The two dishes beat other international favorites such as tonkatsu, kung pao chicken, satay, and spaghetti alla puttanesca
After putting the spotlight on local eats such as sinigang and lumpiang shanghai, Taste Atlas, an online culinary guide highlighting cuisines from different nations, includes in its annual list of “100 Best Dishes in the World” two Pinoy favorite dishes, sisig and adobo.
Taking the 72nd spot is sisig, which garnered a 4.33 rating. A staple in inuman, the dish is made of pork ear, cheek, tail, and the skin of a pig’s head, which are boiled, chopped to tiny bits, grilled, and served on a sizzling plate. Adding more flavor to the dish are chili, onions, and calamansi, and it is usually topped with a raw egg that is meant to be mixed with the meat while it is still hot. In some kitchens, sisig today is also finished with a drizzle of mayonnaise and a sprinkle of pork cracklings for added flavor and texture.
According to the website, sisig was originally meat-free and was described by 1732 Kapampangan dictionary by Fr. Diego Bergano as a salad consisting of guava or green papaya. In “Kain Na!,” a book penned by Filipino food historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria, sisig, before becoming a “drinker’s darling,” was a dish originally served to pregnant women nearing delivery.
“The name of the dish is believed to derive from the word ‘sisigan,’ meaning to make sour. It was used as an early remedy for nausea and hangovers, because its sour flavor was considered a vomit suppressant, and that is why today sisig is almost always paired with an ice-cold beer on the side,” Taste Atlas wrote. “What started as a simple sour salad has crossed land and sea to become one of the favorite dishes of beer drinkers worldwide.”
On the other hand, adobo, the close rival of sinigang as the Philippines’ most favorite dish, lands on the 81st spot with a 4.29 stars. Its name pretty much says what the meal is about. “Adobo got its name from the Spanish word ‘adobar,’ meaning marinade or pickling sauce,” Taste Atlas explained. “In English, the word ‘adobo’ translates to braised in vinegar.”
Almost every island in the archipelago has its own way of cooking the adobo, even ranging from saucy to dry. Some add atsuete or annatto to the dish for a vibrant color, others put in chocolate, while coconut milk does the trick in some provinces. What remains the same in all adobo dishes are the star ingredients soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaves, black pepper, and the choice of protein, whether it is meat, poultry, or seafood.
“The most popular adobo dishes include local favorites such as chicken, beef, or pork adobo, white adobo, crispy adobo, squid adobo, and water spinach adobo,” Taste Atlas added. The dish is traditionally served over white rice, an ideal accompaniment that absorbs the tangy sauce.
Topping its annual list of best eats is Mexico’s cochinita pibil, a street food featuring a slow-cooked pork served on tortillas or tacos, with shallots, pickled onions, salsa, and various roasted vegetables.