Expats’ Guide to Common Dishes in a Filipino Potluck
Christmas in the Philippines would not be complete without a family reunion where everyone, from the elders to the children get to meet and celebrate the spirit of Christmas. It’s that one time of the year where kids have the license to go through every house to ask for “pamasko” or “aguinaldo”; where the young and the old gets to flaunt their best outfits; where the whole family gets to just bond over a banquet of Filipino favorites.
If you’re still searching for the dish to bring for this year’s potluck, Primer Ph gives you a rundown of the most common dishes found in every salu-salo.
- Morcon
Morcon is a holiday dish made by braising a slice of beef rolled around choice fillings such as cheese, eggs, carrots, pickles, bacons, and sausages. It is cooked with a braising liquid made by stock and tomato sauce which serves as the roll’s gravy.
- Kare-Kare
Kare-kare is a classic Filipino dish made of either oxtails, tripe, or beef stew cuts. It is usually mixed with vegerables such as long beans, eggplants, and banna blossoms (or banana heart). What make this dish very unique is the peanuty taste that keeps the people coming back for more. This dish is best paired with bagoong or shrimp paste that gives the dish a mix of the sweet, salty, and the tangy flavor.
- Lechon
Known to be one of the staples when it comes to Christmas parties and other special occassions, Lechon is usually the “main event” to every feast. Lechon is a Spanish term that means “roasted suckling pig”. This dish is prepared by attaching the pig to a stick, bamboo, or a rod, and cooked by turning the rod in a “rotisserie” action over the charcoal. Paired with a delectable lechon sauce, lechon is probably always the first one to get sweeped out at every party, especially its crispy skin.
- Pinoy Spaghetti
While the adults would usually run to the lechon area first, the kids would scramble to where the spaghetti is at. Pinoy spaghetti is, well, just like any spaghetti as it is also made with the usual tomato meat sauce. What sets it apart from the others, though, is the sweet flavor brought by the banana ketchup that is added in it. Pinoy spaghetti also features a lot of meat ingredients such as hotdog, luncheon meat, and ground pork.
- Relyenong Bangus
Relyenong Bangus is one of those dishes you would only find in special occasions because preparing it involves a lot of time and effort. Some of the processes in preparing relyenenong bangus include: deboning, flaking, sauteing, stuffing, sewing, and, of course, frying the milkfish. Intricate, huh? This, however, is what makes the dish one of the most special holiday dish.
BONUS: Macaroni/Buko/Fruit Salad
Aside from the famous leche flan and ube halaya, these variations of salad is one of the crowd-favorites in ever party and reunion. Made by mixing the ingredients – fruits, macaroni, buko – with milk and cream, the salad is known to be one that caps off a great Christmas meal.
Source: kawalingpinoy.com
Photos were taken from Google Images.
