Weird Pinoy Food Combinations
“You are what you eat” is an expression we have all heard. It turns out that your ideas work the same way. Your thoughts are influenced by what you put in your head. You need to feed your mind with new, interesting concepts to be more creative.
And as Filipinos, we can’t deny our love of food and desire to explore new things. What other people find odd, we find to be more satiating or delicious. We have no problem trying foods other people would find strange or unpleasant.
Here are some of the weird but best Pinoy food combinations that we can’t get enough of:
Food Combo 1: Rice + coffee
The majority of Filipinos would agree that this is our favorite morning meal. You either did it out of curiosity or because you didn’t want to eat the ulam your mom made for breakfast. Some kids would even go so far as to replace Milo or Ovaltine for coffee!
Food Combo 2: Dirty Ice Cream + Tinapay
This iconic merienda street dish, often known as the ice cream sandwich, was often mobbed by kids. Ice cream cones are tasty, but stuffing them between soft and milky buns is even better.
Food Combo 3: Mangga + Bagoong
We love snacking on green mango and dipping it in shrimp paste. The saltiness and sometimes the spice of the shrimp paste balance the sourness of the green mango. Some people even like a sweet shrimp paste, which is similarly effective.
Food Combo 4: Champorado + Tuyo
No one could ever say no to a delicious bowl of chocolatey champorado cooked with tablea. If you add evaporated or powdered milk, you won’t realize you’re on your second bowl of champorado! Some people enhance champorado by serving it with tuyo (dried fish). To be honest, it’s a great fair—the salty tuyo balances out the sweetness of the champorado.
Food Combo 5: Hotdog + Marshmallow
Best served skewered on fruit or the stem of a banana tree. This unusual combo was a staple in Pinoy birthday parties back in the 90s. Thanks to whoever invented this birthday staple and made our childhood memories!
Food Combo 6: Tinapay + Milo
This combo was the instant chocolate “spread” we used in our pandesals before the hazelnut-chocolate spread arrived. It provided the milky chocolate flavor we desired, while the pandesal gave a creamy backing.
Food Combo 7: Sinigang + Ketchup
You’d think there’d be no space for improvement in this classic Filipino meal until someone tried putting some ketchup into its flavorful, clench soup. This traditional comfort food gains a richer dimension, and the resulting creaminess rounds out the soup’s powerful acidity, leaving you eating mounds of rice.
Weird Combo 8: Sundae + Fries
This combo takes the salty-sweet mix to the next level. You’re combining the heat of fresh fries with the creamy ice cream and the flavors. What’s not to love about salty, sweet, spicy, and cold at the same time? There’s no telling who was the first to try this combination. But wherever they are, we are grateful.
Weird Combo 9: Bread + Butter + Sugar
It’s common practice to spread butter on toast but with sugar? Yes! Our sweet taste buds are to blame for this food hack: we don’t only pour butter on our delicious toasted bread. We also put sugar on top. When the buttery flavor isn’t enough, the clean, sweet flavor provides a sugar rush to get your day started on the right foot.
Weird Combo 10: Pancit Canton + Mayonnaise
Although unhealthy, instant pancit canton is a popular snack out of many. It is inexpensive and simple to cook and can quickly satisfy your appetite. We enjoy instant pancit canton with a six-minute egg on the side. The egg’s runny yolk appeals to both our sight and our taste buds.
A spoonful of mayonnaise is another thing that goes well with pancit canton. Use a generous amount of mayonnaise to add sweetness to this noodle meal.
Some strange food combos can taste delicious. Allow your senses to guide you; they will tell you whether the pairings work or not. If you’re feeling brave, try some of these combos and see what you think.
