CEBU, Philippines — The Chinese influence in Cebuano cuisine cannot be denied. Well, it is also true of Filipino cuisine, in general. It’s understandable, since Cebu and the rest of the country has a very long history of trading with the Chinese, dating back to pre-Hispanic times.
With that background, could it be that Cebu’s famous “Lechon” is a Chinese import too? Very possibly.
It may be noticed that Cebuano cooking generously uses Chinese spices. “Si-bot” or “sibut,” a Chinese spice, is commonly used in Cebuano broths and stews. Star anise is a favorite flavoring, and so is soy sauce.
Cebu’s taste-winning “Humba” is a slight modification of the Chinese original, “hong-ba” or “hong-ma.”Ngohiong by its very name is… well, a Chinese original too. The popular “Siomai” is the same.
But “Lechon” – the name alone doesn’t sound Chinese at all. It’s called “siuyuk” in Cantonese. The name “Lechon” is Spanish, which most probably was the name that the Spaniards – who had colonized the Philippines for centuries – derived from the Romans. The roast pork on a spit has been around Ancient Rome and China for centuries, from way back to the 6th century.
The Cebuanos didn’t even call their “Lechon” that, until the name became popular on TV as used by the Tagalogs. The Cebuanos used to call their “Lechon” as “Inasal.” But whether “Siu Yuk” or “Inasal” or “Lechon” – a roast pig on a spit is any or all these. Roslyn Campus