Module 5

Bicolandia and
Cordillera Region

Learning Objectives

 Understand the food culture and characteristics of Bicolandia and Cordillera Region
 Identify the different native delicacies under the Bicolandia and Cordillera Region
 Determine the food that are available and explained why those particular foods are
prevalent
 Describe how each cuisine are being processed and prepared

Learning Contents

Topic 1 : Region V
Topic 2 : Cordillera Administrative Region

TOPIC 1: REGION V

Bicolano Regional Cuisine

Bicol is well known of cooking foods with “gata” or coconut cream and lots of chili, which
marked their region with genuine Asian cuisine. Chili or the “Sili” and coconut cream when
mixed together results in a very appetizing taste that goes best with hot steaming white rice
and do not ever forget to keep lots of water handy to cool down the spicy and burning taste
in your tongue. According to locals, before doing a vigorous activity, they require eating
those spicy dishes to let their body release enough energy they needed.

Characteristics:
 In Bicol Food culture, practically any vegetable can be cooked in coconut milk and chili
peppers
 All kinds of produce, including seasonal fruit, pair perfectly with coconut milk
 Seafood is primarily the main source of protein.

Native Delicacies:

 Main Dishes

1. Bicol Express - This is arguably one of the most popular dishes that originated from
Bicol. It is widespread and relished by all Filipinos. It is a meal that is being remade in
 several households today. Bicol Express or “sinilihan” is a mouthwatering, spicy delicacy
made from long chilies or siling Mahaba, coconut milk, and pork.

2. Laing - Laing or Pinangat, another popular Bicolano delicacy, is a dish that consists of
taro leaves and meat. It is prepared in creamy thick coconut cream spiced with labuyo
chili, lemongrass, garlic, and shrimp paste.

3. Sinantol - Aside from coconuts, Santol, also known as cotton fruit, is one of Bicol’s
most-produced crops. Because of its abundance, Bicol holds a native delicacy called
Sinantol or Ginataang Santol. It is composed of shredded santol with sili and gata along
with either fish or pork. It possesses the perfect balance and blends of salt from the
meat, sourness from the santol, creaminess from the coconut cream, and spice from sili.

4. Pancit Bato - There is no doubt about how noodle dishes like pancit is popular in the
Philippines. It is an all-time favorite merienda. Everywhere you go, there is a different
variant of it. Camarines Sur, Bicol, is where Pancit Bato Guisado originated. It is a pancit
dish that you shouldn’t miss out on when you visit Bicol. The noodles that are used in
cooking this originated from Bato, Camarines Sur, where it got its name.

5. Kinunot -is cooked with coconut milk, malunggay leaves (moringa), and the star of the
dish, flaked manta ray meat. In other recipes, shark meat is used as an alternative to
manta ray meat.

6. Kinalas - It's made with a combination of noodles, spices, pork or beef brains, and
scraped meat from pork or beef head. This noodle soup is served in a shrimpy, garlicky
brown gravy consisting of dried shrimps, vinegar, garlic, shallots, soy sauce, and fish
sauce.

 Snacks and Desserts

1. Nilubak - This creamy kakanin variety made with mashed kamoteng kahoy (cassava),
bananas, or taro, and sugar and milk (plus points if it's gata!) is a staple at any town
meeting. Served with grated peanuts and a swipe of margarine, linubak feels like a
thicker, extra-chunky pudding.

2. Sinapot - Sinapot, a delicacy made from saba, is a sweet treat you’ll surely enjoy.
These are saba bananas sliced lengthwise, which are fried in a batter. In the Metropolis,
it is known as “Maruya”. However, unlike Maruya, Sinapot is not coated in sugar. In fact,
some Bicolanos dip Sinapot in bagoong.

3. Biniribid - known as pilipit in other parts of Bicol. True to its Bicol roots, this kakanin
uses coconut milk and rice flour, and then is deep fried and doused in white sugar or
brown sugar glaze.

4. Pili Roll -If you’re looking for a Bicolano dessert, consider trying out the Pili Roll. The
Pili nut is also one of Bicol’s common crops. Its tree grows in volcanic soils that bear its
nuts that deliver a rich and buttery flavor. You can find a variety of dishes and desserts
made out of it. The Pili Roll, popular in Camarines Norte, is a fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth,
soft cake roll with a sweet caramelized filling and chopped pili. You can even buy this as
one of your pasalubong to take home to your family!

TOPIC 2: CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

Cuisine of the Cordilleras

Most outsiders know the Igorots of the Cordillera region for their unique culture. To them, the
word Igorot usually conjures images of bright and colorful attires, of spears with matching
shields, and of rituals where the blood of pigs and chickens soak the earth (or pavement)
while an elder utters a prayer to the gods. Of course, the word Igorot also often conjures an
amalgam of misconceptions about the tribes. .

Native Delicacies:
 Main Courses

1. Etag - Etag or Itag is salted meat, cured and aged underground in an earthen jar. The
flavor is comparable to blue cheese but is much oilier and flavorful after it's cooked.

2. Pinikpikan - a chicken dish that is rooted in the native ritual of reading signals from the
gods to determine one's course of action. Sometimes humorously called 'Battered
Chicken,' native chickens, smaller in variety with darker, tastier meat are beaten with a
wooden and grilled over open fire.

3. Sabusab - mixed dish using fermented rice, sliced meat, green onions, ginger and
moistened with Tapuey.

4. Pinuneg - is a native blood sausage composed of minced pork and innards mixed with
cooked rice (usually the red variety known as kintoman), salt, vinegar, garlic and other
flavors and then stuffed into clean animal intestines.

5. Binaod - s considered to be a Filipino delicacy. The pig intestines are prepared just
after the pig manure “have been dried and collected” (Comeau). It is eaten with Sayote
leaves that cover rice.

6. Tengba - is fermented rice paste and freshwater crab (the Kankana-eys call this crab
gaki). The freshwater crabs are salted thoroughly and placed in an earthen jar (gosi).
After about 24 hours, pulverized white rice and an ample amount of clean water are
mixed with the salted crabs. Yeast (bubod) is then added and mixed with the other
ingredients to kick off the fermentation process. The jar is then sealed for at least three
weeks. The tengba can be served as is. However, it's usually very salty so it's
commonly used as an added ingredient to other recipes like vegetables soups or boiled
meat.

7. Binungor - is a spicy Kalinga dish best served as an appetizer. It’s a vegetable stew
made with common highland vegetables, wild mushrooms like tainga ng daga, and a
snail called Ot-an. Baguio locals love it for its chewy texture and spicy taste with a hint
of sweetness in it.

8. Lechon de Abra - similar with others, proudly have its crispy skin. However, it is still
different with other lechon in the country. It is prepared with thinly sliced leaves and
seasoned with lots of garlic, salt, and pepper. Snacks and Desserts

9. Duom - his is a snack the only ingredient of which are young heads of rice that ain't yet
ready for harvesting. The young grains are plucked off their stalks then slightly fried over
a pan or vat (silyasi). The grains are then pounded using a wooden pestle and a stone
mortar to remove the dry or burnt husks. The grains which have been pounded flat are
then separated from the husks using a winnower (bilao).

10. Kiniwar - means mixed in Kankanaey. This delicacy is a sweet sticky rice dessert
similar to biko made of diket and tagapulot or sugar syrup. It’s one of theCordilleran
 dishes best paired with a cup of hot coffee while enjoying the Baguio afternoon with
friends.

11. Sinuman and Patupat - are the local version of rice cakes in Abra. The taste is even
comparable to a world-class dessert! Sinuman is a triangular-shaped rice cake that is
served as it is. Patupat on the other hand is served with muscovado sugar.