Question 1

What is Sarap Karne?

Accepted Answer

Sarap Karne is a Filipino recipe website sharing authentic meat recipes and traditional dishes since 2007. We preserve family recipes passed down through generations of Filipino home cooks.

Question 2

What are traditional Filipino meat dishes?

Accepted Answer

Popular Filipino meat dishes include Chicken Adobo, Beef Caldereta, Lechon Kawali, Sinigang na Baboy, Kare-Kare, Sisig, Crispy Pata, Chicken Inasal, Bistek Tagalog, and Humba.

Question 3

How do I cook Filipino Adobo?

Accepted Answer

Braise chicken or pork in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, crushed garlic, bay leaves, and whole peppercorns. Simmer on low heat until meat is tender and sauce reduces. The key is not to stir too early and let the vinegar cook down.

Question 4

What is sinigang and how is it made?

Accepted Answer

Sinigang is a sour Filipino soup made with tamarind (sampalok), pork or shrimp, and vegetables like kangkong, radish, and string beans. The sourness comes from tamarind paste, fresh tamarind, or sinigang mix.

Question 5

What is the difference between sinigang and nilaga?

Accepted Answer

Sinigang is a sour soup flavored with tamarind, while nilaga is a clear, savory broth made by simply boiling beef or pork with vegetables. Nilaga relies on the natural flavors of the meat and vegetables.

Question 6

What is sawsawan in Filipino cooking?

Accepted Answer

Sawsawan refers to Filipino dipping sauces served alongside dishes. Common sawsawan includes toyomansi (soy sauce with calamansi), spiced vinegar with garlic and chili, and bagoong (shrimp paste). Each dish has its traditional pairing.

Question 7

What are silog breakfast meals?

Accepted Answer

Silog meals are Filipino breakfasts consisting of sinangag (garlic fried rice), itlog (fried egg), and a protein. Popular variations include tapsilog (beef tapa), tocilog (tocino), longsilog (longganisa), and bangsilog (bangus/milkfish).

Question 8

What Filipino food is best for beginners to cook?

Accepted Answer

Chicken Adobo is the best starting recipe - it uses simple ingredients and a forgiving technique. Other beginner-friendly dishes include Tinola, Pancit Bihon, and Sopas. These recipes use common pantry staples and don't require advanced skills.

Question 9

What are essential Filipino pantry ingredients?

Accepted Answer

Every Filipino kitchen needs soy sauce (toyo), vinegar (suka), fish sauce (patis), garlic, onion, calamansi or lemon, bay leaves, peppercorns, coconut milk, and bagoong (shrimp paste). These staples cover most Filipino recipes.

Question 10

What is kare-kare and what is it made of?

Accepted Answer

Kare-Kare is a rich Filipino oxtail stew made with a thick peanut sauce base. It typically includes oxtail, tripe, bok choy, eggplant, and string beans. It is always served with bagoong (fermented shrimp paste) on the side.

Question 11

What are popular Filipino desserts?

Accepted Answer

Popular Filipino desserts include Leche Flan (caramel custard), Halo-Halo (shaved ice with toppings), Ube Halaya (purple yam jam), Bibingka (rice cake), Biko (sticky rice cake), Turon (banana spring rolls), and Cassava Cake.

Question 12

What is the difference between Filipino and other Asian cuisines?

Accepted Answer

Filipino cuisine uniquely blends Malay, Chinese, Spanish, and American influences. It favors sweet-sour-salty flavor balance (tamis-asim-alat), uses vinegar and soy sauce extensively, and features dishes cooked in coconut milk (gata). Unlike Thai or Vietnamese food, Filipino cooking uses less chili heat.

Question 13

What Filipino dishes are served at fiestas and celebrations?

Accepted Answer

A Filipino fiesta table typically includes Lechon (roasted pig), Pancit Bihon (noodles for long life), Lumpia Shanghai (spring rolls), Embutido (meatloaf), Leche Flan, Fruit Salad, and steaming hot rice. Birthdays always feature Filipino-style spaghetti.

Question 14

How is kamayan different from regular dining?

Accepted Answer

Kamayan is the traditional Filipino way of eating with bare hands from a communal spread on banana leaves. Also called a boodle fight when done military-style, it builds community and connection. Food is placed directly on banana leaves without individual plates.

Question 15

What are traditional Filipino cooking methods?

Accepted Answer

Key Filipino cooking techniques include ginisa (sautéing with garlic, onion, tomato), ihaw (charcoal grilling), nilaga (boiling), prito (frying), kinilaw (acid-cooking similar to ceviche), and ginataan (cooking in coconut milk).

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