Christmas Food Word List in Tagalog
In Tagalog, Christmas Food are called Mga Pagkain Tuwing Pasko.
In this post, you will learn some of the best food prepared during the Holiday Season by the Filipinos.
Top 12 List of Filipino Food for Christmas in 2020
In the beautiful country of the Philippines, the most awaited special Holiday of the Year is Christmas Day or Araw ng Pasko which is usually celebrated on December 25 of each year. As early as the month of October, most Filipinos start decorating their humble homes with colorful Christmas decorations. A typical Filipino home has its own glittering Christmas tree in the living room, bright Christmas lights surrounding their front yard, a Christmas lantern called parol on their front porch, as well as a Christmas wreath to decorate their front door. Each Filipino family member also get to have a Christmas gift or regalo that is carefully wrapped in shiny Christmas wrappers and placed under the Christmas tree. Here is a Top 12 List of the most special Filipino food that is prepared for Christmas in the Philippines:
1. Adobong Baboy
During the Christmas celebrations, the Filipino adobo will always be present in the homes of the Filipino people as this adobo food is their national dish. Pork adobo or adobong baboy is cooked by sautéeing garlic and onions with pork meat or karne ng baboy then simmered until soft and tender in vinegar and soy sauce with whole peppercorns and laurel leaves.
2. Apritadang Manok
Chicken afritada or apritadang manok is a sweet and savory Filipino dish that is perfect for the Christmas Holiday Season. Afritada is a tomato-based stew that is made with chicken meat pieces or karne ng manok that is sautéed with aromatics then simmered until soft and tender with colorful vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, green peas, and bell peppers.
3. Halo-Halo
Halo-halo is one of the most beloved Filipino dessert that is perfect for the Christmas Holiday Season because of its very colorful presentation. The Philippines has a tropical climate so even when it is Christmas time, the weather stays relatively humid and warm. Serving Halo-halo for dessert will surely be a wonderful Christmas treat for your little chikitings and bulilits. Halo-halo is a Pinoy dessert that is made out of cubed sweet plantain bananas or saba, sweetened garbanzos, macapuno strings, sweetened red munggo beans, white coconut jelly or nata de coco, colorful red and green tapioca peals or sago, cubed sweet potatoes or kamote, then topped with white sugar, shaved ice, evaporated milk then garnished with toasted pinipig bits, ube ice cream, and slices of leche flan.
4. Kakanin
This kakanin recipe, also called biko, is a sweeted rice cake that is made out of sticky glutinous white rice combined with plain white rice and creamy coconut milk that is simmered and cooked to perfection. Dark brown sugar is added and stirred until the kakanin gets brown and sticky then it is sprinkled with sesame seeds. On the other side, green pandan flavoring with white sugar is added and stirred to make the green pandan flavored kakanin or biko.
5. Kalderetang Baka
Beef Caldereta or kalderetang baka is another great Filipino recipe that is perfect to make for the Christmas Holidays because it is a very colorful dish made out of soft and tender beef brisket simmered in a tomato-based stew with liver spread, soy sauce, and colorful and bright vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, red and green bell peppers, and green peas.
6. Kutsinta
Kutsinta, also called kutchinta is one of my favorite sweet treat during special occasions and Christmas Holiday celebrations. Kutsinta is a simple steamed dessert made out of a mixture of sticky rice flour, dark brown sugar, lye water or lihia, and powdered annato seeds have been used to give it that orange tint color. these rice cakes are placed in molds then steamed to perfection. Freshly grated coconut meat is then added as a topping to enhance the simple sweet flavor of the kutsinta.
7. Lechon Baboy
During Christmas Day, the lechon is usually placed at the center of the dining table along with the other Filipino food and delicacies. Lechon baboy is believed by the Filipino people to be a symbol of prosperity and abundance. Pork lechon or lechon baboy is a whole pig that is seasoned with spices then roasted on a bamboo spit. The whole pig is slowly and patiently turned manually by hand and roasted over slowly burning coconut husks and charcoal until the pork meat is reddish brown in color and thoroughly cooked with soft and tender meat.
8. Lumpiang Shanghai
A great addition to your collection of Filipino food recipes to be prepared during Christmas is Lumpiang Shanghai. It is one of the most popular and favorite Filipino finger food recipe that can be eaten as a side dish or as a tasty snack accompanied with spicy and sweet and sour sauce. Lumpiang shanghai is made out of ground pork meat with spices that is wrapped in lumpia wrappers then deep fried in oil until golden brown.
9. Pancit Bihon
The Filipino people believe that eating pancit will give a person longer life and longevity. There are different varieties of pancit noodles that can be combined to make different kinds of pancit recipes. This is one of the most popular Christmas food that is often present at the dining table of most Filipino families because it is affordable, it can feed a lot of guests, and it is one of the most healthy and nutritious meals that contains go, grow, and glow food categories.
10. Pork Barbecue
The Filipinos love the sound, taste, and smell of sizzling meat on a grill especially during the Christmas Eve celebrations. The pork barbecue is similar to the inihaw na baboy that is placed in bamboo skewers. This Filipino food is one of the most favorite Christmas food that is often served as a main course meal and is perfect for pulutan for the Filipino ladies and gentlemen who love to gather in little groups for a drink of beer.
11. Sinigang Na Baboy
Sinigang na baboy is a sour soup that is often prepared on the side along with the other main Filipino food prepared for Christmas. This is a hearty soup that is usually served on a small bowl or cup to warm the body and to awaken the senses.
12. Sisig
Sisig is made out of thinly diced pieces of pig head, pig ears, and chicken liver pieces that are cooked on a sizzling plate with garlic, red onions, and red chili peppers then topped with egg and garnished with fresh green onions and fresh calamansi. it is usually served as a pulutan dish and goes well with a mug of beer.
The most important part of Christmas celebration that bonds Filipino families and their friends together is the Filipino food that is prepared for this Christmas Day. The Filipino food that is prepared and shared during the Christmas Season truly unites the whole Philippine archipelago into a one big and happy family.
Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon sa inyong lahat.