It is in main dishes that the full variety, aroma and color of Filipino cooking really excel and are fully displayed. Main dishes usually have chicken, pork, beef, fish or seafoods as basic ingredients. They come boiled, broiled, fried, or sautéed, usually prepared in concoctions and mixtures rather than as basic one-element fares (as in steak). The combinations are varied and while a total taste and effect is sought, each particular ingredient is also supposed to be distinct and identifiable and its flavor should not be lost but enhanced.
This supreme goal, of course, is sometimes difficult to attain, as there are various traditions and influences that include Chinese and Spanish, which tend to produce some clashes of elements. Still, as the main dishes in this section show, there is an inherent unity in Philippine dishes that is unmistakably native to the islands. Borrowings have been fitted into the native cuisine and the results are still excitingly Filipino.
This supreme goal, of course, is sometimes difficult to attain, as there are various traditions and influences that include Chinese and Spanish, which tend to produce some clashes of elements. Still, as the main dishes in this section show, there is an inherent unity in Philippine dishes that is unmistakably native to the islands. Borrowings have been fitted into the native cuisine and the results are still excitingly Filipino.
No comments:
Post a Comment