Filipino Delicacies: Luzon

I love food. I love Filipino delicacies. That is why I have decided to make a 3 series write-up on
the different delicacies from different Philippine provinces.

A delicacy is defined as something considered choice to eat. And here in this 7000+ island
archipelago, we have many many choices.

My friend has just made me realized that I have traveled to different places in the Philippines
albeit several years ago and I have sampled different Filipino delicies. Moreover, I have friends
and family from different parts of the archipelago who bring pasalubong evertime they visit. So
even if I haven’t gone to these places, at least I get to sample their food!

I’ll start of with Luzon. Right now, I am a Makati resident. Makati has no Makati delicacy to
speak of. So I have to remember the time when I visited my uncle in Laguna, the many Manila-
Bicol bus trips I had 5 years ago and the Baguio trip I had some years ago.

Quezon’s Pancit Lucban Bicol’s Pili Nut Candy Laguna’s Buko Pie

I used to take the bus to Naga twice a month several years ago. We always have stopovers in
Quezon Province. I like those stopvers because I get to eat their Pancit Lucban. I pair it with
their homemade Lucban biscuits. And when I arrive in Bicol, it’s pili – pili nut candies of all
sizes and shape.

My lola from my mom’s side lived in Laguna. I remember visting her and my tito, again several
years ago. Every morning at 6am while we wait for our bus to take us to Manila, we always
stop by small stores selling the famous Laguna pies. My favorite is the Buko pie, a close second
is the ube pie. I love that they use fresh young buko shreds and that the pie crust is freshly
baked.

Pampanga’s Halohalo Baguio’s Delicacies Ilocos’ Royal Bibingka

I haven’t been to Pampanga. But I have been to Razon’s. Razon’s is a restaurant in Greenbelt 1
that has the most delicious halohalo I have ever tasted. Its halohalo has slices of leche flan.
Unlike other halo halo where you can taste just the slivers of ice, Razon’s halohalo tastes like
creamy caramel without needing to vigorously mix the halohalo ingredients.

Baguio. I have been there a couple of time and my roommate before was a Baguio native. I
always love it when she brings Lengua de Gato back. It is a light, thin butter cookie. Baguios
has the jams (strawberry being the most famous), but Lengua de Gato is still my favorite. My
officemate Frank has been to Vigan and he said that their Royal Bibingka is a must try!

There is still so many. Pampanga’s tocino, Quezon’s longganisa, Laguna’s puto bumbong.. I can
go on and on. But I have to stop because there are still more delicacies in.. The Visayas!

LUCBAN QUEZON

Pancit Habhab (Pancit Lucban) Recipe

Ingredients:

 ½ k. pork buto-buto, boiled

 1 k. pork liempo
 1 k. pancit Lucban (pancit miki)
 ¼ k. Baguio beans, sliced horizontally
 3 pcs. sayote, julienned
 3 pcs. carrots, julienned
 1 ½ tbsps. Soy sauce
 1 tbsp. cooking oil
 1 pc. garlic, finely chopped
 1 pc. onion, finely chopped
 3 tbsps. vinegar

Procedure:

1. Fry the pork (liempo) in its own fat; set aside.

2. Sauté garlic, onion, and the vegetables; add soy sauce to taste.
3. Add the pork (buto-buto) broth and put in the pancit Lucban when the broth boils.
4. When cooked, put in the fried pork meat.
5. Serve the pancit hab-hab on fresh banana leaves.
6. Add vinegar to make the pancit more delicious.
 BICOL DELICACIES
Recipe using Pili Nuts

PILI CHOCOLATE CRUNCH

Ingredients:
½ kilo pili nut
1 kg. chocolate premium

Procedure:
1. Toast the pili nut in an oven at low
temperature.
2. Cool and set aside.
3. Melt the chocolate bar in a double boiler.
4. Distribute the nuts in moulders.
5. Pour the melted chocolate while hot to coat
the nuts.
6. Place the mixture inside the freezer for a
few minutes or until the moulder becomes
cloudy.
7. Unmold
8. Wrap using chocolate wrapper.
9. Pack and store.

POLVORON

Ingredients:
1 kilo flour
2 bar fresh butter
1 cup toasted pili nut (pounded)
2 ½ cup refined sugar
½ kilo skimmed milk

Procedure:
1. Toast the until golden brown
2. Melt butter and set aside.
3. Combine sugar and skimmed milk into
flour and mix until well blended.
4. Add the melted butter and pili and mix well.
5. Mould the mixture and wrap in colored
cellophane.
6. Pack and store.

PILI BUTTER SPREAD

Ingredients:
1 kilo pilinut - toasted
2 cups sugar
2 cups toasted flour
¾ cups corn oil

Procedure:
1. Toast the pili until golden brown.
2. Mix the first three ingredients.
3. Grind and add the corn oil gradually.
4. Pack in sterilized bottles.
5. Seal

PILI TART

Ingredients:
Crust Filling
1 kilo ordinary flour ½ kilo ground pili
2 bars fresh butter 1 can condensed milk
1 cup sugar 1 cup sugar
1 cup cold water

Packaging Material: Colored cellophane

P.E. Plastic

Procedure:
1. Measure ingredients needed for crust and
filling.
2. In a bowl combine sugar and flour, with a
pastry blender or two knives, cut in fresh
butter until it is the size of small peas.
3. Add cold water a little at a time, moving to
the side the pieces of dough as they hold
together.
4. Form into balls. Roll each ball into 1/8 inch
thick.
5. Press dough to shape of tart. Prick sides and
bottom.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. In another bowl, combine condensed milk
and sugar. Mix well.
8. Fill up baked crust tart top with sliced pili.
9. Bake until golden brown.
10. Let cool before wrapping, pack.

CRISPY PILI

Ingredients:
1 cup pilinut
¼ cup sugar
4 tbsp. karo syrup
¼ cup water
oil for frying

Procedure:
1. Blanch the pilinut and remove seed coats.
2. Combine sugar, syrup and water. Stir until
dissolved.
3. Soak pilinut syrup for 10 minutes.
4. Drain. Fly until golden brown.
5. Let it cool down on a piece of cheese cloth.
6. Pack in P.E. plastic or jars of desired size
and seal.
7. Store in a cool dry place.

SPICE GREASELESS PILINUT

Ingredients:
2 cups pilinut
1 cup water
salt
powdered pepper
garlic powder

Procedure:
1. Boil pilinut in water until soft.
2. Add salt, garlic and pepper when most of
the water has evaporated.
3. Cook over medium heat until nearly dry.
4. Dry further in a mechanical dryer or in oven
at 50 degrees Fahrenheit until pili become
crispy.
5. Cool and pack.

PILI EMPANADITAS

Ingredients:
Crust Filling
3 cups flour ¼ kilo pilinut
1 cup margarine or butter 1 small can
condensed milk
4 tbsp. sugar ¼ cup sugar
¼ cup cold water

? Combine and cook until thick.

Procedure:
1. Prepare and measure all the needed
ingredients.
2. Sift together the flour and sugar.
3. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender
or blending fork until pieces are size of small
pass.
4. Sprinkle water, one tbsp. at a time over part
of mixture. Gently mix with fork, push to one
side of bowl.
5. Sprinkle next tbsp. water over dry part, mix
lightly, push to moistened part at one side.
Repeat until all are moistened.
6. Gather up with fingers, form into balls.
7. Flatten slightly and add the filling.
8. Seal edges.
9. Bake in an oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit
for 25-40 minutes until golden brown.

PILI KISSES
Ingredients:
1 cup pilinut-roasted
2 pcs. egg white
½ cup refined sugar or confectioner sugar
¼ tsp. cream of tartar

Procedure:
1. Grind the pilinut.
2. Separate the eggwhite from the yolk.
3. Beat eggwhite till fluffy.
4. Mix cream of tartar.
5. Continue beating until mixture form
bubbles or foam.
6. Add sugar gradually while beating the
mixture. Beat until stiff foam is formed.
7. Add the ground pilinut and fold the
mixture.
8. Place small cones in baking sheet.
9. Bake for 40 minutes at 135 degree
Fahrenheit.
10. Cool and pack.

PANDECILLOS

Ingredients:
Filling
½ kilo ground pili
1 can condensed milk
¼ cup sugar
1 pc. egg yolk
¼ box

Dough
8 cups all purpose flour
1 bar fresh butter
6 pcs. egg yolk
1 can evaporated milk
1 ½ cup refined sugar
8 tsp. baking powder

Procedure:
1. Combine the needed ingredients for the
filling except the cheese.
2. Sift together the flour and baking powder.
3. Blend the melted butter with egg yolk and
sugar. Mix well.
4. Add the evaporated milk alternately with
the flour mixture.
5. Gather with fingers and form into roll.
6. Spread the filling on top and sprinkle grated
cheese.
7. Roll and cut into desired length.
8. Place in a greased pan and bake in oven at
375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes.

PASTILLAS DE PILI

Ingredients:
1 cup pilinut -roasted
1 cup skimmilk
1/3 cup suagr
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/3 cup water
pinch of salt

Procedure:
1. Grind the roasted pilinut finely.
2. Mix sugar and skimmilk thoroughly.
3. Add water and mix well.
4. Stir in pilinut and vanilla.
5. Continue mixing until homogenous.
6. Cook on medium heat with constant stirring
until such time that the mixture stick as one
ball.
7. Spread on greased trays and cut into desired
sizes.
8. Roll over sugar and wrap.

SUGAR COATED PILI

Ingredients:
1 cup pilinut (roasted)
1 cup sugar (refined)
½ cup water
¼ tsp. flour
2 tsp. margarine

Procedure:
1. Mix all ingredients in a cooking pan.
2. Cook over moderate heat and continue
mixing until syrup is almost dry.
3. Remove from heat when pilinut are coated
with syrup.]
4. Spread on tray.
5. Let cool and pack.

PILINUT CANDY

Ingredients:
1 cup pilinut
½ cup sugar
2 tbsp. karo syrup
½ tsp. margarine
½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. water

Procedure:
1. Remove outer skin of pili. Grind coarsely.
2. Combine sugar, water and syrup in a pan.
3. Cook on medium heat until the sugar us
dissolved.
4. Add the ground pilinut. Mix thoroughly.
5. Cook until sticky.
6. Add margarine and mix well.
7. Pour on greased tray. Add baking soda and
stir thoroughly.
8. Spread immediately and cut into desired
sizes while hot.
9. Cool and wrap.

PILI BAR

Ingredients:
1 cup pilinut
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp. vanilla

Procedure:
1. Blanch pilinut and remove seed coats.
2. Boil pilinut into soft, then drain.
3. Grind the boiled pili finely.
4. Mix pilinut and sugar thoroughly.
5. Cook over moderate heat until boiling.
6. Remove from fire spread on a wooden
board. Continue mixing until the mixture stick
as one ball.
7. Knead the mixture while hot by using a
rolling pin.
8. Cut desired sizes.

MAZAPAN DE PILI

Ingredients:
1 cup pilinut - roasted ¼ cup water
1 tbsp. cheese 1 tsp vanilla
1.4 cup skimmilk 1/3 cup suagr
1 pc egg

Procedure:
1. Grind pilinut coarsely or chop using mortar
and pestle.
2. Mix sugar and skimmilk very well.
3. Add water equal to the weight of skimmilk
and stir thoroughly to a smooth consistency.
4. Stir in pilinut and ¾ parts of total amount of
beaten egg.
5. Add cheese and vanilla.
6. Cook on medium heat until sticky.
7. Distribute the mixture on greased paper
cups place in muffin pans.
8. Brush beaten eggs on top of each mixture in
the cup.
9. Bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 20
minutes.

PILI BRITTLE
 Ingredients:
1 cup pilinut 1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. margarine 8 tbsp. sugar
4 tspb. Water 4 tbsp. corn syrup

Procedure:
1. Dry pilinut under the sun or in a mechanical
dryer. Cool and remove seed coats.
2. Combine pilinut, sugar, water and corn
syrup in a pan.
3. Cook over medium heat until syrup turns
golden brown or when threading occurs.
Remove from heat.
4. Add margarine and mix well.
5. Add baking soda and stir thoroughly.
6. Spread on grease wooden board and cut
while hot into desired sizes.
7. Wrap in cellophane when cooled..

PILI CAKE

Ingredients:
1 kilo pili (chopped)
2 can condensed milk
2 cups refined sugar
4 pcs. egg yolk

Procedure:
1. Mix ingredients all together.
2. Cook over moderate heat until thick.
3. Mold.
4. Bake until golden brown.
5. Cool.
6. Wrap in colored cellophane.

LAGUNA DELICACIES
Laguna’s Buko Pie
Two things I have in mind whenever I heard the word Laguna – hotspring resorts and buko pie!
Visiting Laguna is not complete without buying a box of buko pie and the mere mention of it
makes my mouth drool. Selling buko pie is a good business too. Here’s some of the recipe’s I dig
from the internet.

Buko Pie Recipe #1

Ingredients:

 2 cups buko meat

 3/4 cup sugar
 1/2 cup coconut water
 1/2 1/2 cup evaporated milk (or fresh milk)
 1/2 cup starch

Procedure:

Pour directly the uncooked mixture into the pastry-lined pan, top with the second crust, brush
with eggwash, bake at 400 deg F for 15 minutes then a further 45 minutes at 325 deg F.

Buko Pie Recipe #2

Crust:

 2 cups all-purpose flour

 1 tsp. salt
 2/3 cup shortening
 1 piece eggyolk
 1 tsp. vinegar
 1/4 cup ice water

Filling:

 4 cups coconut meat

 1 cup coconut water
 1 300 ml. can Sweetened Condensed Milk
 2/3 cup cornstarch

Procedure:

1. Blend flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in shortening using two knives or a pastry cutter. Combine
yolk, vinegar and water; slowly add the liquid to the flour mixing until dough can be handled.

2. Divide dough into 2 parts with one part slightly bigger than the other. Roll bigger dough to
about 2 inches larger than a 16-inch pie plate. Fit dough into a pie plate, letting sides hang. Roll
out remaining dough for the crust. Set aside.
2. Combine filling ingredients in a thick saucepan. Cook stirring constantly until thickened. Cool
then pour into prepared crust. Cover with top crust; flute or crimp edges together to seal. Bake
for 1 hr. at 425 degrees F.

ILOCOS

Special Royal Bibingka, Vigan Bibingka

Ingredients:

2 cups glutinous rice flour

1 cup canned coconut cream
1/2 cup fresh milk
4 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup margarine
Cooking procedure:

In a big bowl place the glutinous rice flour and sugar. Whisk in the milk and coconut cream until runny
batter is formed. Add in the egg yolks and continue to whisk until fully blended. Coat the muffin moulds
with margarine. Spoon the batter into the muffin moulds, about 4 table spoon each mould. Arrange the
silicon moulds in a baking tray and cover with aluminium foil.

Bake in an oven at 350°F to 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Now remove cover of the now half cooked
bibingka and top with cheese and sugar. Return aluminium covering and bake for another 25 to 30
minutes. Adjust baking time as necessary. Remove the aluminium covering during the final 10 minutes
of baking. Brush with margarine at least twice in between.

When the cheese start change color remove from the oven and brush again with margarine. Let cool
down, remove from mould and serve.