Philippines is an archipelago in Southeast Asia. With more than seven thousand of islands, there are sure lots of places to go to when you are in for a vacation. There are a number of popular tourist spots. Boracay, Palawan and Baguio are some of the most visited. But scenery is not just the only reason to visit the Philippines, because of its thousands of islands, there are variety of food you might want to enjoy while you are there.
Wherever you are in the country, you can always indulge in the most famous lechon or roasted pig. Known to be the county's national food, every city or province boasts their own version that locals eat with steamed rice. From its crispy skin to its juicy meat, it will not be a news if you would want some more.
There are several types of rice cakes available in different towns. If you are in Pangasinan, for example, it would be hard to miss their native delicacy -- tupig. Tupig is made from a mixture of glutinous rice and shredded coconut wrapped in banana leaves. It is best cooked in live coals. Tupig tastes really good when warm but when you buy it from a street vendor it is usually cold.
Another known Filipino traditional food is adobo. Adobo is either pork, chicken, or squid cooked in soy sauce,
vinegar, laurel leaves and pepper. Some vegetables can also be cooked in same way, like string beans and okra. Don't be surprise if locals tend to enjoy most food like this with steamed rice.
Since there are plenty of coconut in the Philippines, there are also lots of delicacies that include coconut milk
as an ingredient. Whether it is meat, vegetable or sometimes fruit, coconut milk can always make the food taste better for most locals. In Bicol, one of provinces in the Philippines, spicy bicol express is very popular. Bicol express can be meat or vegetable cooked in coconut milk with lots of spices.
In most streets, you will find a vendor selling balut. Balut is a fertilized duck embryo. People prefer eating it
with salt and vinegar although there are some who likes it better when fried or cooked in soy sauce and vinegar. It is true that there are lots of exotic food that locals enjoy. Remember, you are welcome to try but it is not a requirement to have a taste.
