TryGOLD- Free

THE CHINESE IN PINOY FOOD
The Philippine Star|January 29, 2025
Even though I don't cook Chinese food all the time, I can hardly step into my kitchen without encountering ingredients, equipment and cooking methods that can be traced back to China. Adding a dash of soy sauce to add deepness to my gravy? Stir-frying veggies in my wok or using my steamer as a healthy way to cook fish or chicken? These all have roots in Chinese cuisine.
- VICKY VELOSO-BARRERA
THE CHINESE IN PINOY FOOD

The deliciousness and variety of Chinese dishes make it probably the best known of Asian cuisines in the world. Where would we be without our regular dose of fried rice and dumplings, noodles and milk teas? Yet, even as Chinese elements permeated our culture, we embraced them with our own Filipino ingredients and sensibilities. Archeological evidence, as written about in Tsinoy: The Story of the Chinese in Philippine Life (Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran Inc.), shows that in prehistoric times, the Philippines was linked to other countries through land bridges, encouraging the ancient peoples to move about as they hunted for food. The diggings in the Hemudu archeological site near Hangzhou, China, reveal an ancient rice culture dating back 7,000 years. The fact that we share the same rice varieties and identical cooking earthenware, such as the palayok and kalan (pot and stove), are evidence of ties between the Philippines and the Yangtze civilizations in China, way before documented trade in the 11th century.

These Chinese traders, many of whom took Filipino wives, surely hankered for a taste of their homelands. As the late Clinton Palanca writes about in My Angkong's Noodles (Elizabeth Yu Gokongwei, publisher), these wives added local ingredients and the inputs of their own taste buds to create a hybrid cuisine. What resulted was a delicious mix of Chinese and Filipino food.

"Chinese Filipino cuisine or Tsinoy cuisine isn't as easy to define and categorize because a subsection of dishes was renamed to Spanish during the colonial period, probably to sound more upscale and sell better," says Tsinoy chef Sharwin Tee. "For example, we have Filipino dishes with Spanish names that are actually Tsinoy. The most common examples would be asado (char siu), arroz caldo (am be), and camaron rellenado (diok pit he)."

This story is from the January 29, 2025 edition of The Philippine Star.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the January 29, 2025 edition of The Philippine Star.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE PHILIPPINE STARView All
The Philippine Star

Bay Benefits: The Science of Living Well at SMDC Spaces by the Bay

What if your home could be more than a space to rest? What if it could be a sanctuary that naturally nurtures your well-being, day in and day out?

time-read
2 mins  |
January 31, 2025
The Philippine Star

Rediscovering the BMW X5 With a Plug-in Hybrid Version

I Come from that generation of journalists who have been in the automotive beat for a quarter of a century (i.e., old). Age, however, enables me to compare the experiences of a new car with its predecessors—not just the immediate forebear, but even from earlier generations.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 31, 2025
The Philippine Star

Gov't completes 7 priority infra in 2024

The government has completed seven priority infrastructure projects under the infrastructure flagship project (IFP) list as of last year, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

time-read
1 min  |
January 31, 2025
The Philippine Star

The Best of Iloilo at the Centerstage of Dinagyang 2025

The vibrant city of Iloilo readily welcomed visitors to the much-anticipated Dinagyang Festival 2025.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 31, 2025
The Philippine Star

Own your future: Build your wealth through these three investment tips

Many Filipinos struggle to keep up with their bills. Some exhaust themselves juggling multiple jobs, only to live paycheck to paycheck. This is the impact of increasing inflation and other economic challenges. Achieving financial freedom becomes more difficult, but it's not impossible if you know how to spend and save your money wisely.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 31, 2025
The Philippine Star

NBA Mulls 10-Minute Quarters

NBA commissioner Adam Silver raised the possibility that the US basketball league could someday switch from 12-minute to 10-minute quarters to court a changing television audience and align with international rules.

time-read
1 min  |
January 31, 2025
The Philippine Star

Blueprints for Success: WORLDBEX Illuminates the Latest Trends in Construction and Design

As WORLDBEX geared up for another remarkable edition, WSI held its annual MOA signing with its sponsors and partners last January 28 at the SMX Convention Center Manila.

time-read
1 min  |
January 31, 2025
The Philippine Star

Japan tries to rescue man stuck in sinkhole

A truck that fell into a sinkhole that suddenly opened on a road near Tokyo has captured national attention as attempts to rescue the elderly driver drag on.

time-read
1 min  |
January 31, 2025
ASEAN unity
The Philippine Star

ASEAN unity

Recent Philippine visitor - Malaysia's House of Representatives Speaker Johari Abdul, is calling for more unity and cooperation among the 11-member nations/states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN, which comprises almost 700 million people.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 31, 2025
The Philippine Star

Security Bank eyes stronger profitability

Security Bank Corp. aims to sustain its profitability this year, targeting a return on equity (ROE) of around 10 percent for 2025, while continuing to expand its physical and digital presence.

time-read
1 min  |
January 31, 2025

We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies. Learn more