Once Tasted Always Wanted

Let me share with you some delicious Filipino foods. Whether it’s a fiesta, a birthday, a wedding, a baptism or any kind of special occasion, these dishes are always present. The photos I’m sharing were what we prepared for my brother’s birthday.

One dish that absolutely cannot be missing is bam-i — a stir-fried noodle dish made with a mix of canton noodles and sotanghon (vermicelli). It also includes various meats like pork, chicken, shrimp, and an assortment of vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, and wood-ear mushrooms. This dish is truly very easy to prepare. In the Visayas region, bam-i is often served for birthdays and gatherings because it symbolizes longevity and celebration.

Next up, grilled fish (sinugba/inihaw na isda). We grill a whole fish over an open flame or charcoal. The technique: make several diagonal slashes on both sides of the fish — this helps the marinade penetrate the flesh so that it has good flavour throughout. For the dipping sauce (sawsawan), combine chopped red onion, cucumber, soy sauce, and a squeeze of fresh calamansi juice. If you want more heat, add chopped finger chilies. The aroma of the charcoal, the crackle of the skin, the fresh citrus and salty sauce make it one of the most enjoyable dishes at any celebration.

Then we have kinilaw na isda — a Filipino raw‐fish dish in which the fish is “cooked” by marinating it in an acidic mixture instead of heating it. In essence, fresh fish is cut up and tossed in vinegar or citrus (like calamansi), then mixed with ginger, red onion, tomato, chili, and often coconut milk or other regional flavourings. The acid denatures the fish proteins and gives a firm but fresh texture. This dish has a bright, tangy, spicy flavour, and is perfect as an appetizer or shared plate during gatherings.

And of course, we cannot leave out shrimp and squid calamari with sweet corn — a seafood dish where shrimp and squid (calamari) are paired with sweet corn kernels. This dish brings color, texture and seafood variety to the spread.

If you get to attend a Birthday,fiesta, Wedding especially in the province, you really get to taste those simply prepared foods that are so delicious — ones you wouldn’t usually find in a fancy restaurant.