MANILA, Philippines — If there’s one thing that’s bound to remain unchanged this year, it’s the way we Filipinos celebrate the holidays. This is best exemplified by the care and hard work that we pour into our cooking, ultimately capturing the spirit of Christmas and strengthening one’s sense of being home.
As we slowly close in on the most important season of the year, let’s look at some of the best Pinoy family dishes that turn up the dial on the festivities in our homes.
1. Mechado
Mechado is a tomato-based, braised-beef stew borne from the influence of Spanish cuisine. It owes its name to the Spanish word “mecha,” meaning ”wick” in English, explained by the larding on the meat. When the dish is finally ready, you get soft, succulent beef chunks swimming in thick, savory, and gravy-like sauce that’s best served with hot steamed rice.
2. Morcon
Morcon is an especially delicious dish that comes in beef roulades traditionally layered with hard-boiled eggs, sausages, carrots, cheese, and pickles. It’s a Pinoy favorite that fits the tradition of having round-shaped foods on the table that attract prosperity in the New Year.
3. Pansit
A most versatile noodle dish, Pansit is regularly seen on the holiday spread. It can be cooked as simple or as complex as you wish, the latter being truer especially since Filipinos are given to adorning dishes with something extra they can find in the kitchen.
4. Lechon Paksiw
Pinoy cuisine teaches us to be more creative with our leftovers, and this is where Lechon Paksiw excels. It is a dish made from leftover meat from spit roast pig, simmered until tender in a thick, sweet-sour sauce, enriched by spices and some good ol’ liver spread, giving the sauce extra texture and character.
Showcase your culinary flair
If you are a cooking enthusiast and happen to have your own take on the recipes above, then why not showcase your culinary chops?
With Robinsons Supermarket’s Holiday Fair about to be in full swing, get your talents recognized by participating in this year’s Dishember Cook-Off beginning November 22 for Solo Category, December 5 for Couple Category, and December 19 for Family Category via Facebook Live.
Participants in each category can win as much as P15,000 worth of cash. Lots of exciting prizes also await online viewers during the livestream.
The cook-off is part of Robinsons Supermarket’s Holiday Fair Festivities where all Filipino families are invited.
Try your Holiday Luck!
Another thing to look forward to from the Holiday Fair is the E-raffle promo. By purchasing Holiday Fair participating items worth at least P1,500, customers can simply earn a unique E-raffle code for a chance to win exciting prizes.
The receipt with the e-raffle code shall be encoded via Robinsons Supermarket’s official website where customers can fill in their complete details to validate their entries.
The Holiday Fair culminates in an online e-raffle draw, where a total of P100,000 worth of prizes will be given away to lucky customers.
For more information, visit their website at https://www.robinsonssupermarket.com.ph/. You can also check out their official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RobinsonsSupermarketOfficial/.