Food is quite a substantial part of Filipino culture. One of our main greetings is, “Kumain ka na?” which translates to, “Have you eaten?” Potlucks are one of our favorite ways to foster community. This week, I asked six Filipino students about their favorite cultural foods and the significance these dishes hold to them.
What is your favorite Filipino dish?
“I don’t really have one; I love all my meat dishes!” Sean Bernardo (freshman, computer science)
“Sinigang” Blaise Datoy (sophomore, exercise science)
“Beef Kaldereta” Byron Victoriano (sophomore, biology)
“Daing na bangus with toyo, rice, vinegar, and a “salsa” that has onions, mango, tomatoes, and kalamansi” Mahal Tio (junior, graphic design)
“SPICY LOMI” Rhymiel Prudente (senior, MLS)
“Beef Caldereta” Ashley Yabut (graduate, physical therapy)
How would you describe that dish?
Blaise: “A sour Filipino soup that's made with various ingredients like meat, vegetables, and tamarind to give it a tangy flavor”
Byron: “Beef Kaldereta is a flavorful and hearty Filipino dish that is known for its rich and savory taste. It’s a type of stew that combines tender beef chunks with a tomato-based sauce, a blend of aromatic spices, and a variety of vegetables.”
Rhymiel: “Thick egg noodles with a thickened broth that can have vegetables, like sitaw (green long beans) or carrots. It can have eggs, chicken, or tofu! I have also had this dish when it was spicy, and it was AMAZING, but usually it's compared to chicken noodle soup.”
Ashley: “Beef Caldereta is a rich tomato-based stew with meat and vegetables. It is savory with a slight tang and sweetness.”
What is your earliest memory of eating that dish?
Blaise: “Probably when I was 5 years old.”
Byron: “I was around six to seven years old. I remember it was during the winter, so it was obviously pretty cold outside, and we just got back from being outside for a couple of hours playing with my friends. When I entered the house I could smell the aroma of the kaldereta, and nothing beats it. I remember taking off my jacket and going straight to the dinner table, getting my bowl of rice, and putting the beef kaldereta all over it. That taste of the tomato sauce with the beef chunks is unbeatable, especially if it has potatoes in it.”
Mahal: “My earliest memory of eating this dish is when my family had something to celebrate! We made it a priority in our trip to go to the only Asian supermarket next to us, and we bought all the ingredients. It was our celebratory meal.”
Rhymiel: “The earliest memory of me eating this dish was when I went back to the Philippines and was exploring the island with my cousins at night. We stopped at one of the street vendors and got spicy lomi. That dish had the right amount of spice and flavor. It was literally perfect.”
Ashley: “My Tatay would always make it for me on my birthday or whenever I would come home from high school (I lived away from my family) and college. Now that he’s passed away, my mom still carries on his love for me and continues to cook it for me whenever I come home.”
Who makes it, or where do you usually get it?
Sean: “I [have them] whenever I go out to Filipino parties. The last time I had Filipino dishes was last year during the summer. I did have a tiny bit of adobo though through a friend's mom who was kind [enough] to give me some food to eat here at Andrews.”
Blaise: “Either my mom or my dad.”
Byron: “The [person] that usually makes it in my family would be my dad, but if he doesn’t make it, we usually buy it at a Filipino store called Island Pacific Seafood Market out in Fresno, California.”
Mahal: “My parents usually make it, or my second mom, Tita Nics, will make it just because they know it’s my favorite! I also always order it at Chow King hehe.”
Rhymiel: “Most of the time I have the dish when my family goes to another Filipino family’s house for a gathering and they have food. It can also be sold by street vendors in the Philippines.”
Why is this dish important to you and your Filipino roots?
Sean: “All these dishes are important to me because it reminds me of home most of all, and it tastes sooo good! It makes me feel connected with all of my Filipino family!!!”
Blaise: “It reminds me how my parents love me so much.”
Byron: “I have grown up going to a lot of Filipino parties and having a lot of big family gatherings throughout the years. [Every] time we go, I look for this one dish, and not once have I failed to find it. I also know that in the Philippines, throughout the different regions, they have their own variations of this dish. It is a pretty popular dish for celebrations or family gatherings. [The] Spanish term for “kaldereta” refers to a type of stew, and so the dish would be a fusion of Spanish and Filipino culinary traditions. The dish also incorporates locally sourced ingredients, which could reinforce a connection between the meal and the Filipino landscape. Overall, it is important to Filipino roots because it encapsulates a mix of historical, cultural, and culinary influences that are important to the Filipino identity. It is a dish that brings people together, is able to showcase the culinary diversity of the Philippines, and serves as a source of comfort and nostalgia for a lot of Filipinos.”
Mahal: “This dish is important to me because it tastes so good, and it has a lot of sentimental value. When I think of my home and my family, I can envision us at the dinner table all eating our bangus. It’s a childhood scent that makes me feel happy and safe! It’s important to my Filipino roots because it is the dish that taught me to eat with my hands and is a dish that brought me and my family closer.”
Rhymiel: “This dish is important to me for two things: it helps me remember the times when I traveled back to the Philippines to visit my extended family and learn more about my culture, [and] it reminds me of home and the hospitality that is in the Filipino culture (one of the best aspects of our culture in my opinion).”
Ashley: “This dish is important to me because, not only does all Filipino food play a crucial role in shaping the collective identity of a nation or region, but it represents an undying love that lives on.”
Filipino American History Month is anticipated by Filipinos all throughout America. Join the celebration and taste these food favorites while celebrating and learning about Filipino culture! Follow the AFIA club’s Instagram page (@auafia) for more information on this month’s upcoming events.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.