FILIPINO SPAGHETTI

A product of US military occupation and food-scarcity-driven resourcefulness is the typically sweet Filipino-style spaghetti. During the US occupation, dishes that American soldiers craved for comfort, like Spaghetti Bolognese, were introduced into the SE Asian archipelago. However, back then, tomato imports were limited, so even ketchup needed to be sourced using an unlikely locally growing ingredient, bananas. I’m not sure who invented it or exactly when, but at some point, spaghetti bolognese evolved into what is now ubiquitous at holiday gatherings and birthday parties in the Filipino diaspora. Popularized abroad by the beloved Filipino chain, Jollibee, it feels like this dish is finally getting some welcome in the West (thanks also in part to Anthony Bourdain’s Philippines episode, where there’s a scene of him surprised by his own enjoyment of the sweet and savory spaghetti with hot dogs). Filipino spaghetti was and always will be a dish that keeps me tied to my roots. This recipe is my version.

❤️Nori

TRICIA’S BATCHOY WITH UMI ORGANIC NOODLES

This is a Filipino noodle dish that originally comes from the province of Ilo Ilo, and more specifically, from the town of La Paz. It originated from the Chinese community that settled there. The name of the dish comes from the Chinese (Hokkien) Ba-chui, meaning pieces of meat. Traditionally it is made with pork and pork offal cooked in a beef and pork stock, it uses egg noodles and is topped with chicharron, fried garlic, scallions and a raw egg that cooks in the hot broth. It is a nourishing soup that is full of umami coming from a rich bone broth and shrimp paste. This version is a variation of that dish I use at home made for how we live now with the ingredients around us and I find it is amazing with Umi Organic’s ramen because of the noodle’s amazing bite. I take the time to develop a really good beef broth and use a favorite roast pork recipe as a topping that was developed by my Tita Lydia (which is amazing on its own). I omit the chicharron because my roast pork has a crispy skin that gives it the texture contrast I love; however, if I happen to have it at home, I top it with chicharron anyway. It definitely brings it over the top.

This recipe was originally developed for and published by Umi Organic. Check it out through this link and also check out their ramen. It’s a personal favorite of mine and locally made in Portland. The owner and founder is Lola Milholland and is also part Filipino. She is definitely an inspiration.

♥️Tricia

FILIPINO BAKED MACARONI

I am not really sure where this dish originated from but it has been part of our Noche Buena celebration for as long as I can remember. It’s only really served and eaten at that time and it’s always a hit. It’s unusual for sure, with Vienna sausage and chicken as the protein and the cheese is Queso de Bola. Our family isn’t even really that big into chicken but there it is, on the table when the Christmas season rolls in. I made it myself for the first time a few years ago when I felt nostalgic for the dishes my family would eat during the holidays and I actually made the whole spread — Tita Lydia’s Baked Ham, this pasta dish, embutido — and one day a few months ago, I wondered why I only made this dish during that time especially now when I knew how to make it. It’s so easy and amazing as it sits in the sauce for a day or two. I think it gets even better.

When I think about this dish and it’s potential origin, there are Filipino recipes out there but none really go into how it came about. My guess would be, much like the Filipino spaghetti, it came over post war through the American occupation and the ingredients were adapted and customized to what was available. Queso de Bola (or Edam cheese) originated from the Netherlands but was also brought in by the Spanish into their colonies. This cheese is mainly consumed during the holidays as well and because this dish was mainly served during the holidays, I can see how that cheese made it into this dish.

When cooking this dish, some things I’ve learned along the way is that poaching the chicken gently keeps it moist and tender. Additionally, slicing and cubing it instead of shredding it is better. Not only from a textural standpoint but it also catches with the sauce in the the little pasta crevices. For the same reason, I love dicing the Vienna sausage as well instead of cutting them into rounds. Also, I love a touch of sweetness in the sauce but unlike other recipes, I don’t add ketchup. Sugar will suffice. The amount I add depends on the tomato sauce so tasting along the way is critical. I prefer the sauce to not be cloyingly sweet. Additionally to add depth, aside from salt and pepper, fish sauce really helps. It gives the dish the appropriate level of umami. Regarding baking, many recipes create a very cheesy version and require a long bake. I think that is good too but it tends to dry out the pasta and doesn’t leave it saucy. I prefer topping the dish with cheese and putting it under the broiler to quickly brown the cheese and then removing it right away so that it gives you a crispy layer on top and leaves a saucy dish under the crispy, cheesy layer.

There are so many good pasta dishes out there so what is so special about this dish? It’s so easy to make with very few ingredients. Many of the ingredients apart from the chicken and the aromatics are probably already in your pantry so this can come together quick. It’s also a dish we tend to make and graze on so if you don’t feel like cooking a whole lot, make this and let people wander in and out of the kitchen as they get hungry. As much as this dish gets better the next day, you will find that it may not last that long.

❤️Tricia

MISWA AT BOLA BOLA

As April comes to a close and cold and wet weather permeates in Portland, our soup craving continues. One of the soups I remember having a lot growing up is Miswa at Bola Bola or Meatball Noodle Soup. Miswa is a thin wheat noodle very similar to angel hair. It’s a noodle that can be used in dry applications like Pancit but it is also amazing in noodle soups. This is a dish that is quite easy to make because it doesn’t require you to toil over the stove for hours. You can develop a lot of flavor by browning the meatballs first. This leaves fond at the bottom of the pan that you can further develop by adding aromatics then deglazing to scrape any of the brown bits off, adding flavor to your soup. Another hack is using a bouillon cube which is an instant booster. Add vegetables to make this a more substantial meal. Traditionally this soup has patola or sponge gourd. I’ve also used upo or bottle gourd. Right before serving, you add the Miswa noodles. Whether dry or fresh, this cooks quickly in the soup. I love leafy greens too so I also throw in bok choy or gai lan. You can eat this by itself or add a little steamed rice, because why not?!

As we close out Filipino Food Month, we wanted to say THANK YOU to you and to our friends that contributed (@baonkainan @brrraaady) and also joined us in cooking Filipino food this month (@ngaloppo @ehow.eats @here.portland). We hope that we inspired you to try something new with the recipes and stories we’ve shared. For us, Filipino Food isn’t just for the month of April. It’s 24/7, 365 so stay tuned for more from us in the coming months.

❤️Tricia

FILIPINO SOPAS

One of our favorite Filipino spots in Portland is Baon Kainan. It is a food cart in the Concourse Coffee pod together with Matta and No Q No! Taqueria. It is owned by Geri and Ethan Leung, originally Seattle natives who popped up with Matta a few times last year and made a go of it in Portland. In their first year, they won cart of the year which helped establish them and Filipino food in the Portland food scene. Their food is fresh and cart made and you feel the love. When we were thinking of potential contributors for Filipino Food Month, we reached out to Baon Kainan and Geri quickly replied about wanting to share her Sopas recipe. It’s a perfect dish for Portland with our weather that can turn chilly at a drop of a hat.

Sopas is a homestyle Filipino noodle soup generally made with macaroni, vegetables and chicken in a creamy, milky broth often made with stock and milk (in the Philippines, evaporated milk). There are many variations to this dish, predominantly in what protein is used. Aside from chickent, sometimes it’s ground pork, corned beef and hot dogs (or a combination of), that is almost customized by family.

As Geri describes:

“This is one of our favorite Filipino soup recipes. It’s a dish we come back to anytime we need some comfort in a pinch or when we’re feeling under the weather. It’s fast to make, allows the use of leftover ingredients, it’s great the next day and essential when feeling under the weather.”

Some notes and tips from Geri:

Using rotisserie chicken and bouillon may seem like cheating, but there’s no harm in using these ingredients as a fast way to cook a delicious and nutritious meal–great for busy professionals, parents–well, everyone!

If you want to make your own chicken stock–and you have some time–roast chicken bones (or the rotisserie chicken bones) with onions, garlic, and any herbs of your choice for 20 - 30 minutes. Then add the roasted bones and veggies in water and boil for a couple of hours. Strain the broth and discard the bones and veggies.

• You can use whatever milk for this recipe–we used oat milk for this recipe.

• This meal is meant to be easy so versatility is welcome–use whatever veggies or protein you have left over.

• Make this soup vegetarian or even vegan by substituting a plant-based milk and using vegan/vegetarian meat alternatives.

Geri learned how to make Sopas from her mom. This dish was one of her most comforting dishes and she could make it in a pinch without compromising taste. Geri would then make this for Ethan during their dating years so it’s got sentimental value on all counts. Eat it with some steamed rice, it’s comfort food in a bowl.

PANCIT GUISADO

I gotta admit, this is probably not on my “Top 10” if you ask me about what my favorite Filipino dishes are. I think it has a lot to do with my associating it with many Filipino gatherings that I’ve attended through the years and eating mediocre versions of this dish. Additionally, among the Pancit dishes, I have always been more of a Pancit Palabok fan. Unfortunately, along with Adobo and Lumpia, Pancit is the other dish most people in America are more likely to identify if you mention Filipino food. When I recently went home to the Bay Area, I spent some time with my Tita Lydia discussing our family’s immigration and we also spent some time documenting our family recipes and she ended up making this dish. It reminded me that it can be delicious if you take some care in making it but it is also very easy. I decided to give it a try at home and I absolutely fell in love with it again. A huge reason was its simplicity and adaptability and it is certainly a dish you can probably whip up with ingredients that are already in your pantry if you are Filipino.

The take away is really the method of how to make this dish. The dish is flavored by stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce and fish sauce. I find that using fresh shrimp stock really hits the right notes for me. It has a ton of umami. This can also reduce the shelf life of the dish because it is made with shellfish so if you are making this and are wanting left overs for a few days, a chicken or vegetable stock will help it last longer. I know in our household, this will barely make it to a second day so I use freshly made shrimp stock. This dish comes together fast once you have all your mise en place. I don’t love over cooked ingredients so I cook the protein and set it aside, cook the vegetables and set it aside then bring the stock and the noodles together and then add everything in. This keeps the pancit vibrant and all the ingredients are cooked to the right done-ness.

It’s a dish that is very flexible. You can really vary the noodles, the protein, and the vegetables. The noodles I use is the traditional Bihon or thin rice noodles. Tita Lydia actually loves Yakisoba noodles. This has a lot to do with the quality of rice noodles not being very good when she first immigrated to the US and Yakisoba was what she could find the in the grocery store back then so that informed her Pancit. These days, we are lucky with more choices and also better noodle quality so we don’t have the same issues. Regarding the protein, I love the classic shrimp and pork combination. I always have Lap Cheong or Chinese Sausage so I love using this. You can also use pork belly or even bacon. My mom’s favorite is chicken with pork so she poaches chicken, shreds it and adds it in and in a pinch, she has also used store bought rotisserie chicken. If you are vegetarian, this dish is one of the easiest Filipino dishes to adapt and still have a very delicious dish that keeps it’s taste integrity. It really is for everyone.

To eat, it’s amazing when just cooked but it is also a dish that is delicious at room temperature which is why it is a popular party food. If you have the ability to eat some the next day, I think it gets even better because the flavors start to meld even more. I especially love eating it in a hot Pandesal with butter similar to how you would eat a Yakisoba Pan.

So have I changed my mind about this being on my “Top 10”? I am not sure but I can say that I love it more when I make it and sweat the details. I am also bringing this into my weeknight rotation. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

❤️Tricia

PANCIT MOLO

Pancit Molo is a dish I grew up eating for New Year growing up. It’s part of our Chinese heritage in the Philippines. It’s origins are from the district of Molo in Ilo Ilo City where there was a predominantly Chinese population. It really is the Filipino version of Wonton Soup. What makes it distinct is probably the use of fish sauce and also fried garlic as toppings which is often found in many of the Chinese influenced Filipino dishes — think Arroz Caldo, Batchoy, etc.

I remember my Lola making this for us when we came over for New Year’s Day lunch and when we moved to the US, this tradition was continued by my mom and dad. When I got older, this was such a comfort on New Years Day because it was a warm and soothing soup that was the best antidote to a hangover from New Years Eve. There was always a pot of broth going and we would all make our own bowls and customize it with our own toppings.

When I later moved far away from home, this is a tradition I started to pick up for myself and my partner, Brandon. It was a way for us to feel close to family during the holidays. In the Philippines, we celebrate both the Calendar New Year and the Lunar New Year so there is double the opportunity to have Pancit Molo. The latter most likely depending on your family ancestry having Chinese origins. I grew up also eating Tikoy (Nian Gao), a yummy glutinous rice cake that is both sweet and savory because we dip the slice in an eggwash and pan fry it for a crispy outer texture. We love having that with tea for merienda during this time of year. We also always have Pancit as noodles always signify long life.

I am sharing my version of Pancit Molo hoping it resonates with you this Lunar New Year, let me know what you think and also what your family does to celebrate the New Year.

❤️Tricia

LUMPIANG SHANGHAI

Like Pancit, Lumpia is one of those ubiquitous party dishes that people can easily identify when talking about Filipino food. It is actually a dish that has many variations but one of the most popular and beloved versions is Lumpiang Shanghai, a cigar shaped Lumpia with a ground meat filling. Despite its name, it does pull from both Chinese and Spanish culture. It early origins are a flour tortilla that evolved into a rice flour wrap as interpreted by Chinese migrants in the Philippines.

The Filipino Lumpia has a thinner wrapper than the typical Chinese egg roll but that nuance is probably not as pronounced in the US as many commercial wrappers found are multi purpose serving a few Asian cultures. You can find the thinner crepe version commercially if you hunt around or you can make it yourself. It is amazing when fresh wrappers are made and are used for a fresh Lumpia or Lumpiang Sariwa. This version is filled with delicious vegetables and is not fried and served with a sweet garlic and peanut sauce. The more common Lumpia I grew up eating is actually a Vegetable Lumpia or Lumpiang Togue. It’s a slightly thicker Lumpia with an amazing vegetable medley that includes mung bean sprouts, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, scallions, green beans and fried tofu. Sometimes it may include shrimp and ground pork to make it more substantial. This was definitely an amazing way to eat vegetables as a kid.

When Jane and I set out to make Lumpiang Shanghai, we didn’t have a formal recipe, because like most dishes you learn from your family by watching and doing. Measurements are hard to come by because they are never written down. Thankfully, we have Tita Lydia who came to the rescue. We did our best to take note and give you a place to start but like most Filipino food, the take away is the method. Feel free to add ingredients and also season to your taste and make it your own.

Regarding dipping sauces, there are many schools of thought on this — from vinegar based to a more Chinese sweet and sour sauce and many more in between. Whether it’s homemade or store bought, there is no judgement here. Making Lumpia is laborious enough. We include a few options in the ingredients below of dipping sauces that we love.

❤️Tricia

BIBINGKA

All over SE Asia, there are sweet and savory treats that are made from rice flour — Kueh, Kuih or in Tagalog, Kakanin. Bibingka is one such dish. I hate to call it a dessert because it’s often eaten as a breakfast or afternoon “merienda” snack and it also straddles that magic space between sweet and savory so the dessert misnomer can be confusing. We often eat this during the Christmas holiday. I have memories eating this warm after going to Mass when I was a kid. These days, I may not go to Mass but this dish has that holiday association for me. This year, I decided to make these and give them as gifts to friends. It felt good to know that I was surrounded by people that would understand this dish. We’ve come a long way.

Bibingka is made with a combination of rice flour and glutinous rice flour combined with sugar, butter, eggs and coconut milk. It was traditionally cooked over an open flame in banana leaves so the version I make bakes this in banana leaves to give it that flavor and aroma. It is topped with some savory toppings like cheese, salted eggs and grated coconut. I love it eaten warm with some melted butter and I’ve taken to also drizzling some hot honey on top. It’s so good.

♥️Tricia