Food

Sisig

Every single story about Sisig from Pampanga will tell you that “Aling Lucing” or Luciana Cunanan from Angeles, Pampanga is the “Queen of Sisig” for she prepared the famous dish in a way that no one has done yet during her time. She used a hot sizzling plate and everyone loved the crispy version of this pig head parts and liver specialty and the rest is history.

Burung Bulig or Balo Balo

Not everyone is a fan of fermented foods but once you look beyond the smell, you’ll learn that the taste is exquisite. Burung Bulig uses mudfish and rice while balo balo makes use of shrimp and rice for the fermentation process. Burung Bulig is eaten as the main meal while balo balo is used as a dip for fried, roasted or grilled meat, fish, and vegetables. These two are an acquired tastes but both are worth it.

Bringhe

If Spain has Paella, Pampanga has Bringhe and it’s an absolute must eat Kapampangan dish. Bringhe either uses pure glutinous rice (malagkit) or half regular rice and half glutinous rice. It has a rich taste due to the ingredients used like native chicken, coconut milk and luyang dilaw (turmeric). A combination of boiled eggs and green and red peppers are used to adorn the rice dish.

Kamaru

It’s an exotic dish made of mole crickets and it’s justifiable if you feel queasy about sampling it but do give this tasty dish a try and you won’t be sorry. They cook this in adobo style and deep fry it. They use soy sauce, vinegar, tomatoes, onions and garlic to create a spicy flavor while it gets its crunchy texture from frying. It’s a delicacy and everyone is encouraged to try this dish at least once in their life.

Batute

Tugak is Kapampangan for frogs. The frogs used for batute are farm raised frogs so no worries there, they’re not the poisonous bull frogs you see around. This exotic dish is a must try for the adventurous soul within you. The frogs are stuffed with seasoned ground beef and deep fried.

Pindang Kalabaw

The pindang kalabaw is cooked in a little water with some cooking oil. When the fat comes out and the meat is tender, cook the meat until it turns reddish brown. Paired with lots of steaming hot rice, tomatoes, and sukang sasa this is heaven on a plate. That only means that the carabao meat was cured longer outside of the refrigerator so as to heighten the sourness rather than the sweetness of the pindang.

Taba ng Talangka

Another delicacy that Pampanga is well known for is taba ng talangka or pure fat from tiny crabs. To describe this as rich in flavor is an understatement. Pure taba ng talangka sautéed in lots of garlic then squeezed with some calamansi or lemon juice mixed with hot steaming rice while eating with ones bare hand is the best way to enjoy this.

Bulanglang Kapampangan

Bulanglang Kapampangan is different to the commonly known Bulanglang Tagalog which is much like Pinakbet. What’s similar to this dish is Sinigang and the only difference is that it uses guavas to give it the acid taste. Prawns, pork and bangus belly are used and all the vegetables of sinigang like taro (gabi), onions, tomatoes, okra, kangkong and green chillies are used to make the dish.

Morcon

Morcon is a special dish from Pampanga that’s always present in gatherings due to its decorative presentation. Unlike the common morcon where a thinly sliced beef is tied up together with other ingredients, this morcon uses ground pork and beef, chorizo, onions, eggs, grated cheese, and raisins. It is then wrapped inside in the caul fat of a pig.

Tibuk Tibuk

Kapampangans also take their desserts seriously. One dessert that you should try when visiting Pampanga is tibuk-tibuk. This is Pampanga’s version of Maja Blanca that is traditionally made with carabao’s milk, with a hint of dayap zest (local lemon) with latik on top.

Authentic Kapampangan Foods