In terms of Philippine culinary prowess, the province of Pampanga ranks first in the hierarchy of the country's best. It's because during the time the country was under Spanish rule, the friars from Spain taught the locals the basics of Spanish cooking. This explains why the province's cooking styles are similar to Malay, Mexican, Chinese and of course, Spanish cuisine. Well, you don't need to drive for hours to savor authentic Pampanga food, for here are a couple of tasty dishes that you can cook at home, or buy in the nearest restaurant.
Sisig
Who hasn't tasted sisig yet? This crunchy and spicy dish tops the best-of-Pampanga food list for many, and it's a staple in bars, restaurants and home kitchens. According to Filipino food experts and historians, a lady named Luciana Cunanan, or "Aling Lucing", created the dish in an eatery located along the old railroad tracks in Angeles City, the province's biggest urban area.
Aling Lucing's sisig was made from a mix of chicken liver and pig brains (as well as flesh taken from the pig's face), which was boiled, grilled and then fried before being served in a hot sizzling plate, and topped with fresh cracked egg.
Balo-Balo
Another dish that fortifies Pampanga's monicker as the Culinary Capital of the Philippines is "balo balo", which is basically fermented rice mixed with shrimp or fish.
While many find balo balo a bit offensive, because of its pungent smell and appearance, once you overcome your initial fears of eating anything fermented, you'll definitely find it truly delectable, especially if you pair balo balo with deep-fried catfish of "hito", mustard greens and boiled/grilled veggies like eggplant and okra!
Bulanglang (Guava Sour Soup)
If you're familiar with a popular Filipino dish called, "sinigang", you'll love Pampanga's version of it, and it's called "Bulanglang". But while sinigang's sourness is derived from using tamarind for the broth, bulanglang takes it sweet and sour flavor from guava.
The ingredients that are mixed with the fruity and thick soup include freshwater prawns, pork and milk fish belly, and the dish is partnered with "bagoong" or shrimp paste, "patis" (fish sauce) or soy sauce.
Morcon
Another popular dish which traces its roots in Pampanga is "morcon". Morcon is a tasty meat dish which looks like "embutido" or meat loaf. However, Pampanga's version is stuffed with more tasty ingredients like chorizo bilbao or sausage, hard-boiled eggs, carrots, pickles and Quezo de Bola, which makes it so tempting to devour over a cup or two of steamed rice.
Pindang Damulag
Most Filipinos know what "tocino" is, and how delicious it is. But have you tasted tocino that's not made from pork, but from cured carabao meat instead? Pampanga's version of the tocino is called "Pindang Damulag", and it's made from thinly-sliced carabao meat that's cured with vinegar and other seasonings.
While pindang damulag has a sour taste (as compared to pork tocino's sweet taste), it becomes a winner when paired with a cup of steamed rice, and sliced tomatoes on the side!
Tibok-Tibok
After checking the meaty dishes, it's now time to sample one of Pampanga's best desserts called "Tibuk Tibuk" or "Tibok Tibok". Tibok Tibok is carabao milk pudding, which is topped with oily coconut meat called "latik", and added with a dash of "dayap" or local citrus, for that extra zest and creamy melt-in-your-mouth goodness!
Apart from these dishes, the other unique, and truly popular Pampanga recipes, include "Kamaro" (fried crickets), "Batute Tugak" (stuffed frogs) and "Taba ng Talangka" (pure fat from tiny crabs) and more! It's no wonder that the province of Pampanga is hailed as the capital of Philippine cuisine!
Source : articlesbase.com
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