fond of cooking but I don’t have any formal training whatsoever and I have a very limited budget so can you please write something on these and what can I substitute if these are not available? For us on a budget, evaporated/condensed milk and all purpose cream lang ang affordable sa amin. I really learn a lot from your site! Thanks!
fried chicken
Napoleones from Bacolod; I could never get the milles feuilles right, must be the butter?
Great strategy MM: can’t write so let comments drive the posting! Gotta remember to try that sometime.
tamales de zamboanga – whenever my mom visits us here in Manila, we always ask her to cook this. Its always a hit in our family gathering. its like a rice suman with sotanghon filling.
Hi Marketman!
Next time in your Manila, try joining the Binondo Food Wok- https://www.oldmanilawalks.com/
It would be interesting to see on your homepage.
:)
YIKES! I have opened Pandora’s box!!! Hahaha. Okay, here goes, in reverse comments, lee, you are right, I have NEVER featured fried chicken…will have to do that. gansi, when a recipe calls for a particular cream it usually needs it. Except for buttermilk, where you can use regular milk and a teaspoon or so of vinegar for every half cup to approximate buttermilk. All purpose cream, unfortunately, does not substitute for most real creams required in recipes… erleen, I buy puto for the most part, but will try to work on a recipe…many people have requested this before. ysa, I do have several types of suman in the archives if I am not mistaken. mila, I haven’t really done camping features, but one thing that immediately pops to mind is wild boar tapa that doesn’t need refrigeration and would smell great at a campfire. Accompany this with pork and beans?! :) Carina, will have to do a lasagna recipe…though I have to warn you, I find the BEST lasagna recipes are done with freshly made noodles. KongKong, I think BULANGBULANG is close to the utan bisaya I once featured, though the vegetbles differ from province to province. Rey, I did a post on Odong with Sardinas once… millet, yes, I NEED to do Patis, have been avoiding a trip to Balayan, wondering if I can manage to convince my way into a manufacturer… Mrs. M, I did feature some edible flowers from Gil Carandang in one of my posts in the archives, I have never cooked kanduli, and yes, I like the cassava cake recipe… perkycinderella, I don’t typically feature regional dishes if I have not tasted them, seen them cooked or am familiar with them…that would just give everyone a half baked view on them… so that’s why I am surprised there are so MANY requests for regional dishes…but I agree they are the hardest to find decent recipes for! Jade186, I would love to do more Southern Food, but I have no exposure to it. Have only been to Davao…not anywhere else in Mindanao… Lisa, yes, I need to do a good kaldereta recipe… Mariz, again, that’s a bit too regional for my tool kit or experience at the moment. Markee, I have a photo of that dish in the archives from a meal in Legaspi, but honestly, I have a problem eating sting ray or manta ray in the same manner that I no longer eat shark’s fin or bird’s nest soup… sorry. starbuxadix, more ways with rice, a great idea…I have to think about some clever posts on that! Apicio, I think I have a Cocido entry in the archives, around christmastime, but I will check. And yes, we serve it with either an eggplant side dish or a tomatoey one that becomes the sauce for the ropa vieja the next day… MES, you are reading my mind. I just bought 3 palayoks and a cermaic stove in Vigan so in the months ahead I will be trying to figure out if it really makes a difference to taste… tulip, I think I did a tapang usa, or maybe it was baboy ramo post… but I haven’t seen it made, just bought it… Avic, I think I have featured the tablea and possibly a hot chocolate recipe, but if not, I will in the months ahead, thanks. Cookie, there is a pochero or cocido recipe in the archives… juls, that figures, because I have NEVER managed to get to Bacolod! And heirloom recipes are not typically shared… peterb, sorry, I haven’t run across corned chicken before…will keep an eye out for it. Bubut, paksiw na bangus is doable,and I love the flavor of almost any paksiw… ntgerald, sorry, not sure what bae-bae is… Risa, Mrs. MM LOVES bacalao, I less so, but will search for a recipe… cindy, I think I did a brining post, will check the archives… Katrina, I did carabao chicharon… but haven’t done the beef yet… Bluegirl, I suspect Puto Pao is one of those great things I would rather buy than make myself… along with siopao as well… Ryan, tapang taal…hmmm, have never tried it…what about making a tapa recipe but using more sugar instead of salt? bambooshootjr., yes I do watch the food network and enjoy most of the shows… though I channel surf through the channel if you know what I mean…jesse, I did a post on banana with sagu and milk that is similar, it is in the archives… Thanks everyone for some great ideas!!!
isa, I have featured the Binondo food walk, its in the archives…mel, sorry, have never made tamales de zamboanga, Megamom, napoleones is delicious but one of those things I would buy instead of making, I think…
What about “Katuray”? When I was a kid I used to see our neighbor’s big katuray tree and I used to wonder why they pick flowers from the tree, once I asked our neighbor why do they pick the flowers, she told me that they were going to cook it… I was surprised because I never thought that they are edible… my mother never introduced us to eating katuray, I guess she didnt know how to cook it or she doesnt like it. I would be delighted to know more about this tree and its flower.
MRJP, again, another mind reader. I did feature the leaf or tree before or perhaps as part of a vegetable tableau, but never found a recipe I liked…until the recent trip to Ilocos, where I had a wonderful salad…will try to recreate it for all of Marketmanilas readers…yum.
Dear Marketman,
I have always enjoyed Paksiw na Tanigue at the Cebu Golf and Country Club and have been trying to replicate it. Could you check it out and get their recipe please.
Is there a paksiw recipe for each province or region? A series on Paksiw will be great.
Your blog is welcome relaxation from office stress. Thanks a lot.
Mel
MM,
I know you’ve featured ‘kesong puti’ in the past already but I was wondering if you’d be amenable to experimenting with this hard to get cheese (at least here in the states anyway) and try and make either a ‘kesong puti’ cheesecake or a home-baked pizza topped with ‘kesong puti’ mozarella … am curious as to they would turn out. Obviously, I’ve never had them before — hence, this request :).
Also, I don’t know but is it just me or what … but does anyone else amongst your readers sees the text in the comments with shaded background disappear from view whenever they page-scroll up and down your blog’s comments section? And for some reason, the anomaly becomes more evident if there’s only a few lines of text in the reader’s posted comments. Sometimes all of the text disappear … sometimes only a partial part of it does. To make all the text visible again, I’ve been having to line-scroll the page up an down until, voila!, all the text becomes visible again. I know, am probably nitpicking here, hehe … but just the same, I wanted to know if any other readers are experiencing the same thing when they read the posted comments on your blog. I should emphasize that posted comments on your blog with the white background do not exhibit this same problem (on my computer, that is).
FYI, I’m running Windows Vista/IE version 7.0 on my laptop but I do recall seeing this problem in the past on my older computers running WinXP.
… downloading Firefox browser right now just to see if your blogsite’s comments would render OK on it … now installing … launching … Cool. Your pages render just fine in Firefox 2.0.
I’m thinking maybe IE7.0 interprets CSS codes on your pages differently than Firefox. That’s gotta be it. Firefox fixes it for me :) … Problem solved. NVM.
The quest to make the perfect caipirinha?!
I agree with Avic, please feature “sikwate,” I love this drink and I have easy access to Tablea.. . Maybe, you can even feature different recipes that use Tablea. :)
I am not sure if you have featured this already, but I’m interested to know of the dishes they offer in the Southern part of the Philippines, in the Muslim/tribal areas.. I wonder what do they serve there..
Hi MM! Glad to hear you will be doing palayok-cooking posts soon as I have a couple and I’ve been dying to use them! :)
One thing I would really love is a sort of seasonal “calendar” of our local produce and such…you know, like what’s in season when, when’s the best time to buy what..etc, etc. Maybe even seasonal and regional! I know I have probably said this before…so sorry I’m super kulit I know! :)
Bembeth – I have found Alupihan Dagat, albeit fresh not frozen, in Salcedo market and Seaside market along Macapagal. In Seaside I found one weighing half a kilo…what a sight! Had it cookied in garlic and butter.
MM, give us a show on Table arrangement/Food presentation.
I found most filipinos set tables with barely forks and spoons, paper rolled paper napkins and cheap drinking water glasses. Is eating with SPOONS and FORKS classy or is it just FILIPINO style?
As far as food presentation, ours is a sound F. Foods should not only TASTE good but should evoke visually and sensually.
how about banofee pie, egg pie, panna cotta, pancakes from scratch, sourdough bread, that new york times bread that you bake in a huge le creuset pan (always wanted to try it but no pan), and brazo de remedios of pixie sevilla.
how about cookbooks? i’m in canada and am limited to whatever i can find on amazon. whenever someone goes to the phil, i ask them to bring me a “good cookbook” back. I always end up with the cooking with nora cookbook. 5 copies later, i wouldn’t mind having some titles to request…
Re Adam’s: Marketman does not seem to sway under the influence of ehanol but you are right, caipirinha is one hell of a drink. Brazil might be big on biofuel these days but when travelling there I run on caipirinha alone. In remote areas, they still prepare them in mortars and pestles curved out of trunks of ancient trees (great for pounding saba and casaba for nilupak, I thought). It is my fountain of youth that does not involve the combination of gin and vermouth.
Pixeldose, I’ve had pizza topped with kesong puti (aside from other cheeses) in a couple of restaurants here — loved it! One of them was also topped with tuyo flakes, and the combination was delicious.
i been tripping on achara so i would enjoy a feature on achara. what’s the best achara you’ve tried? what’s the secret to good achara? how much would you pay for good achara? i always find myself comparing restaurant acharas to my grandaunt’s and nothing has come close ;-)
Katrina, that’s what I thought. Thanks for letting me know :).
Check this out!
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/07/asia_pac_eating_insects_in_thailand/html/2.stm
How many Filipinos do the same thing as in Thailand?
Katrina, thanks for the lead. My niece is coming to visit me and I’ll ask her to bring some!
Oh I like Candygirl’s suggestions! Count my vote for those items too, specially Egg Pie (my Dad’s favorite pie).
Lastly, how about (Batangas) coffee? I love the smell of coffee but can’t take caffeine. The next time I go home, I’m thinking of bringing home some Batangas coffee as gifts to friends. I’m wondering how our coffee will compare with the coffee found in other regions of the world.
In reverse comment order:
bluegirl, I don’t drink coffee, but I understand our Batangas coffee is pretty darn good…the issue is keeping it fresh as most don’t vacuum seal it. Check out an early post of mine on Tommy’s…
margauxlicious, I have made acharra from scratch with great results…but I like it on the scrisp side, so mine isn’t cooked, rather steeped in the liquid. It is pretty good, if you want to try it, check out this previous post…
Apicio and Adam, I have to admit, I have never had a caipinrinha…
Elaine, there is a dearth of good cookbooks, but you may want to try Gene Gonzalez’s Cocina Sulipena, or the U.S. published Memories of Philippine Kitchens or The Filipino American Kitchen from Chef Aranas, also published in the U.S. I did a review of the second book, here.
Candygirl, I haven’t made many of those things, and some of them are probably best bought… :)
Paolo, I have featured several holiday meals before. Not necessarily Filipino, but dinners I have held in the Philippines… and no, they weren’t just the basic set-up…maybe check this out, or this, or this, or this, or this or this…
Joey, I have been trying to put together a seasonal calender, will post it when I have it more fleshed out. And yes, you HAVE mentioned it before. Actually, it would be a good chapter for a book…
Blaise, sorry, Muslim dishes totally out of my realm of experience.
Hi MarketMan,
Sana when you decide to feature caldereta, give us a tip on how to do the chicken & pork caldereta. I’d like to learn your recipe on this.
Also, we hope its not asking too much pero baka you have a good recipe of crab sandwich. Not the really fresh crabmeat but the frozen ones that we get from supermarkets. Are those cooked already? Do we still need to steam/saute the crabmeat before we make the sandwich?
Thanks MM!
All the best!
Bengski, I don’t use a lot of the fake crabmeat from the frozen section. Known as kani in Japanese restaurants, this is actually processed cod or other large white fish that is put through machines and extruded in sticks then colored and flavored. Actually, they don’t taste bad at all, I just like fresh crab meat better. If you are using the kani, I think some people eat it straight, but you can also steam it to kill any potential cooties… then let it dry on paper towels and shred them by hand and mix with mayonnaise and spices for a nice sandwich filling.
Hello MM!=)
– Dinuguan
– Igado
– Achara (using bamboo shoots)- I think Achara means pickled green papaya with carrots, ginger, onions and bell peppers? Or is it a general name? anyway, i don’t exactly know whow they call it but i’ve tasted this achara (according to my friend, it is called Achara) but its made of labong. It taste so good lalo na with fried fish..
Thanks MM=)
Hello MM,
Can you feature raw food- “kinilaw” from malasug-i, blue marlin; tanguige and its variations? I came from Cagayan de Oro City and now lives in Bacolod. I noticed that there are so many ways in concocting this delicacy (for example they spice up kinilaw with itlog na maalat in bacolod). I wonder what would be your recipe on kinilaw… Thanks for this wonderful site- never fails to inform and inspire readers like me!
MM, I just came across the article on malasug-i(april artilces). I was wondering if you could post a recipe on kinilaw ( your style). thanks!
Divine, I am glad you found the kinilaw na malasugi, I also have a recipe for kinilaw na dilis in the archives. But I don’t think I have ever posted a kinilaw na tanguigue. I think with all kinilaws, the freshness of the fish and quality of your vinegar is critical. And I like it tossed last minute, where the flesh of the fish is just starting to “cook” from the acidity of the vinegar, not the type of kinilaw that has been soaking in vinegar for hours…
Caldereta
Mechado
Dinuguan
Sardines in Olive Oil (Recipe)
Bangus Sardines (How to make)
Callos
Bagoong
Vigan Empanada – Recipe
chicken empanada
chicken pastel
How about something on Don Anastacio B. de Alba? His Alba restaurants have been around since the 1950’s. His take on the paella is legendary.
just a few suggestions:
-sandwiches (we all eat them, what are your fave palaman?)
-food combinations (personally, i HAVE to have a banana while eating adobo hehe)
-pancakes from scratch… my mom makes the BEST pancakes, forget IHOP or Pancake house.
-food that we identify w/ childhood (chocnut? butter and sugar toast? )
thanks!
sinaing na tulingan
I also still look forward to more table setting ideas :-) in all kinds of occasions. Thank you so much for asking!
This is my first time to write but i’ve been a longtime reader and fan while trying to replicate many of your dishes in our kitchen. Anyway, since you’re asking for “requests” I also would appreciate a good caldereta recipe.:)
Would you also have something similar to thanh long crab? The one eaten with garlic noodles. If so that would also be great. Hope to see you get started on all the interesting suggestions so far. Thanks!
how about feces of wild cat(alamid),its interesting,they make it into coffee?,saluyot ,bulanglang, spinach recipe??beverages which are affordable
HI MM,
Have you ever featured “Calamares Fritos” and “Pulpo a la Gallega? “
hello marketman, how about balbacua (balbakwa) and pancit molo? and for dessert, try the bukayo….thanks a lot and ahve great weekend!
hi, how about minanok. this is one of my favorite comfort food. i don’t know of anyone else doing it or maybe they are calling it by some other name and i don’t know where it is from, but it is so easy to prepare, and so easy to freeze and thaw and enjoy on cold lazy days. – ever heard of it?
oh and colcannon (cabbage, potato, butter, etc.) – sounds yummy, saw this in lifestyle network and i’ve been wanting to try it ever since.
thanks. have a great weekend. = )
In terms of candied fruits, it would be nice to feature “Kundol”. As a child, I often buy kundol as a snack, it is sweet but I like it! I don’t even know where exactly kundol comes from..thanks
in addition to the thai curries you have already posted, how about tom yum soup, bagoong rice, pad thai, chicken pandan and other popular thai specialties.
it would be great also to post indian curry dishes and pita/ nan breads to go with it.
i heart thai and indian food :)
First off, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! I’m an OFW here in Seattle and I really miss puto Manapla, the kind that we eat with batchoy and dinuguan in iloilo. I tried making puto but failed miserable. I like the chewiness of puto Manapla. I hope you could feature this famous puto from iloilo soon. Thanks and more power MM!
i love to cook pansit sotanghon. nowadays sotanghon looks like bihon when cooked, where can i buy the best raw sotanghon?
hi,i came to ur website coz i was looking for adobong kabayo recipe,it was a favorite viand of my father’s family.when my grandparents passed away,we didn’t have any reunions or parties anymore so,the recipe sort of died also.i was wondering if anyone knows how to cook it with lots of garlic,simmered til dried up and the meat kinda flaky.i hope you can feature traditional recipes of families that are almost forgotten now.thank you and God bless