Philippines

A Filipino braise of pork, chicken, or both, simmered in a vinegar-soy-garlic-bay-leaf-peppercorn liquor until the sauce glazes the meat, rooted in a pre-colonial vinegar-preservation technique later shaped by Chinese soy influence.

A Filipino ginger-forward rice congee simmered with bone-in chicken until the rice fully dissolves into a thick, porridge-like broth, finished with crispy fried garlic, hard-boiled egg, scallions, and calamansi.

A Filipino condiment of tiny shrimp (or fish) salted and fermented into a pungent, savoury paste, used raw or sautéed to season and accompany dishes.

A Filipino rice-flour and coconut-milk cake baked in a banana-leaf-lined clay pot, traditionally topped with salted duck egg and cheese and eaten around Christmas.

A Filipino slow-simmered soup of bone-in beef shank and marrow bones cooked until the broth turns deeply gelatinous and clear, served in the pot with corn on the cob, cabbage, and leafy greens.

A sweet Filipino chocolate rice porridge made from glutinous rice and tablea (pure cacao tablets), classically served with salty dried fish.

A Filipino dish of whole pork hock simmered until collagen-tender, then deep-fried in hot oil until the skin shatters into a crackling shell, served with a sharp soy-vinegar-garlic sawsawan.

A Filipino stew of pork and offal simmered in a dark, rich gravy of pork blood spiked with vinegar and chili.

A Filipino layered dessert of shaved ice and evaporated milk over an assortment of sweetened beans, fruits, and jellies, crowned with leche flan, ube, and often ice cream.

A Filipino stew of oxtail and tripe simmered tender in a thick peanut-and-annatto sauce, always served with bagoong (fermented shrimp paste) on the side.

A Filipino raw-fish or seafood preparation cured solely by acid in coconut vinegar, seasoned with fresh ginger, chilli, and shallots — no heat is applied at any stage.

A Filipino Bicolano dish of dried taro leaves slowly braised in coconut milk with pork or shrimp paste and fiery bird's-eye chillies until thick and oily.

A whole pig — or suckling pig — slow-roasted on a rotating spit over live hardwood coals until the skin renders to a brittle, mahogany crackling and the flesh becomes fall-tender throughout.

Lechon kawali is a Filipino dish of pork belly first boiled until tender, then deep-fried in a wok until the skin blisters into crackling, chopped and served with a liver or vinegar dipping sauce.

A thin wrapper rolled around a savory filling of meat and/or vegetables, served either deep-fried and crisp or fresh and soft with a sweet-garlic sauce.

A Filipino stir-fried noodle dish of wheat egg noodles tossed with pork, shrimp and vegetables in a soy-and-calamansi sauce.

A Filipino sautéed-noodle dish, the broad guisado category, in which rice or wheat noodles are stir-fried with pork, shrimp and vegetables in a soy-seasoned broth.

A Filipino vegetable dish from the Ilocos region of bitter melon, eggplant, squash, okra and other native vegetables braised together and seasoned with fermented fish or shrimp paste.

Filipino steamed rice cakes made from fermented or ground rice batter, soft and spongy, eaten plain, with cheese, or alongside savory dishes like dinuguan.

Sinigang is a Filipino sour soup characterized by its distinctly tangy broth, typically built around tamarind and featuring protein and vegetables cooked together.

A Filipino dish of chopped boiled-then-grilled pork head parts seasoned with calamansi, onion and chili and served sizzling on a hot cast-iron plate.

A Filipino clear ginger-based soup of chicken simmered in a broth seasoned with fish sauce, with chunks of green papaya (or chayote) and leafy greens added near the end.