The Filipinos are known for so many good things such as their being hospitable, hardworking, talented, religious, and food lovers. Filipinos love to cook and eat with their mouth-watering cuisine. In this post, I will enumerate the top 7 native Filipino delicacies categorized based on their popularity, demand, and taste. These native delicacies have become part of every Filipino's life and have been passed on from generation to generation. These native delicacies are all delicious that they are always prepared and served all the time, especially during big events celebrations such as Christmas, New Year, All Souls' and All Saints' Days, and Holy Week.
Below are just some of the delicious native delicacies:
Biko
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Biko is one of the most delicious, popular delicacies of the Filipinos. It is sweet and sticky because of the glutinous rice and brown sugar as its main ingredients. Its color is light to dark brown depending on the amount of sugar used. Biko is always present on the tables during special occasions such as Christmas, New Year, Holy Week and on All Saints' and All Souls' days. Its ingredients include: glutinous rice (malagkit in Tagalog and Pilit in Bohol and Cebu), coconut milk, coconut cream-to make the latik in which the glutinous rice are poured into it. Biko is prepared by mixing water with brown sugar. One has to keep stirring the ingredients until the brown sugar and water become sticky and brownish and then the glutinous rice are poured into it. Biko is a popular delicacy of the Cebuanos and Boholanos. It is usually sold in carenderias (mini stores) and by individuals. Individuals sell biko on the streets and house to house at P5-10 depending on the size and on the individual selling it.
Puto maya
Another popular native Filipino delicacy is puto maya. If budbud and puto maya were humans, they're like husband and wife. They are sold side by side. Budbud and puto maya also have similar taste; they only differ in packaging. The puto maya is wrapped in matured, wilted banana leaf usually in triangular shape while budbud is wrapped in tubular shape. Unlike biko, puto maya doesn't taste so sweet because only little amount of sugar (refined) mixed into it as reflected in its white color. But one can also use purple glutinous rice to make a puto maya. Puto maya is usually served early morning with a cup of coffee or sikwate (roasted, ground cocoa beans with chocolate aroma). It is also best served with ripe mango. Puto maya is popular delicacy of the Boholanos and Cebuanos. It is sold at P5-10 each depending on the size. Preparing and cooking puto maya is not that laborious compared to budbud/suman or kalamay/calamay. Its ingredients include: glutinous rice, peeled, sliced ginger, coconut milk, and sugar. Puto is steamed cooked. To many Filipinos, a cup of coffee or sikwate and two or three pieces of puto maya would be enough for their breakfast.
Calamay/kalamay
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Calamay/kalamay is another delicious native delicacy that is sweet and very sticky. Its color is usually dark brown because of the brown sugar as main ingredient. This delicacy is a favorite "pasalubong" of travellers for their loved ones and friends. Calamay is a mixture of ground glutinous rice, brown sugar, water and coconut milk. Among the delicacies, calamay is one of the laborious, time-consuming to prepare. It takes hours of constant stirring, but the beauty of this delicacy is it can still be eaten after three (3) days from production even if not refrigerated. Calamay are made and sold commercially in Bohol particularly in the towns of Tubigon and Jagna where travellers can buy delicious calamay. Its packaging is polished (inside and outside) coconut shells cut in halves. The cooked calamay is then poured into both coconut shells, allow it to cool for a few minutes and bind it with red crepe paper. Kalamay/calamay are also sold in small plastic containers.
Tip: When buying calamay, weigh the calamay with your hands. Usually, the smaller the coconut shell, the more calamay inside, the bigger the coconut shell, the less calamay inside. Calamay are sold at P35-50 depending on the size.
Budbud/suman
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Another popular, tasty native delicacy which comes in different names and variant is budbud; among the variants are budbud pilit in Cebu and Bohol, budbud kabog in Cebu, budbud tiktik in Bohol, budbud balanghoy (ground cassava) in Cebu and Bohol. Budbud pilit tastes not so sweet because only little amount of sugar are put into it. It is similar to puto maya in taste. Budbud tiktik is also delicious because its main ingredients is fine/pulverized rice grain, not glutinous. Budbud balanghoy or ground cassava. Budbud cassava is sweet and sticky. It is a very popular delicacy which are served on all occasions especially during Noche Buena, All Souls' and Saints' days and Holy Week. Personally, the tastiest among these variants is the budbud pilit and is perfect if eaten with a cup of coffee or sikwate. Budbud of any variant can be bought in the market or from individuals at P25 per pack of 5 budbud each pack. Prices may vary from seller to seller.
Moron
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The moron is not as popular among the native delicacies in this list, yet one of the most delicious of them all as far as my personal taste is concerned. Moron has distinct taste because of the so many ingredients which make it delicious. Its color are white and brownish because of brown sugar and cocoa ingredients. Other ingredients are little amount of salt, coconut milk, evaporated milk, melted butter, ground glutinous and ordinary rice. Moron are favorite among travellers as "pasalubong" for their loved ones and friends. In Bohol, particularly in the town of Tubigon, moron are sold at P20-30 per pack with each pack has five (5) pieces of moron. However, prices of moron still vary depending on the the seller and quantity.
Binignit
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Binignit is one of the most delicious native delicacies. It has a mixture of taste because of its several ingredients. What make it super delicious is a mixture of different ingredients such as strips of ripe jackfruit, yam, coconut milk, glutinous rice, sweet potato, sliced ripe banana, tapioca pearls and water. The binignit is best eaten slightly hot. This delicacy is always served during Holidays and special events such as Holy Week and All Souls' and Saints' days. The binignit can be eaten with rice mix into it. Among the native delicacies, it is one of the time-consuming and laborious to prepare because one has to stir it constantly so the ingredients are mixed well and to avoid overcooking. It can be bought from individuals at P10-25 per cup depending on the seller.
Bibingka or bingka
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Bibingka is a native delicacy well-loved by the Filipinos. It is soft and sweet, and its top surface always appears light or dark brown because it exposes to extreme heat. Bibingka in Tagalog and bingka in Cebuano and Boholano. It is one of the most difficult to prepare because it needs steady heat over and under it. It is best eaten hot and even without coffee or cocoa. Bibingka or bibingka is not that available as compared to other delicacies probably because of its difficulty to prepare. Preparing and cooking bibingka exposes a person to constant heat as bibingka needs constant monitoring of the heat to avoid getting overcook especially if one uses firewood in cooking where you need to adjust a fire from time to time to make sure it receives just the right amount of heat. The bibingka/bingka is sold at P20 for 3 pieces. Some individuals sell it even higher depending on the size and ingredients used. The bibingka is popular delicacy for Boholanos and Cebuanos.
These native Filipino delicacies may not be as popular and available compared to commercially-produced Filipino food probably because these delicacies are prepared and sold mostly by small time entrepreneurs with limited capital for business. But what make these delicacies special is these are prepared and cooked by Filipinos with passion and love.