Today we're heading to the Philippines—an archipelago with an incredibly rich culinary tradition, where Spanish heritage meets Asian influences. We're making two iconic dishes that Filipinos cook for holidays and weekdays alike.
🔥 Sisig
A famous Filipino dish of chopped pork with a crispy crust, seasoned with onions, chili peppers, and calamansi. Served on a sizzling hot skillet, often with a raw egg on top—sizzling, aromatic, with a bright sour-spicy flavor.
Ingredients:
• Pork jowl (or pork belly) — 500 g
• Pork liver — 150 g
• Yellow onion — 2 medium
• Chili pepper (serrano or jalapeño) — 2-3 pcs
• Garlic — 6 cloves
• Soy sauce — 3 tbsp
• Lemon juice (calamansi substitute) — 3 tbsp
• Mayonnaise — 2 tbsp
• Black pepper — 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil — for frying
• Fresh egg — 1 pc (optional)
• Green onion — for serving
Preparation:
1. Meat prep: place the pork jowl in a pot, cover with cold water (water should cover the meat by 2-3 cm), add 1 tbsp soy sauce and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 40-45 minutes until tender—meat should be easily pierced with a fork but not falling apart. Remove, cool to room temperature.
2. Frying for texture: cut the boiled meat into 0.5×0.5 cm cubes. Heat a skillet with 2 tbsp oil over high heat and fry the meat in batches for 5-7 minutes, not stirring for the first 3 minutes—a golden-brown crispy crust should form. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Liver: cut the liver into cubes of the same size (0.5 cm). In the same skillet, fry the liver over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until cooked—it should turn white inside but remain tender. Transfer to the meat.
4. Aromatic base: finely chop the onion (3-4 mm cubes), garlic, and chili pepper. In the same skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil, fry the onion over medium heat for 3 minutes until translucent, add garlic and chili, fry another 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Sisig assembly: return the meat and liver to the skillet with the onions. Add the remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and black pepper. Stir and fry over high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly—the mixture should become uniform, slightly caramelized, with a glossy surface.
6. Final touch: taste and adjust the balance—add lemon juice for tartness or soy sauce for saltiness. Transfer to a sizzling cast iron skillet (or serving plate).
7. Serving: if using an egg, crack it into the center of the hot sisig right before serving—the white should set from the heat while the yolk stays runny. Sprinkle with chopped green onion. Serve immediately with steamed rice and lemon wedges.
💡 Fact: Sisig was invented in the city of Pampanga in the 1970s, and originally it was made from pig ears and snout. The dish became so popular that Pampanga holds an annual Sisig Festival where the best chefs compete.
🍲 Kaldereta
A festive Filipino beef stew in a thick tomato sauce with paprika, olives, and liver pâté. The meat is braised until tender, the sauce turns out rich, slightly sweet and buttery—this is a dish for special occasions.
Ingredients:
• Beef shoulder or neck — 800 g
• Potatoes — 3 medium
• Carrots — 2 medium
• Bell pepper (red) — 2 pcs
• Yellow onion — 1 large
• Garlic — 6 cloves
• Tomato paste — 3 tbsp
• Canned tomatoes (crushed) — 400 g
• Liver pâté (or chicken liver) — 100 g
• Green olives, pitted — 100 g
• Sweet paprika — 2 tbsp
• Bay leaf — 2 pcs
• Soy sauce — 2 tbsp
• Beef broth (or water) — 500 ml
• Vegetable oil — 3 tbsp
• Salt and black pepper — to taste
Preparation:
1. Meat prep: cut the beef into 3-4 cm cubes. Pat dry with paper towels (wet meat won't brown). Heat a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with 2 tbsp oil over high heat. Fry the meat in batches for 4-5 minutes, not stirring for the first 2 minutes—a dark brown crust should form on the surface. Set the meat aside.
2. Aromatic base: in the same pot (don't wash it—the meat drippings remain), add 1 tbsp oil. Fry the finely chopped onion for 4-5 minutes until golden, add minced garlic and fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Add tomato paste, fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly—the paste should darken and become aromatic.
3. Braising the meat: return the meat to the pot. Add canned tomatoes, paprika, soy sauce, bay leaf, and broth. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to minimum and braise for 1.5-2 hours, checking every 30 minutes—the meat should become so tender that it easily separates with a fork.
4. Vegetables: cut the potatoes and carrots into large cubes (3-4 cm), bell pepper into 3×3 cm squares. When the meat becomes tender, add the potatoes and carrots, stir, cover and braise for 15 minutes—potatoes should be pierced with a knife but hold their shape.
5. Liver enrichment: if using pâté, add it to the pot, stir thoroughly until dissolved. If using fresh liver—blend it with 3 tbsp sauce from the pot until smooth, then pour back in. This will give the sauce silkiness and depth.
6. Final assembly: add bell pepper and olives (olives can be cut in half for presentation). Braise uncovered for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally—the sauce should thicken to the consistency of thick sour cream and coat the spoon in a dense layer.
7. Flavor adjustment: taste, adjust salt and pepper. If the sauce is too acidic, add a pinch of sugar. If too thick—add 50-100 ml broth. Remove from heat, let rest for 10 minutes covered—this allows the flavors to come together. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.
💡 Fact: Kaldereta came to the Philippines from Spanish colonizers (the name from Spanish 'caldera'—cauldron) and was originally made from goat. Filipinos adapted the recipe, adding liver pâté for thickness and local spices, transforming the Spanish dish into a unique Filipino classic.