philippines / filipino food & ingredients

The Philippines comprises around 7,640 islands, so it’s not a surprise that Filipino cuisine is diverse, with a variety of dishes to enjoy. 

The Philippines comprises around 7,640 islands, so it’s not a surprise that Filipino cuisine is diverse, with a variety of dishes to enjoy. 

As a trade route for thousands of years, the Philippines now has an impressive fusion of world cuisine on its menu. The food is inspired and established by those passing through the country, but is characterised by its sweet, salty and sour flavours and frequent use of rice. 

Here at Oriental Mart, we stock an array of essential ingredients so you can recreate the bold and diverse flavours of Filipino food. If you’re not one for cooking, you can also enjoy our Filipino instant meals, sweet treats or savoury snacks!

what is filipino cuisine like?

The cuisine of the Philippines is rather a mishmash of hundreds of local, regional, and ethnic cuisines. Without any qualifiers, you would often think of ubiquitous dishes such as adobo, sinigang, lechon, and Filipino-Chinese dishes.

Filipino cuisine has similarities to other Southeast Asian cuisines, but also contains great influence from Spanish and Mexican cuisine. Compared to other Southeast Asian cuisine, food in the Philippines is not as spicy, but that certainly doesn’t mean it’s not flavourful!

Instead of fiery spices, Filipino food relies on garlic, onion and ginger to add flavour to the plate. 

cooking filipino food

Filipino dishes, when done properly, are characterised by painstaking preparation and prolonged cooking times to help bring out the full flavour of the ingredients. The primary cooking methods used are fairly simple, with boiling, grilling, roasting, steaming and sauteeing frequently seen in the Filipino kitchen. 

popular filipino dishes

Philippine cuisine is rich in bold flavours. Its array of dishes and lack of distinct cuisine welcomes an assortment of preferences and palates, making it an easy cuisine to enjoy. There are certainly many delicious Filipino dishes for you to try. 

A traditional dish from the Philippines is pancit bihon, which uses rice noodles, with pork or chicken, vegetables and soy sauce. It is a stir-fry dish that is easy to cook and wholesome to eat. 

‘Pancit’ refers to a variety of noodle-based dishes, including pancit canton, which makes use of egg noodles.

If you want to sample the delightful tastes of the Philippines, then browse our full range of Filipino ingredients, snacks, and seasonings here at Oriental Mart and try cooking some dishes from this delicious cuisine yourself!