Dining: Taste of Philippines

I had never tasted Filipino food before coming to Muscat and to be outrightly honest had not even thought of tasting it. Having not heard much about this unsung cuisine, it somehow remained inconspicuous in my food ‘wish list’ for long till my colleague from Philippines introduced me to their food and their food preferences.
“Our cuisine incorporates all the flavours — salty, sour, spicy and even bitter, and is also the melting pot of many culinary influences like Chinese, Mexican, Spanish, American, Malay and Indian cuisine,” said my colleague while introducing me to their food. From him I learnt how they balance their gastronomy, ranging from simple meals to the exotic ones. Like in most other countries, in Philippines too they have three main meals in a day, breakfast which is known as Almusal, lunch or Tanghalian, and dinner called Hapunan.
“Snacking is also a significant part of our menu which is mostly taken in between meals,” he added while introducing me to their favourite Meriendas or snacks.
Since I had not yet tasted their cuisine I had not much to say, but one thing that really intrigued me during those lengthy discussions with my colleague were the names of their food and the meals. I, at times, would imagine walking into a restaurant and asking, ‘what’s for Tanghalian, instead of what’s for lunch?’
Having mastered the names of the meals in a jiffy, it was comparatively easy for me to break into conversation with my Filipino colleague and the topic most of the time oscillated between their food choices and why it is still not a ‘much talked about’ cuisine in the global food map.
“Filipino cuisine will surely become diners’ delight in the days to come because our food,which was earlier known as ‘no-frills’ cuisine, is now being prepared and served in more refined way,” he would often say, thus opening up an ocean of information on Filipino cuisine. With that I was also invited to visit his home for an authentic bite. I understood that food preferences are different in different region in Philippines. While in some provinces rice is the staple in all the meals, in other areas they preferred cassava, a nutrient-rich root vegetable.
Filled with curiosity about how the food would actually taste, my Filipino food journey began with a dish called Sinigang, a tamarind based stew with a tangy flavour. In this dish shrimp or fish is slightly boiled in sour stock of vegetables and fish sauce or patis, as it is called in Philippines.
Sinigang was followed by Adobo chicken. Adobo in general refers to a common cooking process in Philippines and has a little history to it. It is said that when Philippines was attacked in the late 16th century an indigenous cooking process was invented that involved stewing with vinegar and was called Adobo. Over time, dishes prepared in this manner came to be known by this name and now it has earned a global recognition.
While the common ingredients in their cuisine are chillies, garlic, onion, mushrooms, ginger, tomatoes, pandan leaves or screw pine, and lemon grass, the most important ingredient that is used in almost all dishes is coconut milk. Apart from their main traditional dish we also had Pancit or noodles, Inasal or skewered, grilled chicken where the chicken chunks are marinated in lime, peppers, and vinegar, and then coal-roasted. The spread also had Kare Kare, an oxtail stew with a strong peanut flavour, which I gave a miss.
It was indeed a sumptuous spread and the food memories linger even years later. But if you aren’t as lucky as me to have a generous colleague from that region, then don’t lose heart. The two well-known Filipino restaurants in town, Adobo and Palayok, offer a widespread of choices. So next time you yearn for a taste of Philippines you know where to go.
So, Masiyahan Kayo Sa Inyong Pagkain; in short enjoy your meal.
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When in Muscat

Palayok, Al Khuwair; +968 2202 4468
Adobo, City Centre Muscat, Mawaleh; +968 9140 5006/ +968 9550 7124