Classic Ilonggo Food

When visiting a new place, what do you remember best? What can you see, touch, smell, taste, and even hear? Food. Food!

The prevailing culinary art and food preferences of its people are essential components that can explain the evolution of such society since food is always associated with historical struggles and cultural development. Japanese eat exotic food because Japan used to be a very poor country and their people have to eat anything they can find. Despite the current developments in Japan, their food specialty still reflect their past.

Just like Japanese, dishes in Iloilo City are very special. They are a combination or what we have before, what the Spaniards, Chinese, and Americans gave us, and what nature gave us.

La Paz Batchoy

Lapaz Batchoy  is now becoming a national favorite with the well-selling franchises of Deco’s and Ted’s Old Timer. The very famous Ilonggo noodle dish was named after Lapaz, Iloilo City. 

The Lapaz market is the original home of Lapaz Batchoy.

Batchoy’s main ingredient is noodles and pork. The people of Lapaz, Iloilo enriched the recipe with the variety of special locally found ingredients added to the mix.

If you want to taste Lapaz Batchoy, I personally recommend heading to Ted’s Diversion. It has a good location because it is near Iloilo Esplanade. And it is housed together with another must-go, Dulgies, a one-of-a kind dessert bar.

If you cant get enough of Lapaz Batchoy and you're not from Iloilo, here's a video by PanlasangPinoy.com on how to cook Lapaz Batchoy.

Pancit Molo

The Pancit Molo is sought-after Ilonggo soup dish. It is an adaptation of Chiness wanton soup. It is named after Molo, Iloilo City. It is distinct from other noodles. It relaxes you from all-day's work. It is also very healthy.

Here's a picture of Pancit Molo from Sosyalan.com

Setting itself apart from the typical pancit, pancit molo is not dry but soupy and it does not make use of long, thin noodles but instead wanton wrappers made from rice flour. This one-of-a-kind combination of ingredients gives you a new eating adventure. See another article for cooking Pancit Molo

Here's a video on how to cook pancit molo.

Native Lechon Manokan

A number of Ilonggo Restaurants is proud of their unique and sumptuous receipts of native lechon manok. Check out Tatoy’s Manokan, home of unforgettable roasted chicken. It is located in Villa, Iloilo.

Binakol nga Manok

Rich-flavored and healthful. Binakol nga Manok is another famous soup from Iloilo.

The chicken is cooked in coconut water and coconut meat.

Classic ways of cooking Chicken Binakol uses native chicken simmered for several hours. The meat of native chicken is tougher than regular dressed chicken, but it has more taste and it is great for your health. Simmering native chicken longer makes the meat tender and releases all the flavors.

Chicken Binakol image from Angsarap.net

The original chicken binakol is cooked in bamboo. It is said that cooking this dish in bamboo seals-in the flavor. One good thing about the dish is that the flavors are balanced. The addition of coconut water and coconut meat adds sweetness.

 Here's a video of Visayan celebrity Elizabeth Ramsey cooking Chicken Binakol 

 and here's an article on cooking chicken binakol.    

Kadios, Manok, kag Ubod

Kadios, Manok, kag Ubok is a dish with pigeon pea, chicken, and pith or core of the trunk of the banana plant.

 

Kadios, Manok, kag Ubod image from marketmanila.com

Kadios, Baboy kag Langka

I have worked with celebrities visiting Iloilo City for shows and this is their top pick is Kadyos, Baboy, Langka.

Why is KBL a must-taste? Not every one in the world, or even in the Philippines can eat KBL any time they want. Some ingredients are abundant only in Iloilo City.

Here's how to make KBL

and here's a video on cooking KBL

Kilawin

I apologize for being a bit mischievous but I enjoyed making a Manila-based gal pal eat kilawin. She said, "kakaiba tong kinilaw, parang hilaw."

The main ingredient of Kilawin is raw fish or pork marinated in vinegar, calamansi, pepper and other spices.

Ibus

Ibus is Iloilo City's delicacy made of glutinous rice and coconut milk wrapped in coconut leaves.

Biscocho

Biscocho is a famous Ilonggo delicacy which is derived from Latin phrase “bis coctus” meaning “twice baked”. It is bread coated with sugar.

 

Biscocho image from merci.com

Barquillos

Barquillos is thin rolled wafers. It is soft and delicious.

They used to be plain and yummy but because bakeshops have been experiementing, they now come in  flavors of ube and pandan.

 

barquillos image from philja.com

Pinasugbo Pinasugbo a native confection made from thinly sliced caramelized native banana sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Biscocho, Pinasugbo, and Barquillos as usually requested or ginatugon as pasalubong by love ones from other parts of the country. I recommend products of Biscocho House or Pandesal Ni Pa-a. Both are found in Jaro, Iloilo City, in the alley adjacent to the police station.