Features: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur

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Features
The Ilocos Region is made up of four (4) provinces, namely: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan.
Majority of the population speaks the local language Ilocano (Philippine Information Agency [PIA], n.d.).
• Ilocos Norte’s and Ilocos Sur’s climate is very hot and dry. They sparingly eat meat and a bulk of their
diet is mostly made up of vegetables and rice (Fenix, 2014).
• La Union is famous as a surfing destination. The province’s agriculture industry produces rice, corn,
fish, fruits, fruit vegetables, leafy vegetables, root crops, legumes, and livestock. The locals also export
pure honey from dried fish and sugar cane wine. Majority of the inhabitants in the province are
Ilocanos who migrated there during the 1700s. That is why La Union’s cuisine is very similar to its
neighboring provinces, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur (PIA, n.d.).
• Pangasinan is among the earliest political and administrative units in the Philippines. One of their best
import products are carabao mangoes and bangus (milkfish). The agriculture industry in the province
is very important to the locals that they celebrate a couple of festivals dedicated to good harvest like
the Pista’y Dayat Festival, Bangus Festival, Mango-Bamboo Festival, and the Sigay Festival (PIA, n.d.).
Distinct Food Products

Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur
• Dinengdeng – It is a soupy vegetable dish that contains eggplants, sponge gourd, lima beans, baguio
beans, and malunggay pods, then stewed with bagoong.
• Poqui-poqui – It is an eggplant dish with tomatoes and eggs.
• Miki – This is a soup with thick egg noodles called miki in a shrimp, beef, and chicken broth. Annatto
seed extract is added to add some color. Kutsay, or garlic chives, is added at the end to enhance the
aroma.
• Dinardaraan or Dinuguan – This is a blood stew with pork innards and fried chicharon bulaklak.
Bulaklak is a part of the pig’s intestines.
• Papaitan – It is a very bitter soup that contains innards and bile, which are responsible for the bitter
taste.
• Bagnet – It is a deep fried pork belly.
• Vigan Longganisa – This is a very popular recado-style longganisa in Ilocos and has a very strong garlic
flavor.
• Empanada – Similar to the Spanish empanada, this contains eggs, bean sprouts, and longganisa
wrapped in an orange flour dough. The dough gets its orange pigment from annatto seeds.
• Insarabasab – This is made with pork loin or shoulder butt (kasim) marinated in calamansi, garlic, and
salt before grilling.
• Igado – This dish is made with pork innards and mixed with green peas.
• Dinakdakan – This is chopped grilled pork meat and face mixed with onion, vinegar, and mashed brains
for a creamy texture.
La Union
• Pinakbet or Pakbet – It is a vegetable dish that contains squash, bitter melon, eggplants, okra, and long
beans. It is sautéed with bagoong.
• Kilawing kambing – This dish contains goat skin and meat with seasoned vinegar or sukang Iloko.
• Ar arosep – These are grape-like seaweeds, known by Tagalogs as lato.
• Inkiwar – This is a type of glutinous rice cake native in La Union.
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• Tupig – This is made from glutinous rice batter, wrapped in banana leaves, then roasted over charcoal.
Pangasinan
• Puto Calasiao – These are small, bite-sized rice cakes made from fermented semi-glutinous rice. These
are named after the town of Calasiao.
• Pigar-pigar – This is a very popular street food in Dagupan. It is made from thinly sliced sirloin beef,
stir-fried with onions and cabbage.
• Binungey – This is made from glutinous rice cooked inside bamboos.
• Baguisen – This dish is made from pork liver and lungs cooked in vinegar and sugar.
• Inutakan – This dish is made up of boiled pork face pieces with thinly sliced poached pig brains and
flavored with vinegar sauce.
• Alaminos longganisa – This is a recado-style longganisa with lots of garlic. Its segments are separated
by toothpicks.
• Burong Isda – This is a side dish made with fermented freshwater fish and half cooked rice.
References:
Alejandro, R., Fernandez, D. G., Alvina, C. S., & Reyes, M. (2012). Authentic recipes from the Philippines. Singapore:
Periplus Editions.
Elegado, F., Colegio, M., Lim, S. & M., Gervasio, V. & T, Perez A. & T., Maria, Balolong, Marilen, Banaay, C., & Mendoza,
B. (2016). Ethnic Fermented Foods of the Philippines with Reference to Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeasts. DOI:
10.1007/978-81-322-2800-4_13
Fenix, M. (2014). Country Cooking: Philippine Regional Cuisines. Pasig City, PH: Anvil Publishing, Inc.
Philippine Information Agency. (n.d.). Provinces. Retrieved from Philippine Information Agency:
https://pia.gov.ph/provinces
Sta Maria, F. P. (2016). What kids should know about Filipino food. Diliman, QC: Adarna House.
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Distinct Food Products

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