POPULAR RICE MEAL DISHES IN EVERY REGION

INTRODUCTION

For every Filipino - young and old, rich and poor, there is nothing more complete than a meal served with the most important item – rice. It may not be the most delicious part of the meal but without it, eating can never be more satisfying. Once seated at the dining table, we first get a serving or two of rice before anything else. That’s how important rice is in Filipino dining. 
Rice - whether it is served on a silver platter, banana leaf, or coconut shell; with an illustrious viand or just plain tomatoes and fish sauce; with spoon and fork or just by the hand - its ability to tickle one’s palate is extraordinary. 

It is a versatile grain. It can be transformed into numerous food products. National Scientist Bienvenido O. Juliano mentions in his book “Rice Chemistry and Quality” a number of rice-based food products including cakes and puddings, breads, noodles, and beverages.Rice is so important that it has generated volumes of research devoted to the improvement of its eating quality. From the sowing of seeds to harvest time, researchers look for ways to produce quality rice varieties that serve as good raw materials in the preparation of rice-based meals and snacks or even as simple as boiled rice.

REGION 1

'Tupig' is a food native to the Ilocanos of the Ilocos region. It is made with glutinous rice and grated coconuts wrapped in wilted banana leaves and cooked over live coals. It  is an importantsource of livelihood in Pangasinan.

INGREDIENTS

1¾ cups malagkit rice, ground (ground glutinous rice flour)  
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup coconut milk, first extraction (kakang gata)
1 cup coconut milk, 2nd extraction

PROCEDURE

1. Wilt 14 pieces banana leaves (10” x 7”) over low heat. Set aside.
2. Mix malagkit and brown sugar. Add pure and second extraction of coconut milk gradually and mix thoroughly.
3. On the center of each wilted banana leaf put 1/3 cup of the mixture and form into a rectangle about 6” long and 2” wide. Fold over the long edges of leaf to the center.
4. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake at 300*F or broil over hot coals for 30 minutes on each side.

*Tupig has a long shelf life. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Heat briefly (do not remove banana wrapper) in the microwave.

CAR(CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION)

Risotto with Chicken

Ingredients:

1/4 cup margarine
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
5 pcs sweet ham, chopped
1/4 cup hebi (dried shrimp)
7 strings baguio beans, chopped
7 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup sauteed shrimp paste (ginisang bagoong)  
3/4 cup whole corn kernels
1 pc green pepper, sliced (panigang)
1/4 cup corn water

Procedures:
Melt margarine in a wok. Saute ingredients from garlic to baguio beans. Toss rice and bagoong in the sauteed mixture. Mix well. Add corn, green pepper and corn water and continue cooking for 3-5 more minutes. Serve with green mango strips or pineapple tidbits.

REGION 2

Sinabalo (Suman) – this suman recipe is from Cagayan Region II. Instead of wrapping the malagkit in banana leaves, it is broiled in fresh bamboo tubes. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups malagkit rice (glutinous rice)
• 1 & 1/4 cups thick coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 pieces green bamboo tube, fresh
• Banana leaves, wilted

PROCEDURE

1. Soak malagkit rice overnight. Wash and drain. Add coconut milk and salt and cook until malagkit is half done, stirring the mixture to avoid sticking at the bottom of the container.
2. Divide the mixture into two and wrap each portion in banana leaves. Insert inside a freshly cut bamboo tube.
3. Broil bamboo tube over hot charcoal, rotating it slowly until bamboo tube gets burned. Eight servings.

REGION 3

KUTSINTA

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 tsp lye water
• 2 tsp anatto seeds
• grated coconut

PROCEDURE

• Boil water for the steamer.
• In a bowl, blend all the ingredients except grated coconut.
• Mix until smooth and free from lumps. Strain.
• Half-fill small muffin pans. Steam for 10-20 minutes.
• Cool for 5 minutes then remove from the pans.
• Serve with grated coconut.

REGION 4-A

SUMAN IS A RICE CAKE ORIGINATING IN THE PHILIPPINES. IT IS MADE FROM GLUTINOUS RICE COOKED IN COCONUT MILK, AND OFTEN STEAMED IN BANANA LEAVES. IT IS SERVED WRAPPED IN BULI OR BURI PALM (CORYPHA) LEAVES AND USUALLY EATEN SPRINKLED WITH SUGAR. SUMAN IS ALSO KNOWN AS BUDBOD IN THE VISAYAN LANGUAGES WHICH DOMINATE THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY.

SUMAN WRAPPING

SUMAN WRAPPING IS A UNIQUE ART IN ITSELF, AND CAN BE TRACED TO PRE-COLONIAL ROOTS WHICH HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH INDIAN TRADITIONS. WRAPPERS UTILIZE A WIDE VARIETY OF INDIGENOUS MATERIALS SUCH AS PALM,BANANA, ANAHAW AND BAMBOO LEAVES, COCONUT SHELLS, AND OTHERS. SOME WRAPPINGS ARE SIMPLE FOLDS SUCH AS THOSE FOUND IN THE BINUO AND THE KAMOTENG KAHOY, RESULTING IN RECTANGULAR SUMAN. OTHERS ARE IN VERTICAL COILS LIKE THE INANTALA, GIVING IT A TUBULAR FORM. STILL OTHERS ARE IN PYRAMID-LIKE SHAPES, LIKE THE BALISUNGSONG. SOME FORMS OF SUMAN ARE EATEN LIKE ICE CREAM–WITH CONES MADE FROM BANANA LEAVES, AND STILL OTHERS ARE IN VERY COMPLEX GEOMETRIC PATTERNS LIKE THE PUSU ("HEART"). SOME ARE WOVEN INTO THE SHAPE OF A BANANA BLOSSOM (WHICH IN THE PHILIPPINES IS REFERRED TO AS THE BANANA PLANT'S "HEART"), OR THE PINAGI (FROM THE WORD PAGI, MEANING STINGRAY), A COMPLEX OCTAHEDRAL STAR.

HOW TO MAKE A SUMAN

INGREDIENTS

• 2 CUPS OF MALAGKIT (STICKY OR SWEET) RICE
• A CAN OF COCONUT MILK
• FRESH GINGER OR MAYBE ANISE SEEDS OR ANISE EXTRACT
• SUGAR

PROCEDURE

1. COOK MALAGKIT JUST LIKE YOU COOK RICE IN YOUR RICE COOKER BUT INSTEAD OF USING WATER, USE COCONUT MILK - ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE CAN, WHEN COOKING MALAGKIT, YOU HAVE TO USE A LITTLE BIT LESS OF LIQUID THAN COOKING REGULAR RICE.
2. WE DON'T USE GINGER.. WE USE LANGKA///
3. IF YOU DON'T HAVE GINGER, ADD A TABLESPOON OR TWO OF ANISE EXTRACT OR IF YOU HAVE THE SEEDS, A SPRINKLE WILL DO.
4. ONCE THE RICE IS COOKED, YOU CAN WRAP THEM IN THE BANANA LEAVES (OR FOIL) LIKE YOU WRAP LUMPIA.
5. TAKE ABOUT TWO TABLESPOONSFUL OF THE RICE, PUT THEM ON TOP OF YOUR BANANA LEAF SHEET THAT YOU HAVE CUT INTO SQUARE PIECES ABOUT 6 INCHES BY 6 INCHES OR SO, THEN ROLL TO MAKE A LOG, THEN TWIST BOTH ENDS AND TUCK UNDER THE LOG.
6. NOTE: IN ORDER FOR YOUR BANANA LEAF NOT TO TEAR, YOU HAVE TO RUN THE LEAF OVER A FLAME.
7. YOU ALSO NEED TO WIPE THE LEAF WITH A PIECE OF DAMP CLOTH.
8. PLACE THE RICE ON TOP OF THE DARKER SIDE OF THE LEAF (THIS SIDE DOESN'T HAVE THAT WHITISH POWDERY STUFF THAT COVERS THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BANANA LEAF).
9. NOW, AFTER YOU FINISHED WRAPPING YOUR RICE, PUT THEM IN A CASSEROLE OR A LARGE SAUCE PAN, THEN BOIL THE HELL OUT OF IT, COVERED, AGAIN USING COCONUT MILK JUST ENOUGH TO COVER YOUR PILE (USE THE REMAINING COCONUT MILKDILUTED WITH WATER).
10. I REMEMBER MY MOTHER USED TO COOK THE WRAPPED MALAGKIT OVERNIGHT BUT I SUPPOSE YOU CAN FINISH THIS IN ONE HOUR JUST HOW I DID THE BATCH ABOVE - OR UNTIL THE LIQUID EVAPORATES.
11. SERVE ROLLED IN SUGAR OR AS A SIDE DISH FOR RIPE MANILA MANGOES. 

REGION 4-B

SAPIN-SAPIN

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups malagkit dough (galapong)
• 1/2 cup rice galapong
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3 cups cooked ubi (mashed)grated coconut
• 4 cups thick coconut cream (from 2-3 coconuts)
• 2 cans (big) condensed milk
• food coloring; violet & egg-yellow

PROCEDURE

1. Blend all ingredients except mashed ube and food coloring
2. 
   
3. Divide Into 3 Parts:
4. To the first part - add mashed ube. To heighten the color of the ube, add a dash of violet food coloring. Mix well.
5. To the 2nd part - add egg-yellow coloring. Mix well.
6. To the 3rd part - just plain white, nothing to add.
7. Grease a round baking pan. Line with banana leaves and grease the leaves. Then, pour in ube mixture. Spread evenly. Steam for 30 minutes or more, until firm. Note: cover the baking pan with cheese cloth before steaming.
8. Pour 2nd layer on top of the cooked ube. Cover again and steam for 30 minutes.
9. Lastly, pour in 3rd layer or the plain mixture. Again, steam for 30 minutes or until firm.
10.  Meanwhile, fry the grated coconut until brown and put on top of the sapin-sapin.
11. Cool before slicing

NCR (NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION)

BANANA BLOSSOM PAELLA STYLE

Ingredients:

• 1 cups banana blossom, cut in pieces,
• worked in salt and rinsed
• 1/2 cup clams (bolied meat)
• 1/2 cup pork, cut in strips
• 14 small shrimps, blanced,peeled
• 1/2 of a small onion, sliced fine
• section garlic, pounded
• achuete
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2-1/2 cups clam stock
• 1 bay leafoo
• a dash of pepper
• 1 cup rice
• 1 tablespoon lard

Procedure:

1. Saute garlic, onion, pork, and shrimps. 
2. Add stock and boil. 
3. Add banana blossom and continnue cooking. 
4. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Add rice, achuete water, bay leaf, and cook until done, stirring from time to time, to avoid burning. 
6. Serve garnished with shrimps, clams and few pieces of the tender part of banana blossom.

REGION 5

KALINGKING- this native delicacy is from Bicol region V

Ingredients:

7  to 10 pcs yellow kamote peeled

1/2 cup brown sugar  

3 cups rice flour

1 cup water

1 & 1/2 cups coconut oil for deep frying

PROCDURE

• Cut the kamote into strips. Add the sugar and flour to the water and stir until well blended.
• Combine kamote strips with the flour mixture and mix well with a spoon until well coated.
• Heat coconut oil in a frying pan. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of kamote and flour mixture into a saucer.
• Pat to flatten, then from saucer slip into hot cooking oil. Fry until golden brown. Makes six servings.

REGION 6

BAYE-BAYE-

A Western Visayas Region VI dessert delicacy made from toasted pinipig, coconut water and grated young coconut.

Ingredients:

2 cups pinipig  

1 cup coconut water

1/2 cup sugar

1 & 1/2 cups butong (young coconut), grated

PROCEDURE

• Grind toasted pinipig. In a bowl, mix ground pinipig, coconut water and sugar. Blend well and add grated butong.
• Divide into serving portions. Wrap each serving in banana leaves or wax paper. Chill before serving.

REGION 7

- Lugaw (pronounced ['lugaw]) is the Tagalog name for congee. Otherwise similar to Cantonese-style congee,lúgaw is typically thicker, retaining the shape of the rice, but with a similar texture. It is boiled with strips of fresh ginger. Other flavors may be added according to taste. Most often it is topped with scallions and served with crispy fried garlic. As with Japanese okayu, fish or chicken stock may be used to flavor the broth. Lúgawcan also be served with tokwa't baboy (diced tofu and pork), goto (beef tripe), utak (brain [of pig]), dílà(tongue [of pig]), lítid ([beef] ligaments), and with kalamansi, patís, and soy sauce. It is often served to the ill and the elderly, and is favoured among Filipinos living abroad in colder climates because it is warm, soft, and easily digestible.

Some provinces prefer the Spanish-influenced arroz caldo (an anglicisation of caldo de arroz, literally "rice soup"), which is often thought to be a European dish because of its name. Arroz caldo is actually a Chinese congee that was adapted to the tastes of the Spanish colonial settlers who patronised Chinese restaurants in the Philippines.

Arroz caldo is usually spiced with safflower and black pepper in place of or in addition to the more traditional ginger and scallion. Arroz caldo is more popular among people of Ilokano heritage, although those of other provinces, such as Cebu, often eat it with the addition of prawns, olive oil, bay leaf, and Chinese sausage.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 1 ½ cups uncooked rice
• 34 ounces water (about 1 liter)
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup onion, minced
• 4 pieces hard boiled eggs
• 1 cup scallions (green onions), minced
• 2 knobs ginger, julienned
• 3 tbsp safflower(kasubha)
• 1 piece chicken cube (bouillon)
• 1 piece lemon or 4 pieces calamansi
• 2 tbsp cooking oil

Procedure

1. In a pot, heat the cooking oil then saute the garlic, onion, and ginger
2. Dash-in some ground black pepper
3. Add the chicken cube and cook until the cube melts
4. Put-in the chicken and cook until outer layer color turns golden brown
5. Add the fish sauce and uncooked rice then mix and cook for a few minutes
6. Pour-in the water and bring to a boil
7. Stir occasionally and simmer until the rice is fully cooked (about 30 to 40 minutes)
8. Put-in the hard boiled eggs
9. Add the safflower for additional color and aroma
10. Serve hot with garlic, minced scallions, and lemon. Share and Enjoy!

REGION 8

CHOCO MORON

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups glutinous rice
• 3/4 cups ordinary rice
• 1 kilogram sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 7 cups fresh coconut milk
• 200 grams cocoa
• 50 ml condensed milk
• 60 grams margarine
• banana leaves 

PROCEDURE

1. Mix glutinous and ordinary rice and soak overnight. Drain, grind, and set aside. In a pan, add sugar, vanilla, and coconut milk.
2. Boil with frequent stirring until it turns syrupy. 
3. Divide the mixture into two. 
4. Set aside the first half as the white mixture. 
5. To the second half, add cocoa and condensed milk and mix thoroughly (this is the chocolate mixture). 
6. Prepare cylindrical rolls from it (about 0.5"x5" in dimension). Glaze with the white mixture to make ro  lls of about one inch in diameter. 
7. Brush rolls with margarine and wrap in wilted banana

REGION 9

Arroz Valenciana de Lola Say

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of cooked white long grain rice
• ½ cup oil
• 1 young chicken, cut into serving pieces
• ½ kg. pork, cut into serving pieces
• 2 Tbsp. Garlic, macerated
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 8-oz tomato sauce or 6 large fresh tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp. Salt
• ¼ tsp. White pepper
• ¼ tsp. Paprika
• 6 potatoes quartered and fried
• 1 small can sweet peas
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Procedure:

1. Fry the chicken pcs. in hot oil. Set aside.
2. In the same fat, render off color the atsuete seeds; discard seeds.
3. Sauté garlic, onion and add tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the fried meat and simmer until tender.
6. Add the cooked rice; blend well.
7. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine lightly.
8. Arrange on a platter and garnish with hard-boiled eggs.

REGION 10

BINAKI-Among Iligan's popular cuisine is the Binaki.  It is composed of grated young corn mixed with milk then wrapped in fresh corncob and steamed.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar   

1/4 cup powdered milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

5 ears young corn, grated and ground.

Enough water to cover for boiling

PROCEDURE

• Combine sugar, powdered milk and baking power. Add corn and mix thoroughly. Pile 2 corn husks and put in 2 tablespoons of the mixture.
• Wrap and tie. Repeat the same procedure with the rest of the mixture. Arrange in a saucepan and add just enough water for boiling. Cook for 35 minutes.
• Six servings ( 2 pieces per serving.)

REGION 11

BALAO- BALAO OR BURONG HIPON

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo fresh 2 inch long shrimp, alive if possible

1 cup sea salt

5 cups rice, boiled with 10 cups water until cooked, cool after cooking

1/4 kilo young bamboo shoots, sliced thinly

1/2 cup cooking oil

2 tablespoon minced garlic

2 cups chopped onions

1/4 kilo fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped

PROCEDURE

How to make Balao-Balao or Burong Hipon:

• Wash shrimp in running water, then drain well. In a large bowl, mix shrimp with salt. With gloved hands, add rice and bamboo shoots. Mix with shrimp.
• Pack mixture in layers into a clean, dry 1 – 2 gallon jar. Cover mouth of jar with a clean plastic sheet, then cover lid.
• Set aside in a cool place to ferment for 3 days. After 3 days, keep it in the refrigerator so it does not ferment too much.

How to cook Balao-Balao or Burong Hipon:

• Cook the mixture in batches, not all st the same time. For this recipe use 1/4 of the mixture. 
• In a heavy, medium-sized saucepan over low fire, heat oil and saute garlic and onions until garlic is light brown and onions are wilted. 
• Add tomatoes and simmer until tomatoes are cooked, stirring to prevent sticking to bottom of pan.
• Add 1/4 of th fermented rice mixture and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring continuously. 
• Adjust seasoning, it must not be too salty. 
• Let cool until the smell is not too strong. Serve with fried, charbroiled or grilled fish, steamed vegetables and hot rice.

REGION 12

CALDERETA RICE

Ingredients:

·         2 cups long grain rice uncooked
·         2 tbsp cooking oil
·         2 sachets food seasoning
·         1 ½ cup tomato ketchup
·         ½ cup liver spread
·         2 tbsp brown sugar
·         ½ cup cubed carrots
·         1/3 cup frozen peas
·         1/3 cup corn kernel
·         4 cups water

PROCEDURE

1·         Soak rice in water for about 30 minutes. Drain well.

2·         Heat oil and saute rice and food seasoning for about three minutes.

3·         Add in rest of the ingredients. Mix well.

4·         Cook rice over low fire for about one hour and fifteen minutes or until done. Stir every ten minutes.

REGION 13

SAYONGSONG
 A rice-based delicacy of Agusan. It is made of ground ordinary rice, ground glutinous rice, roasted peanut, brown sugar, and coconut milk.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup purple sticky rice
1 cup ordinary rice

2 cups sugar
4 cups coconut milk
banana leaves (shaped into cone)


PROCEDURE:

1. Mix the sticky rice and ordinary rice together. Soak in water for 30 minutes. Drain and grind together with the coconut milk.
2. Add sugar and mix well.
3. Prepare the banana leaves by forming them into cones. Arrange the cones in the steamer. Pour the mixture into the cones and steam for 30 minutes or until it hardens. 

ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao)

PASTIL

Ingredients:

Dough for dumpling wrappers

• 1/4 kg. all purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 TBS sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 TBS butter melted in 1/2 cup of hot water
• 1 TBS baking powder

Dumpling Fillings

• 200 grams Chinese rice noodles (pancit bihon)
• 1 liter of water
• 1 TBS salt

Soup

• 1 liter water
• 1 TBS poweder black pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 10 pcs, small size red pepper or “sili”, chopped
• 3 beef cubes (or chicken), you can also replace this with real broth
• 1 small carrot, chopped into small cubes
• 1 small cabbage, chopped
• 5 stalks of Onion chives, chopped
• 1/2 cup of coconut vinegar or pineapple vinegar

PROCEDURE

First, you need to prepare the dough for the dumplings. In a bowl, mix the flour, water, melted butter, baking power, salt, and sugar. Mix well.Now, leave the dough in a bowl and let it seat for few minutes while you prepare the noodle fillings. Boil water and the salt for the fillings. When boiling, pour in the Chinese rice noodles. Stir it until the noodle is soft. After that, strain the noodles and set aside in a bowl.

Now, it’s time to make the dumplings. Cut a small portion of the dough at flat it in circle. Put a small amount of the noodles in the flat dough and seal the ends of the wrapping by pressing the ends with the ends of fork. Now, do all the dough until finished.

When done, we can now prepare the soup. Put all the soup ingredients at once, except for the carrots, onion chives, and cabbage, and wait until it boils. Add additional seasonings to achieve your desired taste. When it’s boiling, put the dumplings in the boiling soup for 5 minutes, then add the carrots, onion chives and cabbage. Cover and let again boil for 3 minutes more.

Now, it’s ready. Serve it while it’s hot in a bowl with 2 or 3 dumplings in it. You can have 25 dumplings for this recipe and can be repared in 40-50 minutes.

Oh, by the way, if you want to do the traditional pastil, just follow same recipe and just fry the dumplings instead of mixing it with the soup and take out the vegetables in the soup. Now you have your traditional pastil.

THANK YOU FOR READING, I HOPE YOU ENJOY!!!!!!

ARE YOU HUNGRY?

:)))