Binatog

 

    Binatog is a traditional Filipino dessert or snack that is made from boiled white corn kernels. It is typically topped with fresh grated coconut, butter, salt, and sugar, or you can use condensed milk if sugar is not available.

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups white corn kernels (dried hominy or white corn, pre-soaked overnight)
2. Water (for boiling)
3. 1 cup freshly grated coconut
4. 1/4 cup sugar
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
6. Condensed milk (optional)

Procedure:

1. If you're using dried hominy or white corn, soak the kernels in water overnight.

2. Drain the soaked corn and put it in a big pot.

3. Add enough water to cover the corn and bring it to a boil.

4. Lower the heat and let it simmer until the corn gets tender, which should take about 1 to 2 hours.

5. Drain the boiled corn and let it cool down a bit.

6. In a serving bowl, scoop out a portion of the boiled corn kernels.

7. Top it off with some freshly grated coconut.

8. Sprinkle some sugar on top and throw in a pinch of salt if you want.

9. For a little extra sweetness, feel free to drizzle some condensed milk over it.

10. Serve it warm or at room temperature as a tasty snack or dessert.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐- It is sweet and the flavors are combining all at once. The taste of the coconut blends easily well with the other ingredients of the said food.

Dynamite

    Dynamite is a popular Filipino deep-fried snack made with long green chili peppers wrapped in a spring roll. It also has a slightly spicy flavor. You can also fill it with ground beef or pork, cheese, or even both, as these combinations make it taste even better.

Ingredients:

1. 10-12 large green chili peppers (siling green)
2. 1/2 cup ground meat (pork, beef, or chicken)
3. 1/2 cup grated cheese (cheddar or quick-melt)
4. 1 small onion, finely chopped
5. 2 cloves garlic, minced
6. Salt and pepper to taste
7. Spring roll wrappers (lumpia wrappers)
8. Canola Oil for frying

Procedure:

1. Wash the green chili peppers and make a slit down the side, being careful not to cut all the way through.  
2. Take out the seeds and membranes if you want to tone down the heat.  
3. In a pan, sauté the garlic and onion until they smell great.  
4. Add the ground meat and cook it until it’s browned. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.  
5. Take it off the heat and let it cool for a bit.  
6. Stuff each chili pepper with a scoop of the cooked ground meat and a good bit of grated cheese.  
7. Wrap each stuffed chili pepper in a spring roll wrapper, sealing the edges with a bit of water so they don’t pop open while frying.  
8. Heat up some oil in a deep frying pan.  
9. Fry the wrapped chilies until they're golden brown and crispy.  
10. Take them out of the oil and place them on paper towels to soak up any extra oil.  
11. Serve them hot with your fave dipping sauce, like vinegar with garlic and chili, or a sweet and spicy sauce.

Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- The explosive flavors are something else. If you love spicy foods, then this is the right snack/food for you. It is crispy, spicy, and cheesy all at once. 

Kakanin

 

    Kakanin is a traditional Filipino treat that comes from the Filipino words "kain" (to eat) and "kanin" (rice). These tasty snacks are mainly made from sticky rice, coconut milk, and sugar, reflecting a rich food tradition that goes back to before the colonial period. 

    Kakanin is not just something to eat because it also symbolizes cultural identity and is often served during celebrations, enjoyed by both Filipinos and visitors. These treats highlights the creativity and skill found in Filipino cooking.

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups glutinous rice flour
2. 1 can coconut milk
3. 3/4 cup sugar
4. Coconut cream (for latik)

Procedure: Preparing the Latik

1. Pour coconut cream into a non-stick pan.
2. Simmer over medium heat.
3. Stir occasionally until oil and curds separate.
4. Remove when light brown to prevent burning.

Making the Kakanin:

1. Combine glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar in a large bowl
2. Mix until smooth
3. Optional: Add flavor extracts like ube or langka
4. Strain batter through a fine-mesh sieve
5. Grease an 8-inch pan with coconut oil
6. Steam the mixture for 20-25 minutes
7. Check doneness with a toothpick
8. Cool completely before serving9. Top with latik (coconut curds)

Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- It is really tasty, especially when made as an afternoon snack, served warm and fresh. The latik is not overly sweet, and the kakanin has a soft texture that is easy to chew. Highly recommended💯

Cheese Sticks

 

    Cheese sticks are just basically processed cheese wrapped in a spring roll. They are chilled in the refrigerator for a few hours before being deep-fried, which helps them become crispy and ensures the cheese inside melts evenly. They are quite popular, especially among students who often grab them right after classes or when school ends.

Ingredients:

1. 1 bar of Eden cheese, cut into sticks
2. 1 cup all-purpose flour
3. 2 large eggs, beaten
4. 1 cup bread crumbs
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 1/2 teaspoon pepper
7. 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional, for extra flavor)
8. Canola Oil for frying
9. Mayonnaise with Ketchup for dipping sauce

Procedure:

1. Cut the cheese into stick-sized pieces if you're not using pre-cut cheese sticks.
2. In one bowl, place the all-purpose flour.
3. In a second bowl, beat the eggs.
4. In a third bowl, mix the bread crumbs with salt, pepper, and paprika.
5. Coat each cheese stick in flour, shaking off any excess.
6. Dip the floured cheese stick into the beaten eggs, ensuring it's fully coated.
7. Roll the cheese stick in the bread crumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere the crumbs.
8. For a thicker coating, you can repeat the egg and bread crumb steps.
9. Place the breaded cheese sticks on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes. This helps the breading stick and prevents the cheese from melting too quickly when frying.
10. Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat.
11. Fry the cheese sticks in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch.
12. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.
13. Serve hot with mayonnaise mix with Ketchup for dipping sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- Cheese sticks are crispy as well. The authentic cheese sticks (sliced cheese and wrapped in lumpia wrapper) taste great and salty all at once, as it can be seasoned with cheese powder or any flavors you want.

Kikiam

 

    Kikiam is a sausage-like dish that came from China. It quickly became popular in the Philippines after it was introduced. After that, many Filipino recipes now include it as an ingredient.

Ingredients:

1. 500 grams ground pork
2. 1/2 cup shrimp, chopped
3. 1/2 cup grated carrots
4. 1/2 cup jicama (singkamas), finely chopped
5. 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
6. 1/4 cup minced garlic
7. 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
8. 1 egg, beaten
9. 1 tablespoon soy sauce
10. 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
11. 1 teaspoon salt
12. 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
13. Bean curd sheets (lumpia wrappers)
14. Oil for frying

Procedure:

1. In a big bowl, mix together the ground pork, chopped shrimp, grated carrots, jicama, green onions, garlic, and onion.  
2. Toss in the beaten egg, soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good mix until it's all combined nicely.  
3. Cut the bean curd sheets into sizes that are easy to handle.  
4. Put a spoonful of the meat mixture onto each sheet and shape it into a log.  
5. Roll the sheet around the filling, folding in the sides as you go to seal it up.  
6. Keep repeating this until you’ve used up all the filling.  
7. Place the wrapped kikiam in a steamer and steam them for about 20 minutes or until they’re cooked through.  
8. Heat some oil in a deep frying pan.  
9. Deep-fry the steamed kikiam until they’re golden brown and crispy.  
10. Take them out of the oil and put them on paper towels to soak up any extra oil.  
11. Slice the kikiam into bite-sized pieces and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce, like sweet chili sauce or vinegar with garlic and chili.

Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- It is delicious because of its certain crispiness and its flavor.

Calamares

 

    Calamares is a well-known street food and snack in the Philippines, celebrated for its crunchiness and flavor. It consists of squid that is coated in batter and then deep-fried until it turns golden and crispy.

Ingredients:

1. 500 grams squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
2. 1 cup all-purpose flour
3. 1 cup cornstarch
4. 2 large eggs, beaten
5. 1 teaspoon salt
6. 1 teaspoon black pepper
7. 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional, for extra flavor)
8. Canola Oil for frying
9. Lemon wedges (for serving)
10. Dipping sauce (mayonnaise with garlic or tartar sauce)

Procedure:

1. Clean the squid thoroughly and slice it into rings. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. In one bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and paprika.
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs.
4. Dip each squid ring into the beaten eggs, ensuring it's fully coated.
5. Roll the egg-coated squid ring in the flour mixture, pressing gently to adhere the coating.
6. Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat.
7. Fry the breaded squid rings in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch.
8. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.
9. Serve the calamares hot with lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce.

Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐- It is also one of the popular snacks in the streets. Often sold with other snacks like fried isaw, it is best served with vinegar as a dip. The squid tastes great because of its certain softness that is easily to chew.

Fried Isaw

 

    Fried isaw is made from chicken intestines that are carefully cleaned, marinated, and then fried. This dish is a popular street food in the Philippines, because it is known for its distinct flavor and crispy texture.

Ingredients:

1. 1 kg chicken or pork intestines
2. 1 cup vinegar
3. 1 cup water
4. 4 cloves garlic, minced
5. 1 large onion, chopped
6. 1 tablespoon salt
7. 1 tablespoon pepper
8. 1 tablespoon sugar
9. 2 tablespoons soy sauce
10. Skewers
11. Canola Oil for frying

Procedure:

1. Give the intestines a good rinse under running water to clean them out.  
2. Trim off any extra fat and keep washing until the water runs clear.  
3. In a bowl, mix together vinegar, water, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, sugar, and soy sauce.  
4. Toss the cleaned intestines in the marinade and let it chill for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the best flavor.  
5. Once they’re done marinating, pour the intestines and marinade into a pot.  
6. Boil the intestines for about 20-30 minutes until they’re nice and tender.  
7. Drain them and let them cool off.  
8. Slice the intestines into your preferred lengths and thread them onto bamboo sticks.  
9. Heat some oil in a deep frying pan.  
10. Fry the skewered intestines until they get crispy and golden brown.  
11. Take them out of the oil and place on a wire rack or paper towels to get rid of any excess oil.  
12. Serve them hot with your favorite dipping sauce, like a spicy vinegar with chili and garlic, or a sweet and spicy sauce.

Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- You can also see this popular snack in the streets. It is also soft to chew because of its chicken intestines. It can also be crunchy as well.

Fishball

 

    Fishballs are a popular street food in the Philippines. They are made from a mix of fish paste, flour, and spices, shaped into small balls, and then deep-fried until they are golden and crispy.

Ingredients:

1. 500 grams fish fillet (any white fish), finely chopped
2. 1 small onion, finely chopped
3. 4 cloves garlic, minced
4. 1 egg
5. 1/2 cup flour
6. 1/2 cup cornstarch
7. 1 teaspoon salt
8. 1/2 teaspoon pepper
9. 1/2 teaspoon sugar
10. 1 teaspoon baking powder
11. 1/2 cup cold water
12. Canola Oil for frying

Procedure:

1. In a big bowl, mix together the finely chopped fish fillet, onion, garlic, egg, flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, sugar, and baking powder.  
2. Slowly add the cold water while stirring until you have a nice, smooth, and sticky mixture.  
3. Using a spoon or your hands, roll the mixture into small balls.  
4. Heat up some oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat.  
5. Fry the fish balls in batches until they're golden brown and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes for each batch.  
6. Take them out of the oil and set them on paper towels to soak up any extra oil.  
7. Serve them hot with your favorite dipping sauce, like sweet and spicy sauce or vinegar with garlic and chili.

Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- It is one of the street foods that you can commonly see on the streets. When craving for snacks, fishballs can surely aid that craving feeling.

Kwek-kwek

 

    Kwek-kwek is made from quail eggs that are coated in an orange batter and then deep-fried until they are golden and crispy. It's a popular street food in the Philippines because its flavor pairs perfectly with spicy vinegar for dipping.

Ingredients:

1. 12 quail eggs
2. 1 cup all-purpose flour
3. 1/4 cup cornstarch
4. 1 teaspoon baking powder
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional, for color)
7. 3/4 cup water
8. Orange food coloring
9. Canola Oil for frying
10. Vinegar with garlic and chili (for dipping)

Procedure:

1. Boil the quail eggs in a pot of water for about 3-4 minutes.
2. Drain them and let them cool down. Peel the eggs and set them aside.
3. In a bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and paprika (if you're using it).
4. Gradually add water while stirring until you get a nice smooth batter.
5. Add orange food coloring or annatto powder to get the color you want.
6. Dip each peeled quail egg into the batter, making sure it’s fully coated.
7. Heat up some oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat.
8. Fry the coated quail eggs in batches until they turn golden brown and crispy, which should take about 2-3 minutes per batch.
9. Take them out of the oil and place them on paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
10. Serve them hot with a garlic and chili vinegar dipping sauce.

Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- Simple yet delicious. Best paired with sweet sauce and best served when freshly cooked.

Dilis

 

    Dilis, known as “anchovies” in English, are small fish that are quite popular in the Philippines. These tiny fish, which can be dried and enjoyed as a snack, appetizer, side dish, or even with beer, may seem minor and easy to overlook. However, once they’re added to a meal, they really make a big impact on flavor.

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups dried anchovies dilis
2. 2 tablespoons banana ketchup
3. 2 teaspoons hot chili sauce
4. 1/2 cup brown sugar
5. 2 cups cooking oil

Procedure:

1. Heat up a cooking pot and toss in some cooking oil.
2. Once the oil's hot, deep-fry the dried anchovies for about 2 to 3 minutes or until they turn a light brown.
3. Turn off the heat and take the fried anchovies out of the pot. Set them aside.
4. Mix the fried anchovies with ketchup and hot chili sauce, and give it a good stir.
5. Sprinkle in some brown sugar and mix it all up until the anchovies are well coated.
6. Reheat that same pot with the leftover cooking oil and fry the coated anchovies for 2 minutes or until they're crunchy but not burnt.
7. Take the anchovies out and put them on a serving plate.
8. Serve. Share and enjoy!

Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- It is like melting in my mouth with its amazing flavor that makes it so tasty. It is also great to pair it with scrambled eggs then coating the dilis with the eggs and enjoying it is just so good.

Balut

 

    Balut is a popular street food in the Philippines made from a fertilized duck egg that has been incubated for a few weeks. The egg is usually boiled or steamed and eaten straight from the shell, including the developing embryo. Many Filipinos consider it a delicacy and often enjoy it with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and a dash of vinegar.

Ingredients:

1. 2 Duck eggs, raw/uncooked with embryos at 16 days of development or less
2. 1/2 of a small onion, finely chopped
3. 3 Tablespoons of cane vinegar
4. Salt to taste
5. Freshly ground black pepper

Procedure:

1. Begin by heating a small pot on medium-high heat.
2. Pour in enough water to completely submerge the duck eggs once they are added.
3. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
4. Carefully use tongs to pick up the duck eggs and gently lower them into the boiling water.
5. Lower the heat to medium-low once the eggs are in the pot.
6. Allow them to cook for a minimum of 30 minutes.
7. Near the end of the cooking time, mix vinegar and onion together in a small bowl.
8. Using tongs, take the duck eggs out of the boiling water and set them aside to cool.
9. Let the duck eggs sit until they are cool enough to handle.
10. Gently crack the top of an egg while holding it upright.
11. Pour the contents into the bowl containing vinegar and onions.
12. Remove the remaining shell and transfer the balut into the bowl.
13. Repeat this process with the other eggs.
14. Season with your choice of salt or pepper.
15. Serve right away while it's still warm.

Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- The flavor is a bit weird, but when you add vinegar, it becomes much better and more savory.

Taho/Sweet Filipino Tofu

 

    Taho is a sweet Filipino dessert or snack made from silken tofu, sago pearls, and arnibal syrup. It is often eaten for breakfast, but can also be enjoyed as a dessert or snack in the afternoon. 

Ingredients:

1. 16 oz silken tofu
2. 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
3. 1 cup water
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla
5. 1 cup tapioca or sago pearls

Procedure:

1. Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Cook the tapioca pearls following the package instructions. You can totally do this ahead of time; just make sure to store the prepped pearls with a little water or some brown sugar syrup (next step).
2. In a small saucepan, mix the brown sugar, water, and vanilla, then put it over medium-high heat. Let it come to a boil, stir to dissolve the sugar, and then lower the heat to let it simmer. Keep it simmering for about 2-4 minutes, then take it off the heat. You can whip up this syrup, or arnibal, ahead of time too.
3. Put the silken tofu in a steamer lined with parchment paper. Steam it for about 10-15 minutes, or until it's warmed through. If you prefer, you can also microwave the tofu for about 2-5 minutes.
4. To serve, scoop out some warm silken tofu into a small cup. Top it off with the tapioca or sago pearls. Drizzle the hot brown sugar syrup (arnibal) over it. Enjoy it right away while it's nice and warm!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- It is one of the best desserts I have ever had and also one of my go-to comfort sweets. It is sweet, silky, and its comforting flavor takes me back to my childhood when I used to enjoy it all the time.