If you're looking for a taste of variety, spices from the Far East may be your answer. Philippine cuisine infuses Western and Asian flavors but contains a subtler taste when compared with other Southeast Asian countries that use very pungent and strong spices. Some of the most widely used Filipino spices are onion, garlic, several variants of peppers and bay leaves, as well as pandan. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Onion and Garlic
Garlic and onion locally grown in the Philippines are smaller and about half in size when compared to Western varieties; however, both Filipino spices tend to have a more pungent and powerful flavor. Saut ing onion and garlic in vegetable oil is an essential step when cooking most Filipino recipes, as it adds more flavor to meat, fish and vegetable dishes.
Garlic in the Philippines comes in a single variety, while onion has two popular types: red and white. Red onion gives dishes more pungency and a sharper onion taste, while white onion has a hint of sweetness and subtle pungency. White onion is ideally used in salads and can be eaten raw.
Peppers
Most Filipino recipes require peppers. Several varieties grow in the country, including several types of bell peppers. Two of the most widely-used chilies in Filipino recipes are the bird's eye -- siling labuyo -- and the green pepper. The green pepper adds a subtle spicy taste, while bird's eye peppers are used for very spicy recipes because of their strong taste. Dishes such as sisig usually include both types.
Bay Leaves
Adobo, one of the most popular dishes in Philippine cuisine, uses bay leaves as a spice. Dried bay leaves have a very strong taste and pungency, meaning the leaves are used moreso for the taste they give to the other food within dishes, rather than to be eaten themselves.
Pandan
Pandan is included in several Philippine-based desserts such as rice cakes. Pandan is a type of leaf, commonly used when cooking white rice to add aroma, taste and color. A dessert, known as buko-pandan -- a combination of shredded coconut meat and pandan-extract mixed with cream -- is a well-known Philippine dish that makes use of the pandan spice.
Ginger
Like in many other Asian dishes, ginger is commonly added to Philippine dishes for spice and aroma. Local ginger root has a strong taste and can add flavor to any type of meat dish; however, just like bay leaf, ginger often remains on the side of the dish as opposed to being consumed. A local version of ginger tea, known as "salabat," is also a popular drink within the Philippines.
Lemongrass
Philippine dishes use lemongrass in two ways: as a spice in stews and other soup-based dishes, as well as an add-on to fried rice. When used as a spice in stews, lemongrass adds sweetness and sourness. Fresh lemongrass has a hint of an onion-like pungency and a sweet taste when raw.
Tags: Filipino recipes, strong taste, Filipino spices, green pepper, Philippine cuisine, Philippine dishes