paste made from baby shrimp. Bagoong means “fermented” in Filipino. This popular ingredient has a strong, pungent smell and varies in appearance, color, and flavor. Ginisang bagoong refers to ready-to-eat sautéed fermented shrimp paste sold in jars in Philippine supermarkets and Asian grocery stores. Filipinos love to spoon the bagoong over vegetable and meat dishes, even on food that may already be well seasoned. Bottled bagoong products are sold in Asian stores, look for those imported from the Philippines.The Indonesian terasi, Malaysian belachan, Thai kapi, and Vietnamese mam tom are good substitutes.
Spring Roll Wrappers (Fresh) The round, white-yellowish, crepelike, wafer-thin wrappers are about about 8 inches (20 cm) and usually frozen. They are made of wheat flour, water, coconut oil, salt, and eggs (sometimes without eggs). They are also called “pastry wrappers,” “lumpia wrappers” or “lumpia skins” (balat ng lumpia). Look for the packet that has a picture of fresh spring rolls. Before using, thaw the wrappers fully. Leftover wrappers should be stored in a tightly sealed plastic bag before putting them back into the freezer; otherwise, they will become dry and unusable. Dried rice paper wrappers used to wrap Vietnamese spring rolls and usually found in the dried noodle section, are not advisable for the Filipino fresh spring roll version.
Spring Roll Wrappers (Fried) These are square wrappers and are slightly thicker than the fresh spring roll ones. They are also labeled “spring roll pastry” and are available frozen. They are made from wheat flour, water, coconut oil, and salt and sometimes eggs. The sizes vary, so cut the large ones before serving. Thaw the wrappers completely before using. If you wish to store the leftover wrappers, place them in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Look for the packet that has a picture of deep-fried spring rolls. Either the Filipino or Chinese spring roll wrappers may be used.
Tamarind (sampalok) fruit ripe tamarind is sweet and is great for jams and candies, unripe tamarind is great for sour sinigang soups. The inside is green and very sour. To make the base for sinigang, the shelled tamarind is boiled, mashed, strained, and mixed with the soup. Frozen tamarind fruits and ready-to-use tamarind paste are sold in bags. If not available, look for the tamarind sinigang concentrate in powder or cubes in Asian grocery stores.
Tapioca Pearls are made from the cassava plant. They have a similar appearance and taste as sago pearls, which are made from the piths of sago palms that are widely grown in the Southern Philippines. To cook the dried pearls, bring to a boil four parts of water and one part of uncooked pearls. Add brown sugar (according to desired sweetness) and simmer for 20 minutes. Dried tapioca pearls are sold in various sizes and colors. Dry sago is sold in packages, and cooked sago is in jars. They can be found in Asian and Latin American grocery stores.
Taro Root (gabi) is a traditional staple in many tropical countries. It has a brown, coarse skin and gray- or purple-tinged flesh with a nutty flavor. The size of taro roots varies, but the Filipino variety is about the size of an orange. Taro is prepared like a potato. Peeled, sliced and cooked, taro is a basic ingredient for sinigang soups as well as for desserts. Firm taro root will keep for about a week at room temperature. Look for them at Asian markets and natural foods store. Jerusalem artichokes, sometimes called “sunchoke,” or potatoes may be substituted.
Toasted Rice (pinipig) is toasted, pounded glutinous rice. Upon harvest, the still-green glutinous rice is pounded flat in a mortar and pestle, and then toasted. Pinipig smells great and is used as a topping for desserts or can be actually eaten like a cereal. Sold in a plastic packages, pinipig looks like crispy rice cereal (which can be a substitute for pinipig).
Tofu (tokwa) There are many varieties of tofu (bean curd). In the Philippines, soft tofu is rarely used and the most common form is the tokwa, which is pressed tofu, sold in cakes. Fried tokwa has a crisp, brown exterior but firm, white inside. Tokwa lasts longer— for about two weeks—than regular tofu when refrigerated. Look for it in the frozen section of Asian or vegetarian/health food stores. Deep-fried tofu, pressed tofu, or extra-firm tofu can be used in its place.
Water Chestnuts are root tubers that are similar to chestnuts in color and shape. When using, cut off the top, peel the skin using a vegetable peeler, and then slice them. The small and round root has a crispy white flesh that retains its crispiness even when cooked. The flavor is bland with a hint of sweetness. It is widely cultivated in paddy fields and marshes in the Philippines. Look for firm water chestnuts with unwrinkled skins. Unpeeled fresh water chestnuts can be stored up to three weeks in the refrigerator. Jicama is a good substitute, but canned water chestnuts are widely available.
Water Spinach (kangkong) also called “convolvulus,” is a nutritious leafy green vegetable that grows in water—making it important to wash the greens thoroughly before cooking. The edible stems are hollow and the pointed leaves are long and thin. Try to use them as soon as they are bought because they do not keep well. Spinach can be used as a substitute.
Wonton Wrappers, or “wonton skins,” are 4-inch (10-cm) squares made from wheat flour, water, eggs, and salt. The thickness varies depending on the brand. Choose thinner ones for use in wonton soup dumplings as the thicker wrappers are for frying.Once filled with ground meat, wonton wrappers can be easily folded and sealed. They have a soft and silky texture when boiled. They are found in the frozen section, next to the tofu or fresh noodles. There are also round dumpling wrappers in the frozen section but these don’t have the same melt-in-the-mouth texture when cooked. Leftover wrappers should be stored in a tightly sealed plastic bag before putting them back into the freezer; otherwise, they will become dry and unusable.
Cooking Utensils and Techniques
One of the best features of Filipino food is that it is simple to prepare and does not require special skills or exotic cooking utensils. Even rather complicated-looking dishes, such as tamales, can be prepared in any kitchen.
On Filipino Cooking Techniques Filipino dishes do not require elaborate preparations, special cooking methods or presentations. Cooking the Filipino way seems to be a natural extension of the lifestyle of everyday home cooks. Though modern short-cuts and conveniences are used in Filipino kitchens today, the simple roots of the cuisine are evident in the no-fuss recipes that comprise the cooking of the Philippines.
Early Filipinos boiled, steamed and roasted their food until Chinese migrants taught them the art of stir-frying and deep-frying and brought the indispensable soy sauce and other condiments to the wok and dining table. The next wave of innovation to Filipino cooking came when the Spanish colonizers brought with them chili peppers, tomatoes sauces, corn, potatoes and the method of sautéing. In the mid-twentieth century, Americans introduced convenience foods, such as canned meats and canned fruit cocktail, to the country, leading to new Filipino dishes using existing cooking techniques.
Herbs or spices do not feature heavily in Filipino cooking, though black peppercorns and bay leaves (or “laurel”) are used. Instead, fish sauce and shrimp paste are the popular and common ways to add flavor to dishes, similar to the way Westerners use salt, pepper, or ketchup. Further, vinegar adds tang; calamansi, a bright, tart accent; and tamarind, a sour counterpoint.
Chef’s Knife or Cleaver A good cleaver is essential
