Filipinos’ All-time Favorite Pulutan
Filipinos like celebrating important events in their lives, whether they are happy or sad. Over a couple of bottles of cold beer, Pinoys will speak about anything huge or small, and this may lead to a night of enjoyment. For many, it is a means to spend time with the people they care about while lowering their barriers in a relaxed environment. Without your favorite pulutan, no inuman session is complete. The term ‘pulutan,’ comes from the Filipino word ‘pulutin.’ ‘Something picked up’ basically translates to Pulutan. It’s typically eaten in bits by friends in between drinks and conversation.
Here are the most common and all-time favorite pulutan we always look for:
Chicharon
There are different techniques for cooking chicharon. Use the pig intestines or the chicken skin and deep frying it until crisp. At the same time, the chicharong bulaklak is a pig intestines and has a ‘bulaklak’ or flower-like appearance. This sinful food is widely available across the country, from supermarkets to street sellers, so getting your hands on it will not be difficult. This will quickly become a new favorite when served with a bowl of hot vinegar for dipping.
Sisig
Sisig is a Filipino dish that comes from the province of Pampanga. Ingredients are pig’s face, belly, and chicken liver. It’s served on a hot platter with raw egg and calamansi, all of which must be stirred in while the dish is still hot. You can also enjoy sisig with a cup of rice aside from being pulutan.
Crispy Pata
Who among us doesn’t enjoy a tasty crispy pata? It is, in fact, one of the primary meals, and many Filipinos consider it to be one of their favorite pulutan. Pig knuckles (pata) are marinated in garlic-flavored vinegar and deep-fried till crisp and golden brown, best served with condiments like calamansi and toyo. Other portions of the pork leg are cooked in the same way.
Tokwa’t Baboy
This Filipino dish translates simply as “tofu and pork.” The meat, commonly a mix of pig belly and ears, is cooked till soft in boiling water, while the tofu is deep-fried. Both are then served with a sauce made primarily of soy sauce and vinegar. It’s mildly sweetened with sugar and made extra delicious by adding pig broth.
Tusok-tusok
Tusok is a Filipino word that means “poke.” Tusok-tusok refers to deep-fried meals that must be stabbed with a skewer and then dipped into your preferred sauce. Fish balls, kwek-kwek, and squid balls are examples of Tusok-tusok cuisine. Tusok-tusok, famous street food, and pulutan in the Philippines that you can found in the streets.
Mani
Peanuts, sometimes known as “mani,” are one of the greatest finger snacks. You can usually see these in the streets. Cooking it with the shell, a lot of salt, seasonings, and garlic. This type of pulutan is well-known in northern Luzon.
Lechon Kawali
No, it’s not the famous Filipino Lechon, but it’s just as guilt-inducingly tasty. Lechon kawali preparation includes boiling pig belly until it is tender, then deep-frying it until the exterior is crisp and golden and the meat is moist and delicate. Serve the finished result in bite-sized pieces beside a nice bucket of beer – a decadent pairing made in heaven.
Papaitan
Papaitan, which is from the term “pait,” is an unusual cuisine cooked from goat or cattle intestines, a stew spiced with bile that gives it a bitter (pait) taste. But don’t be off by the strong flavor; it pairs well with beer!
Kinilaw
The kinilaws’ recipes are with fresh fish (typically tanigue or tuna), coconut or cane vinegar, onions, calamansi, ginger, chili peppers, and coconut milk in certain versions. Other kinds of seafood, such as shrimp or squid, you can add to the meal.
BBQ
Barbecue is trendy in the Philippines; you can even find vendors selling them on the street every night, which is why this is one of the most popular pulutan in the country. This is available everywhere and is best pair with beer.
No matter how complex or easy the preparation, your inuman session will be incomplete without pulutan. Nobody knows where each came from, but the essential thing is that pulutan is one of the things that adds a lot of joy to many Filipinos’ drinking experiences.
