Philippines: Mindanao Food Habits and Practices

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Avatar for LykeLyca
3 years ago

Finally, the last part of this gastronomic series about the Philippines. I had a lot of fun researching and jogging my memory for ideas about food habits and practices from my previous domestic travels. Now, we are on the last part - my hometown Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines. This island is inhabited by both Christian and Muslim Filipinos. The food habits and ways of preparing food of these people have heaps of differences.

Lumpia Ubod or Fresh Lumpia from Goldilocks

The Christian Filipinos living on the western side of this island, particularly those in Zamboanga, have developed food habits similar to those of the early Spanish and Chinese settlers. This colonial influence are exemplified too in their Chavacano dialect, visit

Zamboanga and you will discover more Spanish words than Filipino in conversing with the locals! Going back to the food, they particularly like to eat food with plenty of spices and sauces. Lumpia Ubod or Fresh Lumpia is one of the favorite dish. This is a spring roll recipe of vegetables, shredded ubod, tokwa, shrimp and boiled/ flaked chicken meat rolled together inside a lumpia wrapper. It will be served with the sauce that would add the distinct taste of the dish. The yummiest Fresh Lumpia I tasted so far is from Goldilocks, this is one popular local franchise in the Philippines thus you can easily taste this dish everywhere in the Philippines.

Moro Vinta of Zamboanga. Photo from https://pngimage.net/vinta-png-4/

The Zamboanga peninsula is also popular for the Moro Vinta. It is a fishing boat so unique because of its size and lively colors. This industry paved their way to be makers of the bottled Spanish-style Sardines and the MontaΓ±os is the most relish you have to try when you visit Zamboanga. Canning factories of sardines also provides plenty of job opportunities. No wonder this province is known to be the Sardines Capital of the Philippines.

The Eastern region is the vast area of Davao. A well-known fruit called Durian is cultivated in this part of Mindanao. This fruit is delicious but it has a very unpleasant smell. It is a rich fruit and has practically the same composition as the avocado. Some people believe that it gives unusual strength to anyone who eats it, while some claim that this fruit is an aphrodisiac. The Christian Filipinos in Davao developed a delicacy out of this fruit- the Durian jam or Durian paste. Flavoring and the sugar mixed with the fruit has lessened the unpleasant smell. Durian paste can be flavorings and toppings for certain delicacies like Durian Tarts that makes a really good desserts.

Durian Fruit, Popular in Davao Region. Photo by Jim Teo on Unsplash

Davao City also takes care of crocodiles as much as they set priority in taking care of the Philippine Eagle. Thus, this Crocodile Park in Davao houses hundreds if not thousands of this specie. One exotic food Davao has is made up of crocodile meat, cooked in different viands like the Tagalog's Adobo. The park also serves crocodile ice cream, really exotic!

Mangosteen Fruit my personal favorite. Photo by Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash

The Northern region of Mindanao includes the highlands of Bukidnon, this province by far makes Mindanao the food basket of the Philippines. People in this region are into farming, producing high value crops for export all over the Philippines. Popular fruits this province have are pineapples, bananas and mangosteen. The latter is something distinct in this region, it has pleasing sweet-sour taste. The edible part of the mangosteen fruit is the fleshy white pulp enclosed in a tough skin. It is usually eaten raw. The skin of this fruit is believed to have medicinal value, and most locals have it dried and boiled, the water is then taken as tea. The crops of Bukidnon is a variety from simple crops like potatoes, cabbage and etc. And high value vegetables like leek, parsley, romaine, lettuce and a lot more. Camiguin province also produces

the top and sweetest Lanzones, a local fruit and well loved by a lot of Mindanaoans. Cagayan de Oro's Pastel is a favorite delicacy for 'Pasalubong' or as food present by travelers and tourists. Pastel is a soft bun/bread with yema or custard filling, great with a cup of coffee.

Photo from Shopee.ph

The Muslim Filipinos of Mindanao do not eat pork, their religion forbids it, but they eat carabao or goat meat. These non- Christian also use coconut milk in their food and loves using yellow ginger and chili pepper for the color and flavor. The natives near Lake Lanao are, however, fish eaters. Muslim dishes are quite different in many respects from other Filipino dishes. Such dishes as Piassok, Pialam and Landang-landang are typical Muslim favorites. In Iligan City, Pater is a Muslim dish that is also a favorite by a lot of Christian Filipinos, this is like a rice topping, and you can choose tuna, chicken or beef as toppings, best served with Palapa. Palapa is like a spicy appetizer made of native onion leaves. Pater Al Kuwait is a local restaurant that serves delicious Pater wrapped in wilted banana leaves, this shop also has bottled Palapa so convenient for present in your future travel in Iligan City.

Photo from Pater Al-Kuwait Facebook Page

I hope you enjoyed this virtual tour in Mindanao. But, words aren't enough, you have to experience it! Visit the Philippines!

You can type #EatsMoreFunInThePhilippines in Google's search engine, this is a famous hashtag to showcase the Philippines fun culinary culture and experience.

You can also visit both links for the previous articles about;

Philippines: Luzon Food Habits and Practices

Philippines: Visayas Food Habits and Practices

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#Philippines #Mindanaoan #Mindanao #PaterAndPalapa #FoodBasketofthePhilippines #MoroVinta

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Avatar for LykeLyca
3 years ago

Comments

Thats really great to know about your food culture and habbit on foods. Really informative article for us. I really appreciate your afford.

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3 years ago

Thank you! Food culture is always interesting and an adventure as well!

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3 years ago

Yea

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3 years ago

Very tasty

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3 years ago

thank you!

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3 years ago

Great article by you my friend

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3 years ago

thanks!

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3 years ago

nice item

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3 years ago

thanks!

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3 years ago

We'll come

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3 years ago

Great one

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3 years ago

thanks!

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3 years ago

I taste it all. The fresh lumpia, mangosteen, the pastel from Davao and the pastil hehe. The durian also that is so smelly but it's yummy.

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User's avatar Yen
3 years ago

All delicious indeed! We are all blessed to have this food accessible to us. Thank you!

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3 years ago

Mangosteen!!! I love that! I tried Durian, but haha no comment! πŸ˜†

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3 years ago

Hahaha! You have to try eating Durian Ice cream its not as bad as the fruit.

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3 years ago

Are you sure? Will try it but the candy that I tried is not for me as well. Just not used to it maybe.

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3 years ago

You got to visit Davao and your perception of Durian will change heheh!

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3 years ago

Hopefully, yes I wanted to. I was about to go with my brother last year but wasn't able to. He brought me durian sweets. So maybe I'll have to go myself to Davao then. Cheers

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3 years ago

Yes you got to explore it yourself... The experience is different :)

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3 years ago

This article will serve as a guide for those who likes to travel and explore the country, specifically Mindanao. I like how your work is mixed with historical facts and geography. 😍

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3 years ago

Thank you! That's why we have to tag it with #eatsmorefuninthephilippines so people into exploring about food culture might see it.

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3 years ago

Great one

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User's avatar Win
3 years ago

thank you!

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3 years ago

Fresh Lumpia looks very delicious, I haven't tried magosteen and durian. But seriously, Crocodile ice cream? As in it is made from crocodile meat? Poor crocodile.

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3 years ago

haven't tasted the crocodile ice cream coz im not into exotic foods heheh! but i think there is some meat of the animal on it heheh!

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3 years ago

Nyayyy, I only heard it here, read rather. But this is, I don't think I can eat this, even if they give me a million dollars, i don't want to 😫

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3 years ago

Hahah! I won't it eat either but the million dollars might change it. lol!

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3 years ago

Hahaha, I'm having ang sexond thought too. Just forget I said it, it's million dollars you know. 🀭

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3 years ago

Hahaha! I hope someone can offer this to us by eating ice cream lol would be awesome!

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3 years ago

I haven’t eat durian or crocodile ice cream πŸ˜‘. But I enjoyed with your post. Keep going dear

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3 years ago

If you are into exploring food culture.. You got to try it! thanks!

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3 years ago

Yeah i will

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3 years ago

Wow really yummy foods.I wanna eat Philippines food. 😘😘

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3 years ago

Come visit the Philippines after the pandemic :) Thank you!

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3 years ago

Looks delicious πŸ˜‹

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3 years ago

thanks!

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3 years ago

i'm just OK with durian fruit itself, but durian ice cream is good for some reason! not so sure about crocodile ice cream...have you tried it? never had mangosteen either, but will have to try it.

i like how you incorporated geography and historical facts into your article, so it's a bit of a history lesson as well! excellent article as always!

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3 years ago

I haven't tried the crocodile ice cream either lol! thank you!

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3 years ago

good article, BUT...

PROTIP, that photo edit on your like and subscribe footer image is awful. 😡 font color clashes with background, change it to white or a lighter color, check out this article for research. goodluck πŸ‡΅πŸ‡­πŸ‘

https://www.canva.com/learn/contrasting-colors/

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3 years ago

thanks for that! will work it out :)

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3 years ago

I read and learned something new, a nice article.

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3 years ago

thank you!

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3 years ago

Sarap naman mga yan... Namiss ko tuloy fresh lumpia. .. At durian d ko tlga type haha.. Pro masarap yung candy. Yung fruit d ako kumakain..

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3 years ago

Nkakamiss talaga pagkain Pinoy, dati nung nasa KSA ako nag tatrabaho nagbabaon ako mga favorite ko na kakanin pagbalik hahah! durian/mangosteen candy, pastel ng cagayan, piaya, hahah! hindi nmn nagtatagal kc ung mga kasamahan ko pinoy puro hingi.

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3 years ago

Piayaya dn namiss kp..si kuya nagdadala sa bahay dati kpg naaassign sa mindanao part.. Dto sa HK my durian mooncake at icecream, d ko pa natikman..sobrang mahal ng durian fruit and products dto

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3 years ago

Wow! Durian mooncake? I bet pakana yan ng mga chinoy sa HK haha! try mo nlng pag nka bakasyon ka kc talagang mahal din products natin pag na export na

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3 years ago

I think no.. Most durian are imported from Thailand.. They really like that fruit..

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3 years ago

Ah yes! Thailand have durian too, and they're creative as well in cooking

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3 years ago

Actually, thailand durian is yummier than ph πŸ˜…

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3 years ago