Module 11: Regional Cuisine

written by Precious Arao, Angeli Callo, and Ces Jocson

Background​

The Philippines is built out of diversity but underneath that diversity is a common thread. In this module, students will be introduced to the different regions in the Philippines as well as the common ingredients and cooking techniques from that region.

Motivating Activity

​Students will draw on their own experiences and share a food memory that they have. Use this as a springboard for discussion about the different experiences around food and how they all share something in common, a sense of belonging and familiarity.
  • Share Filipino Food Memory
    • Tell students to use imagery and descriptive language
      • What did you hear?
      • What did the food look like?
      • What did it smell like?
      • How did it taste?
      • What did it feel like?
      • What was the occasion?
      • Who were there with you?
    • Use at least 3-5 filipino words you have learned so far.  
Play the Bahay Kubo -- song
  • Facts about the Bahay Kubo​
Ingredients in Bahay Kubo (where did they come from?)
  • Mesoamerica: Singkamas/Jicama
  • India: Talong/Eggplant, Batawa/Hyacinth Bean, Patola/Sponge Gourd (Cultivation), Sesame Seeds (Cultivation)
  • Africa Or New Guinea: Sigarilyas/Winged Bean
  • Africa: Patola/ Sponge Gourd
  • Sub-saharan/Africa: ​Linga/Sesame Seeds
  • Peru: Patani/Lima Bean
  • South America: Mani/Peanut, Sitaw/String Beans, Kamatis/Tomato, Bawang/Garlic
  • Central America: Sitaw/String Beans, Kalabasa/Winter Squash, Bawang/ Garlic
Read this excerpt from Stephen Acabado, Department of Anthropology, University of California-Los Angeles, from Tinam, Camarines Sur
"For a time, our image of the typical bahay kubo is an idyllic abode seen as an isolated place, pure, singular, free and therefore, Filipino. This romanticized version of our identity is seriously flawed and has given us an insular outlook of ourselves. However, this picture book does not wish to make you feel less proud about it, rather, we invite you to look into another frame, so as our pride and joy as Filipinos of the world, can be regrounded."
Discuss the Concept of Hemogenocene:
“This is the widespread expansion of plants (and animals brought by maritime exchanges that started when Christopher Columbus accidentally ended in the island of Hispaniola in present-day Domican Republic.”

"upo (wax gourd), bawang (garlic), luya (ginger) and labanos (radish) – “appear to be the only potentially local species”

"The quintessential Philippine garden is a product of global connections that started more than two thousand years ago. Trans-oceanic exchanges and mobility have been documented archeologically and ethnographically.”
  • Introduce some facts about Adobo
    • Origin and history of Adobo
    • How Adobo is cooked
    • Show the Photos of the different kinds of Adobo and expound on how the differences in regional varieties are partly due to the availability of ingredients in their locale
31 different kinds of Adobo dishes
NOTES: excerpt from doreen (from adobo notes) quote
second bullet: sokolov
sample recepi: tita will send the photo
quote from feeding manila in peace and war (send the slides)
another recipe 1949 recipe
a note on soy sauce (blue note) and chinatown
another recipe 1972
all kinds of adobo
add conclusion: pedro san
​adobo is indigenous to the philipine because it is a cooking method not a dish. 

Processing Activity

For this activity, the students will be divided into groups. They will then watch videos about regional cuisines from the three major islands, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
  • Begin asking the students what region of the Philippines they are from and if they have friends from other regions? The students' experiences will be a good resource here.
    • What dishes are popular in that region?
    • Ask students to type answers in chat.
  • Review different regions of the Philippines and describe their topography. 
    • Why are some areas more famous for seafood than others? Divide the class into three groups and ask each other to watch the video.
    • Ask each group to share what they have learned. Use the following guide questions:
      • What methods of cooking were popular?
      • What are the common ingredients used in this area?
      • Was there anything in the video that surprised you or you didn't know before?
      • Are any of these dishes already familiar to you or do you know of something similar from your own experience?
    • Explain that the diversity of the food is symbolic of the Philippine's diversity as a nation and even though widely different, there are still some commonalities between the regions
​Luzon
Visayas
Mindanao
  • Share the video of Jayson Parba and Flori Palma Gil (15 minutes)
    • This video provides a good example of how names of dishes can mean different things in parts of the country
    • This video also shows how food is an aspect of Philippine life not isolated to just eating. Food in Philippines society is seen as a social activity.
    • Certain ingredients are nostalgic for people because of personal reasons as well.

Note: pinoy food stories kuya jayson videos module 5
  • Discuss how different regions have different methods of cooking
    • Introduce the Palayok and cooking over charcoal or fire
    • "Philippine Dirty Kitchen"

Culminating Activity: Recipe Compilation

​In this activity, students will be encouraged to dive deeper into each regional cuisine by researching their own recipes for that region. In doing this activity, students will be given the autonomy to learn about cuisines that inspire them.
  • In the same three groups that the students were divided into earlier, ask them to compile recipes from each region into this powerpoint template:
    • Encourage students to consult family or look up recipes on the internet.
    • In the recipe book, include a brief history or background of the dish and the region it hails from.
    • Each member of the group should contribute at least one recipe to the compilation. Check there is no overlap in recipes
    • Encourage students to consult their classmates and encourage active communications and conversation between them. This is an opportunity for them to learn from and help each other. 

Recipe Example

Supplemental/Enrichment Activity

  • Watch the video and answer the following questions:
    • If given the opportunity, would you build a dirty kitchen?
    • Why do you think this because became popular in the Philippines? What can learn about society from this?
    • Do you think it is possible for the Philippines to do away with the dirty kitchen?