By Brian Jules Campued
A couple of months after the Philippines secured a Guinness World Record for the most variety of pork dishes on display, Filipinos now have another reason to celebrate because eight of our favorite ‘ulam’ have been included among the Best Pork Dishes in the World by TasteAtlas.
In its latest list updated on May 15, international food website TasteAtlas ranked Lechon Kawali at 20th place, followed by Lechon at 29th place, Bicol Express at 34th place, and Sisig at 43rd place.
Lechon kawali, the Filipino version of deep-fried pork belly, was hailed by TasteAtlas as one of the most popular Filipino dishes nationwide.
“Primarily boiled in plain or seasoned water, the meat is rubbed with salt, cut into chunks, then deep-fried until it develops a golden-brown, crispy skin, but remains juicy and tender on the inside,” TasteAtlas said, describing the dish.
Best served hot, lechon kawali may be enjoyed with spicy vinegar sauce or the traditional liver sauce on the side.
Arguably the most served pork dish among Filipino festivities, lechon is traditionally served whole on a platter.
According to TasteAtlas, lechon is derived from a Spanish word for “roasted suckling pig” and is usually stuffed with lemongrass, tamarind, garlic, onions, and chives, before being roasted slowly on a large bamboo skewer over an open fire.
“Once the meat is properly roasted and falls off the bone, people tend to eat every part of the pig, and the crispy, reddish-brown, crackling skin is especially beloved,” it said, adding that lechon is often served with liver sauce, made thick and rich by cooking sugar, fresh herbs, and vinegar.
Got leftovers? No problem for Pinoys as any meat left after the feast can be cooked again with vinegar, garlic, and liver sauce for a different flavor, known as Lechon Paksiw.
Meanwhile, famous for being a traditional coconut-infused dish from the Bicol Region, Bicol Express is made with sliced pork cooked in a creamy coconut-based sauce and seasoned with shrimp paste and chili peppers.
All the way from the Culinary Capital of the Philippines, sisig is the popular Kapampangan dish made by “boiling, chopping, and grilling parts of pig’s head such as ears, cheeks, and jowls, which are then seasoned with salt, pepper, and vinegar”.
Combined with fried onions, sliced chili peppers, and chicken livers, the sizzling sisig is often topped with raw egg. Foodies may add mayonnaise or pork cracklings for extra flavor.
According to the food database, sisig started as a simple sour salad used as an early remedy for nausea and hangovers. Now, sisig became one the favorite pairing for an ice-cold beer.
Ranking outside the Top 50 are: Inihaw na Liempo (55th), Adobong Baboy (56th), Binagoongan (77th), and Crispy Pata (84th).
Meanwhile, TasteAtlas recognized Colombia’s Lechona as the top pork dish. It is a traditional Colombian dish consisting of a whole roasted pig stuffed with onions, peas, rice, fresh herbs, and various spices.
Puerto Rico’s Pernil got the 2nd spot, while three of Mexico’s famous pork dishes — Gringas, Tacos al Pastor, and Conchinita Pibil — completed the top five.
Which of these Filipino pork dishes is your go-to ulam partnered with firmly-cooked rice on the side? Maybe it’s time to pig out! – avds